Enjoying Spring

More and more we are getting outside and enjoying a beautiful spring! When it's not raining that is. It's been a wet April, but you know what they say about April showers....

My smart little boy received the Principal's Aware for grades and behavior, as well as an Attendance Award!! He also got a medal for a Laser Competition in Science. And he is officially joining band next year to play the Clarinet!

He has been able to get outside with his new skateboard to learn how to use it! He's picking it up very quickly and doing great! There's a skate park in a nearby town he can't wait to use it at.

On a walk at the town park Jacob helped me pick some wild garlic mustard, which I brought home to experiment with. I ended up making pesto with it for the first time, and it was a success! A yummy and healthy snack for me.

Jacob also helped me pick some spring dandelion blooms to make fritters once again! We did this last spring and they were so yummy. We all ate them as fast as I was cooking them! I highly recommend. Here's a link to my post with the recipe from when I made them last spring.

And it's finally time to dust off the riding mower so Jacob helped his dad mow part of the backyard for the first time this year. Love my boys!

Jacob Turns 9!

My littlest little is now 9 years old! Jacob's birthday was last Friday so he got to choose his favorite dinner (chicken, mac and cheese, and steamed carrots) then he opened his presents from us after. His uncle Eric also sent him a couple great gifts that he loved!

He got right to the painting kit from Uncle Eric.

The next day we had a party for him at the house and 7 of his friends came to celebrate! It was from 12-2 and I served hotdogs and chips, then cake and ice cream.

He got lots more great gifts and toys that he will enjoy playing with, and had a fun time with all his friends there.

Nick made a spectacle bringing out the cake with lit candles! No he did not trip and fall, ha!

Another year come and gone, these kids are growing fast!

Solar Eclipse 2024

April 8 we saw a total solar eclipse, and here in Albion we were directly in the path of totality!

Unfortunately being early April the clouds had other plans, so we also had 100% cloud coverage. However that did not stop us from going outside for the event and at least witnessing the darkness that fell.

Cuddles got upset that we all came outside and left him alone, so he joined us outside!

Once there was 100% coverage the sky fell dark and it felt very ominous.

Since we had no view, we also watched the live video coverage for NY state.

The darkness lasted about 3 minutes then it was business as usual! We would have had to drive hours to gamble for a view, so we decided just to stay at home for this one. The next one in the contiguous US isn't until 2044, so who knows where we'll be then! 

Oklahoma Road Trip 2024

Another 2600 mile road trip in the books! Maybe our last one for awhile...

Due to family deaths and health concerns we decided to take the family trip to Oklahoma while the kids were out of school this past week. Nick had business to take care of with his mom's estate, and I had several things to help my father with. As always we got a rental car--Kia Soul--and left early Friday morning bound for Terre Haute, Indiana.

We have always stayed there for our halfway point going and coming, and each time gets more uncomfortable with the state of the hotels and accommodations. So for our return trip I booked a hotel just 15min west in Marshall, Illinois and it was much better! New halfway point.

We arrived to our hotel in Moore, OK around 3pm Saturday. After checking in, unpacking, and cleaning up we all headed over to my dad's house to say hi and for me to start prepping for everything I would be doing--mostly cooking!! The next day was Easter so I went ahead and got all the groceries I would need that night. He is looking good and doing much better after recent surgery and cancer treatment.

That evening my mom and stepdad brought pizza to our hotel for dinner and to visit! Always nice to see my mumsy. My stepdad Gary had big plans up his sleeve for the boys while they were there.

Sunday was Easter! Nick's original plan got a bit derailed so he spent the day with me. After hotel breakfast, we all headed over to my dad's where I started the plethora of meals I would be cooking for his freezer. Nick was my sous chef and very helpful! 

In between cooking I was able to give my dad a haircut, and around 1:30pm we wrapped up what we were doing to head back into town for Easter dinner at my brother Eric's house with his wife and stepkids. They made a ton of delicious food, and the kids got to do an egg hunt in the front yard.

After Easter fun, it was back to work at my dad's house where I completed lots of freezer meals for him. I wrapped it up that evening and we headed back to the hotel.

We had time in the evening for the boys to enjoy a dip in the hotel pool!

The next day we dropped the boys off at my mom's house for a fun day with grandpa Gary. Nick dropped me off at my dad's, and he headed out to Foster to take care of some business with his sister for their mom's estate. I continued cooking my little heart out at my dad's ALL DAY.

The boys had a bunch of fun with grandpa including shooting guns, driving, arcade games, pizza, and candy! They got done before Nick was back in town, so they convinced grandpa to let them swim again at our hotel. He had them all dried and changed by the time we got back for dinner!

For dinner our last night there we FINALLY got to eat our absolute favorite Chinese food from TnT--a little hole in the wall place in OKC that is the best. I brought it back to the hotel, and shortly after my brother Shane visited us there with his gf Regina, son Cameron, and Cameron's gf.

So we got to say bye to everyone that last night before I headed back to my dad's house to do his taxes for him. We had severe storms forecasted that evening with tennis ball size hail, but thankfully it was a bust and we just got a bit of rain. I finished up his taxes and finally got back to the hotel around 11:30pm. After some much needed rest we hit the road in the morning around 9am and made it to our new halfway point in Illinois around 7pm. We grabbed some Wendy's for dinner and tucked in early, and hit the road for HOME by 6am!!

After a long day of driving and coming home to snow we got home around 4pm safe and sound with Cuddles holding the fort down for us. It was so nice to be home and sleep in our own beds!! Another visit down.