Big Win

Jordan is our runner. She has participated in a 4-H 5K run for the past 6 years (ever since we moved here). She usually participates with her Dad. Mom has run it a few times, but Dad and Jordan have always done it together. This year James was out of town for his LeadAR seminar. So, she was stuck with just Mom. Both she and James were disappointed, but they had to deal with it.

Jordan usually has come in in the top 3 of her age group, getting a medal. (One year she placed 4th, just out of medal contention.) This year, she ran it in her fastest time of 30 minutes and 20 seconds or so and placed 2nd overall in the female category. (Her Mom was 3rd, right behind Jordan, letting her finish first.) The medal she earned was bigger this year too. So proud!

At the end of the medals, they did a drawing for an ipod shuffle. They had given away a 4-H soccer ball, basketball and football to the youth. Jordan's name was called and she is now the proud owner of a green ipod shuffle. She was very pleased.

[We need to take a picture of both the medal and her ipod, but for now the information will have to suffice.]

Spiderman

Since Spencer can scale the side of our house with ease, we thought it best that he do it while "looking" the part.





Spiderman accompanied us on a walk this afternoon. He had fun racing his Dad from mailbox to mailbox. He was excited when he won, but most often it was a tie. Then, to practice his numbers, we had him tell us the numbers on each house.

Our Princess in her pettiskirt

After I finally finished the skirt yesterday, Sidnie had to try it on. Of course, I began snapping photos.

She did this pose all on her own. So CUTE!
Holding out the skirt a bit...
Running away from the camera...
Running towards the camera...(she has the look of her cousin Scotlyn here to me)
Being lifted up and down by Dad...

Tick tock (like a clock)...
Twirling...
Spinning with Kam...
Hands on hips...

Crazy Skirt project

Last year for Easter I made lots of skirts with frilly chiffon ruffles on them, thanks to a friend [Kim] who shared her chiffon order, talent and idea with me. Another friend [Amy] found a cute pettiskirt tutorial (http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2010/07/full-and-fluffy-pettiskirt.html) and thought she might make some for her girls. After she looked further, she decided it was too much work. Well, I've had some leftover chiffon since last year and crazily decided that I would make Sidnie the pettiskirt. And it was a TON of work! I did get help from my dear friend, Amy, on Friday. She brought her daughter over to play and was finished with her sewing project, so she helped me with mine and let me use her serger as well. After long last, it's done and so fun. My princess loves it of course!


The underneath layer in pink.

The two layers that are sewn to the different layers of the waistband.

The final product.


I just used what chiffon I had left, so the combination of pink and purple is kind of Easter Egg like, but it works for us.

The Hunter

Peppy is quite the hunter. He's been leaving us with partial mice and rabbits and this week a whole bird. The older girls felt bad and asked if they could burry it in the backyard. They did, but they didn't bury it very deep and something dug it up and took it away.


I have heard that when an animal leaves it's kill for you, it likes you. So we have a true friend in Peppy, but the his real owners are seeming less than thrilled with the fact that Peppy likes to hang out down here. They are always calling early in the morning to see if we've seen their cat. Usually he is right outside our back door meowing to get it. So they come down to get him. For the longest time, we didn't know who his owners were, just that the cat roamed the neighborhood. They must not have known where he was, but we mentioned once that our kids loved Peppy and now they are making a concerted effort to get him from us. And we are trying to not let him in as often. But he does still love our house. And our kids love him.

Coloring Eggs and Flowers

This week for playgroup, Jessica DeGroot planned for the kids to color Easter Eggs. Sidnie had a ball. They were each able to color 3 or 4. Sidnie did those and then, when other kids weren't doing much, she returned to the table and was colored a lot more. She colored at least 14. So fun!



Later in the day, someone picked some Azaleas from our yard and put one is Sid's hair.

New Garden Box

We're not the best gardeners in the world (sometimes we grow really nice plants, but it doesn't produce anything), but we decided to build a second garden box this year that would be more in the sun full time. Last Monday for F.H.E. we worked to finish the 8'X 8' garden box and worked on filling it with dirt. We had lots of helpers, and we were able to get it done before James went out of town for the week.

Zack nailing a nail into the last layer of 4X4 of the garden box. James put those other boards there to protect it from a bunch of extra hits on the wood.

Zack and James

James hard at work on the left with Spencer (Indy) on the right, near the original garden box.

Our original garden box

The Marshall boys


All of us worked on this project, but I didn't seem to get any pictures of the girls hauling supersoil or laying the stones. I'll have to take more pictures of the stones we laid in between the two boxes and give you a better feel for what we did, but this was a glimpse of our work.

New Sunday clothes

The new duds from G-ma and G-pa Olson... (the tie was Spence's addition)




What a handsome little boy!

Princess

Here is our little princess getting in on the Indiana Jones action. She will gladly belt out the Indiana Jones music and play with her brother. Here she is in her favorite leotard and skirtm complete with the new Indy hat...

New smile

Zack had been working on this top tooth for a while and asking us to help him pull it, but it wasn't quite ready. On the 5th, his Dad was finally able to get it out. He was so pleased. The tooth fairy came and he was pleased to show off his new smile.

The tooth in hand...

Indiana Jones

This is how Spencer went to school on his Birthday and how he has looked most of the time since. We have made him wear other outfits to school, but this goes right back on when he gets home. He is so happy to be more like Indiana Jones. Too bad it's gotten hot here in the last few days and he won't be wanting to wear that coat.





After opening all if his presents, he just had to watch one of the movies. While waiting for it to start, this is the pose he took on the couch. Just like Indy himself.

The Birthday Boy

It's hard to believe, but our Spencer boy is 5 years old. He was very excited for his brithday. Since James had to work late on the night of his b-day, we opened presents a day early so all the family could be present. This birthday was almost a repeat of last year. He got new Indiana Jones stuff and we had Deviled Flank Steak (rice and gravy) and had sugar cookies for his dessert. [Here are a lot of pictures, but we wanted those family members who are far away, to be able to share in the moment.]

Birthday boy in front of all his gifts.
Opening a present from G-ma Vernetta.
A game called Dodge Tag.
A poster made by his sister for his room.
Opening the package from G-ma and G-pa Olson.
What could it be?
New Sunday clothes and money.
An Indiana Jones action figure.
A new jacket.
It's faux leather, so he's really looking like Indiana Jones now.
A new and better Indy hat from Aunt Tara.
Sugar cookie with candles for dessert.

Spiked hair

Our Kam loves to do her brother's hair. Here he is with his spiked locks.

A little lamb

We've gotten out our Easter stuff and here is our "little lamb."