Together Again in Heaven: April

We kicked off our crazy busy month of April with a fun Pizza Showdown with our Aunt and Uncle. There were four pizzas from four different pizzerias and we had to decide which one tasted the very best. Interestingly enough, once all of our favorites were together in one place, there was one clear winner. After our pizza showdown, we played a rowdy game of hide and seek. Emma won with her hiding spot right next to where we were counting! She stayed quiet and hidden for a really long time as we searched the house three times over, and still couldn't find her! We ended our foodie party with a brownie pizza, decorated by the kids.

The Pizza Showdown was a great way to start off Will's spring break. We played with the idea of going somewhere for spring break, but decided to have a stay-cation instead. Here are the girls below, starving after waiting for almost an hour to get a table at the local brunch place. I ordered the s'more pancakes, as s'mores are one of my favorite foods. I left feeling sick, and realized that I was no longer a kid and am now unable to eat pure sure with sugar drizzled and sprinkled on top as a meal. I knew I was in trouble when Emma offered me a piece of her bacon saying, "Mom, it looks like you could use some protein with that."

We also visited the Science Center down town with friends and had a great day.

I made soap with a friend while her kids hung out and taught my kids how to make and fly paper airplanes. It was fun to show my friend how to make soap, while watching the shyness wear off between the kids - her boys, older than my girls - all playing, laughing and being crazy together. Soap Making, Spring Break style!

We took care of a lot of items on our to-do list in between walks, bike rides, and ice cream stops. Will installed the built-in shelf we had picked up from Shipshewana before Christmas. The entire project was started and completed in one day. I was amazed, and it really turned out great. If I would have known it would have been that painless, I would have let him tear up my kitchen sooner.

I spent a lot of time over the break making products for my honey business. Besides me making lip balms, soaps and salves, there were lots of trips to the post office, and lots of research online for packaging materials, ingredients and pricing.

Spring break ended with a wedding shower for my sister-in-law to be. She flew up from Florida and the girls and I had so much fun visiting with family and one of my favorite parts was the game, Pin the Mustache on the Groom. As my brother stayed home in Florida, it was a fair game.

Our baby chicks are almost full-grown chickens now, although Lucy pointed out they still make cheep cheep sounds, so they are like teenagers. Our older hens are still laying eggs like their lives depended on it.

This is the first month this year that we were able to harvest something other than eggs from our yard! Below are the first crops of dandelions and violets, to be used in salves, soaps and lip balms as well as our first crop of asparagus. Harvesting from my yard, especially when my kids participate and it is the first of the season is always such a happy and exciting event.

Charlie fits right in with our producer lifestyle, and also is excited to harvest from our yard. He surprised himself the other night when he caught a bat. Sadly, he didn't prefer the taste and we had to dispose of it. In the bottom picture he is watching us play in the yard. If we go around a corner, he runs after us and settles down nearby again to watch us. I think he is part dog and I love him so much, even though petting him is a sure-fire way for me to break out in hives.

The girls and I attended the opening week of our local zoo's new penguin exhibit and enjoyed a picnic dinner afterward. I have to be honest and say that it was far too crowded for my liking but it sure beat staying at home while Will worked late.

We've had lots of fun with friends this past month...

...and enjoyed a homeschool group trip to Curious George the Musical at a local theater, as well as a homeschool open skate. It was the girls first time roller skating and even Violet skated! Lucy skated the longest with the help of a friend but by the end of the afternoon, my back was hurting so much from stooping over to help Violet. In the top left-hand picture below, Violet was taking a break with a friend, while singing along to Fight Song by Rachel Platten at the top of her lungs.

We enjoyed a mid-morning week day hike with my parents and sister and loved seeing the ducks but especially all of the spring flowers in the woods, just starting to bloom.

Plays, roller skating and hikes are all perks of homeschooling. Downsides include motivating your children to get their work done so that we can go do the fun things. Emma is still pretty excited to do schoolwork but Lucy drags her feet and is the queen of procrastination when it comes to reading and handwriting. I've decided to try a new tactic of only telling Lucy one time to do something and if she doesn't finish, we don't delay the next subject, but continue to the next items. If she has unfinished work, she can't play or watch TV until she finishes. It may not be working great for Lucy, but it is working great for me, as it puts me in a bad mood when I feel the need to hound her to focus. I set the timer now, and my day is no longer held up by her procrastination. With homeschooling, if you are motivated, you have the opportunity to complete your schoolwork and then have plenty of time in the day left over. I hope someday soon Lucy realizes this.

Not to mention that the weather has been beautiful, and the sooner schoolwork is complete, the sooner we can get outside and enjoy the day! Here we are, in the great outdoors. In the top, left-hand picture below is how Lucy plays with sidewalk chalk - instead of drawing, she mixes chalk colors.

We have already enjoyed many meals outside but especially dinners, as it is easier with two adults to bring stuff outside. But oh, the joy of not having to sweep up all of the crumbs after! Lately after dinner we have been going for walks where Violet rides in the stroller or her push-along-trike and Lucy and Emma ride their bikes. Lucy and Emma do a great job listening and following our safety rules and I am loving this new phase of walks with the family. Will and I can now pick up the pace and feel like we are getting a good workout as we walk fast enough to keep up with the bikes. In the below picture, we are taking a break from our walk/bike ride to explore a field of white violets. In the bottom picture Will is waiting patiently while his girls revel in the violets.

Both Emma and Lucy celebrated birthdays this past month and have been enjoying all of the treats and presents that come along with turning another year older.

And even though my oldest girl is now seven, she still needs mama snuggles every day and I am so glad. Emma promises me that she will give me snuggles even when she is a grown up.