7 Year Old Interview

We have declared it as "birthday week" for Mr. Hudson and the fun and festivities kicked off yesterday.  He got the day off of school and went farming with his Papa Ed, who took him to McDonalds for lunch (picture above).  Today we went to the library and out for lunch with friends, followed by a surprise visit from cousins.  Tomorrow he is looking forward to bringing birthday treats to school (he attends enrichment classes on Wednesdays) and he has his "birthday haircut" after school.  Thursday will be a full day of party preparations, cleaning and decorating.  We have a party with 7 friends happening on Friday night and a full day of his favorite things on Saturday, with a family party at night. Now that is a fun filled "birthday week."  This afternoon I sat down with him and we did his 7 Year Old Interview, as I have done the past two years, and here are his responses...

What is your favorite snack?  fruit strip

What is your favorite memory from being six?  going to the Grand Canyon 

Who is your best buddy?  Evie

What do you like to do outside?  play in the snow in the winter  

What exciting new thing did you learn this year?  to be loving to my sister 

What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner?  pizza 

Who is your favorite person in the whole world?  the 3 of you - Mommy, Daddy and Greta  

What is your favorite color?  royal blue

What is your favorite TV show to watch?  Magic School Bus 

What sport do you like best? basketball

What do you want to do when you grow up?  a farmer  

What would you buy if you had $1000?  I would save it for what I needed, like a shop vac, if I needed it.  

What do you like to do best with your friends?  play LEGOS

What is something special about you?  that I’m loved 

What is something you hope you get to do when you are seven?  go camping with Daddy 

What time do you wake up in the morning and go to bed at night?  6:30 or 6:45 is when I wake up and 7:30 is when I go to bed and then I read a book and fall right asleep so basically 8:00

What is the healthiest thing you can eat?  fruit, vegetables and milk 

What do you like to do with Mommy?  school work 

What do you like to do with Daddy?  fix 

What do you like to do with Greta?  play whatever Greta wants to play 

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?  Pirate’s Booty (caramel ice cream with Oreos and M&M’s) 

What is your favorite fruit?  banana

What is your favorite vegetable? carrots, because they help your eyes 

What is your favorite thing to wear?  My Iowa State shirt 

What is your favorite thing to play?  LEGOS  

What is your favorite stuffed animal?  Pup (said with a big smile)  

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?  oatmeal 

What is your favorite dessert?  ice cream 

What is your favorite thing to drink?  Sprite  

What is your favorite animal?  a monkey  

What is your favorite book?  Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims (the one we just finished reading aloud together) 

What is your favorite game?  Sorry 

Omaha

Last weekend we enjoyed a 24 hour getaway to Omaha.  My parents had been there since Wednesday night, attending some "business meetings" for the local Coop, and they asked us to join them for the last night of their stay.  We left home around 3:00 Friday afternoon and arrived to the hotel around 5:00pm.  My parents were anxiously awaiting our arrival and the kids were delighted to see them too.  We hung out and got settled in our room and then we grabbed some snacks, which ended up being our dinner, and then headed to the pool.  Roy was a trooper and played with the kids while I hung out in the hot tub (the water in the pool was freezing) and then gave Hudson scores on his cannonballs (lots of 10 for big splashes) from the sidelines.  Greta jumped off the side of the pool and into Daddy's arms about 100 times.  Since they had both napped in the car on the drive down we had one goal in mind...tire these kids out!    

Since we had joining rooms right next to my parents, the kids each got to sleep in their own pull out hide-a-beds.  This was a first experience for them and they thought it was pretty cool.  Saturday morning we enjoyed the all you can eat breakfast (thank you Embassy Suites) and then Roy and the kids got in another quick swim.  The kids came back for quick showers and then we headed out to...

Cabella's.

After some time at Cabella's we headed to the Omaha Children's Museum.  This place was fantastic.  The kids loved it and Bapa (my dad) was a good sport and joined in on the fun.  

Hudson grilled Bapa Rog a "steak to order."  

This girl has got the moves!  

There were so many hands on opportunities for discovery...

and there was so much to explore.  

A ride on the carousel created lots of smiles for this sweet girl.  

Greta chose to ride the white horse and Hudson chose the rooster, not one bit surprised on either of their choices.   

Daddy enjoyed himself too, we are all a kid at heart.  

While we were playing in the museum the fire alarms went off and everyone needed to evacuate the building.  It was past lunch time so we decided to call it quits and grab some lunch.  A restaurant where we could watch the ISU basketball game was of high priority.  Hudson wasn't so interested in the game but I came up with a made up game that keep him entertained.  

After lunch my parents headed for home and we ventured back to the Children's Museum for another hour and a half of play, fun and exploration.  

These magnetic wooden building blocks were awesome.  Greta and I built this same "tall house" about 4 times.  She was quite proud.    

Better hold on girl, Hudson is still learning to drive.  

And just so you know that I was there too I have a picture to prove it.  I am so thankful for the family time, my greatest loves!  

The kids drank apple juice and ate Jelly Belly's and watched The Peanuts Movie on the way home.  They were thrilled with the whole thing.  It was a quick yet blessing filled little getaway for us all.  I came home encouraged and refreshed.  We are thankful for my parents inviting us along for the fun and spoiling us to pieces.  We love them for that!  

Drawing in Space

A giant tape sculpture, called Drawing in Space, has been the talk of the Des Moines Art Center for a few months now.  The exhibit was on its last week so we took the opportunity to see it last Thursday afternoon before it was destroyed.  The three-dimensional tape sculpture looked like this...

A staff member told us that it took 4 artists and 11 members of the art center staff 14 days to construct the tape sculpture.  It required 25 miles of tape to make the sculpture.  

And unlike most art at the center, guests are encouraged to touch and interact with the structure.  The coolest thing about it is that you could climb inside of it.  Roy went in with Hudson but last minute Greta changed her mind and decided she wasn't interested, so she stuck with me.  

A selfie inside...

It looks like a giant spider web or water slide to me.  

Then we toured the rest of the Art Center and were intrigued by this piece of art, also made out of tape.  Oh the details!  

Greta wanted to take a picture by this painting because it was pink.  

Hudson liked this art because it was shiny.  

And I thought this piece of art was hilarious.  Art?  Really?  I kind of remember one of my grandparents having a vacuum that looked like that.  

And that wraps up our trip to the Des Moines Art Center.  

Hudson + Greta

As I scroll through these pictures before clicking "Publish" on the post my heart completely melts.  Today Hudson was an angel and Greta was a challenge.  Tomorrow it may be different, they may switch roles.  (Almost ) every single morning we snuggle together in bed.  We giggle, we watch videos on my phone, we talk about our day and how much we love and are thankful for Daddy going to work so we can stay home and snuggle in bed.  These two are my dream come true (and Roy of course).  I don't ever want to take them for granted.  When I see their face, their smile and their love I see Christ's love for me and for that I am thankful and blessed.  And all that to introduce the pics of my sweet babes...

Family Pics

We got our family pictures taken again this fall by Danielle Rowland.  And since I'm all caught up on our "Swinger Days" I figured it was a good chance to share them here.  We had to reschedule our pictures twice, so I had more time to heal and to shop for outfits, but on November 19th we got the job done.  Thankfully, the weather cooperated, amidst it being late fall.  Roy was excited about the idea of doing more urban pictures instead of the traditional fall colors and scenes we have done in the past, so we headed downtown for our photo shoot.  We bribed the kids with ice cream if they cooperated (no shame in that) and they did.  

Here are a few of my favorite family pictures (in addition to the one we put on our Christmas card).  I'll share the best ones of Hudson and Greta later this week.   

So thankful for this precious family...the smiles, the heartache, the frustration, and the joy that comes with it.  Love them forever!  

a NEW year

Happy 2018!  To be honest...the start of the new year has been hard for me.  With the excitement and anticipation of the holiday season behind us and cold, winter and sickness season ahead of us its never my favorite time of year.  Plus, I am still not able to drive, so that leaves the kids and I pretty "stuck" at home most days.  Prayers for God's continued healing in my life are very much appreciated.  None the less, I choose to remain hopeful (most of the time) and am thankful for God's grace and faithfulness in 2017 and as we anticipate 2018.  With a NEW year comes lots of NEW including...

NEW ways to pass the day like taking selfies with my favorite girl while enjoying my amazing NEW cozy blanket that my sister gifted me for Christmas.    

Lots of time to read all the NEW books Greta got for Christmas.  

Getting a NEW pair of purple tennis shoes.  We bought the ones Roy liked best even though Greta insisted we get the pink ones and she left the store pouting.  As you can see in the picture, she changed her mind quickly and decided she liked them after all.    

Fixing NEW puzzles on these cold winter days.  

Trying out a NEW coffee shop while Aunt Ang was visiting.  

Hudson working at his NEW desk on school work and art projects.  

We (finally) took away Greta's paci and she is adjusting to this NEW bedtime routine.  This picture was taken on her last night sleeping at home with her paci.  

Hudson has a NEW smile after loosing his two front teeth.  

Hudson earned a NEW LEGO set for all of his hard work as a first grader.  

Getting back into the swing of school and some NEW curriculum.  

Her sweetness and beauty is nothing NEW, we adore our baby girl. 

2018 brought us some snow.  This is their first time playing in the snow in our NEW yard.  

Slowly organizing spaces in our NEW house continues to be a work in progress.