Soccer, Spring Blizzard, Easter

We started out the week early Monday morning with a visit to Dr Shaw for our 6 week check up. I tipped the scale at...ha ha...wouldn't you like to know. Josie however tipped the scale at 9lbs 7.5 oz and grew to 21.85 inches. We both checked out as healthy. I escaped the office without a pap smear. Yes. The kids and I went to Walmart since the van was loaded up and we were dressed for the day. Seems like these days when I actually get the kids into the van we are obligated to run as many errands as possible.

Phillip is very excited to start playing soccer with 60 other hyper boys aged 6-8. Our Mondays are now pretty busy, Amelia has ballet at 5, Phillip has soccer at 5:30, make dinner, pick up Amelia at 6, and then Phillip at 6:30, and the FHE. The busy day is totally worth the stress after seeing his excitement over playing a ball sport. In Phillip's mind he is a huge soccer star! I thrifted soccer cleats and sock shin guards to outfit him for the next couple months. Everett was pretty disappointed he was not old enough to play. He quickly learned not to touch the ball with his hands. During the parent's huddle Phillip got a soccer ball in the face. He was sobbing from the pain. Phillip was struggling with ball manipulation and not touching the ball when we drove off. I can officially call myself a crazy soccer mom. He he he. Amelia can be found riding her bike...in a tutu and leotard after ballet. She cracks me up. Ballet is challenging with crutches! Monday and Tuesday we had the best time outside in 75 degree weather. Our lilac bush started to leaf out...just in time for a blizzard.

School was postponed Tuesday afternoon for Wednesday morning in anticipation of a forecasted blizzard. The last time school was cancelled the blizzard never showed up. Well, this blizzard hit us with a vengeance. We woke up Tuesday morning to no snow, not a lick. An hour later three inches covered the ground. School was upgraded from postponed to cancelled soon after that. We were all upstairs playing when I noticed that thunder and lightening were part of this snow storm. I have never heard/seen this phenomenon. Apparently, it is called thundersnow and is extremely rare. Most of the time thundersnow is accompanied with significant snowfall. The last time a thundersnow came around in 1976, 7 feet of snow dumped on the area. We only got a couple inches because the system was moving so fast with high winds. Justin was sent home from work because the city declared a snow emergency. He was grateful since his nasty cough/cold was pretty hard to work through. He got a nice nap. The kids and I dyed Easter eggs during the afternoon. Evelyn was quite keen on coloring eggs...you kidding? Eggs, liquid, and colors?! Right up her alley. She tried to steal everyone's eggs and double dipped many eggs. A towel kept most of the dye off the table. Amelia tried a new dye that turned the eggs a shimmery color. We discovered that pre-dyed eggs put into the shimmer made for some really pretty eggs. I made a lovely yellow egg. While Justin took the kids outside to clear snow and play I made a delicious lentil soup with ham and obligatory scones with honey butter for dinner. Phillip ate two bowls of soup, which is a miracle. Usually I brace myself for constant whining about the food I prepare. It gets old, quick. Any tips for teaching kids to be polite about food they don't agree with? I must be the worst cook based on their reviews. Just wait until they leave home, I will become an instant culinary legend when the kids discover how hard it is to prepare food every single day.

Early, early Thursday morning Amelia barfed on her pillow. Why, why does barf always happen during the darkest hours of the night? She missed yet another day of school. I sent the boys to school with runny noses. Seems like a viral flu/cough/congestion is plaguing Sidney again. Justin battled a cold all week, all the kids had congestion, Amelia the barfs, Evelyn a fever, Josie congestion and fever, etc. The germs finally caught up to me as well early Friday morning with a long bout in the bathroom leaking from both ends. Gross, gross, gross. I declared a quarantine for the day. The kids and I slept and watched TV until 11 am. We spent a lovely afternoon building Lego sets and yelling at each other. The grouchy bug was especially strong with the mama bear. Justin left work early for Good Friday, he joined in the Lego fest. I built 5 Lego sets in one afternoon! The kids roped me into playing the teacher who dated Batman. The teacher eventually made hybrid Lego girls (our favorite characters were hot-air-balloon head and hose head) to protect the high school from the evil arctic snowplow tribe. Good times on Good Friday.

Justin took the kids to the Primary activity. Evelyn was especially in need of getting out of our house and away from YouTube and Peppa Pig. I cleaned the kitchen and bathroom in the silence of our home since Josie was sleeping. I filled the silence by banging dishes and whacking pots with knives. It was too quiet. I finally settled on listening to the Mormon Channel. The kids came home hyped up on goofy balls from sugar highs. I finally pulled out the Easter outfits and decided Evelyn's dress would not work with the collection. Jen came to the rescue, she found a yellow dress at Walmart. I thrifted a cute yellow dress for Amelia last month. Her dress was the inspiration, I ordered navy pants, suspenders, and ties for the boys and a cute little dress for Josie. I wanted to take Easter photos Saturday but poor Josie was so cranky I waited until Monday. At 5:30 I decided we needed baby chicks for Easter photos. Amelia, Evelyn, and I raced down to Bomgaards and purchased 4 cute baby chicks, a heat lamp, and some chick food. The kids were over the top excited to have 4 new pets for the weekend...excited until they discovered that baby chicks poop all the time. They took to carrying the chicks around in plastic bowls! Phillip was scared to hold the chicks because of their pokey claws. He held a chick once for a second. The rest of the evening we spent bathing, keeping Vader from eating the chicks, and playing with the baby chicks. I found Amelia crooning sweet lullabies to the chicks. What a sweetheart.

Our Easter was amazing. We made it to church late, I am not sure what happened this time. I had all the clothes ready and laid out. Somehow between convincing the kids to eat breakfast and fixing hair we ran out of time. It was fast and testimony Sunday so we listened to many sweet testimonies for sacrament meeting. I left with Josie afterward because she was quite congested and eating was a messy chore for her. Poor kid spit up most of her lunch as she tried to clear her airways. After 90 minutes getting her settled I was able to make Lion House roll dough for dinner. The kids were very excited when I picked them up because they each got Conference notebooks, candy, and learned about Easter. After lunch the kids tried to find their Easter baskets. Phillip was the only kid who found his basket, thanks to Amelia. Amelia and Everett gave up after 5 minutes of searching. Soon the kids had a lovely game going using the rubber chicks in their baskets. We invited Jen, Chris, and Caedon Abdon over for Easter dinner. They are not used to all the noise 5 kids can generate. Chris had a constant goofy look in his eye as my kids regaled him with stories and showing off. Jen snuggled Miss Josie, who was alert and awake for a couple hours. We ate a delicious dinner of orange-glazed ham, parsley potatoes, asparagus, rolls, juice, and lemon bars. Caedon hid Easter eggs for the kids to hunt in the yard....the first time. We had several other runs with hiding eggs. Our evening entertainment was provided by Caedon's face swap app on his phone. It switches the faces of two people. Let me tell you, Justin and I, looked pretty amazing. Nightmares for weeks.