Spring activites

Sage has started her first season of soccer! It was cute to see how anxious she was about her first practice. “But I don’t know how to play,” she said. “I won’t know anyone on the team!” Well, that’s why you go to practice, we told her, to learn and meet the other kids. She has had a very fun time at practices, probably because she gets such yummy snacks. Her first game was on the Saturday before Easter, and it was sooo cold. It was a bit funny to watch her team play. Basically, wherever the ball was, Sage wasn’t. Except for kick-ins, when her coach put her in front of the ball and said, “Kick.” She was a bit timid, but she liked frolicking (that’s the best way I can describe her little jog/skip) across the field. It is fun to watch how easily the kids on the team have made friends.

Easter time has come to mean chick time around our house. Once again, we got three baby chicks, and they are pretty cute. The kids love to harass them. I think we’ve trained Keiger to quit picking them up by their necks. Our big chicken is still laying eggs, so if all these chicks survive, we should be good to go on eggs.

So Jacob finished his famous stint as a Roman Soldier in the stake’s Easter pageant. I took the kids down to Espanola to watch him in it one night. Apparently, they paid very good attention because the other night Sage comes running into the family room wearing a football helmet and a blanket draped over her shoulders. She’s carrying a tee-ball stand. Keiger prances in with underwear pulled over his head, a blanket over his shoulders, and a baseball bat. They had dressed up as Roman soldiers with helmets, cloaks, and spears. “Roman soldier, Roman soldier,” cried Keiger. Pretty funny.

I still cannot get over this next story. It is the hand of the Lord in our lives so evidently. I have been very anxious about Sage starting kindergarten in August, particularly since the baby is due August 15, so that is probably going to be a crazy time for all of us with lots of changes. And Taos does not have the greatest reputation for its public schools, especially in the higher grades where it gets a little scary. Sage is such a sweet, bright kid, I wanted her to be in a positive, nurturing environment where she’d be helped to grow and reach her full potential. So I was a concerned about where she would attend school. Anyway, there are 2 charter schools in Taos where admission is based on a lottery. Sage did not make it into the first school’s lottery held last week and was placed on a waiting list. I’d been praying about this a lot and just trusting that whatever happened, the Lord would help it work out best for Sage. So I was prepared for whatever may come, though still concerned that I would not be able to help at the school as much as I’d like if she ended up in the public school since we’d have barely had a newborn. Well, Friday was the lottery for Taos Charter School, and I called that afternoon to see how it went. I got a call back from the sweetest lady who was so glad to tell me the good news that Sage got in. Apparently, siblings of students already attending the school get some sort of priority in the lottery, so after that was taken care of, there was only one spot left and 54 applicants. And Sage’s name was drawn. I cannot express how overwhelmed with gratitude I was and still am. It’s just amazing, and I am so thankful to the Lord for providing us with this opportunity. I know He loves Sage and our family and knows our needs. This charter school is just minutes up the road from us, and I believe there is just one class for each grade. And now Keiger will receive a sibling priority when he gets old enough for school. I just can’t get over it. It’s amazing, and I’m so thankful.

Here’s a picture of what we woke up to Friday morning! Happy Spring! I had to pull out the snow gear that I had packed away. Sage went straight to the snow angels! And last of all, check out the sweet sandbox Jacob constructed in the backyard. I know this thing is going to get endless hours of use from the kids, especially our little digger, Kei, this summer, so I’m super-grateful to have it. Best of all, it didn’t cost anything to build! We just have to buy a permit from the BLM to go get some sand from somewhere by Dixon. A ten-dollar sandbox! I’m all about it.

Sorry

Just thought we would tell you all, since no one really seemed to know we were pregnant, that no one really knew - except family. In fact I was cussed out - well not cussed, but you get the point - for not telling some friends in our ward just last Sunday. We just kind of told people if something came up, so needless to say if you didn't know, sorry, but neither did anyone else. ;-)

Funny kids

As I write this, the kids are currently “hunting” around the house. They are shooting wild chickens and dogs with pencils. And they have emptied all of Sage’s toy boxes to make grinders to grind up all the meat. Lovely. Jacob has taught them well.

We headed in for our ultrasound this week. The kids were excited to go see “pictures of the baby in mommy’s tummy.” Sage has been expecting a baby sister for a while now, claiming that if it was a boy, she wouldn’t play with it. So after some searching, it was pretty obvious that we are having a boy. When the technician told Sage that the baby was a boy (she wouldn’t believe us), she was the picture of dejection. I wish I had a camera to capture the way her face fell and how she dragged herself out of the hospital. On the drive home, we decided to make pancakes for dinner since it was late. Sage remarked that when the baby is born, he could never have breakfast for dinner. She’s gotten used to the idea of a baby brother now, though. We’re just thankful that everything is healthy and well. The due date is still August 15th, right as Sage starts kindergarten and just before hunting season. I can’t imagine how crazy all that is going to be! Any suggestions for boy names?
Here’s a little Easter story. So the kids have been playing with their stuffed animal dogs a lot lately. Sage’s is named Emily, and Kei’s is named Puppy. One morning last week, they were playing vet with their dogs while I was getting ready in the bathroom. Keiger walked down the hall holding Puppy and said very somberly, “Puppy dead.” Sage then emptied a toy box, and they put Puppy inside and took him onto my bed. I then overheard Sage pull out some gadget that she said measures heartbeats. She told Keiger, “This will measure Puppy’s heartbeats, and when they come back, he will be resurrected.” Intrigued, I go into the bedroom to see what would unfold. Unfortunately, Emily, who had been keeping watch over Puppy, died too. So she was placed in a toy box as well, and we had two dead dogs on my bed. Suddenly, Sage grabbed both dogs and raised them above her head saying that they were lifted up to heaven. She then tossed onto the ground and said that we would see them again sometime. So funny. From the mouths of babes.

Oh, big step for Keiger this weekend. We took him to the store and let him pick out a new toy: a Mater book and a Lightning McQueen race car. When we got home, we threw his binkee in the trash. Keiger was pretty excited about this until we put him down for his nap. He pretty much cried all afternoon. And he cried for a good while before going to sleep last night too. We’ll see how today goes. As tough as it may be, I’ll be so glad to be rid of the binkee!

Ok, I can’t resist adding this. Right now, Sage is playing with a stuffed animal cat that moves and meows. She’s saying stuff like, “Ok girl, tell me about your universe and how you had kittens on Sunday.” Honestly, these kids crack me up.

I almost forgot! Exploding MILK! You’ve gotta try it (Don’t worry—nothing really explodes)! Pour a little bit of milk into a cookie sheet, just enough to cover the sheet. Then put a few drops of food coloring around on the sheet. Then put a drop of liquid dish soap onto a drop of food coloring and watch what happens. It’s so cool—you can see how different colors combine to make new colors. Way fun.