Catching up 4 - Science Fair

Augh, Science Fairs!  I have a love-hate relationship with Science Fairs.  I love that they are a hands-on learning experience for my kids and that they can really delve right into a topic of their choice and learn more about it.  I hate the competitive aspect in it although I can see why there is one.  I don't know why I hate the competitive aspect of it because Austin has won 1st or 2nd place every time he has done it (3x).

Every year Austin impresses me with how much he learns and is willing to do.  Now that he knows he wins money if he places at the Region Science Fair, he has been all in to participate in doing a science project.  This year we were actually not going to do one.  But then his fourth grade teacher required it...ugh!

After looking at topics online and throwing out a lot of the ones Austin wanted to do, we settled on "How music affects blood pressure while exercising."  It was interesting to help Austin do the testing and find out the results.

About 70% of winning the science fair is based on the interview.  Austin gets so nervous.  But he always does well enough to place to we are so proud of him.   He got 2nd at the School Science Fair and 2nd at the Regional Science Fair.  Woohoo!

 This year he learned how to use excel.  He made three of the four charts on his board by himself.  He watched his dad make the first one and then just asked us questions to finish the rest.  He said that was his favorite part.

Catching up 3...Abigail

We signed Abigail up for Kindergarten...I can't believe it.  I am having such a hard time with it.  But she can't wait.  I loved these pictures of her.  She is growing into such a little lady!

Catching up again...

I love catching my children playing happily together.  Their laughs and giggles are probably the best sound on earth.  I went to check on the kids in the backyard and I found them all on the teeter-tater just laughing and having fun.  Music to my ears!  I ran to quickly get my camera before the magic was gone.  I hoped I could steal a few shots of this authentic moment before they saw me.  I got a few.

Notice Allison doesn't have any shoes on.  On this particular day, I was mopping the floors and I told Allison she could only go outside if she stays out of any mud and if she keeps Asher out of the mud!!!!  When she came in later I asked why the bottom of her socks and pants were muddy.  She proudly answered that she took her shoes off and THEN got in the mud and figured since her shoes weren't muddy she was  technically not getting in the mud.  WHAT?!?!  The logic of children!  

Allison caught me!

This is what I found a few minutes later.  Allison and Asher can find mud anywhere, however insignificant of an amount it may seem to be.  Those TWO!  I can't wait to get grass...a few more weeks!

Catching Up...not necessarily in order....

We will start with Easter.  Easter was spent at my parent's house again.  They seems to have the best yard for it  so that is where we usually spend it.  We didn't do anything big or fancy, just the basics, because we were actually running short on time.  The kids each got a modest Easter basket and hunted for eggs.  

Allison was upset because she didn't get any toys...she only got clothes. :(  The Easter bunny thought that putting money in their baskets would help compensate for anything else they wanted but it took Allison a little while to warm up to the idea.  All my kids actually love playing with their toys...even Austin at age 10.  I guess the Easter bunny didn't realize how much until after. ;)

My kids with some of their cousins, posing for the camera.  

Then we realized that Abigail wasn't outside yet so we had to get some more...

This one is my favorite.

We have a tradition in our family that the "littles" get a 30 sec. head start.  Asher was on his way...but we came to soon find out that he didn't need a head-start because he found almost twice as many eggs as the big kids did.  That is OK though because we like to practice socialism at our house and we split the eggs up equally.  ;)