What We Were Up To

Field Trip/Junior Ranger Badge

November 10, 2018

     In early November, we returned to Desoto National Memorial.

     The kids had to complete their Junior Ranger Badges they had started when we had visited with my parents.

     Tornado was posing with Buddy Bison (#buddybison on instagram), like the one he has at home.

    We returned to Sage Biscuit Cafe for another vegan skillet. We checked out the different location on Cortez Road this time.

     We also returned to our little non-crowded spot on Anna Marie Island/Holmes Beach because Dash hadn't been there yet.

And then back to Small Town Creamery.

Family Movie Night

 November 11 2018

      I have been so excited about watching the movie Christopher Robin ever since the trailer first came out, and it brought me to tears watching it multiple times. I have a soft spot in my heart for Winnie the Pooh. First of all, I love the books so much. I realized this in college when I read them for my children's literature class. They are so sweet and meaningful and clever. I loved them so much I designed Tornado's baby nursery in the old fashioned Pooh theme.

      We made a special meal to watch the movie together one night after it came out on DVD. This isn't my best work (Ha!). I didn't give the cheese enough time to melt. However, hopefully you can tell we made little pizzas shaped like bear faces. :)

         As a last minute add, we also set out "Rabbit's Garden" (carrots in hummus).

     The biggest hit was our Pooh Bear milkshakes!

Birthday Party

November 16, 2018

         Sis had a birthday party to attend one weekend for one of her home school academy classmates.

        It was held at a camping area at Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park.

     Some of the girls spent the night in tents. (Serious props to those who did because it was COLD that night.) Sis opted to stay for a few hours then come home. They played games and enjoyed birthday festivities. It was a lovely setting.

Homeschool

     I can't remember if I have mentioned before that Dash gets a Bokksu box of Japanese snacks every month in the mail. It's what he asked for as his last birthday gift. He is very interested in all things Japanese (and is looking forward to visiting one day). It has been a fun experience for them to open it every month. We won't renew it because it was just a one time gift and also there is always a snack or two included which contains a fish ingredient they can't eat.

     Tea Time: The book we have been reading together is The War That Saved My Life. I would say that all 5 of us have been into this WWII themed Newbery Honor book.

Homeschool Academy

Tornado made this in class one day.

dress rehearsal for The Cat in the Hat  

play before Thanksgiving break

Gratitude

     #504 in my Gratitude List: Sis showed me one day that these were the emojis that Ninja wanted to send to me. I love him so!

     Speaking of how much I love him, we enjoyed a couple Mommy-Ninja dates this month. For this one (#505), we just got pudding cups to eat at Nutrition Smart while we waited on his sister at dance class. We really love pudding cups (#506). And these had whipped cream and crumbled up pb cups. (#507)

     On another day when I could tell he was melting down and needed some Momma time, we drove to St. Petersburg for a dessert extravaganza. We went to Locale Market which has this yummy chocolate sort-of soft serve. (#508...#509 for that smile)

     We also were so happy to see this pretty little thing labeled vegan in one of the glass cases at Locale, so we shared it also. Yummy! (#510, I can be grateful for allll the desserts. He did actually consume most of this, though, since I have been consuming little sugar lately.)

     I'm also thankful for Love Food Central in St. Petersburg. (#511) I'm not sure that we were planning on getting more dessert. It's a head scratcher for me trying to remember how we ended up here getting more dessert. I really don't know! But we shared this cheesecake, and then he ate the cookie because he really likes cookies. It's often his dessert of choice.

Youtube Challenge

     I get a little worried about this kid sometimes and the lengths he will go to with dares and challenges. I regularly send him links to articles about kids who engage in challenges, and it doesn't end well, like death or near death. I've reached the "Well, if your friend jumps off the cliff, does that mean you have to?!" stage of life, and how did I get here?! I hope I'm getting my point across, and at the same time, I do appreciate his fun, silly nature. This was one time he decided to try a spoonful of cocoa. I think on this same day they also tried cinnamon. There are articles on why this isn't a good idea.

     It tasted as bad as I warned him it would. His reaction was pretty good (or bad, depending on how you look at it).

Sis didn't fare any better.

 

 Travel

     We made plans to spend Thanksgiving in Arkansas, but we ended up going to Missouri a bit early. I unfortunately had to attend the funeral of a dear woman, the mother of friends of mine.     

               

 

     I took this pic to show what a good Mom I am, allowing my kid to go out in flip flops and shorts in literal freezing weather. But, to Wal-Mart we go!

 

     While we were in town, we met up with one of my besties and her kids to play.

 

        Sometimes Tornado is a couch potato, and then there are days like this he surprises me.

     He actually rather enjoys trampoline places, and I love seeing him jump around and smile so big.
\

     He played a little basketball, too.

     Overall, it was a nice time!

On to October

Theater

     Before our Texas trip, these two auditioned for a local homeschool group's play, Aladdin. We couldn't make the live audition, so they sent in audition tapes. They made up a little Charlotte's Web skit, which was pretty cute. I am always so proud of my children when they have enough bravery to do the things that I was too afraid to do when I was young. Sis even sent in a tape of her singing Like I'm Gonna Lose You (Meghan Trainor) because she wanted a singing part. There is no part of my 11 year old self that could have done that! (I would have wanted to, but I don't think I could have followed through.) She's so much like me, so much like I was back then - painfully shy at times. I love to see that she takes my encouragement and advice and challenges herself to overcome. 

     AND they were rewarded for their effort. Sis got the role of Princess Jasmine, and Ninja would be Razoul. Now they would be preparing for two plays. They were already working on The Cat in the Hat in their homeschool academy theater classes.

Homeschool

     We always have our regular game of Kahoot! to review our history/geography lesson. That's Dash's very creative typing abilities/person.

practicing addition

Field Trip

     I had signed Ninja and I up to attend a field trip at the fire station with our homeschool group. The other kids had been to the fire station when they were young, and he hadn't gotten the opportunity yet. Plus, I like to plan little outings like this for one kid at a time. It's nice to have some one-on-one bonding.

     I don't know what it is, but I always just love fire station field trips. It literally makes me want to become a fire fighter. After one guy said there really isn't an age limit, I was mentally trying to decide whether I could get in shape to pass the fitness part! (I'm laughing at myself right now.) I asked so many questions because I find it all fascinating. Their job. The station itself and the living quarters. I think I might have missed my calling haha. (However, when I have since told my kids that I want to become a firefighter, they expressed adamantly that they do not want their mother going into burning buildings.)

     It really bothers me that I didn't crop that random arm out of this photo, but it seems too exhausting to edit it now. More importantly, my little man sure is cute.

     Speaking of cute, he specifically asked if we could wear our matching constellation shirts. I can't remember who got dressed first. (I don't know how we both ended up with constellation shirts, either; they were bought at different times.) But it was totally his idea for us to match. That makes me so happy.

     Speaking of matching (and nothing to do with the fire station field trip), this was another random day that he asked if we could match - with royal blue tops and black bottoms. I will be grateful for the rest of my life for this kind of sweetness he has brought into my life.

Homeschool Academy

 building (beautifully colored) bridges to hold weight in Junkbox Wars class

more craft stick building for Ninja

and more bridge building for Dash

     Dash and Tornado have Robotics class together.

Friends' Birthday Parties/Sleepover

     Dash got invited to an air soft gun birthday party for one of his friends. He had shot air soft guns before with friends in the neighborhood, but this was his first full air soft gun battle experience.

     Several of his school buddies were there, and they also played with strangers.
 

     It was pretty serious! (He had lots of fun.)

     Ninja attended a friend's birthday party this month, too.

          It was held at a gymnastic's place. They also got to swim.

      Ninja is so social. He is always in the middle of things. My big kids have commented before that at school, they often get the "Are you ______ (his real name)'s brother/sister?" Like, I am often "_______'s mom."

      Sister's friend spent the night one night. They baked cookies.

Exercise/Special Kid Time

     We miss the RV park life of riding bikes around more freely. Tornado and I decided to ride our bikes to Dairy Queen, which is almost a mile from our house, so he could get a smoothie. It was a lovely ride, and he is anxious to do it again sometime.

Travel

     September and October were busy months for us traveling. There were a couple of events and reunions I had to attend. During one of my trips, the kids spent a few days at the farm with their Grandma and Grandpa. Ryan had a business trip in Indianapolis, which is only a few hours away, therefore he was able to join them for all but one day of the trip.

     sibling/cousin fun

going out to eat

     I hope these two are friends forever.

Momma's Night Out

     I had a rare night out in Tampa with a few of my friends. I got to try out The Melting Pot (and its 4 course meal), and I am now a big fan! (Next time, though, I'm going to cut it down to 3 courses, though; I was too full!

Kitty Update

      Cali still lets the kittens nurse. I love that my Baby Girl is into attachment parenting just like her Momma (me). :)

     And they are still unbelievably irresistible.

New Recipe

     Our favorite new recipe we have tried at home is buffalo cauliflower. It's something we are always delighted to order at restaurants when they have it. It wasn't too difficult to make, and every little piece was devoured. 12 thumbs up.