April Recap

I fell a bit behind on the monthly recaps but trying to get back to it now with the little moments, like family movie nights!

Took in a couple more little furry foster puppies 

Peter's parents visited for the April birthdays and Easter

Leeland started trying real foods 

First campfire of the year, so we must have had one warmish day

Worked a lot on the sourdough bread and perfecting techniques! 

This little man just got busier and busier 

Spring Soccer started, it was a muddy season!

Love having the kids in the kitchen with me!

Sabrina made a chocolate cream pie all by herself

We had record cold days and the most rainfall we have ever had in April. So it wasn't quite the spring we were hoping for (although the summer weather has been about perfect - not as hot as years past have been!)  The kids pretended and didn't mind eating out in the rain! 

I ROCKED March Madness and got to pick the vacation spot for next year! Picked 3 of the final 4 AND the correct winner! I have no skill, it's just luck! 13 days in Hawaii are already on the calendar :) 

Ayla loves to help in the kitchen too!

I worked more and more on my grill skills

Leeland started to figure out crawling

The kids attended their very first concert

 It was a busy month, which we are pretty much getting used to at this point but it was a good month full of fun and family! 

Getting Maui

We did something that I have been wanting to do for years. It was yet another thing that I figured we wouldn't be able to do until the kids got older. I had a friend who back in January started talking about being a puppy raiser for service dogs.  She actually talked about how great the need was for raisers and so I started looking into it. We still had a 3 month old who wasn't sleeping great and were still in the stage of really trying to adjust to kids, so beyond submitting an initial application, it kind of went on the back burner.  Then around March, when our friend got her placement we began to look into it more.  At that point in time we decided it would make more sense for Peter to apply to be the primary puppy raiser and I would help out as I could since my plate is more full with the kids needs.

So Peter went through all the orientation and training classes and then we awaited our placement!  We knew he would be traveling at the end of June to get our puppy! We knew we would be getting a puppy from the "Hawaii litter" but we anxiously waited for the email to tell us exactly who would be coming to live with us for the next 10 months! Finally it arrived and we discovered that a little girl named Maui would be joining the family! 

So off Peter traveled to Colorado to do a final training session and bring her home! It was a whirlwind trip and quite the journey.  She is 4 months old and while she was bred for this and has been through all of her initial training, our job is to socialize her and help her grow through her puppy phase!  The socialization started right away as Peter had to put her right in the car, on a little train, and through the airport and airplane and then home to our big ole family waiting for her! It was quite the journey and overwhelming for both Peter and Maui as they had just met and were getting to know each other. 

Fortunately the journey is going pretty well so far.  She is settling into the family routines and is doing great with her training. She is still a puppy so that was something we had to adjust to. She still has a lot of playfulness and energy but is way more obedient and well behaved than our foster puppies that we are used to :) 

First introduction, she was ready!

 

Airport journey within hours of meeting!

 

Home! She took to all the kids right away! 

She has been adjusting great and we are happy to host her and work with her for the next 10 months! After she leaves our home, she will enter her formal training for several months! We are so hopeful that she will get to change someone's life someday! 

 

Boys Trip

This year it was the boys turn for a trip with Mom and Dad! They were very gracious in letting us take Ayla too. She has a really hard time without us still so it was nice that she could come! This trip we decided to head to Great Wolf Lodge for a few days of waterpark and magic quest fun! 

First stop, the store to stock up on all their favorite snacks!

Boo was a trooper and tagged along great as the kids ran around and explored the place! We were surprised with how much there was to keep the kids entertained. Between the water park (which I didn't take my phone into to take pictures) and the various quests the kids could do, they were able to keep quite busy running around and having lots of fun. 

I think it had great offerings to keep Ayla as a toddler entertained and also the boys busy! But I do think it fit the boys ages perfectly. They could run off and do all the slides without needing us and they were all over that place doing quests when they weren't in the water park. If Mal was a year older we could have set his band up with food purchases too and we probably would have never seen them :) 

It is definitely a place they want to return to so I feel like it was a great option for them! It was a place that took us a long time to finally visit but definitely a spot we want to return to soon!  I also appreciate that they have lots of rooms to accommodate big families. This 2 bedroom was great for the 6 of us who went but they also have rooms that would work well for all 8 of us in the future! 

 

8 Months

Mr Leeland is 8 months now!  He continues to be really fun and sweet!  His personality seems to be pretty chill. He loves his siblings and makes adorable noises and sounds to try and get their attention. He is for sure a Mama's boy, at least for now!  And my favorite thing about him is his adorable giggle!  I wish I could bottle it up forever!  

He now weighs around 18 lbs and is a great crawler and pulls up on everything.  He is pretty steady on his feet. I don't think he will be walking too soon but as soon as he figures out how to take some steps I am sure it won't  be long!  He's a very busy boy!  He is still nursing but also eating lots of new foods.  He still loves butternut squash and sweet potatoes.  But he is also enjoying his fair share of berry season with blueberries and raspberries. He doesn't seem too picky but still prefers milk to anything else. 

This feels like it has been a long month of sickness for him, starting with that darn C word and ending with a cold. I guess it is time to pay for all the health we have enjoyed these last couple years.  But I hope he is building a nice, strong immune system! 

Sleep is still very interesting, granted we have had sickness and growth spurts and developmental milestones galore that just seem to keep things off balance. He is up anywhere from 1 to 4 times a night. He has no steady bedtime and can go to bed anywhere from 8 at night to midnight. He naps anywhere from 2-3 times a day so once we get that fully knocked down to 2 naps a day I am sure he will go down earlier every night. All in all, it feels long and exhausting but slowly we are seeing improvements every month! 

Baby Leeland, you are such a delight! Everyone adores you and it feels like you just complete this family perfectly! You are so sweet and snuggly and generally happy and such a blessing! It is fun watching you grow and it seems like you are growing so very fast!  I just snuggle you and thank God for the incredible blessing you are to us!  4 more months before that first birthday doesn't seem long enough but I promise to enjoy you every step of the way! 

 

Malachi's 6th Grade Year

 

Malachi wrapped up 6th grade this year. I was so worried about homeschooling in the older grades but I have to say it is honestly easier so far than Elementary was. The big kids know the expectations and can take initiative to get stuff done themselves. Malachi did a great job this year and he is like a sponge and remembers so much! Next year he will have a huge increase in work load but I have full confidence he will do a great job! Bring on 7th Grade!

Nicknames: Mal, Mally Wally 
How old are you?12
What is your favorite color? Yellow 
What is your favorite animal? Lion 
What is your favorite book? Left Behind Kids 
What is your favorite TV show?  Doubling Down with the Derricos 
What is your favorite movie? Remember the Titans
What is your favorite song? Way Less Sad
What is your favorite food? Spaghetti
What is your favorite drink? Mt Dew
What is your favorite breakfast food? Bacon
What is your favorite snack? Goldfish
What is your favorite outfit? Skinny Jeans and a shirt that says something on it  
What is your favorite game? Madden
What is your favorite toy? Teeny Mates
Who is your best friend? Eli
What is your favorite thing to do? Play outside 
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Basektball/baseball/soccer 
What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving
What do you like to take to bed with you? Elmo  
Where is your favorite place to go? The Store
What is your favorite restaurant? Chik Fil A or Five Guys  

Favorite Subject? History 

Least Favorite Subject? Science
Where do you want to go on vacation? Hawaii 

What do you want to be when you grow up? Sports Commentator

Sabrina's 4th Grade Year

Sabrina wrapped up 4th grade this year! She is always an easy student who works diligently and tries her best. One of the best things she learned this year is the power of note taking and once she started taking notes she rocked all of her tests. I am so proud of her and how much she learned this year and how hard she pressed on when she struggled in subjects. She is a very easy student to teach! She is very excited to move into 5th grade so she can start going to church Bible study and run track next spring!

Nicknames: Beans, Bina, Bina Baby 
How old are you? 10
What is your favorite color? Teal 
What is your favorite animal? Dogs and Bunnies 
What is your favorite book? Babysitters Club 
What is your favorite TV show?  Bringing up Bates
What is your favorite movie? Sonic 2
What is your favorite song? Anything Rend Collective
What is your favorite food? Mac and Cheese
What is your favorite drink? Rootbeer
What is your favorite breakfast food? Cereal
What is your favorite snack? pretzels
What is your favorite outfit? dresses  
What is your favorite game? Kirby
What is your favorite toy? American Girl Dolls
Who is your best friend? Ella Grey, Brooke, Esther, Natalee
What is your favorite thing to do? Ride my scooter 
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Ride my scooter
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What do you like to take to bed with you? Poodle  
Where is your favorite place to go? Chik Fil a
What is your favorite restaurant? Benihana  

Favorite Subject? Science or Health 

Least Favorite Subject? I don't really have one
Where do you want to go on vacation? Maui 

What do you want to be when you grow up? Hair Stylist 

 

LB's School Year!

Miss LB finished up her school year too! This year was a huge stretch for her, as we kind of knew it would be and she did so good!  She learned so many new things and really solidified a lot of concepts.  We were so borderline trying to decide if we should move her into 3rd grade or repeat 2nd grade this coming year as she is a summer baby. We ultimately decided that we think another year in 2nd will really help propel her forward into the later elementary grades and I have full confidence that she is going to rock 2nd grade this coming year!  Good job LB!

Nicknames: LB 
How old are you? 7
What is your favorite color? Orange 
What is your favorite animal? Horses 
What is your favorite book? Horse books 
What is your favorite TV show?  Bluey 
What is your favorite movie? Toy Story
What is your favorite song? My Girl
What is your favorite food? Spaghetti
What is your favorite drink? Strawberry Lemonade
What is your favorite breakfast food? Eggs, toast, and bacon
What is your favorite snack? Carrots
What is your favorite outfit? A dress  
What is your favorite game? Slapsy
What is your favorite toy? My Kitchen
Who is your best friend? Selah
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with my kitchen 
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Swing 
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What do you like to take to bed with you? My Big Pink Blanket  
Where is your favorite place to go? The Park
What is your favorite restaurant? Chik Fil A  

Favorite Subject? Health 

Least Favorite Subject? Math
Where do you want to go on vacation? Disneyland 

What do you want to be when you grow up? A Doctor