no school day

It is Martin Luther King's Day today and so kids didn't have school.  Even though this weekend was so nice out and we had a lot of fun outside, it can get cold fast and so today was way too cold for kids to play outside.  They tried but even the tough 8 year old boys came inside after a little while because the wind was just too cold.  But we had plenty to do inside.  Ehren built a new wall in the basement to keep the kids out of the furnace and tools area and he put our old scrap sheetrock on it.  When I saw it up there Sunday night I go: "so it's ok for the kids to paint on this stuff since we'll take it off eventually?"  Even though I said kids, I think I really just meant myself :) and a little painting therapy for me.  I don't know why I like painting so much but it just does something to me.  I don't do it nearly enough to get better at it but I feel so much better after I do some painting.  The kids were excited to help me paint too and they did a pretty good job until they got bored with it.  Ehren got home and his first comment was: "I thought you were going to let the kids paint" :)  So now I'm thinking in the near future I will let the kids do whatever scribbles, art they want on another wall that's not showing on my pictures.  There is still plenty of space to do that but if someone comes over they will see our big wall art first :)  I was sure glad I had a lot of old paints left over from painting the kids bedrooms otherwise we would run out of our tiny kids' paint jars right away.  I have to say I'm very thankful for our basement and I even like the fact that it's not finished for now because the kids can ride their bikes or trikes and just burn off some energy when they can't go outside.  It is just a fun place for them to be and I'm glad we could brighten up their space down there with a bit of paint.

the wall you see coming down the stairs

our "sign-in" wall where we can have friends sign in that come to visit

Kade and Laadyn helped me paint this simple picture
on the other wall

our new train table from a garage sale, foam mats and tent
to keep the kids entertained

Ani loved skating and is getting better but not quite skating on her own

Kason didn't want to try skating at first but he
did pretty well and could stand up all by himself on
the ice right away without falling

Kade played hockey with friends
which he just loved

no more naps

And the dreaded day finally came when none of our kids need a nap.  I say dreaded because talking to some stay at home moms, nap time is just our little piece of Heaven.  A few months back Kason started really fighting taking naps, but then he eventually slept for 2 hours or so almost every day.  So I knew he still needed them and even about 2-3 weeks ago he still took naps every day with no problem.  And then after New Years sometime he just decided he's done with naps.  There was no fighting this time because I was thinking we would just gradually go to naps every other day and see how he is by the end of the day with no nap.  But, he was right.  He doesn't need them anymore at all.  The first whole week without naps went just fine, with no crabbiness in the evening or anything.  He is ready for bed by 8pm but it's like he didn't go thru any time of adjustment to sleeping less.  So it is still a bit of a shock to my system because all of a sudden the nap time is not so quiet.  If I'm lucky the 3 of them will quietly watch something for a little while, but most of the time Kason wants to play loud, especially if there is a sister and a cousin who will too.  So instead of Kason adjusting to his day without a nap, I think it is really me who's adjusting. :) Naptime has been my little break from the chaos and kids and I really coveted those moments.  But I know I just have to refocus more on the kids now during that time and that's not a bad thing.  It comes with our kids growing up so I need to embrace it.  And really, I do want to spend time with Anika and Kason during that time because next Fall Ani will be in school all day and Kason in preschool and I won't ever have time like this with both of them.  I just thought today about Kason going to preschool next year and how sad it makes me feel.  Our baby is growing up and he asks me almost every day when he can go to school.  He is pretty attached to me on one hand, but on the other he wants to follow his big brother and sister so bad.  There are some positives to not needing a nap anymore though :).  It is nice when we are busy over the weekend or on trips and we don't ever have to worry about Kason's nap.  Of course, there are times he may need to go to bed at 7pm but when you're up and about he'll be ok without a meltdown at everything because he missed his nap.  And that is a wonderful thing.  So I'm going to embrace this change and brainstorm some ideas of projects and activities I can do with the kiddos in the afternoon so they get to do something constructive and I get a little bit of time to myself.  

sofa table

I got an early birthday gift from Ehren - he built me a sofa table.  I can't stop looking at it, it looks just like I imagined it to.  I got an inspiration on Pinterest (of course) which led me to a blog with step-by-step instructions on how to do it.  So Ehren didn't have to come up with it on his own, but he did tweek it a little bit to make it look nicer because the original was showing a lot of the pressed wood surface and ours now shows more of the real wood which looks a lot better.  I spent some time staining it black so that the wood grain would still show thru and it's great.  I can't say enough about it, it's perfect.  I have to say Ehren did a great job with it and he's discovering that he really likes projects like that for which I'm really glad.  The whole project came to around $70 after Ehren got the extra decorative pieces but the cheapest bookshelf I found at Ikea that is very similar to this (but it is painted solid black) was $190 so we saved a lot of money and it is ours, it is so much more valuable when it is something we made ourselves.  Of course, this is leading to new projects now :), one that I've been thinking about for a while is a big dining room table.  I really want Ehren to build one but first I need to find enough of old wood we can use for the top.  So it may take a while for that but we do have a table there right now, the problem is that it only sits 6 people and if we have anyone over besides the 5 of us, we have to put someone in the kitchen or have 2 tables in the dining room.
So here are the pictures of the sofa table:

Ehren's job is finished

starting to stain - I got a bit high from it :)

finito!

In its place - stilll need to figure out what to put in all the bins,
but I'm sure we will fill it up.  The lamp is temporary, I want to find a nicer one for it.

another pinterest idea - easy kids paintings.  They loved it especially
Kade because he finally made something that looked cool, like he said.

I finally got to cross country ski with Audrey.  It was so much fun
and I could have kept going for hours.

Kason and Ani are sending us off

No kids

It came out of nowhere.  We needed someone to watch our kids for tonight and when we asked Ehren's parents, they had plans for going to the cabin this weekend.  And they just left, with our 3 kids and Emily!  I was so excited when they said they could take the kids with them, the whole 2 nights at home with no kids.  It has been so long since we just had a quiet alone time like this and both Ehren and I just couldn't wait for today to come. :)  I know, it sounds like we really don't like our kids but I think it is very healthy to spend some alone time as couples, even during those years when the kids are little.  I love doing stuff with our kids but when there is never a time for me doing something with just Ehren it shows on my relationship with him.  I wonder how many couples in their 40s-50s find themselves all of a sudden alone with their kids gone and not having anything in common with their spouse.  Not knowing what they could possibly do together because all they've ever done were things with their kids.  And I really don't want that to happen to us.  So here is to a really fun weekend for us, even though I want to do a lot of cleaning/organizing and Ehren has to go to work for a few hours on Saturday.  Oh, and did I mention I don't have to cook or feed anyone for 2 days?  Yes! :)

My 2 one-year-olds are taking their nap right now and the whole house is quiet.  I have all this time to clean, read, sit or do absolutely nothing and it is lovely. :) Time to enjoy this blessing and recharge.