Summer Has Begun!!

I really can't believe it, but our first child is now a reading, writing Kindergarten graduate!  Wasn't I just feeling overwhelmed as I reviewed our curriculum seeing all that we would need to learn this last year?  Of course, there was a time or two (or ten) that we felt frustrated, but we stuck with it and got over those bumps in the road with great feelings of accomplishment! :)  I must say, that helping my son learn to read has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life!  He is now a little reading machine!

Another big blessing that I didn't see coming was that my four year old has learned so much just by listening to his big brother learn to read! He will definitely be learning to read himself over this next year.

We are soooo ready for a summer break, but I'm honestly excited to dive into first grade with my 6 yr. old and Kindergarten with my 4 yr. old in the fall. It's just so amazing to see their little minds wrap around new things!


So we finished up kindergarten successfully, I believe, and now. . .

 IT'S TIME FOR SUMMER FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

A New Porch

So, our front porch was beginning to be a safety concern. Since we park at the back of our property and use the rear entrance 100 percent of the time, the fact that the front porch had more rotten wood than not didn't pose an immediate concern for us. Replacing the porch went on the very long list of things that needed replacing in our 100+ year old twin.  But  when the floorboards began breaking off in front of the steps, we decided that for the safety of say, our UPS delivery man, and the very occasional guest that comes to the front door, we should probably move this project to the top of the list!  :)

Thankfully Home Depot had a great sale on the wood we needed, and my hubby tore into the project on a recent Saturday as the following pictures will show. He was a little leary of opening up the floor and possibly finding much greater structural issues that needed addressing, but it turned out that just the porch flooring and some of the supporting beams needed replacing.

It turned out quite well! He just about finished the project in one day! There's just a corner that needs finishing and a huge pile of rotten wood on our front bank.  So as soon as the mess is cleaned up and that corner is finished I will post a picture. Of course, the whole thing will need painting or staining or something, but no one is going to be putting their foot through the floorboards on the way to our front door anymore! :)

They Know Me Well! :)

Happy Mother's Day from my guys!

A new coffee mug and chocolate - doesn't get much better!

There were two candy bars,

but I ate one before I thought to take a picture! :)

4 and 6 . . . where does the time go?!?!

 I love watching them play with their Daddy!

I am a wife and mother truly blessed of God!

God's "No" Answers

I'm still contemplating the devotional I heard at church last night. It was so thought provoking. Do you ever think about how we so easily praise and thank the Lord when good things happen? The words just spill right out, "Thank you, Lord!" for safety in a certain situation, or good results back from the doctor, or a job promotion, etc.  But as our leader so eloquently shared last night, what about when God clearly gives us a "no" to something we may have specifically prayed for, like getting bad news from the doctor, or having a desired job opportunity given to someone else, and so on? What is our response then?  Do we still praise and thank our heavenly Father for directing our lives even when we think it doesn't make any sense? Do we remain trusting and thankful to the One who is all knowing and sees the "big picture"?  It's so difficult, isn't it?  I find myself anxiously trying to chart my own course, thinking that I know best. And when He clearly steers me in an entirely different direction or He keeps me on the current path with minimal forward progress (or so I think), I find myself questioning God, not trusting him and thanking Him for the way he's leading me.

There are many examples in scripture of people who received "no" answers from God. Last night we looked at David in II Samuel 7.  David wanted to build the temple for the Lord, but the Lord said no. David didn't understand, but his response in vs. 18 through the end of the chapter is amazing!  Verse 22 sums it up, "Therefore, you are great, O Lord God.  For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears." David sat before the Lord and praised him. Wow! I know that would not have been my response.

In my flawed human state, I am incapable of understanding all his ways. I must simply TRUST and OBEY!  Sounds simple, but oh, so hard to do. The Lord loves me beyond measure and knows what is best for my life.  I feel like I need to mull what I heard last night over in my mind and heart for a while longer. Do you ever feel that way? It is a simple truth from God's Word, but it hit me in a new way.  I was applying it to my life in a specific area and it really rebuked me. And I am very thankful for that! :)

Someone's Trash Was Our Treasure

Someone my hubby works with recently bought a house and it had a swing/play set in the yard. They didn't want it and said we could have it! So, my sweetie disassembled the tower/slide section, brought it home and attached it to our swing set. 

These are some very happy boys, and I must say, my husband was just about as happy as them while he was working on this project. All men are boys at heart no matter what their age, aren't they?! :)   Even though he can't play on it, my man could certainly have fun putting it together for them and adding a few extra special touches it didn't have before like the circle swing off the side, a pirate steering wheel up in the "tree house" part, the climbing wall, and a sand box below!

Many hours have already been logged playing all over this thing! And Mama is happy 'cause her boys are all happy, giving her a little extra time for a few projects of her own. :)

Dog Days of Summer. . . Wait, I Mean April! :)

Breakfast Outside . . . In April? :)

Breakfast and a little art time out on the back patio. What a great start to a gorgeous day! We've been very sick and unable to enjoy this amazing weather we've been having. Planning to spend every minute of today outside! :)

This little boy loves to color a picture quickly and move on to another picture. He prefers doing mazes and word searches, but enjoys coloring/painting once in a while. :)

And this little boy could work on the same picture for an hour without looking up. I've found something he loves that occupies his mind and keeps his body still for more than a few seconds! :)

 

Rejuvenated & Rejoicing!

I haven't seen this in a while, -- sunshine across my kitchen floor! :)

When I feel that first warm sun of the new season on my face, I just stand and let my skin soak it up, and fill my lungs with fresh spring air! So rejuvenating, isn't it? Oh, how precious are the simple pleasures in this life! Thank you, Lord!

There are remnants, however, of the recent deluge! :)

Some definite signs of spring, as my lilies are starting to poke through!

And, of course, there is much for little guys to be busy about when the sun shines!

Fresh tree buds, blue skies. . .

Psalm 118:24 "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (ESV)

Fun Learning!

Some school days are more fun than others! :)
Here's a few snapshots of the boys enjoying a "Fun Friday".

Got My Wish :)

Neglecting the Blog again

How does this happen? I haven't written a word in two weeks! Oh, well, sometimes I'm oozing with words and other times I'm parched!

But we've been chugging along, doing schoolwork, spending time at the library, visiting cousins, helping Daddy with projects around the house (never a shortage of projects), and doing plenty of other mundane activities.

It's almost February and I'm feeling a great need for a snowstorm! The rest of the country seems to be getting all the snow. It's been a little disappointing. I was sure we were in for a snowy winter after a snowy December, but not so, apparently. We've got a month to turn that around, so any time now, it can snow! :) It would really boost my winter dulldrums (sp?)!

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the last few weeks.

"Reading" along with some library CD/books.

My hubby directing a little human fooseball for a teen activity at church.

Carson having the teens sing Happy Birthday to him since his birthday party was bumped to another day because of their activity! :)

Carson is 4! We thought we'd give him a challenge with the candles in the corners! :)

Trying out his new magnetic dartboard with the cousins! Believe it or not, they had great aim and my glass cabinet doors are still in tact! :)

Cousins . . . they're all such great buddies! :)

I'm so thankful for family! And that my sister and I had our kids so close together! Maybe someday Melaina will have a girl cousin to play with, but that's up to Jerry and Katie! :)

Cold, Sunny Day

I know I change my blog background A LOT, but that's just me. I'm the type that has to rearrange the furniture on a regular basis, too. Not sure what that says about me, but at least you never know what you're going to find when you visit me (here or at home!)


We're fighting head colds today, so just staying in and being cozy.

Glad the sun is shining today, even though its deceivingly cold outside. When the sun is shining outside, I always feel warmer on the inside somehow! :)

I'm having trouble remembering what these look like, however;


so I'm posting this picture in order to recall what my flowers look like when the sunshine actually IS warm! :) Hope you're having a sunny day!

A Reflective New Year's Eve

We spent New Year's Eve with our church family this year reflecting on 2009 with some great questions from our pastor for us to then share answers with everyone. I was very thankful for the time given to specifically do this as I probably would not have taken the time otherwise (or thought of such great questions to ask myself!) Questions like, "Did you focus more this past year on doing or being?", and "What do you know more about God today than one year ago? How did you learn it?", and also "Over the past year, who has influenced you the most? Do they know?"

We finished by studying Moses' prayer in Psalm 90 about how God views time. What a great reminder of the bigger picture. God always has been and always will be. He is eternal. We, on the other hand, are frail and sinful resulting in a short span of life. Verse 12 sums it up for me . . . "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." Always I am in need of reminding to plan my days wisely, and my next week, next month, next year. Ah, yes, a lot of reflecting going on here. :)

Anyway, we finished off the night with a relaxing time of table games (and snacks, of course!) It was a small group of friends, but we were all just enjoying the down time and fellowship as the clock wound down! Here's a few pics of the kids enjoying some games with their friends!