Storybook character day

March was reading month at school.  The kids were challenged to read and had a few planned days throughout the month:  Bring your favorite book to school day, comfy cozy day, storybook character day.

So, I sent Annie and Snowball, Hermione Granger, Nancy Drew, and Frog, to school last Friday

On Comfy Cozy Day, they all wore pjs and read books on blankets and pillows.  If they had read the required number of minutes, they got to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the gym with all their blankets and pillows.  All four made their goal, so they got to watch the movie.  

I find it ironic that a movie was the reward for reading! 

We also got forms to fill out for free tickets to a local AAA baseball game, so that will be a fun outing sometime in the near future!

Fun with cousins

We had some family come to visit and we did our best to have fun.  Matt and I weren't home when they arrived because we were out enjoying an evening of a really good dinner out and an incredible symphony with friends.  It was a great night.

We came home to a house full of people laughing and playing games.  Anika had an all nighter at church so she was off on her own adventure!

We woke the next morning and had waffles then we were off to the St Patricks Day parade. I mentioned to the kids that last year on this day we went swimming in Lake Michigan.  This year we watched a parade in the snow.

We came home, packed some lunches and went on an adventure to Holland. They have an old farm there that harvests sugar maple sap and turns it into syrup.  We went and watched it happen.  My kids will tell you that part was boring, but they had a great time getting REALLY muddy by the river and then cleaning off with a snowball fight before coming back home. I thought it was interesting to hear and see how it all worked.

We enjoyed Pizza Ranch for supper while Matt and his brother went to the Wild Game Dinner at church.  The Orange Hat society puts this on every year.  The only food served is something that has been killed or caught by the people in the church and prepared for eating.  Only men are allowed, which is just fine by me and everyone comes home with a prize.  Matt got a scope for a gun and his brother got scent for hunting.

The old boys went shooting after church on Sunday, but the rest of us enjoyed a mostly green meal for St Patricks Day - a green veggie tray shaped like a shamrock, green jello, and shamrock shakes!

The time to leave came all too soon, but it was fun to make the memories!

Pinewood Derby

Brandon and Matt each made a car this year.  Matt did not enter his into the competition, but they both had fun with the process!  Brandon's won one race and he lost his next - to a tank of all things.  The boys had a good time with it!

Indoor Soccer

Brandon started up something new last week.  He and a friend joined an indoor soccer team.  The pavilion isn't far from our home, and Brandon's friend has been playing there for awhile, so we decided to join them.  They both joined a house team, which means a bunch of kids that just join up and play.  Brandon and his friend were placed on a team that have been playing together, but were short a few players.  Its a U12 team so our 4th grade boys are some of the youngest, but both are holding there own and playing quite well.  They are playing other teams that practice and play together year round, and have won both of their games so far. Its fun to watch!  Brandon was quite excited as the first game he just wanted to play.  He ended up scoring two goals and got to play goalie for part of the second half.  It was a great start to something new.
update: They got beat pretty badly last night, but it was still fun to watch!