weekend recap...picture marathon

since it's already late on wednesday nite, & i'm just now getting around 2 posting my weekend recap, this one is going 2 b a pic marathon (with some captions here & there)

i've had a rough week with not only my 8th (& final!) chemo treatment on monday, but i also found out on monday that i have pneumonia! but, i'll talk more about all that in my next post

& on top of that, our girls' daycare provider's 2 kiddos have been very, very sick since this past saturday...this week is spring break, so the plan of the girls spending the whole day there while curtis & i work, fell thru...i ended up staying home sick all week so far anyway...and with curtis having saturday thru tuesday off & the girls being home on spring break (& we kept jaden home from his daycare too - y not, right?!) - it's really been a family affair here this week! but i plan 2 return 2 work 2moro & curtis will watch the girls till he has 2 head in2 work himself - then he'll run em by my office 4 the trade off...we're also trying 2 line up someone 4 Good Friday since both daycares will b closed - ugh, i'm soooo ready 2 get back 2 normal life next week!

but anyway, back 2 the weekend recap...

this weekend was BEUTIFUL! a lil windy, but in the 70s & sunny...we spent a LOT of time outside! the girls gathered up a bunch of wild flowers (our mower is being repaired, so our yard if full of em - that & TALL grass! ~lol~) & some walnuts from the neighbor's yard - they wanted 2 make a flower garden...is it bad that these buckets r also their easter "baskets"? (3rd year in a row!) ;0)

some neighbor friends came over 2 play too...i'm loving the hours that the kiddos spend outside with other neighborhood kids these days! i'm the mother that insists they stay in our yard, where i can keep an eye on them - but so far, that's worked out fine ;0)


curtis & i also did some yard work on saturday (besides mowing of course - grrr!)...the renters that were there b4 us have some flower beds started & we have some plans 4 sprucing things up...mostly, we just did clean up this day tho - especially behind/beside our outbuilding...when the landlord had new gutters put on the house & made some other improvements, all the scraps got tossed around it & we're trying 2 get rid of that mess...i took some b4 photos & once we get moving & making some decent progress on the yard overall, i'll share those & some after shots....here's a pretty hyacinth popping thru tho ;0)


but we also went & picked up supplies 4 curtis 2 build me a raised veggie bed this year! i'm so excited! more on that in a sec...

we dyed easter eggs saturday eve too - using fresh brown eggs from my brother's farm & homemade dye that i whipped up...i loved the "natural" look...jaden stuck 2 blue (his fav color - everything must b blue!), but the girls & i had fun getting creative with stripes & marbling (add a tad of oil 2 the water b4 dipping ur eggs)


then of course, the girls had 2 build an "egg house" 4 them 2 rest & keep warm inside of...u know, just in case they decide 2 hatch?! it has doors & windows & plenty of air holes ;0)


sunday was Palm Sunday & since the adult choir always performs on Easter Sunday, this is the day that the kiddos' Joyful Noise Choir got 2 have their turn...they sang 4 songs, but this one was all the kiddos' fav...u know Gabby especially loved the sign language part!
(sorry 4 the wobbliness - i was seated & then the director blocked my view, so i had 2 stand up 2 the side)



they also handed out palms at the end of the service


afterward, we had our annual Easter Egg hunt at church...first, they played a few games


then came the hunt!


they not only get candy goodies inside of the eggs, but some have prize slips inside too - the kiddos were thrilled with their prize choices! ~lol~


after all that fun, the girls had a birthday party 2 attend...daddy & jaden hung out 4 a while & then once the girls & i got home, he took all 3 kiddos fishing so mama could rest...love that man! ;0)

on monday after chemo, i put my hubby 2 work on the veggie bed...i was feeling pretty beat & weak, but i had already given him the basic instructions & just came out 2 check up on things & snap a few pics


don't worry tho - he had a helper! ;0)

or 2 ~lmao~


this is behind our house & sort of on a slant - but that will make 4 good drainage & the girls have already started helping me fill in the big gap with rocks 2 prevent major erosion


we're getting some starter plants going inside 4 now - waiting till may 2 do any real planting (2 avoid any lingering frost)...the plans r 4 lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, lettuce onions & some herbs - stuff that i know we'll really use! (just hoping i have room 4 it all!) i'm not expecting much, since this is my 1st real time gardening on my own...but with all the stuff i've learned growing up & helping out my parents in their huge gardens, combined with the advice of my dad thru this season (the gardening pro!), i think we'll do ok ;0)

& since the kiddos were home all week, they got in plenty of more outside time with neighboring kiddos

even when it got cold on tuesday (low 50s) - they were still at it in toboggans & gloves


i love this pic of jaden sneaking up on the girls with his "blaster" - don't worry, it's not loaded ;0)


congrats! u made it 2 the end of this very long & sporadic post - i realize i'm rambling & sort of all over the place with this one....i'll follow up this post with my chemo #8 post - maybe that will explain a bit ;0)