Elders Quorum campout

The kids loved throwing rocks and sticks into the water but the ducks would come thinking it was food. Luckily no alligators in this pond.. my biggest fear living here is the possibility of an alligator in any water source!

morning view from our tent

We love to camp but have been leery of going because of the heat, bugs and just not yet knowing the good places to go so we were excited when an Elders Quorum activity was planned so all we had to do was show up! It was a place about 25 minutes from our house and the weather was perfect during the day. It was extremely cold through the night but I figured that was good because then we didn't have any bug issues :) The kids all played and had fun with friends from church and it was nice to get to know some of the other adults better. 

Dr Seuss Day

Since we are big fans of reading, we were sure to celebrate Dr. Seuss Day! The girls and I woke up to a Dr. Seuss display on the table that Dave had set out before leaving to work, which was very thoughtful and a fun surprise! We made ham and egg cups with some green food coloring for breakfast. The librarian set up a special story time and craft activity, separate from our normal story time just to celebrate Dr. Seuss. She is really great and always goes above and beyond to do special activities for the kids! 

Valentine's Day 2017

At our home school group I was in charge of the Valentine's day party with a friend and the kids loved decorating bags and exchanging Valentine's! I was never worried about having social interactions for Bailee when we decided to home school but I was hoping to find a way for her to have the holiday activities with other kids which has been exactly what our group has provided. 

In Tennessee I had a friend named Hollie who hosted a Valentine cookie decorating party at her house a couple of the years we were there. I thought it was such a fun idea that I decided to do it with our friends here! I only snapped a couple of pictures before everyone came because then it was crazy chaos and I forgot. The kids and moms all loved it so I hope to keep the tradition going each year because of how fun it was! The kids all at plenty of cookies and then went out to the playground to play and enjoy the beautiful weather. 

For a wedding gift we received some heart shaped dishes and as poor college students we thought it would be fun to make jello in them on Valentine's day. We kept it going for the first few years and then I don't remember having it the past two years. Dave reminded me of the tradition again so we made them. I remembered why we haven't made them and that is because our girls don't like jello! So next year I may have to think of another way to use the fun heart dishes. Also for the last month I have been doing a Whole 30 diet to see how my body responds to certain foods so during Valentine's day I was not eating sweets. Instead Dave bought me an emulsion blender and it is my new favorite kitchen appliance! I have made homemade mayo and some really great salad dressings with it and I don't want to go back to the store bought stuff! Bailee said, "mom, how about if you know how to make something yourself that means you can't buy it anymore and you can just always make it!" I have started making a lot of things on my own and I love the good feeling I get when making something new! I think it would be so amazing to have a fridge full of mason jars instead of condiments and be full of fresh garden veggies and fruits so maybe one day... ;)

Bailee lost her first tooth! February 15, 2017

30 minutes before her dental cleaning appointment her tooth finally fell out! She was shocked and surprised but so excited. The dentist gave her a plastic little tooth holder to put under her pillow. When I told her that she was supposed to put it under her pillow she looked at me funny and said that was weird so she left it on her nightstand. The tooth fairy didn't mind though :) She already has 2 more loose ones and I just can't believe we already have a child old enough to be losing her baby teeth! It's a fun new stage! 

Smorgasbord of pictures

Helping us with a garden was our Christmas gift from my parents while they were here at Christmas. It is now the end of February and we are in full spring in the deep south so we have plenty growing already! I have looked forward to the day we could have a garden in our yard so I will share the progress of growth soon! 

Bailee and Tessa on Facetime

Receiving a letter from Charlotte

Bailee and Brynn 

I am so grateful Bailee has such good friends near and far and she really values those friendships. The Vest's came for Thanksgiving and the girls picked up right where they left off and then later they were very cute chatting on Facetime. She wrote a note to her friend Charlotte in Tennessee and was excited to get a reply in the mail! Bailee and her friend Brynn do tumbling together and Elise is in class with Brynn's younger sister Teegan and all four girls get along so well!   

Bailee and Tessa Thanksgiving 2016

Elise and her sweet friend Avery Bartholomew headed to their first day of primary.

Elise's first day of primary

I love that Bailee is learning to read and write and putting her skills to good use ;)

 For a week in January we were put in a different house so that maintenance could finish some extensive work that needed done in our attic. It was the same layout as our house and the girls thought it was fun to stay there because they said it was like being in a hotel. We are so grateful to be back in our house but it was so nice that we were able to be in a house while the work was being completed!

Fun at the trampoline park with friends!


Mardi Gras is in full swing around here! We didn't venture to any of the big night parades but participated in the children's parade at Lynn Meadows Children's Museum where we have a membership. The girls loved throwing beads out to the kids! They also went to a city children's parade where they received many beads, toys and candy. Before coming here I had a very vague understanding of what Mardi Gras is and I have since learned that it started because of French settlers who came to this part of the country and missed the Carnival events of France so they kept it going in this area. The schools close down for a couple of days and there have been multiple parades every weekend in cities all around us! We visited the Biloxi Mardi Gras museum with our homeschool group and the kids all got to try on different Mardi Gras costumes.  

Riding their bikes in the Lynn Meadows Children's parade

 

We finally visited the Biloxi Visitors Center and learned more about the history of this area. I learned that Biloxi is considered the Vegas of the south because of all of the casinos and at one point in time this was a big destination for people to vacation at the beaches. I think the issues with oil spills and off shore drilling changed that but it was really neat to see pictures from long ago with the beaches full of people. 

Bailee loves finding new trees to climb and Mississippi is full of them!

In addition to our home school group on Monday each week, we also attend a Nature Club with other families on base each Wednesday. Two moms put the group together for preschool aged children to explore this area and they have gone above and beyond to plan the activities. The following pictures are from two events in the last month. One was at the Gulf Island National Seashore where we saw an alligator, some turtles and had beautiful walks through the trees. 

The second activity was an animal rescue group that came and shared all about the local animals that they rescue in the area and they even got to touch some of them. I learned more about armadillos and what to do if we see one on the road, but I hope I never have to worry about taking care of one!