I was going to write a couple posts already but somehow never got to it or felt like it. Our Spring came way early this year and it is so fun. We had about a week of really nice weather already and some days we had to pull out shorts and T shirts which is unheard of for us UP Here. :) Our snow usually doesn't melt until April/May and even if it does it can be cold enough for sweatshirts in June. So we were just thrilled with this weather and the kids love being outside. Since then it got a bit colder again but it is still above average, it's just always hard to go to colder weather and get those hats and mittens on after we wore T shirts for a week.
I just wanted to put some pictures on here from our nice weather and from Kade's first ever concert. A couple of weeks ago him and I went to Chris Tomlin concert with a group from our church and it was so good. Kade and I know a lot of his songs because we sing them at church a lot and I just love going to a concert where I actually know most of the songs. It was so fun to sing our lungs out and it was more like a big Praise and Worship concert than anything. Kade had a great time too and got quite into it during some of the songs. He's growing up so fast and is getting so independent. He has his little buddies at church and school and he wants to play sports with them all the time. If there is a Saturday or Sunday where we're just staying home he will keep asking us who's house can he go to or who can come over to our house to play with him. In a way I am a little thankful for not living right in town because I know I would never see him and he'd be going to see his friends all the time, inviting himself over like the kids in town do. :) This way, someone has to come to our house or we have to drive Kade to someone's house which doesn't happen too often and I like it that way. He will be gone before I know it so I like it that for now I know where he is and who he's playing with.
We didn't get home until almost midnight after the concert so I let Kade skip school the next day and instead we went to visit Ingrid in Grand Forks and had a blast with the cousins Clare and Sage. Kids played outside all day, went to the park, I was able to go on a wonderful run in the morning, it was just the best weather. Now I am wanting more of it as I look at the freezing rain outside. :) But I have to remind myself we were pretty spoiled by that so I can't complain now.
So I've been doing some Spring cleaning, mainly with the kids' clothes and organizing those now that Anika and Kason are out of their sizes. It's time to pass them down to someone and maybe sell some at the garage sale in a few weeks. I'm also trying to run more to get ready for that half marathon in May and that's going so-so. :) I'm really out of shape and my hips are giving me back ache so I hope that gets better. Other than that, it's adding more miles each week until May so I'll be able to run those 13 miles. We'll see what happens, I am just hoping for nice weather because it is typical for the race to either have some rain or strong winds which I don't like to run in either of those. :)
before the concert started
Kade and his friend Alex at the concert
Tiffany - this is for you. When she got on the stage we all thought, "wow, there is Tiffany singing. :)"
walking Sage home from her school
playing with bubbles and having fun
Sage and Clare's house
some preschool work
and some math
Kade's basketball traveling team - they got 2nd place in the tournament
and were very excited to get a trophy.
So I have no idea why it took me 12 years of our marriage to miss out on skiing. Sure, we can't go to the mountains here like the Austrian Alps and yes, it is expensive but come on, once in a while you can splurge on a little fun. :) Today the day finally came when I broke in my "new" skis that my brother got me and I had a blast doing it.
I have been wanting to take Kade skiing this whole winter and we finally picked a weekend when we could go to the cabin since the little ski resort is close by there. We were all planning for the big day to come next Friday. And then last week it started to get warmer and this weekend even warmer. The weather channel was saying by the middle of next week it will be in 60s which would never work for skiing since it's not up high in the mountains. As I was seeing yet another winter pass and not be able to go skiing a thought occurred to me - "Ehren, we have to go skiing this weekend, like tomorrow (Sunday) because it may be our last chance until next winter." I am the one who absolutely hates missing church on Sundays and if there is not a big enough reason for not going, I just can't do it. So I was a bit hesitant but then I thought how our whole family really needed a time out together and it was such a great bonding time for me and Kade.
It didn't start out that great which I knew it wouldn't. It was Kade's very first time on skis and they were pretty heavy skis too so he had a bit of a hard time controlling them but for his first time I have to say he did great. We started with the bunny hill which has a rope that you have to grab that pulls you up to the top. It took Kade a few times of tumbling down because when you first grab the rope it really pulls you hard and you have to hold on for dear life, if you're a child or a middle eastern adult who just couldn't quite get the hang of it either. But pretty soon Kade got it and was cruising down the hill like nothing. Soon the bunny hill seemed boring and mainly because it was such a beautiful and warm day that it made the snow sticky and therefore very slow for skiing. So I took Kade on the ski lift. We had a couple of hick-ups there too but he did great. First, when we got on the lift his ski got stuck in something and came off so they had to stop the lift and hand us the ski while we were up in the air so I was holding 4 poles and a ski when we had to jump off. We had a couple of tumbles down when getting off the chair lift too, one time Kade couldn't slide off fast enough until he had to jump off when the seat was up high, with his legs and skis falling all over the place. Luckily he didn't get hurt and we were soon going down the "big" hill. I wish I took a video on that hill, that would have been better than the bunny hill. Since the snow was slowing us way down though it was the perfect time for Kade to practice and not be scared of the speed. He has a lot to work on and he didn't quite get how to lift one of the legs for turning or stopping, but for one day he did great and I was so proud of him. Mostly, I was thankful for the bonding time I had with Kade and what a great activity to do with a child. I always loved skiing with my family even though I never became a really great skier. I love the sport because it doesn't matter how bad or how good you are, you can enjoy it fully at your own level. Or even going really slow with your son because he needs you. It sure gives me a lot of respect for my parents who took us skiing a lot when we were just learning. Mom was always there on the bottom of the slopes, cheering us on and wiping our noses from all the crying or serving us hot tea and sandwiches. :) Those are such awesome memories for me and mean so much more than words could describe. I only hope we can do that for our kids and they will feel that way looking back at their childhood.
Ehren was so great being our chauffeur for the day. It would not have been his way of spending the day, but he didn't complain one bit and did it very cheerfully. He took Kason and Anika to a nearby town while we skied and did some shopping there, had lunch and then they came to watch Kade in the end. Ani and Kason were excited to see Kade on skis and I was surprised how much Anika loved it and she started saying right away that next time she wants to go skiing too. So we might do that next winter, even though I think we may have to be on the bunny hill most of the day, but that's ok. I found out there is another ski resort not too far from us the other direction so we may check that one out too. I would love it if our kids really enjoyed it and make it one of our fun family traditions. It's not something we can do a lot since it costs so much, but I think if you do it once in a while you appreciate it all the more and you look forward to it so much more because it is a big privilege to be able to do that.
trying to go fast on the bunny hill but the snow was too slow :)
I probably mentioned something before about Ani not catching on Math very fast. I don't think it's something bad and I'm sure there are a lot of kids who are not that interested in numbers and stuff, it can just be hard when I go from Kade who gets any Math facts right away to her. I am starting to really prepare myself for next year when she goes to Kindergarten. Really, I think they do a lot more with reading than Math that year, but we still need to work on it now. I am getting more determined than ever to teach her the basics by Fall. :) I am researching all kinds of teaching techniques and visual aids that can help but really, just doing some of it every day helps a lot. It is also a bit hard when I am working with her on counting and sequencing and her little brother that's 3 and 1/2 can do it all while she struggles. I really can't say she is not smart because of it though because she is doing just wonderfully with the beginning reading skills. She can figure out rhyming words, what letters the words start and end with, and she's starting to read those beginner reading books so I know with reading she'll have no problem. But then it's like something is not clicking with numbers for her. It's interesting to me because she is really good at puzzles and thinking skills but then when it comes to numbers she doesn't get them. Sometimes I think that's how I was. I drove my mom crazy the first 2 grades or so because I just could not get the simple math, adding and subtracting. But then once I got into more complicated things I loved it. I loved algebra, trigonometry and anything that was harder to solve. But I still do some simple math on the calculator or I use Ehren as a calculator. :) So Anika must have her mom's gene in her. I just pray I have the wisdom and patience with her as she struggles through the first years of school because I know she will in some ways. But mostly, I hope I always gently encourage her and praise her for her effort and show her what her strengths are. I don't believe in overpraising the kids who grow up thinking they are Einsteins but everyone needs praise and affirmation. I know Anika will do great because she is very determined to get anything she starts, she works hard and never gives up. I love my Ani. Her recent "obsession" is helping me with any house chores. She loves putting the dishes away, help with laundry, or dust and she does it all very cheerfully for which I couldn't be more thankful. I hope her attitude lasts because it is a nice change from the boys who couldn't care less about that stuff and have to be motivated to do it. :) It sure is nice having another girl in our home.
