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Lucy: we celebrated Lucy turning 11 this week.  11!  It's bizarro.  One more year and she will be out of primary and on to young women's.  I feel like I'm just getting settled into the primary routine and one of my kids is getting ready to graduate.  We picked her and Max up from school and surprised them by taking them swimming at a hotel downtown while dad was in meetings.  We had slurpees.  She had a potato-themed dinner.  And lots of presents.  On the weekend she had her birthday party.  4 girls are much louder than 8 boys.  But my kids are at the age where they entertain themselves so while she parties, I read.  Maybe getting older isn't so bad.  

Max: surprised me for Mother's Day by giving me a book of poems.  It was sweet.  We pretty much don't talk much. Well, I talk, and he does a lot of grunting or shrugging.  And he spent most of Mother's Day with his cousins, but I try not to take it personally and assume he will come to me when needed...and not just for food.  

Logan: Tyler suggested the possibility of going camping with the boys Friday night while Lucy had her party.  The mere suggestion had Logan in an excited sweat, so there was no turning back.  When he got home from school Friday he asked f it was camping time yet...every ten minutes until dad got home.  It was good for them to have some one-on-one time. 

Seth:  we are working (and struggling) with reverence.  Sometimes he tries SO hard...like here.  And other times he tries SO hard to be a pest.  There's no middle ground.  But when he is reverent he's so cute it makes it hard for the rest of us.  

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Lucy: has spent every spare moment this week (as in weeks last) immersed in Harry Potter.  This time it's book 5.  My mom joked that at least this one would take her awhile, to which I responded 'probably not...I just probably won't see her for a few days.'  This is after 3 days.  

Max: we watched AntMan this week.  It's an awesome super hero movie that is also hilarious.  Max was in stitches.  I love listening to him laugh because we have the same sense of humour.  

Logan: has discovered photo booth.  And thinks he's all kinds of hilarious.  

Seth: his cuteness kills me.  He is full on into nursery and is loving it.  He walks in and is so amazed that there exists a room in the church as amazing as this.  The other kids are usually crying when we show up and he looks at them all like they're crazy.  Which makes me happy.  

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Lucy: the cutie car rally finally happened and Lucy walked away with the 'shiniest car' award.  Although there wasn't a winner declared, we're pretty sure she also had the fastest car there...which she was very proud of.  Best part...she got to bring her cousin Emma...which always makes for a great day.  

Max: finally got a birthday celebration by way of a Menchies date with mom and a play date with friends eating pizza and watching a movie.  Super simple, but exactly what he wanted.  

Logan: finally got around to spending his birthday money and bought himself a new scooter.  And it's been next to nothing but scooter since.  Super proud.  

Seth: outside is the happy place.  And the lake park where we get to do bird watching is even better.  'Peek-ooo mum!' And a big haircut this week.  Breaks my heart.  

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This week was spring break and we got outside.  We did the zoo, parks, Big Hill Springs, movies, games, sickness, and service.  It was a completely fantastic week and we're all geared up for summer...hopefully we can make it through these next 2.5 months of school! 

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Lucy: because we planned a ski day in the middle of the week, Tuesday technically wasn't a school night, so we let the kids sleep in the basement fort.  Sometimes I wonder if Lucy is getting too old for childish things, but she seemed ready to join in a sleepover with her two brothers...so we still have a little longer. 

Max: we also took time this week to venture into some tennis.  The kids loved it.  Max, as per usual, was naturally capable, which infuriated Lucy because, as per usual, she was not...but they sort of evened out by the end of the evening. 

Logan: I'm working really hard on teaching Logan how to teach Seth to be the kind of playmate he wants.  I reassure him that he was the pesky little brother for a long time, and that all Seth needs is to practice (not sitting on the car mat while Logan's trying to drive his cars, for example).  Sometimes they will giggle and laugh together and i think there's hope.  

Seth: we're all about the kisses these days...and fortunately so is he.  Irresistible.  

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Lucy: Is growing up too fast.  She's into music and friends and asked me the other day when she could start wearing makeup?!  She occasionally still has a childish emotional outburst (don't we all??), and if she's in the right mood, can giggle with her little brothers over a silly cartoon or a game with stuffys, but this young girl is turning into a young lady, and I fear that time is going too quickly and I'm missing moments.  Didn't I just plan her 6th birthday party?  And now we're approaching 11. She's becoming more and more responsible and understanding every day.  *Sigh*

Max: Oh, this boy and I have been butting heads.  And the way he speaks to me just gets under my skin SO quickly (and dad's too).  Most times I'm snappy and impatient with his new found attitude, but every once in a while I am able to unlock a bit of wisdom and put my own pride aside to speak to him and get to the root of a problem.  Fortunately, he is still my Max and with a little talking can come down from the highest of tempers to thinking rationally.  Thank goodness for that.  

Logan: Just wants to play.  Please, dad will you play with me?  Please, mom, let's go to the park!  Please, can we build a fort?  Please, Please, Please.  Someone pay attention to me.  And so I did.  And we built 'said-fort'  and he loved it.  And we take trips to the river, and the park, and play tennis, and capture the flag, and grounders...because this boy JUST. WANTS. TO. PLAY.  

Seth: The weather has been so beautiful, that we've taken to the outdoors...a lot.  Whatever we can do to occupy him to keep him awake during awake times, and sleeping soundly during sleep times.  We spent most of our break time over conference weekend at Riverfront park.  Fire pits, running, climbing, walking, biking, and throwing rocks in the river.  Perfection.  

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Lucy: How could this girl have spent the last 5 years off the slopes (because she broke her leg one time) and then love skiing as much as she does.  Will she ever be convinced to just trust her parents?

Max: Climbing.  Jumping.  Horsing around.  All put to good use Easter Saturday as he helped Logan retrieve his present from a precarious hiding place.

Logan: Just as willing as Max, but slightly less capable.  He was hoisted up to retrieve an egg that was out of everyone's reach.  I love this picture of teamwork.

Seth: loves being outside.  All. The. Time.  So the egg hunt was really whatever to him, as long as it meant he got to be outside.  Most of the time, he took the eggs already found and tried to re-hide them.  He's sick (AGAIN!) and had zero desire to try any treats, and I was completely fine with that.