Mom and the kids at Olive Garden

Daddy left for our Colorado trip early so the kids and I have a few days to ourselves. As a reward for being good, I took them to Olive Garden for their favorite dinner- endless salad and fried calamari (don't ask why).  During dinner, I offered Asher, who normally eschews anything spicy, $50 if he would eat a pepperoncini pepper.  He gave it a good shot, and we all had a good laugh.  

Science Fair

This year we (I) decided it would be fun for the kids to be a part of the science fair. We spent a long time talking about things we were interested in (you should always study something that interests you!) and of course Avery wanted to do an experiment with the cats. Asher with dinosaurs.

Well, we have three cats, so that wasn't a a problem, but last I checked we were fresh out of dinosaurs.  So, for Asher we did a project on the different types of fossils. He made four types of fossils using his plastic dinosaurs and could talk about each type with the judges.

Avery's project was an experiment.  She noticed that the cats would seem to want more food, even if there was still food in their dish. They'd eat a dent right in the middle and not finish the stuff around the sides. So, she looked at whether the cats preferred eating out of a certain sized dish.  She spent days pouring five different bowls of food, lining them up in the bathroom, capturing cats, observing them eat and taking notes.  It was a pretty nifty experiment! She did a great job!

Avery answers the judge's questions.

Our first venture into cross-country skiing

Wow, this winter has been cold. I mean, bone-chilling cold for weeks on end. Finally, we got a day that was enough above zero I decided to take the kids to City Forest and try our hand (and feet) at cross-country skiing.  They'd never done it before, but have spent a lot of time on ice skates, so I was hopeful.

We drove to City Forest, got our skis and poles and made our way to the trailhead.  After donning our equipment, the kids immediately tried to ski like they ice skate and ended up falling. A lot. At one point they were both saying how stupid an idea this was, Asher was crying and I could still see the car in the parking lot.  I kept encouraging them, told them NOT to lift their skis up and eventually they got it.

We ended up doing a little loop four times, and by the end we were having a lot of fun! The weather was perfect, the snow was great and we did just enough.  After we got home we drank hot chocolate and told Daddy what fun we had.

Asher and Avery

Avery Rose, and the famous Chicken hat

Asher

Mom and Asher on the ski trail. 

C-c-c-c-cold winter

So, we moved to Michigan because we wanted to be closer to our family.  The fact that summers were glorious helped, as did the fact that winter cold didn't bother me too much.  Until this year.  Wow, it's cold.  It makes it tough because the kids can't spend too much time outside- even though our ice rink is rockin'.  The snow stinks for snowmen and snowballs, too.  Overall, pretty much a bummer.

My first e-mail from Avery

I just wanted to say I love you so much I will not take 1,000 dollars for you I just love you so much i just can't get over it

                                                 I love you so much ,love Avery

Weekend at the cabin

The kids and I went to the Nivers' cabin this weekend.  We left Midland after Avery's soccer game, and got up there about dinnertime.  Well, we got near there around dinnertime... dad had to come rescue us when I couldn't find the entrance to the property.  But, in the end we made it.

Grandpa Ron had a campfire going and had the cabin all heated up for us. We unloaded our stuff, Avery claimed the top bunk and we went outside.  The kids ran with Buddy the dog while Grandpa and I sat by the fire and cooked the steaks and potatoes.

Brian Niver came over for dinner and we were all laughing and having fun with the kids.  Brian and Grandpa left, and the kids and I went to bed.  It was really warm in there because we stoked the stove up really high so it wouldn't go out overnight.  By bedtime it was in the 40s and it rained all night, and I worried a little about what we'd do the next day if it didn't warm up or if it continued to rain.

It was a pretty long night.  The kids kept waking up and waking ME up to make sure I was still there.  They were up by 6 ... so early!  I made breakfast of bacon and eggs and blueberry muffins and by then Grandpa and Buddy were there.  Asher spent half the morning trying to get the nerve to climb the ladder up to the loft, which is a little tricky.  He finally got up there, and he was so proud of himself.  Within minutes, he started yelling for me, telling me he was too scared to come down.  Then I heard him say quietly to himself, I wish I'd never done this!! which made me and Grandpa laugh.

After breakfast we went for a ride on the quad through the Nivers' property then onto Grandpa's.  It was a gorgeous morning, although it was pretty cold.  The sun was shining and although we missed the peak colors, it was still pretty beautiful.

We came back, built another fire and sat by it warming up and eating Twizzlers.  Brian came back and Grandpa got out his guns and we all took turns shooting.  Even Asher shot one.. his first time.

Avery wasn't interested, but kept herself busy playing with the dog and trying to get water to come out of the pump on the well (which is funny, because I remember doing the same thing when I was young).

The thing that Avery was most interested in doing was going fishing.  She and Asher looked diligently and found a handful of worms so they could have bait.  Finally, before lunch, we got to go!  Brian was nice enough to take us back there.  (I only got a picture of Asher, because my primary job was the bait putter-onner and fish taker-offer)  They each caught a handful of fish and were really pleased with themselves.  And, the kids thought it was hilarious to go fishing right next to a No Fishing sign. :) 

On the way back, we stopped at what Brian called the "horsey tree" and posed the kids for a pic.  Asher looks pretty uncomfortable here, and, indeed, this picture was taken just moments after yelling at the top of his lungs that His Junk was being smooshed.  

Once we got back to the cabin, we saw that Carol, Francis, Donna and her friend Joe were all there.  We cooked dinner (more steaks!) and played for a few more minutes outside before taking off.  The kids were giggly and silly, and on the way out I asked Asher if I was going to have a problem with him on the ride home.  He thought a minute, then said "probably."  For the most part, he was right... but we were all tired.  A good tired, but tired.  This morning we all talked about when we're going to get a chance to do another weekend in the cabin, because we all had such a good time.  

Perfect fall day

Yesterday was a cloudy, drizzly fall day and Jamie was having a hurting day.  We didn't have anything planned, but the kids got up and were in a good mood.  Mid-morning, I practiced putting Avery's Halloween makeup on (she's Mulan this year).  Soon, the kids and I were all in the bathroom and they wanted to play with makeup.  After a few minutes, I decided that rather than use my makeup, that we would run to the store and get some they could play with. We went to Meijer and got a handful of cheap makeup, grabbed some butter burgers and headed home.  For about $10 we got enough makeup to keep the kids occupied for an hour.  Of course, we all had to get made up, even daddy.

Later, I went to the coop to gather the eggs, and thought even though it seems grey and drizzly that it was actually a nice afternoon temperature-wise.  So, the kids and I got our shoes on, loaded up their bikes and headed to the City Forest.  Of course when we arrived there, it started pouring but we only had to wait a few minutes before it stopped.  I found that if I jogged, I could keep up with the kids pretty easily.  It was so fun to watch them tear down the trail, stop and look at something, and keep going.  They got wet, dirty and had tons of fun.  We went down little trails that dead-ended and a couple times left their bikes as we explored the woods.  Avery  kept remarking on how beautiful it was with all the colors and Asher was glad that no one in the history of ever was experiencing the woods like we were then.

Avery and
Asher riding along the trail

Shaking loose leaves from the trees.. it's raining!

We came home to the smell of chicken and beans in the crockpot.  I poured myself a glass of wine, and let the kids take a bath together in the giant tub in our room while I folded clothes.  We watched TV and laughed and had a great evening.