PACE night

Last night was "Evening with the Experts" for PACE, Mason's last year.  He chose to research about the Rain Forest.  They always do all the work in class then work on the project at home.  Brian helped him and I think it all turned out great!  Way to go Mason!

1st grade field trip

Wednesday was the first grade field trip to UNT.  It was the coldest, wettest day of the week.  Part of the field trip was outside.  We were afraid it would be cancelled.  UNT made some changes and it was still on. 

Carson is touching a fossil that used to live in the ocean.

Here we are outside. We do have a shelter to help but the wind was extreme and the rain would blow in.  By the time we were finished many of us had pink noses. 

The students took turns digging in the sand to find fossils.  They are looking for horse bones. Carson found a shoulder blade and an ankle bone.

They look so cute with their clipboards. :)



 

 This is a fulgurite.  It was made during a lightening storm in Denton.  (Like the movie Sweet Home Alabama.)  A live electrical wire came loose and as it touched the ground as lightening struck.  I believe it was 17 feet long.  It was very impressive.

 

 Carson is watching the light bulb to make sure he's pumping fast enough.  It was difficult for these little bodies to work long enough to make electricity.

Last their class had four stations to observe live animals.  They needed to draw a picture of the animal and write down only what they observed.  They had a leech, baby dragonfly, tadpole (a huge bullfrog), and a turtle.

Justin (Carson doesn't understand why he always looks so sad.  Smiling would help.), Dawson, Brady (Carson thinks he has the best smile.), and Carson.  They are all good friends.

start and finish

It's a good thing I have pictures to prove we went to Italy and Greece.  Very quickly we were thrown back into day to day life and it's hard to believe we were ever there.  Four days went by before I had the time to download all my pictures.  Maybe another two weeks before I finally went through all my pictures, fairly quick I might add.  So maybe over the next few months I can share our adventures.

 

I thought it was funny that my first and last pictures on my SD card were in Germany.  :-)  

 

 I love to notice the differences in other countries.  In Frankfurt, employees ride bikes through the terminals.  Brian and I looked at each other and laughed.  So I got my camera ready to try and catch the next bike. 

 All 46 of us gathering to make sure everyone made it to the gate to Rome.  It was a thumbs up.

When we left Athens our layover was in Frankfurt again.  But this time snow.  Lots of snow.  We rode out to our plane and boarded from the tarmac.  I'm pulling my carry on bag, walking up the stairs to the door, trying to take pictures.  I'm sure the people behind me thought I was crazy.  But I got a couple good shots.  Our 11 hour flight gained a couple of hours as we waited in line to deice.  Not fun!!

gifts

Karlee, we, did an exchange program in March.  Paula stayed with us for two weeks, but the students were in Texas for three weeks.  June of 2014 Karlee will be going to her house in Winterburg, Germany for three weeks.  Paula, and her parents, were so brave to send her daughter so very far away to stay with strangers.  I'm so glad she came here first.  It won't be quite as scary to send Karlee to stay with a friend.

I wanted her to remember her stay with us so I made her a pillow. On the back I stitched the words, "A family in Texas loves you The Shuldberg's".

 

 

 

 

I also made some dishtowels for her mom.  The blue flowers, on the right, are forget me nots.

While she was here we went to Billy Bob's and learned to line dance then walked around the Stockyards for a bit.  We went shopping one afternoon then went to see the movie "Croods".  Her last night here we took her out for BBQ then walked around downtown. 

After she had been here a week or so, I asked her what the strangest thing Americans do.  Without hesitation she said breakfast.  After she said that I realized how true she was.  When we have been in Europe breakfast is so simple and plain.  It's one of the things I miss most when were away from home.

Overall it was a good experience.  If we are offered to have an exchange student in our home we would do it again. And again.

no more bingo

We have been doing some sort of conference bingo for over 13 years.  This past conference the boys weren't into it.  It wasn't active enough or they felt they didn't get enough candy.  This past weekend I mentioned to the family that we needed to do something new.

 I asked for suggestions and Carson suggested tally marks.  I liked it.  The boys were nervous that it wouldn't work, and it would be confusing.  All morning they hoped we would do bingo after all.  When I explained how it worked they didn't believe it would work.  When they had 5 tally marks they would earn 3 or 4 little candies (M&Ms, jelly beans, robin eggs).  For 10 tally marks they would earn a chocolate crunch egg.  The boys would hold up either the 5 or 10 puzzle piece to help us know what they earned, in hopes to cut down on talking, then mark them off with a red marker so they would know it was used. 

As conference began some of us would holler out the words that were being said since they weren't use to the new list of words.  There were times they couldn't mark the words quick enough since they were coming at them so fast.  About two talks into conference Mason give me a thumbs up.  All was good.

With them actively listening for the list of words they were listening to the talks.  It was great to hear their reaction as they were listening to President Monson talk, how at 8 years old he had started a fire with his friend.  I'm sure they'll hear this talk in Primary to help them learn the importance of being obedient. 

space derby

Mason waiting for the paint to dry.  This is our first time any of us have been involved in a space derby race.  We're not sure what to expect.

 Mason is pinning on me the mother's Webelos pin. He just earned his Webelos patch!  Wahoo!! Way to go Mason!  He'll be 11 at the end of May.  We only have till then for him to earn his Arrow of Light. 

 Mason and Milo winding their propeller. 

 Mason's first race... Below Dylan is displaying the winner.  Mason won!

 This one is Brian Gray's.  Very realistic.

This one is Theron's.  These are a couple of my favorites.  It was a fun night.  Mason won most of his races.  Over all it was a success!  I'm sure this will put in the rotation to do every other year.  ;)

Easter morning

 

I'm not sure Bailee is awake yet.

 

 I think Carson is happy with what's in his basket.

The egg hunt was more difficult than years past.  The Easter Bunny found new spots to hide the eggs.  Some very creative spots. 

Easter fun

Saturday was a fun filled day. We decorated eggs,

 

 

 

and cookies.  Karlee did most of them.  She is super creative.

 

 We had a Ward Easter Egg Hunt Breakfast.  There was a great turnout.  The pancakes were yummy too!
These two were trying to be funny and make a squishy face.  I took the picture before they could.

 Karlee helping out with the face painting.  I think her and Lexi did most of the painting.

Carson decorating his bag for the egg hunt.  Mason was with us too.  He's good and avoiding the camera I guess.

 These three are such good friends.  Every time I saw them together I got sad.  His friends are moving.  :-(  Both of their dads are medical students.  I hope we can stay in touch.  

no school fun

Last Friday the kids had a day off school.  It was a built in bad weather day.  I love having a mild winter.  I took the kids to Urban Air with a few friends.

 Most of Carson's jumps into the foam pit was head first.  ;0) I did get one good picture of him below.

Ethan and Mason cooling off by the fan. 

The friends that came were Colton, Ethan, and Emma.  Ethan is in Mason's class, Emma in Carson's class, and Colton right in the middle (3rd grade).

my kids

I've got lots to catch up on but first I want to show off a couple of cuties. 
Adam it 3 1/2 years old and Harley, we're starting to call her Retta because we don't know if there saying Harley or Karlee, is 3 months old.  They are such a pleasure. 

Last night when it was time for Adam to go home, as I was carrying him out to the car, he said he wished he was my boy.  I sure love that little boy!  I told him he was my boy, and Mama's and Crae's, and Poppy's.  I don't think that was what he wanted to hear.