Last weekend, we celebrated two birthdays, as well as the closely-related holiday, Mothers’ Day. After all, if it weren’t for mothers, we would not have birthdays.

Peter made cake pops in honor of Uncle Dave’s 50th birthday.

Uncle Dave’s candle was pretty spectacular. He did not try to blow it out.

The next day, we did some Mothers’ Day tree-climbing after church:

We celebrated cousin Sammy’s 8th birthday later that day. The kids had fun playing outside and chilling on the swings.

I was reminded of the geology class I took in college when we visited a real live quarry last week. As the field trip chaperone threw out words like “metamorphic” and “igneous”, I recalled with fond memories how much I enjoyed learning about rocks.

After a brief introduction to the premises, our group rode a bus down the steep rocky slope into the quarry. There were mounds of rocks all around, then the bus stopped and let us explore.

The kids were instructed to bring gallon-size ziplock bags in which to collect any rocks they wanted. The chaperone told them that as long as they could carry it, they were allowed to bring it home.

We also learned that an employee of the quarry planted 15 fossils. This got the kids even more eager to search and explore.

It was a unique trip, and the kids left asking to go back another time.

Molly’s favorite thing to do on weekday afternoons: go bye-bye in the car to get Derek.

If we ever need something from Ikea, we plan our trip for Tuesdays, when kids eat free.

Our latest purchase was candles to make as gifts for BSF teachers.

In addition to free lunch on Tuesday, we also get free entertainment…

and free lounging.

Molly visited the vet today. Molly does not like going to the vet. She dislikes it so much that she turned down the treat he offered to her before giving her a rabies shot. This canine who will swim across oceans and climb over mountains for a carrot refused to eat the dog treat at the vet’s office.

When we returned home, she walked straight for her bed and laid there, looking stressed. Jeremy noticed her troubled demeanor and grabbed a makeshift harp. He sat by her playing this rubberband strung across popsicle sticks, and announced he–like king David–was calming her distressed spirit.

Not sure it had the same effect on Molly as it did on Saul way back when, since the “music” coming from the rubberband wasn’t exactly soothing. But he tried.

We finished our first Science Chef book and decided to continue on with the next book written by the same author.

This time we are learning about foods around the world. Our first chapter was Canada.

We made a delicious roast beef sandwich lunch. We decided we like Canadian food.

Next, we read about Mexican food and compared dry beans to those that had been soaked in water overnight.

We decided we like Mexican food (though we pretty much already knew that!).

A couple nights ago, after reading about food from Brazil, we assembled beef kabobs.

No surprise, we discovered we like Brazilian food too. It’s been fun to try new dishes (like “fruited rice”) and learn about cultures different from ours.

Every morning, Molly has this longing look on her face; a look of anticipation. It’s her routine. Why? Breakfast.

You see, first thing in the morning, Peter does his BSF. Molly sits patiently at his feet as he works through it. She is waiting for him to feed her breakfast, and she does not want him to forget about her.

Then, as soon as he zips up his Bible cover, she hops like a rabbit, with ears flopping, over to her kibble bowl with him. She knows the routine: BSF then breakfast.

You may recall Ruthie’s summer project from 2015. Well, if last year was the year of the monkey bars, 2016 is the year of the two-wheeler.

We fully expected a season of learning, falling, and trying again. I called her Right-Leaning-Ruth since she consistently leaned to the right.

Part of Jim’s training is modeling to the student how to ride the bicycle. Once again proving that one can do anything in work clothes.

This little girl–through complaining that “I can’t do it”–continued to try,

until she got it!

Her “season” of learning to ride a bike lasted one day. Now, guess what she wants to do every day, rain or shine?

After a period of becoming reacquainted by observing us from their basketball hoop perch, our feathered friends have returned to their favorite nesting spot.

I’m curious if it is the same pair, or the next generation. Regardless, we feel honored(?) that out of all the mailboxes in DuPage County, they have chosen our mailbox to raise their chicks in.

When you need to remove the overgrown thorn bushes from your front yard, you can pay hundreds of dollars to have a professional do it…

or you can take matters into your own hands.

During our walk with Molly this morning, Ruth and I came across a colony of ants on the sidewalk. She shrieked, “I hate ants!”

Later, a curious wasp flew between us. Ruth screamed, “I hate wasps!”

I told her that if God made it, we shouldn’t hate it. So let’s stop saying we hate things.

We walked in silence for a few minutes, then Ruth declared, “I’m not a summer girl, you know.” I asked why, and she responded that she really doesn’t like bugs. Then said, “I’m a winter girl.”

Point made.

Jeremy spent all his free time yesterday concocting and developing a new board game. He was eager to do a trial run this morning.

He was inspired by strategy games and history.

He made many intricate pieces.

Peter helped as the game tester, while Ruthie supervised…

…and entertained.

He offered some constructive criticism,

of which Jeremy took heed.

After a while–as it goes with any game played in this household–they defaulted to wrestling and silliness.

And the entire time, Molly looked on.

It must be spring because the bees are out.

They love the fresh air.

This particular bee also has school duties.

When you’re tired of sitting around and just want to get back to the slopes:

We shopped for groceries at Safeway while in Colorado. One day, Ruthie joined Jim for grocery shopping, and the lady at Safeway insisted that Ruthie needed a Monopoly game board on which to put Monopoly tickets.

No surprise, this greatly appealed to the competitive nature of certain members of our family, who were happy to learn that Jewel is also giving out Monopoly tickets.

We stocked up on jigsaw puzzles before our trip.

We bought them at Dollar Tree (i.e. they each cost one dollar).

Despite working diligently on two separate puzzles, we were disappointed to find that:
1. there were pieces missing
2. due to the extremely indistinguishable features of the picture, it took us approximately 1 hour of trial and error for every 1 successful fit.

It went against everything in me, but we scrapped them both and started a new one. We did see it to the end, but not without a little reminder (an edge piece, nonetheless) of where we bought it!

Guess who picked that one out at the store? And reminded us more than a few times that it was the one good puzzle.

Technically, Colorado–a Spanish adjective meaning “red”–got its name because of the red silt that the river carried down from the mountains. I like to think it’s Colorado because of the rich color found in the state. The blues are bluer and the greens are greener.

By the end of the week, Ruth was skiing blue runs.

With yours truly right on her heels to pick her up if she fell.

Speaking of Ruth and falling, she did tumble down a few times, especially when the slope became quite steep. Rather than cry or become frustrated, she immediately would say, “I’m fine” and work to get back up again. I feel like I learned something about her last week.

Poor Jake was sick our last day there, so he spent nearly the entire day in bed with a fever. He attempted to come out and ski down a few runs, but it was too much for his tired body. Otherwise, the conditions were perfect that last day.

Jim and I hung with the youngest two quite a bit while the three older boys were off on their own.

Speaking of hanging out…

those legs get so tired, it’s feels good to take occasional breaks.

Taking a cliff-bar break.

We knew it was high time to head home when we looked down from the top of the mountain to the base area, swarming with crowds. With ear-piercing music blaring in the background (I am 43 years old) and everyone with at least one beer in hand, the environment quickly changed from family-friendly to party scene.

Overall, it was a great week. We thanked God many times for His provision and His protection. He is merciful!

Jake learned in the middle of March that he was appointed to the Air Force Academy. He actually received the news the morning he had his wisdom teeth taken out, so he had some bedrest time to contemplate it all.

About a week before we left for vacation, the Academy invited him to participate in one of their few Appointee Tour days in April. Wouldn’t you know it, the first tour date was the Friday we were scheduled to be in Colorado. The decision required some thought: the drive from Steamboat to Colorado Springs is 3.5 hours, plus we would have to extend our stay one extra day in order to use all our paid ski time.

But the timing was impossible to ignore, so we signed up. And it was well worth it. The weather that day was gorgeous, and Jim and I enjoyed being led on the parent tour while Jake went with fellow potential cadets on his tour.

This is the honor wall: “We will not lie, steal, or cheat; nor tolerate among us anyone who does.”

You can’t beat the setting.

On our walk along the hiking path, we saw a family of deer just a few yards away. We stared at each other for a few minutes before they ran across the path.

We learned that the Academy dining hall feeds 4,000 cadets in 20 minutes every day. Now that is an efficient operation. And I have a hard time feeding seven people??

The trip was extremely informative and helped Jake as he nears the deadline for making his college decision for next year.

I’m writing this post from home. To be honest, it’s kind of bittersweet to be back after having such a great time together in Colorado.

One morning, Peter and Ruthie made blueberry pancakes using the ‘skeleton crew’ of kitchen utensils available to us.

They were delicious! The kids enjoyed sharing a room together, though it took a couple nights for them to get used to the snoring of a certain unnamed sibling.

Jeremy improved as a skier by leaps and bounds in just a matter of days. His new favorite run is “See Me”:  a black diamond run. Yes, he skied a black at age 9!

After taking a couple lessons, Ruthie joined the rest of us for a totally fun family skiing day.

Up the gondola…

The little tykes learn to ski without poles since the poles can be cumbersome, especially on the chair lifts. Ruthie did not like this and persistently asked for poles. We compromised by having one of us pull her on the flats with one of our poles.

She was (not surprisingly) quite competitive with her four brothers, challenging all of them to race her down one of the runs. They obliged and even let her win. Such good boys.

Jake, Peter, Ruth and I skied together down one particular run that was new to me. Jake led, not realizing that Ruthie was following his every move. For variety, he decided to ski off the path and into a little grove of trees. Unbeknownst to him, his little follower was right at his ski tips.

After realizing she had followed him and subsequently got stuck in the deep snow, he turned back to help her out.

It really was precious to watch the boys dote on their little sister.