Fortified

3 Years, 45 Weeks.


I remember playing motorcycle cops, specifically "CHiPs" Patrol, using sofa cushions with my younger brother growing up.

My kids, on the other hand, are really into forts.

Homemade forts.

The "whatever you can get your hands on" kind of forts.  The really messy kinds that take hours and hours to clean up and put away.

This is what I mean:

These forts were created, kept up and torn down, and re-created, all in a span of three days.

Seriously!

Here was our week:

Maddy vaults the homemade ski jump.  We were sad to see the Winter Olympics end.

A rare glamour shot moment.

Swinging by Old Winter Garden in the rain.

Brae working on the landing part of her forward hand-spring.

A fro-yo treat at Red Mango.

On Sabbath I took the kids to church while Tangie recovered from her cold.

Kohl helps Ms. Patty with the ark door.

Madelyn thrilled to be able to drive!

Enjoying an afternoon frozen treat.

Some playtime together on the slide...

results in a bloody nose for Maddy.

Tangie went out with some friends for girls' night out, and they ended up painting these masterpieces!

It was game/movie night for me and the kids.

Checked up on Maddy before turning in and found she had escaped from her sleeping bag.

As did Kohl!

Sunday was the start to Birthday Party season.  We attended 2!

The first one was for Brae's classmate Leif, who is as much into rocks and gems as she is.

We were at Congo River mini golf, where she fed baby alligators...

did some gem mining...

and played some games with her friends.

Group shot of the classmates that attended.

Apparently these two sisters are very fond of Brae.

We met up with Mommy and the twins for lunch in Longwood.

And then she and Mommy were off to birthday party #2!

With her best friend and cousin, Calleigh.

The girls with their stenciled canvases ready to go.

They thoroughly enjoyed painting.

The finished product!

She also got her face painted by the teacher/owner of the place.

Group shot of the friends that attended, with the Birthday girl, Lindsey, on the far right.

Meanwhile, the twins made lemonade.

The girls and their weekend creations.

Kohl and Maddy working on their letters...

and getting exercise...

and riding bikes...

and eating supper...

and riding bikes some more!

Evening picnic at the park on Tuesday.

A visit to the bike shop in Old Winter Garden.

Lots of different faces at Costco.

Garden Update:

Beet and Snap Pea sprouts, grown with and without sunlight.

Madelyn:

Ballerina.

Silly girl with a bow tie on her head.

Trying to put on her pajama dress.

Rock star all glammed up.

Quotes:

• We were sharing Braelyn's memory verse for the week with her:

          Tangie:  "Oh Braelyn, you only have one memory verse to learn this
                         week."

          Brae:  "Yay!"

          Tangie:  "But it's a long one..."

          Brae:  "Oh BROTHER!"

• I was teaching phone numbers to the twins, with Maddy practicing on her toy Dora phone:

          Maddy:  "Does Dora have a phone number?"

          Me:  "No, Dora doesn't have a phone number."

          Maddy:  [waves her phone at my face]  "But she has a phone!"

• Driving home from school Wednesday afternoon, it was raining pretty hard:

          Me:  "Oh my goodness look at all the rain!  I wonder where it came
                    from?"

          Kohlden:  "Jesus!"

Hugs before bedtime!

Have a great weekend!