Spring Break Day 4 Fun

We were invited by the Lia's family to join them and many others at Central School's playground today...

Van came with his grandma.

Alynna came with her sister and mommy... Isn't Lia too cute!

This is Cade, one of Lia's big brothers.

All the kiddos have fun being pushed on the Merry Go Round!

Look at my Kailee being brave!

Here Kailee fell off!

Ashlynn and Kailee... love them!

Magic Ballerina

The Fairies came to the house last night and left these magic ballerinas that you put in water and grow... so Kailee wanted to do hers today. So here she is day 1.

PHO107 Sunsets

Even though it hasn't been really wonderful weather for evening photographs I still managed a few that I enjoyed.

April Fish Day!

Joyeux Poisson d'Avril!

My dear friend Katy introduced this French "April Fools Day" called, "April Fish" Day to us via her blog post! So, Grace and I decided we're going to do this! So, we made a fish... we named him "Rainbow Fish" and all day we were sticking him on someone else's back  without them knowing it. It was so much fun, no one even cared but we kept taking it off of ourselves and sticking it on someone else. I love "April Fish Day" more so than April Fools Day! This is less mean and more fun!
Thank you Katy!! 

xoxo

1/4 of the year.

We are at the 1/4 of the way through 2012 mark... please make the time slow down! Funny how the 1/4 mark is during Spring Break! We need more time... and I don't want it to go faster! We are taking a deep breath today and enjoy the moments we have together.

Summa Cum Laude

Guess who is graduating with highest honors!! I feel so blessed! I wish we could attend the graduation but with the cost of everything going up; gas, hotel rooms and then the cost of graduating -- it's just not feasible. So, we'll save the money and do something fun as a family!

Spring Break Has Begun!

Since Spring Break has started with a bit of a snowy dreary day we have decided to stay in our PJ's all day and just play the wii, play board games and play go fish the princess edition. It has made for a fun day already and it's only 12:30 p.m.! The sassy's even let mommy sleep in until 9:30 a.m.!! Woo Hoo!! We were up late last night because Lauren Azzopardi came over and played with us! We had a pizza dinner, root beer, icecream and popcorn! It was lots of fun!! We did finger nails, toes and even played go fish princess edition! So much FUN was had in this Sassy House of Spalding over the last 2 days!

Kailee's Fair

Last night Kailee and I were discussing the differences between a fair, an amusement park and a circus. This conversation prompted her to draw this incredible picture of the kind of fair she would want to have, if she owned a fair. There will be a water slide (of course) and a game and a place where she will sell tickets. There will also be a roller coaster and lost of green grass for safety. (I love the way she thinks.) I had to ask after she explained the picture: You'll do this this is AFTER you become a Neurosurgeon Doctor right? She smiled and said, "yes mom". I love you Kailee Joy!

Green Eggs & Ham Day!

Today in Gracie's class it is Green Eggs & Ham Day! Daddy went in to volunteer for this joyous occasion! Gracie woke up this morning and said, "Mommy I am the luckiest the person in the world today!" I asked, "what makes you so lucky?" She said, "It's Green Eggs & Ham Day AND Daddy is coming into my class!!" Oh my heart melted!!! Daddy coming to school is more than huge treat for these little girlies. xoxo

Chicken Coop

Tonight we were discussing as a family if we would like to raise baby chicks. In order to do that Gracie said we need to have a "Chics Coop Ule 4 Chics" (Chick Coop Only For Chicks). In the above picture you will see her plans for a chicken coop. Watch people there could be baby chicks in our near future!

3 days left

...including today of course until SPRING BREAK! We're not doing any scheduled funness... but I do have on the sly a commitment to some friends for a fun playday of sorts! Perhaps we can get over to Gaylord and try the Discovery Center or we could go to Traverse City to Lucky Jacks... but we'll just have to wait and see. What I'm most looking forward to though is just being with the Sassy's without any commitments! If we want to stay jammie-fied for the day - we can! If we want to eat icecream for breakfast and breakfast for dinner - we can! Wait a second that last one didn't come out quite right but I think those Sassy's would totally go for it. We can breakfast-a-fy the icecream with a little oatmeal of course. I'm ready for relaxing... fun... and no early mornings!! We need a break - a nice healthy no one sick break! We need a fun-days are Monday's break! We need a happy as a clam break! One thing is for definite - I will enjoy every minute of it... well... unless there's arguing and fighting.... then it might change some things but here's to hoping for fun! xo

Adios Warmth

Friday morning we woke up to significantly lower temperatures than on Thursday morning... Saturday morning we woke up to even cooler temperatures than that... Sunday morning well, lets just say we had to kick on the heat again because the cold was unbearable... and this morning it was 24 degrees! How do we go from waking up to 68 degree weather exactly 1 week ago and now we have 24 degrees!! All of my beautiful crocus have died. My lilac bush is frozen (it had big giant beautiful buds - see picture) and the little start of a rose bush that some how survived the winter even sprouted leaves and now... they are all frozen and will chances are die. The weather people (who are not my favorites right now) say it's supposed to be like this through next week... SAY WHAT?! We finally get to go on Spring Break, we've been doing the count down and this darn weather takes a turn for the worst... UNACCEPTABLE I say! So, I am going to will it to be warm, pray for it to be warm and wish for it to be warm starting Friday, March 30 until Monday, April 9. Here's to trying!

PHO 107 - Landscapes

This weeks assignment was landscapes! 

So, we packed the Sassy's in the car and drove around looking for beautiful scenery, which wasn't hard in Northern Michigan!

Space Man

Today I walked into the playroom (don't mind the extreme messiness of it all -- during Spring Break we're doing to clean this room spotless!) and what do I see but a Gracie trying to get on this (girl scout vest) which she has dubbed her Space Man vest. Then for the next two hours (after discovering that the baby monitors are infact working) the 2 lil Space (Wo)men pretended they were "moon walking" and going on rocket ship ride around the sun (the lamp in the living room). Oh and I can't forget the Moon Pie snacks! Well, they don't really know what moon pies are so we "invented" it ourselves. They were quite pleased.

Pillow Case

I walked into Kailee's room and this is what I see. I asked her what she is doing and she replies, "well, trying to see if I can wear this pillow case." She said it so matter of factly that, it made me wonder how often does she attempt this. She said "it's like clothes but without all the holes." Yep, that's a fact. She also included, "it's pretty snuggly once you get it on right." I love her!! My silly goofy 7 year old child!

Sliders

These little sassy's have always loved a good slide! Mommy didn't actually take these pictures daddy did. 

I love those little faces!!! xoxo

Snappin Beans

For dinner we had green beans with hamburgers on the grill - YUM! Gracie decided she was going to make the green beans so I let her. She snapped them, cleaned them and then put them in the tin foil with a little butter and salt. She kept saying, "These are the best beans I ever ated." I agreed and so did Kailee and Daddy! Way to snap them beans Gus Gus!

1 week of Summer

It's been 1 week of Summer-ishy type weather in MARCH!... highs in the 80's for the last few days... yesterday they said 77 but it got to 81! Today they are calling for 82... so who knows we might hit closer to mid-80's!
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Today also marks the very first time Gracie gets to attend a birthday party of a boy and all by herself (since Kailee didn't go to school). So... one of her favorites in the class is a boy named Van. He's a hoot let me tell ya. Everyday he sees me he says, "Hi Mrs. Spalding." I get down to his eye level, hold his hands and say, "Hello Van, how are you?" He always replies, "Hi Mrs. Spalding, how are you? I am good." It's our "routine" of sorts and I love it. He is a special lil man and I hope that Gracie has fun celebrating Van's 6th birthday with him! (I wish I could be there though... the hardest part of parenting is letting go and letting them do things independently.) xo
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Kailee is home today and so we are going to just hang out and be a little lazy... well, she will I get to do some school work, but because it's a nice day out there I'm going to take advantage of it too. (Homework on the deck!) Kailee said she'd like to help me plant some bulbs outside, so we may venture and do a little of that too... we'll just see how the lil punk feels as the day goes on. xo

Germs - 4: Mommy-0

Kailee woke up again this morning with a fever and vomiting. Poor child kept saying her belly hurt yesterday. She came home from school yesterday and laid down in her room for a long time, saying her head hurt. But then she perked up a little. She ate (a little) but not much dinner. Her eyes were light (a sign she's getting sick) and she was extra snugly (not that I'm complaining because I'll take the snuggles!) I wonder what the doctors will have to say...

This was at 10:49 a.m.

This was at 1:36 p.m. (What a difference 3 hours makes!)

It's such a bummer because it's going to be another beautiful sunny warm day! On tap for today is 77 degrees and partly cloudy. A perfect 1st Day of Summer, err, Spring. The windows have not been closed in 6 days and the entire house has been sanitized from top to bottom... I don't understand why the ick won't leave us alone. My poor baby. xo
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Update: The doctors said to wait it out since she has a fever. If she's not improving by tomorrow or vomits anymore we have to go in. Praying for a good nights sleep and no more puke.

Another Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

Day 5 of beautiful "summery" weather (actually it's been warmer the last 4 days than it usually is in the summer months in Northern Michigan). 81 degrees is on the agenda for today, with a splash of sunscreen, and a touch of happiness. There is nothing more beautiful than laying in bed with your eyes closed as your first waking up to hear the chirping birds loving God's glory too! Even though the sun still isn't shining at 6:30 a.m. (because it's only March... not June)... that first big breath in of fresh air blowing in the windows just feels so refreshing! There's nothing more perfect than listening to the birds and hearing the sweet little yawns of the Sassy's waking up and feeling the stretching of my husband laying next to me. Let me freeze this moment right now (yes I took a picture with my heart for future reference) and live in it forever. The Lord has been so good to us and this weather feels like a "special-little-something" for being so patient through the winter. Tomorrow is the first day of Spring and I cannot wait for the blessings of tomorrow... but I will relish in the love of today. Off to sit on the deck in shorts (YES SHORTS in March) and a t-shirt to let the sun kiss my cheeks as I sip a glass of lemonade with my sunglasses on. (Hard to believe 2 weeks ago we had 13" of snow!)

The Lord's Blessings

March 18th and flowers are blooming! 

I hope this is a summer-tease because if it snows or frosts again it's going to kill all the buds on the trees and the beautiful flowers! 

Fire Fighter of the Year

... goes to Jonathan Spalding this year! And because mommy was sick with the flu we missed it. Apparently Chief Al had lots of good things to say about daddy but we missed it. :( So proud of daddy though! xo

An Irish Jig

The Leprechaun came to the house last night and took the adorable little notes and pictures the Sassy's made for him. In place of the letters & pictures there were 2 books and 4 quarters! How nice of that little leprechaun to come to our house! Not only did he come leave some cool books, he also tipped over all the chairs! And according to Grace made a mess of the toys in the playroom.... daddy & I recall asking 2 little Sassy's to clean that playroom yesterday.... how interesting that the leprechaun is to blame for the mess today.

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The Sassy's are spending the night at Grandma Deb & Grandpa Lou's tonight. While the Sassy's were away mommy & daddy were supposed to go to the Fireman's Awards Banquet... but instead mommy has the stomach flu and we're staying home and just resting.

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Yes it was 82 degrees on March 17th, 2012! Record breaking highs today! 

All week is going to be unseasonably warm! LOVE THE WARMTH!!

The Sassy's are soaking it in and loving every minute of it!

Grandma Deb & Grandpa Lou took the Sassy's & cousins down to the wooden park in Boyne and they played or a couple hours. So much fun!

"Haber-man Lincoln"

Yesterday, at school in a display case are different dolls that were made to look like different significant people in history. There is one that looks like Abraham Lincoln, Gracie said while we were for Kailee at the end of the day, "look mom there's Haber-man Lincoln." I said, "oh my you're right, what is he famous for?" "He's not famous mom, he was a "pres-a-tent" who wored big hats and he was very tall like a giant." 

xo Atta girl! xo
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Today was not a school day! It was a teacher inservice day so the Sassy's allowed this sick mommy to rest all day. They played nicely together and helped one another, I was so proud. It is mommy's turn with the flu and I'm not a fan of it. Thank you for taking good care of me my girlies... I love you both! xoxo

Funtastic Spring Day!

 We played outside after school today for a while, it was sunny but not as warm (only 63), but still felt GOOD!

They love, love, love that it was a super sunny Spring Day!