Week in the Life Sunday 4/23

Sunday was a gorgeous day outside.  Perfect for a little outside work.  That is my preferred place to be.  

Our Sundays start in mass. Our church is small and being in a small community everyone knows each other.  We usually sit on the right hand side three or four pews in. Funny how life is like that where people always sit the same places. 

After church Brian and Riley helped me with some head shots I needed.  Had Riley do some posing so I could get my camera set correctly.  He gives me a hard time but is pretty good about these things for me.

Photos from my phone:
1.  Andy loves to help cook. Breakfast being his specialty.  Katie had asked the night before to have crepes.

2.  After church I found Andy and Katie laughing over their Dad's yearbook. I heard them them say "That sure doesn't look like him". 

3.  Garden time.  We needed to work on the garden. Most years the family helps do some prep work and then I take it over in the summer. I prefer it that way and if a kid wanders out to help that is awesome and if not it is ok.

4.  My new peonies. Planted three hoping to get three more in May.

5.  Dinner was salmon and rice. Bri made cupcakes for dessert.  

Some views from today outside.  When I  look around there is a lot of work to do but maybe I need to look and see all that we have done.  

After these girls were done working they spent a lot of time painting their nails. I really prefer this activity outside. They have those sweet sister interactions during this activity.

The week is over. I have taken a lot of photos and written stories from our week. All of this will go in an album for us.  This is my third year of documenting a week.  Fun to look back and see what has changed and what stays consistent in our lives.

Week in the Life - Saturday 4/23

A Saturday that was fairly open.  This is a new season for us one without sports commitments.  There will be more of these commitments very soon but for now we are glad for a break.  

Time to be together and play.  These matchbox cars have had a renewed life with Luke.  This new track from Easter has added some more fun for all three of these kids.  

Once we got through lunch and a short nap for Luke we headed to the mountains for a Cub Scout hike. Due to the weather we were the only family there but once there we just went forward.  The snow was actually fairly warm and was great to play and walk in.  

Photos from my camera:
1.  Sweet little boy right next to me in the morning. He loves a good sleep in day.

2.  My wet and soggy run and a view right by our house.

3.  Bri doing some shopping online.  Time for a new shirt for her it seems.

3.  Brian took the boys out to clean out our garage.  It feels so good to have it clean and organized.  I appreciate that a lot!

4.  I set my phone on a rock for this shot.  The places my phone has set this week is crazy to think about. I have propped it up on rocks, fences, and many counters in our house.

5.  Dinner of meatloaf and baked potatoes.  The girls did the cooking tonight and it was really good.

6.  Each night I go and cover up my baby plants in my greenhouse.  Won't be long until some of these plants move outside.  

Andy and Riley built a fort on our hike. A true Cub Scout activity.  Andy was all smiles at this kind gesture from his older brother.

Following these two up the trail.  The sweetness of my kids holding hands warms my heart.

One more day to document for this week.  This week has been real life around here. Some I will write about and some will live in my heart. I always try to find the good in our family behind my lens.  I try to find my gratefulness in my words. I love it all and forever will love to document.

See you tomorrow!

Week in the Life- Friday 4/21

Friday has come and with it the kids off from school. They go to school four days a week so this is a different day.  Riley now has a job working on a ranch and goes to work each Friday. I am happy to see him working and having the experience of working out on this beautiful ranch property.  Chai tea is my favorite.  I long for it but only give into my cravings of getting tea outside this house once a week.

My phone photos:

1.  On my seven mile run the site over the mountain. So glad it is not dark in the morning now.
2.  A trip to see friends and jump until our hearts are content.
3.  My new little plant I bought home.  Excited to see this little one grow.
4.  Stripes and dots- If I have to choose one dots win but both are nice today.
5.  Driving - always- but today to see friends and play!
6.  They are on the trampoline a lot. I used to worry we wouldn't get our monies worth and that is so not true!
7.  When we got back home Riley was home from work. A little time with him to catch up.
8.  Time to scrapbook at night. Makes me super happy.
9.  We have seen a lot of these tanks heading to training this week.  The boys are so intrigued with them and spend a fair amount of time talking about these huge vehicles.
10.  He is driving more and more and really I am not that nervous.
11.  Stretches after I run. My least favorite part.

Grateful for this friendship that was brought on by adoption and has traveled many conversations across the mountains for Colorado.  This sweet little one really likes Katie and the feelings are mutual.  

These kids all jumped and jumped. Andy loved the dodge ball game.  It really was such a special meet up. I can't wait until next time.

Back home for piano lessons. The nightly routine starts again.  Time to get the kitchen ready for dinner, then showers, and after a busy day everyone in bed.  I scrapbooked and then read a little.  In bed around 10:30.  This was a different Friday for us and it felt good!

Two more days of this project.  Sometimes I think I will run out of ideas for photos but that never seems to happen.  See you tomorrow!

Week in the Life - Thursday 4/20

Thursday started on a trip to town for Luke and I.  On a usual week I only go in once but this was a week with a little more.  We live about a half an hour from town.  This is my favorite photo from the day.  Getting some new plants for the yard. These bloom around my birthday so I really like that!

The morning routine.  I never dried my hair until last May when I got it cut short for the first time ever in my life.  I have grown  to love it and find it so simple for this season of my life.  Things on my counter:  My water bottle, my makeup bag that came from Korea (sweet memories), and the base my sister and I made. 

We started at the dentist for me.  Of course screens make these appointments easier.  I decided to run to the grocery store for a few things.  Usually I never really do this but didn't have it in me to do the "big" shopping. A good time to eat from our pantry.  

Rain how sweet you are!  We don't get much of it so when we do we are so grateful.  A date night with Katie.  After her spelling bee we headed to Cracker Barrel. Her choice because she wanted her mash potatoes.  

Photos on my phone:

1.  My sweet Katie. I love how she opened up on this night.  Hard to compete with all her brothers and sisters at home.  

2.  Grocery unloading.  Didn't take too long today. Mostly fruits, vegetables, and milk. If we are all home we drink a gallon a day. 

3.  An early morning run and the first kid I see when I get home is always Andy.  Gets up and right away feeds his dog.

4.  Driving always driving. This photo from the school drop off

5. My little spelling bee. She was so nervous.

6.  The dentist. Enough on that subject.

7.  My bedtime and my steps. A little late how does that always happen and each morning I say it will not happen again:)

Week in the Life Wednesday 4/19

My favorite photo of the day.  Listening to these two laugh as they brushed teeth then headed to bed. She loves to sleep in the bottom bunk in his room. I love to watch how she moves all her stuff for bed including her alarm clock and blankets to have a sleepover with her brother.

Breakfast on this day was hard boiled eggs from Easter and fruit.  Love how the sun is getting up earlier makes it easier for the rest of this group.  We tend to eat in shifts on these weekday mornings.  Some come up a little later than others.

Everyone is in school and my day with Luke starts then.  I am trying to give Luke some little jobs. It is time for him to start on our chore schedule that we have set for kids. He is starting with unloading the dishwasher. The other kids each have one morning that they are responsible to unload the dishwasher before school.

Barre3 for me after cleaning with a little truck running under my legs as Luke played around me.  He is always wanting to help in the kitchen.  We had made up chili for dinner and now were adding our sopapillas.  

My phone photos:
1.  A kiss goodbye as I dropped the kids off to school
2.  Back home it is cleaning day. If I work hard it takes 3 1/2 hours
3.  Andy and Katie after a busy day
4. A book before nap time for Luke
5.  He plays for awhile while I clean then joins me to "help"
6.  The school bus stop getting ready for the busier part of the day
7.  Working on my blog. My favorite place to work is on the ground.
8. The girls are learning to quilt with a dear friend.
9.  Dinner almost is ready.  Chili and sopapillas are the best
10. Bed for me at 10 with reading until 10:30 

Work had to be done tonight so the next job can be started.  

Working out is a routine for Brian and Riley.  They work out four times a week. Think they both really like these moments in time.

Loving this project. It is fun to see my life through my lens and to see how complex it is as well as how the routine and simplicity make up our days.

Week in the Life Tuesday 4/18

Tuesday would start with an early rise at 4:30 and run for me.  It is getting light now and I am loving that! Riley is driving us to school which is great for me.  A stop in my garden to see some new growth!  Luke and I love graham crackers and milk for snack.  I would say we have this snack most days!  

Tuesdays we go to story time at the library. I was thinking back today how many years I have taken kids to the library and think it is about thirteen years now.  My days of this will soon be coming to a close.  

Some photos this time are on my phone some on my DSLR.  From my phone:

Tea: love it!
Audio books:  Katie and Andy are into them right now
Laundry: Never ending
Barre3:  Love how it makes me feel
Lilac Girls: Listening again to some audio books
Work: I do some accounting from home. Always looking for moments to work.  Thinking about new work dreams in the next year as life changes.
Turtle love: He cleans his turtle off once a week. Now that is love!
Yellow:  Color in my flower garden is thrilling
Patio:  The sounds of kids playing like in the summer nights.

Tuesday we have a fair amount of homework. Takes Andy a little to get going.  Patience on my part.  Luke said "Take a photo of me mom"!  Hearing Katie play and envious how easy it is for her. That girl loves the trampoline!

The oldest diligently studying math I would assume.  His brain is very mathematically wired.  Brian getting our dinner grilled and loving how Riley still takes time to play with his youngest brother.

The evening ended with kids to bed between 8 and 8:30 depending on age. I worked again. The night held a lot of hard.  Being a family can be really hard.  It is life and a true part of my week.   Always glad for photos that remind me of the good and the love.

Week in the Life Monday 4/17

Everyone woke up a little tired today after our big Easter weekend.  My day starts with a run and then always one load of laundry.  Today after being gone it equaled three loads of laundry.  

These are the photos from my phone for the day.  There was a 10 year anniversary party for a tap group I was part of.  So much fun dancing again with them and seeing friends. My heart really wants to go back and with any luck I will be able to one day.  Meal prep time today was spaghetti.  Try to get some of it done before the rush of the night.  Always looking for time to get some reading done.

Luke does not like the morning. He starts in his bed which is still beside ours and then comes joins us around 2 or 3 am.  There are plans this summer to move him and Andy together.  

Luke got a race track for Easter and has been consumed by playing cars. I love to hang out clothes. Grew up doing that job and now do that with our clothes. Love the idea of them being out there in the sun to dry. 

My lunch buddy. Peanut Butter and jelly on homemade bread today.  Strawberries as our fruit. Run out of ideas for him and I.  One day my lunch will be a smoothie when the kids are all in school.

I try to do one Barre3 work out in the day. I realized long ago that my knees can't take running without doing another form of exercise. For a long time that was ballet class. There is not ballet class anymore that I can attend so have started this practice of ballet, yoga, and pilates combined.

A snack after school for these kids then it is on to me teaching  ballet for the evening. Three classes on Monday night.  Brian is home with the kids.

This day was busy as most of mine are.  As life has its ups and downs ours does also.  Learning to tread through the teenage years has me feeling like I am sinking. Today had those moments also.

Love the spring of today and how it feels to be outside!  Ready for day two!

Mesa Verde

We spent part of spring break at Mesa Verde.  One of my goals it to take kids on some short trips before some start leaving home.  The park itself had more parts closed than we would have liked but earning our Jr Ranger badges was a highlight.

Oh yes the line up for Mom photo.  They all loved it:)  

This little one was all over the ruins we explored.  He liked the ruins but those puddles of mud were really the best!

In a cave on a hike.  Thinking of all the animals that could live here!

I really love to be outside and explore with the kids.  It does not mean we didn't have our layers of family emotions but makes it all real!

The day went from very cool to a great Colorado spring day.   Thinking of the past and how people lived within the walls in the cliffs.

These two forth graders had just studied Mesa Verde in Colorado history so it made the trip very timely.