Our Extra Bunnies

This year, the Easter Bunny had more helpers than hunters at our house.  I am not sure how comfortable I am that the thrill of the holiday is shifting from hunter to helper, but at least I had one pure hunter left this year.  We had to turn the helper jobs into shift work so that all children had some mystery remaining, and hence a reason to hunt!  All were required to join in the hunt and it went very well.  Because our lawn mower decided not to come out of hibernation and start this spring,  the eggs were hidden very well by the extra tall grass in the yard.  Even with all the mature hunters in the yard, they still couldn't find all of the cadbury eggs and peeps without a little help.....score one for the real Easter Bunny!

Getting on the List

Allie and Gabe both received awards at school this week.  To be on the honor roll, you must have a 3.0 GPA or higher.  The principal's list requires a 3.5 GPA or higher.  I was pleased to find that Allie was on the honor roll and Gabe was on the principal's list.  They have both worked hard during the school year.  I am happy that they want to do well in school and that their effort has been rewarded!

Keyboard Me!

This week we have had fun with our "new" toy.  Jeff's brother asked us to store his keyboard.  We were given permission to use the keyboard while it lived at our house.  The kids have had a great time playing on the keyboard.  In addition to practicing their piano songs on the keyboard, they have played on it for fun nearly every day.  It has been very fun listening to Ode to Joy over and over again in different renditions like, electric guitar and percussion.  We are having fun with the keyboard.

Outdoor School

This week we were missing our darling Allie.  She went to Outdoor School with her 6th grade class from Tuesday to Friday.  They went near the beach about 2 hours from our home.  She had a great time.  They went on hikes.  They saw gardens, and animals, alive and dead.  They saw spark rocks and checked for night vision.  They looked for sea urchins and sea otters.  They went on an all day hike and saw many plants, oak trees and thousands of spiral shells.  They saw Indian huts and an abandoned school.  At night they had a campfire and sang songs, told stories and sang clap chants.  She came home singing a very interesting song about scat and a very silly song about a shark.  She had dessert every night!  She had a great time with all of her friends at outdoor school, and sadly, didn't miss her family at all!

Pinewood Derby

Yep, it was that time, the pinewood derby came to Simi Valley yet again.  This year Gabe was our contestant.  His car was a sleek black model, weighing in to the exact specifications of 5 ounces.  It was piloted by none other than the famed R2D2 and carried a mysterious box, the contents of which are unknown.  Perhaps they were stolen plans being carried to the secret rebel base.  His pinewood derby car sped along the track at slightly under light speed.  In the end, Gabe and R2D2 took 3rd place among all the bears!

 

All Aboard for All Sports Day

Monday was Presidents Day.  We had an unusual way of celebrating this year.  We joined with another family for their traditional "All Sports Day."  On this day, they play all the sports they can in one day for the ultimate day of physical fitness.  It was so much fun!  We started the day with golf, something new to my family.  Allie and Gabe struggled a little, but Jayd was hitting it all the way across the field.  Then we moved on to soccer.  Gabe was one of the baseball stars, and Allie caught two passes and scored a touchdown during the football game.  We took a break for lunch, then finished the day with volleyball, basketball, and frisbee.  Maddie didn't come with us, she was off trying her own new sport.  She went pier fishing with a couple of her friends.  It was a really exciting day, and I am glad that we went.  Maybe this will become our tradition as well. 

Marslyn Sager

This week my Grandma Sager passed away.  After 90 years of bringing joy to all those who knew her, she has returned home.  I am sad to loose her presence in my life, but I am so happy for her.  She was satisfied with her earthly existence and ready to leave this life.  I am confident that she is healthy and happy in the next life surrounded by her mother, sisters and others that have gone before her.  Here are some of the things that I remember about her.

She had a very high pleasant voice.  She seemed to singe everything that she said.

Grandma's garage sales were legendary.  She prepared for them all year and I always heard such wonderful things.  One year I was went to her garage sale.  I discovered that the wonderful thing about Grandma's garage sale was Grandma.  She would talk to each customer and help them find things.

Grandma always had the biggest garden that I have ever seen.

Grandma was a fabulous cook.  Every time I would stop by her house for a visit, she would feed me a home cooked meal, often with fresh vegetables from the garden.  I especially loved her apple butter, sour cherry jam, and peanut butter rice krispie treats.

Grandma loved to tell stories.  I always heard stories about when she was young and I loved to listen to her stories.

Grandma had an eye for antiques.  Her houses were always full of antique furniture, rugs and knick knacks.  going to her house was like walking into a museum.

This is a picture of when we went to visit her and my Grandpa in October 2011.

I will miss my Grandma Sager