~Prairie Primer~

Both families were well enough in the midst of chicken pox to get together in March.  

We really wanted to butcher a chicken but it just didn't work out to do that.  Christina found this cool chicken that we could build.

Did you know a chicken doesn't have a stomach?!?!?

I also did some experiments with sound for the kids.

The color was for fun but the glasses made different sounds when tapped

These seeds jumped when a loud sound was nearby... only from the sound vibrations

Sound actually sounds different when it travels through air.  We put the strings up to our ears and let the hanger hit an object.  It sounds so different when the sound traveled through the objects rather than the air.

Christina showed us a video on tornados and we also did an experiment with that.  It was a lot of fun learning!

~Missions Project~

I have always loved missions.  I want to pass that on to my children.  I try to always participate in activities and provide meals when any special speakers are coming through. I was sad that we missed our church's missions conference this year because of the chicken pox.  We did however watch some of these Torchlighter videos and we continued to make bracelets.

These beaded bracelets will be going to Mexico this summer.  The kids and I have  been making them together.  Kiersten is my biggest helper.  Our church is trying to make 5,000 for the whole summer.  I think we are half way there!  Our family may hit 100.

~March Days~

Winter has been so long and so cold that anything above 45 degrees felt like an outside kind of a day.  We had several days in March that we were drawn outside.  Mostly by a puppy that loves to be outside and by kids who are very ready for school to be done. 

Griz is getting so big!  

Beautiful day for a bike ride

Our neighbor out spreading manure

The first flowers of the season

Bullet was so tired from being outside that she slept on the kids little table!??!!?  I can't believe she would lay there when a couch was right behind her.

Griz is still all puppy but a good and happy puppy.  He hasn't chewed on anything really bad yet.  He isn't quite as clumsy as he was.  He knows his name and he knows what "outside" means.  He loves to climb into Kiersten's chair.  He doesn't stay in it long but he looks so cute in it.  One evening, he came bouncing into the room and tried to leap into the chair in a single bound... only to ram right into it and choke himself.  He can walk into it now rather than having to climb.  It won't be long til he won't fit at all.

~Bowling~

I was able to attend one of the teen activities in March.  They went bowling!  If I hit 100 I'm doing really well... but it is fun no matter the score.

Jordan

It is neat having both Jordan and Jared in the Youth Group now.  I always knew they were different, but now they are really different... amazing to see them grow and change.

It was a fun night... although I am comparing that to staying home and doing dishes and laundry... and folding socks.  I often fold socks Friday nights.  Haha! No, it really was fun.

~Prairie Primer ~

At this point, I'm not sure what school stuff I posted and what I didn't :-)

We had one of the dad's help out with this project... electrical current... or something like that!?!?

Each pair of boys got to build a cool thing.  I don't even know what to call it.  They basically hooked a battery up to wires and put a wire on that... that wire spun in circles.  There was a magnet involved in there somewhere too.

The part I did understand was that the magnet made all the current go one direction.  Thankful for those people that actually understand the concept of electricity!

The boys picked up a lot more information than I did (thankfully!) and had fun in the process.

These two are really fun ^ it is a joy to watch them grow up together.

This was also the night we were exposed to chicken pox.  Hence no blogging for awhile ☺

It takes the best of friends to share so freely... and I'm glad they shared.

~Roller Skating~

Our church has hosted a roller skating night every year and we have never gone.  I grew up roller skating once a month and really enjoyed it, but with little ones it was never something that made it into our schedule... until this year.

Jordan asked to go and I told him I'd drive him over.  I was planning on crocheting and chatting.  Every few hours throughout the day another child asked if they could go along... I ended up taking all six kids with me, and they had a great time!  I think Jordan is the only one that had ever skated before.

Aren't they the cutest little skates!

Kiersten was hesitant at first, but did a great job!  I took a few laps on my own and made her sit out... she wasn't very happy with me!

This was Eric face every time I saw him! haha!

 I was afraid Aaron would give up, but he did really well too!

Eric was thankful for the handrails! 

He never stopped for long 

Jordan looked like he has been skating all his life!

All of my kids were slow and steady.  Many of the other kids were crashing all over the place.  I love how different personalities come out at these activities!  Jared was very cautious but did very well.  It didn't take him long to keep up with the pack!

Nathan started out really slow but I was amazed at how quickly he got comfortable.  I helped him around the rink once and it was exhausting.  He depended on me too much.  I think it was a good thing that I needed to help Kiersten.  It made him do it on his own.

There were no special skates but we did have a few crazy trains going around!

It was a really nice evening and my kids all can't wait to do it again!

~April~