March Favorites

Reader beware because this post is going to be an incredibly long, incredibly disorganized mess of things that have been said, done, or thought in our house.  They make up the flavor of our life in March but should not really be connected into one blog post.  However, as I have previously stated, I am on a blogging slow down right now and so this is my "I want to have that down for our sake but don't really have time to type about it everyday and oh I should just throw in some pictures of life this month too" post.  So without further introduction....enjoy all the happenings from the Sandersons in March!

1.  Andie has been starting to make dinner with me on a somewhat regular basis.  I love the bonding time and she said the cutest thing to me this month.  She was stirring a gravy I think and she said "this will help me get ready to be a mommy someday and cook for my family."

2.  Can't talk about what we love about March without mentioning the annual trek to my grandmas for Sausage and Kraut dinner.  My grandma is mother to 9 children, over 30 grandkids and now the great grandkids have been adding up.  We live close enough now to head over for a Kraut dinner her church has as a fundraiser.  All homemade, all delicious.  Craig impressed the whole clan by being the only one to finish the entire serving.  I think I could have used it for 3 meals if he hadn't taken my leftovers to work the next day.  LOVE homemade Kraut.  Not the same as canned or bagged Kraut.

3.  At one of our weekly, family pizza and movie night Craig and I were being extra jovial and Andie said "I am sure glad you guys married each other because then I have a fun mom and dad".  I am writing this down because so often we get caught up in the rearing of our kids and the day to day training that I feel we need a good reminder that we need to have fun and let loose as a family, this time is important for our family as well....to just be silly together.

4.  Caleb speaking.  Favorite from the month....wanting a hug so running to me with open arms and saying "I hugs you"

5.  Visitors from Iowa.  Iowans...you guys are so special to us.  You will always hold a special place in our hearts....it was the first place we really established a home together....so when you visit you bring that with you.  I love visitors from Iowa and our friends the Geests came and we enjoyed that time so much with lunch and playing.

6.  Our mini-trip to my hometown.  Helping my brother move, swimming at the YMCA.  Caleb went down the waterslide 30 times....I am not exaggerating.  Watching Frozen.

7.  AND on top of that....my brother getting engaged....WHOOO HOOOO.   Erik, at age 35, is marrying a kind, thoughtful, funny woman and we are so happy they have found each other!

8.  Andie's parent/teacher conference.  And just school in general.  She loves LOVES school.  A year ago I never thought we would be here.  I could go on and on about all the ways she has blossomed in this past year through school but it has just been great for her.  I miss her something terrible during the day but know that this is right where she needs to be.

9.  Having a movie night with friends every week and a half or so.  This has been fun and a way to break up evenings in March which are still a little too chilly to be playing outside.

10.  Going to the zoo!!  We have entered the "Magical age to go to the zoo".  All smiles and yays and what not for two and half hours.  We went one day on spring break.  It was 35 and sunny....which in November I would have said, "we are not going outside" but in March I say, "sunny and above freezing....lets go to the zoo!"  Anyway, it was awesome and I love the zoo.  We bought a pass even though it is a drive but Craig's brother lives down the street so I KNOW we will get our use out of the pass.

Sharks and

Bears and

Penquins...Oh my!

11.  Seeing grass and even better....going barefoot! Yes we still have some snow.  I think we had record snows for the area.  Which I was happy about....that way when we all talk about "remember the winter of '14" I can say "Oh yes...we were here....this isn't as bad as THAT winter".  But grass feels so good on our feet.  A look at our backyard this week.  As of now, most of what was left in the picture melted.  At the beginning of the month I took a picture of the kids in the backyard where the snow had NOT drifted and it was up to their waists.  Anyway so GRASS...you are looking good!

12.  New toys!  For one, we bought a snowblower and haven't had to use it....for $20 from my uncle. Can't beat that price.  For two:  we have this beautiful new toy:

We have a microscope and it is wonderful.  Skin, hair, boogers, water, sugar have all been observed.  Craig walked in and said "what is THAT".  He loves teasing me about all this "nerdy" stuff.

13.  Being Facebook free for 40 days.  Thank you Kayla for encouraging me on this one.  Facebook was becoming less of a check-in for me and more of a habit.  I definitely needed to break that habit.  Now, since I am pretty much all or nothing when it comes to these habits it was good for me to just step away from Facebook for awhile.

14.  Craig's picks for the month:  Family bike rides and "off trail" hiking in our local state park.  Snow was knee deep and we had a good old time just playing one Sunday.  Craig tossed the kids up and into the piles of snow.  We were the only ones out there except for a couple taking engagement pictures...poor them for picking the same time to come out as our obnoxious family!

There they are.  My March Favorites!!  Hoping for more grass and outdoor adventures in April!