Pictures (cheer, aquarium, dentist)

This week has been crazy busy. I have a couple things I want to write about so I have memories of them, but I have not gotten the chance yet. This morning I have a but of time to get some things done…maybe I'll get to that, after working on my neglected housecleaning.

 I have some pictures from last weekend that I want to "scrapbook" (I love how I can just post and they are "scrapbooked"…my kind of archiving these days!)

Cheerleading

Melina's first cheerleading experience for BC Naz. She was excited and nervous, but she sure was cute! Her life goal right now is to be a cheerleader!

 The Newport Aquarium

Both Logan and Melina got their report cards on Friday. We were very proud of their accomplishments, so we decided to surprise them and take them for a day trip to the aquarium and out for sushi. We met our great friends there too (that was a surprise as well) and had a fantastic day!

All of the kids asked for the camera at some point to take a picture of something that interested them. 

I have included their pictures.

Meeka liked this "purple flower"

Melina took a picture of the octupus!

Logan and the piranhas

Sharks!

Alligator.

Checking out the croc's

Logan liked the Alligator Turtle

Carson and Ava enjoyed the Sea Otters

Getting all 6 in a picture was impossible….5 is the best we got. :)

Friends!

 Meeka's First Trip to the Dentist

On MLK day Logan, Melina and Meeka had dentist appointments. 4 kids, 3 appointments, 2 hours and 0 meltdowns! The morning was a success in my book!

X-rays
(she looked so small in that machine)

Counting her teeth

4 kids in the room.

The time has come, the time is now...

So Gretchen went….

Last week I officially stepped down from the Organizer position of Dayton Mamas. Honestly, it was a tough decision. I have enjoyed my time, met so many great people, and had a lot of fun organizing playdates and parties! But, I felt that it was time for me to step down. When we first moved here, Logan was in 1/2 day Kindergarten and the other 3 kids were home with me all day. I needed something, anything, to fill my time and make friends for myself and the kids. This group allowed me to do that from day one. It was my lifeline and I have met THE BEST friends through this group!! (Ya, know the kind who will go out of their way to help you- ya, me too!!!) Because I had been blessed with finding friends for myself and my kids so quickly after moving here, I wanted to help keep that alive. I know how important that can be, especially when you move or you have your first baby and you are just entering into the world of motherhood. It is vital to have someone to talk to! Plus for selfish reasons- I love having fun and creative things to do with my kids. And had fun, I think we did! We had big parties and small playdates and busy bag exchanges and ice cream socials and all kinds of fun!!! But now my kids are getting bigger (thats hard to say and admit!) I have 2 in elementary school and 1 in preschool. We are just so busy with soccer, basketball, dance, gymnastics, art classes, boy scouts, girls scouts…well you get the picture. And as the kids get involved with more activities, my time is being spent not only running them all around town, but helping and volunteering with what they are involved in. I know that I can not do it all, but I am also not going to use every activity as a "baby-sitter" for my kids. Right now they love that I help and I am there for their activities. Logan is not embarrassed that I am a Den leader for cub scout, he LOVES it! And Melina LOVES when I am in her classroom. And I LOVE that they LOVE it that and I know they will remember it. So as life changes, so do my priorities.  I have loved every minute of my time with Dayton Mamas and I am not leaving the group (since I still do have some little ones too!), but I am passing the torch to others with smaller children. It is now their time to make a difference. I hope that I did. 

Homemade gak (slime)

Since we have had illness in the family and the weather here has turned cold again, we have been spending a lot more time inside the house. This week we made gak, which filled some time for us, and gave us something new and exciting to play with.

Empty 2 full 8 oz bottles of Elmer's Glue into a large bowl.
Fill the bottles back up with warm water.
Shake and then pour the water/ glue mix
into the bowl as well.

Add a drop of food coloring to make it fun!
Pour 1/2 cup warm water into a glass and add 1 tsp borax powder and
stir until dissolved. Slowly add mixture to glue mixture and stir. As it forms into slime you will need to kneed it with your hands.

Have fun with it!
(Meeka would not touch it. Carson thought it was great!)

Store in a baggie for future fun!

Family Pasta Night

We have had grand dreams for a while now of having Family Pasta Sundays; a day where we all make homemade pasta together and in the summer, when our garden is in season, homemade sauce too. Maybe make some meatballs or pesto as well.  We finally got a pasta maker for Christmas so we broke it out this Sunday for our first Family Pasta Day! It was a HUGE HIT! The kids not only enjoyed making the pasta, but eating it too! Everyone's bowl was licked clean!

putting the dough through the kneeder

And out it comes. Fold it and do it again!

Each kid got to do the whole process with 2 sheets of dough.

Making the dough into noodles!

Drying the noodles.
We cooked them fresh after all the noodle were cut.

Looking satisfied after a good meal! 

Yummo!

The noodles were a bit long….

Maybe we should make them shorter next time.

Bath time a requirmenet!