this isn't happening...

When she told me to close the window I knew the day had come.  But this early?  So the twins went out back to play as soon as we got home from CC.  I heard them talking, a lot,  and figured it was about the day.  Funny because on the drive home they are usually so chatty and when I asked about the day they both replied with a short "good".  I found it strange then.  So when I was opening windows and Claire told me to close the one to the backyard I knew they didn't want me to hear what they were saying.  I could hear that it was about Ella, her attention to Logan and his to her.  They were speaking in such adult-like voices about what to say to her when she was downcast because he wasn't playing with her.  Overall just seems that everyone wants to play with Logan and it's gone to his head.  The bummer is that the twins are getting caught up in this teeny bopper drama.  Not good.  Luckily they each played with others today.. Clara and Hope.  I  know they felt left out even though from what I understood Logan wasn't nice to them at all.

The biggest thing here for me was that they wanted to talk about it without me.  I wondered if they thought I would get mad or what?  I did finally go outside and slowly the whole story came out.  I encouraged them to play with friends who are always friends (not mad one day and mean the next).  I also made sure to just stay really neutral so they would know they could talk to me :) Such cuties!

sweet caroline

This sweet girl keeps me on my toes.  She is so perceptive, thoughtful and tender.  She can use those dear qualities to be very sly as well.  I can't rush through life with her - for so many reasons.  Most importantly because she doesn't like to be rushed.   She's all about the relationship.  When she's not behaving well then it's pretty clear that I need to spend more quality time with her.  I think this little peanut has me figured out too.

sutter's fort

It was a spur of the moment decision to go to Sutter's Fort today for the Living History Day.  We know that the Trumans, Mullens and Fongs were there so that made it all of the more exciting to go!  I wished that I had signed up for this in the first place because it would have fit perfectly with our history this year and they really would have loved it.  We stayed for several hours and then picked up Calista and Garrett from Challenge. Great day!

tech week

Calista is in her third play with One Way Productions.  This year they are performing 'The Hiding Place' which is the story of Corrie Ten Boom.  The feel is overall different this year because of the topic  but it's been an amazing experience so far.  A Holocaust survivor attended last night's performance and she shared a bit at the end.  We should have provided tissue boxes because there was not a dry eye.

Calista's part is relatively small since she is a child and they are only in the first act of the play.  She adores her part and it fits her personality perfectly.  She did so well and I was very proud of her.  The have a third performance today and then after a week's break the tech week begins again for another 5 shows.   We're so grateful that Calista has these opportunities to learn from Mrs. Wilson and from such a caring and talented group of actors.

softball with daddy

  Ken is so happy to have Caroline playing softball this year.   This is a first for her and she is not only having fun but catching on quickly to the sport.   She has a great group of girls on her team and she is always happy to go to practice or to a game.  I also think she loves this time with Daddy.

Her sisters enjoy the games for the most part but especially look forward to the snack shack and the playground.

  

Easter Sunday 2013

We had a very special Easter Sunday this year at my parents house.  We typically stay home but with the kids getting older, we've made more of an effort to spend holidays with our extended family.  I actually don't think we've spent an Easter away from home since we moved 5 years ago.  Most of our Easter egg hunts were at church with friends so the girls were really surprised to find that they eggs for this hunt were real!  They were expecting the plastic candy filled eggs instead.

But never did they have the pleasure of holding some sweet little baby chicks!  

I was especially glad we made the (long) trip because Papi was leaving 2 days later to walk the Camino de Santiago.  He will be gone for a month and although I'm excited for him,  I am still a tiny bit worried.  It's a long trip and the weather doesn't seem to be very good there right now.  I'll be praying for him daily.

davis ranch

We went on a great field trip to Davis Ranch today.   We learned a bit about farming and agriculture and then took a tractor ride out to the fields to pick produce.

Our first stop was a corn field!  They picked the largest ones and packed many boxes.  It was a little messy and we ended up with lots of powdery stuff in our hair and itchy arms.  It was all worth it for a piece of yummy corn on the ride back.   We had never eaten corn raw like that so it was a real surprise when everyone loved it.

 Calista is takes care of all the little ones.  They follow her around and she give their mommy's a little break.

 Caroline and her friends filled this box of bell peppers and delivered it to the truck.

We returned to the farm with the boxes of produce.  From their the filled new boxes with produce from each of the different fields.  We got to take home 4 boxes (1 per child) and it was filled with cantelope,
bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, zuchinni and cucumbers.

A successful day!  190 boxes ( I think) was the final count.  These boxes of produce will be delivered to familiess in need at various food banks across the county.   We would like to return to Davis Ranch and one day and help pack boxes for families in need.