Mixed Feelings -- winter break is over

Bittersweet.  The kids go back to school today. 

Yeah, we can get back to routines, early bedtimes, and mommy time.

Boo, the amount of time I get to hang out with the kids and goof off gets sliced to nothing. 

This morning we were playing with balloons and playing balloon tag. 

Its amazing how fun cheap balloons can be.

Rosie spent winter break learning how to sew on her new sewing machine. 

When we got home to Iowa we started and completed her first project -- new pillows for the dogs to sleep on.  She did the cutting, the pinning, most of the sewing and all of the stuffing. 

She even tried her hand at hand stitching the pillows shut.   

 

 {her new mini sewing machine} 

 Her sewing machine has a few flaws.  It doesn't finish a stitch so you can pull the thread and the stitches come out.  So we used mommy's machine to make the pillows.  Good bonding time. 

I can't wait to go through my pattern books to find good projects for the both of us. 

I see lots of cute items being made in our future.

{Dodger's new dog pillow -- it isn't very boyish, but we used fabric I had in the closet}

 We also did some painting.  The big kids glued, painted and spruced up with stickers their own rescue vehicles. 

This was a good stepping stone to the pinewood derby car Bubba and Daddy are making in the garage.  The ones mommy helped them make won't when any races. 

 During winter break we spent family time watching a few movies too! 

The kids love when we have picnics downstairs and enjoy a movie. 

Oh, and don't forget playing in the snow. 

They convinced me yesterday to go outside and play.  It was cold.  Like, 10* cold.

We were out for like 15/20 minutes and then in warming up our fingers and toes. 

In that time mommy got all the Christmas lights outside down and can cross that off my to do list. 

The snow was super light and fluffy.  Not good snowball making snow. 

But Bubba decided that it was great for throwing large shovel fulls at his sister and momma.

Lil Miss thought it was great for eating though.  

Immediately upon coming inside, the kids were begging for hot chocolate. 

I think it is seriously the only reason Gigi was outside.

I made the best cups of hot cocoa ever!  They were all impressed.

 

So today I have to kiss the kids goodbye and come home to a quiet house with just Lil Miss and me. 

Luckily they only have two days of school and its the weekend.  Noisiness will then resume. 

Like I said... I have mixed feelings.  LOL