2023 :: 14/52

 wednesday and thursday, i had more training for my new job, kids had school, Al worked.

friday was no school due to good friday/easter. Al was off, i worked out at 6am. then tova got her ears pierced that afternoon and she did so good and was so brave! just a little flinch. after that, we drove up to the cities, stopped at mom's house, then went down to shane and jodi's house and had supper and a fire with them! it was fun! Al spent the night there with shane. 

saturday late morning, the kids and i headed back down to shane and jodi's house to have coffee, a fire, did a bunch of outside chores with them, and play time. that afternoon, mom came there too and picked up me and tova for Etta's gymnastics birthday party that was right by shane and jodi's house. it was a fun party and tova loved the gymnastics! then mom dropped us back off at shane and jodi's where we stayed for a just a bit longer before shane had to go to work and we headed back to mom's house for the night. 

sunday was easter and we had a bunch with nana and unc-o before heading home around 230. the kids got to do an easter egg hunt at nana's and at home, and had easter baskets at both; lucky kids!! 

monday was also no school but Al did have to go back to work. 

tuesday was HOT out; in the 80s. i worked at jodi's in the morning, we had Rue, and i went for a walk outside with Rue and 2 of my gym friends in the afternoon. 

trev made beaded worms for each of his classmates

fancy outfit

at shane and jodi's house

cribbage with nana and unc-o

back to shane and jodi's on saturday

big boys helping with chores

picnic lunch

tova and leni at etta's birthday party

i got to hold maren's cousin mandee's new baby

tova was so wiped out she fell asleep on nana

easter egg hunt

snack outside in t shirts!!

washing tova's outdoor kitchen

walking with Rue

2023 :: 13/52

 wednesday we had Rue, Al was off work, kids had school. i worked out at noon and we had wings from hangar 54 with matt, jodi and the kids. 

thursday we got stuff done around the house. 

friday trevor stayed home because he had the poops but was better by midday. we got rain and snow all weekend and Al worked. 

saturday and sunday were at home days; we played outside, did crafts, planted some seeds. 

monday Al was off, kids had school, tova and i had an easter party at jodi's house with the daycare kids. in the afternoon, Al had a dentist appointment, i started training for my new job (remote bookkeeping for the landscaping company my brother works for) and trev had karate at 430. 

tuesday we had Rue, tova and i worked at jodis in the morning, then i worked out at 530. 

movie night, even tucked their stuffies in

more snow....

easter party at jodi's

2023 :: 12/52

 wednesday we had breakfast at the hotel in cedar rapids then hit the road caravanning with matt & jodi and drove the 5 hours to lake of the ozarks in missouri. first we stopped in jefferson city and had a late lunch at big whiskey's which was a fun environment! it was so nice out; it got up to 76 degrees and humid. once we got to lake of the ozarks, we went to an overlook that was gorgeous and met another family from wisconsin there. at the airbnb we unloaded, toured the place, and we went out on the dock, the lake water was freezing! as the moms were unpacking and enjoying the deck, the dads took the big kids to get our groceries. we just enjoyed the deck, outside and the place for the night. 

thursday morning was beautiful! i spent the morning on the deck trying to convince all the kids to come out too. then we got going because we new that morning was going to be our nicest weather until the day we left. we went to the state park and hiked 2.5 miles. then back to the airbnb for lunch. then we went mini golfing and that was fun! we stopped for ice cream on the way back. after a little bit of quiet time, the kids went in the hot tub right before it started to rain. we made tacos for supper and played some games all together. 

friday was really rainy! we had a lazy morning at the house, hot tubbed, hung out, then went out for a "fancy" dinner that night right on the water. friday night the kids played switch and watched a movie. 

saturday it was nice out again and our day to start our trek home. once packed up, we went a little bit south to Ha Ha Tonka state park where there are some castle ruins and hiked a little bit. then we drove to Burlington Iowa where our hotel was. we had a mexican dinner out then the kids went swimming for a bit before bed. 

sunday morning trev woke up in the hotel and threw up. so we packed up and headed home while the risens stayed for a bit to go to an arcade. trev had a rough 6 hour drive home not feeling well but only puked once in the car and was a trooper. once home we unpacked, did laundry and just relaxed. 

monday trev stayed home from school due to not eating much sunday and being tired/no energy. so tova and i ran to aldi and then went to jodi's at 11 to help with lunch and get the girls on the bus. it was really nice out so the kids rode their scooters for a bit after school.

tuesday was back to normal, Al work, trev school, tova and i went to jodi's then she went to school. 

Big Whiskey's in Jefferson City

pretending/trying to sleep in the car

overlook at lake of the ozarks

our airbnb view and dock

a good morning

convinced them to come outside

Ha Ha Tonka state park

sick boy didn't even want to go on his kindle

waiting for the bus

tova, carsyn, kasen