Running Start!

The little ones and I had the day together Friday. It was a little change from normal, and my big boy went to work with Daddy. This is something he loves!! And Ada, Grady, and I had a day full of Pinteresting and fun! It's hard to squeeze in crafting during school days, with everything else happening. And Grady is entering the early age of play, so there actually are the occasional 15 minutes when he plays with Legos or something and I can actually accomplish a thing or two! ;)
We made our little trip to Hobby Lobby and got started, first thing, following my early morning work out. It was fun! I love making stuff...it makes me happy. And this time it was particularly fun because Ada is kind of starting to enjoy it and she does a lot of ooo-ing and ahhh-ing which makes me smile! ;)  We ended up making a front door wreath and a menu board, (diy instructions found here!) which I love because the menu cards I made have the meal on the front and the ingredients and recipe on the back! Makes it a little easier for me! ;)

Grayson helped his daddy under a house and pulled some wire for the first time. He thoroughly enjoyed this and already wants to know how many days a week he can go to work with daddy this summer! ;)

This is how our "Pinteresting" projects turned out! :) 

Saturday was full of T-ball pictures, game, and family fun! It was the only Saturday game so he had some family there to watch him! This was fun for him and us! When he first started playing sports, all of our family was close by, so he always had a little cheer leading section, now they are scattered, and the occasional visitor sure is special! :) And I had to snap a picture of brother and sisters shirts. They could be some of my favorites that I have made so far! :)

I also hit the machines Saturday evening to begin working on some little outfits for a dear friend who is expecting her third little girl in just a matter of weeks! :) And with three girls, matching outfits are a must! ;)

Sunday, after the church rush, the kids sang with their children's group from church, at a local rehabilitation facility. They did so well and asked lots of questions. Grayson has decided he needs go back and take them outside. He really thinks the sunshine would make them feel better! :) sweet boy! After everyone...even Mommy...napped today, we spent some time swimming outside. After baths, we cranked up the radio and got to work cleaning! ;) If you have to do it, might as well have fun. And we did! Grayson has really gotten to be a big helper when it comes to cleaning and I love it. Ada is very particular in her cleaning so it can take her a very long time...but she helps the best that a 4 year old can! :) And then there's Grady...he has a special way of "rearranging" the things we put away, but he is so cute doing it, so that's okay! ;)

So we start this week with a clean house, clean laundry, clean dishes, and clean kids! Wow! This could be a great thing, kinda feels like we are off to running start!! So here's to an early bedtime, early morning workout and great week! :) 

Bb- Butterfly Unit Recap

Unit- Butterfly

Letter- Bb

Number- 21

Words To Remember- "God can make me new."

This unit was fun, especially for Grayson, since he got to do most of the "work" with Rosey! ;) 

These were a few pics from the first few days of the unit from Rosey! What a blessing to have someone who can carry on school...I have to admit a short break was much needed and kinda nice! ;) The unit focused on the symmetry of the butterfly wings and the life cycle of the butterfly. We were able to get our own caterpillars and watch them eat and grow, form a cocoon, and emerge into butterflies! What a neat experience! Lots of fun for us! :)

Here's pictures in order of their cycle. the first (awful picture, sorry) is of the small caterpillars we got in the mail. And just a note, the caterpillars are extremely sluggish when they first arrive...so don't throw them out! Not that we came close to doing that or anything. ;) After about a week, they plump up and make their cocoons. When two days pass, you move the cocoons into the butterfly net, and wait! 

And about 7-8 days later, the butterflies emerge! It was very fascinating for us all. 

We decided to let ours go after about 3 days since we were traveling for Easter. They hung around for a good little while and Grayson was able to marvel at them. God's creation is so amazing, even the tiniest of creatures! 

Not many pics of our work this unit, and honestly, we are kind of moving quickly along with our units in order to finish up a little early so pictures for the last few units may not be what they have been in the past...but I promise to make up for it next year with little Ada in Kindergarten! ;)

We focused a lot on the life cycle (metamorphosis) and how this applies to our life and others as well! He was a little shy about acting out the life cycle but did finally give in.

This was a great unit for my little inquisitive boy and great unit for early Spring. :) Hopping on to frogs now...;)

Catching Up!

I have been a slacker in blog-land (not that anyone would know, because my husband is probably the only one that reads it, and that's only sometimes! ;) ) Anyways, time has been flying by!!! And I am just hanging on and trying to keep up! April and May are always so so busy! We have tball, gymnastics, end of school stuff, Easter, anniversary, vacation, and of course the "regular" stuff! Whew! But I love it! I love April and May! In the last couple weeks we have visited family, had Easter get togethers, had Easter pictures made, kicked off the tball season, and all the day-to-day stuff! Grayson and I are on track to finish school up around the second to third week of May, and then we are free for a couple months to vacate   and prepare for 2014-15 school year! :) 

It's an exciting time. A busy time. 

I mentioned we had pictures made this month. The faster time flies and the more crowded the days get the more reflective and sentimental I get. This blog was started for me to "keep up" and express myself...I found myself wanting to reflect, wanting to remember the days that were passing by. I find myself wanting to hold on! I want to keep, preserve, relive those tiny moments that make up my life. This life that means absolutely nothing to anyone else, but means EVERYTHING to us! I look into the eyes of my tiny babies that are so very very quick to try and grow up. They are growing and changing and maturing each and everyday. And each in their own little way. I look into the eyes of the young man I married and have built this life with and realize we are growing older. Each and everyday we add another page to our story. Some easy going, full of smiles, laughter, and love. And some filled with fluster, rush and tired smiles. But they are ours. Our story. Our life. And each and everyday, each and every year weaves together and tells our story. 

When I see this picture of my beautiful baby boy, I see the little baby that has run straight into toddlerhood! He is by far the most laid back, easy going, best secret keeper I have. We have the best conversations! I love hearing him find his voice. Some of which makes words and a lot of which just makes jibber jabber, but it's absolutely the best conversation! He's very observant and methodical. He's a quiet thinker who has a beautiful spirit. He is mature and wise. He is a hugger and big time charmer. He has become Ada's little buddy and Grayson continues to adore him, and of course the more he plays the more Grayson can't resist him! He is a daddy's boy and Mommy's little love! 

Grayson, my big boy. He is my boy with amazing will power. He is a tester. To say it is, just isn't enough. He has to experience it. Lately, he is full of questions. Inquisitive. Deep thinker. His faith is inspiring and amazing. He loves biblical history and facts. His favorite subject is math. His mind is constantly going! He likes company. Appreciates team work! ;) He's at that age when they can finally verbalize and somewhat understand their feelings. Good and bad ones. Sometimes I am even caught off guard by his comments and thoughts. You forget they are beginning to feel and think big thoughts. He likes to talk things out. (This could actually be a mommy trait! ;) ). Grayson is all about "fair". He is at the age when anything and everything is a comparison. And as taxing as it can be at times, I realize this will pass all too quickly! :) Grayson is our oldest for a reason, God has a mighty plan for him and gave him quite the leaders heart. He is bold and outspoken and yet tender and wise. He taught me what being a mommy was all about. And I appreciate so much his zest and leadership. 

My Ada. My sweet, gentle Ada. She is full of compassion, drama, sass, and love! My little girl, sandwiched right between two brothers! She's accepted and embraced her role as a big sister. She loves her baby brother so gently and sweet. While, at the same time, she also loves having a big brother to protect and lead. She's independent and appreciates quiet time. She's still at that tough age when she can't always get out what she needs to say or explain, she can't quite understand the feelings she has all the time. She is so sensitive. She's the one that if she has to reprimanded, she then absolutely has to be held and know that she's forgiven. That's her, and we are learning. ;) She's also the one who out of the nowhere, will look right up at you and put both hands on your face and with all the sweetness and love one girl can hold, say "mommy, I love you." She's all girl and yet, even with her love for all things pink and sparkly, long hair and painted toes, she doesn't mind getting dirty with the boys! ;) Her spirit is free and magical. She is a fairy tale! God knew just what we needed when he gave us that little girl. Just. What. We. Needed. :) 

It's been pure joy to watch each of them grow into themselves! And to know there is so much growing left to do! Maybe it's the rapid change, the hurried days, or the Easter season that makes me reflect and fill my heart with gratitude. I don't know, but I know just that. I am filled with gratitude. This family. This love. These children and God's grace are by far life's greatest blessings. 

"Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life."

The Promise of Easter

In a blink, April has almost come and gone! It's Easter weekend. I LOVE Easter! I always have and in my teenage and early adult years that love has grown. I love all that it is! And today, as I attempted my first early morning workout (I am so so NOT a morning person...although I did used to be...before kids!) but in an effort to get it all in 24 hours, I got up and headed out. The first thing my ears hear was a rooster crow. In the cold thin air on this Good Friday morning, the rooster crowed. And I was instantly overwhelmed with emotion. We are all so undeserving of the salvation, mercy, and grace that Jesus gives us. Good Friday is a dark day, a sad day, when looked at in the stories of the Bible. Jesus suffered and died for even the likes of me. Me. I don't deserve it. I can't earn it. I can't even adequately thank Him. But He did it anyway. And even as sad as today is, there's the promise of Sunday. The promise of the stone rolled away. The promise of Resurrection. The promise of new life, for even me. Without Good Friday, there would be no Easter. He loves even me. And for this, I am so grateful. So thankful. So overwhelmed.

Sense of Resurrection

We did finally dive back into our family Easter lessons! A few nights ago was all about praise. We focused on the passages about Jesus parade through Jerusalem and how everyone praised as he passed. Our craft was making a windchim out of cans. Everytime we hear our cans clank we will say "Hosanna!"

Then Chris and I had the pleasure of washing their feet...while washing we talked about how Jesus taught us to love and serve others. They also had the opportunity to wash ours. ;) It was definitely a neat family experience and one we will all remember. It's been such a neat thing this year to see the kids really getting to the age where they can read and understand the lessons that the Bible teaches us. And when we get into God's Word as a family it's such a wonderful experience! 

Tonight, we focused on the last supper, particularly the bread Jesus broke. "Jesus is the bread of life" and was broken for us. We prayed together and ate some bread together to remind us of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. 

Today begins Holy Week, and in a week we will celebrate The Resurrection. What a day of celebration that will be. Such an amazing privilege we have to celebrate Jesus and all that He has done for us! This week is full of not so fun, dark stories, but the ending is more amazing than any other story ever written or told! Thank you, Jesus, for dying for us!