Easter 2014

I had big intentions this Easter. 

 I even started planning in early January, but I have to admit my plans didn't happen.

 Here's a picture that I was going to send in our Easter card since I didn't get around to Christmas cards.  (I never got around to sending the Easter cards either.)  

But we did get to celebrate the Resurrection with my family in Arkansas! 

 Here's my mom and kids.

We got to worship with my dad at church!! And then we went back to his house and had an egg hunt at my childhood home.  It was so fun to see my kids enjoy the same places I enjoyed as a child!!!

                                       They are on the hunt looking for their eggs!

After a success egg hunt, the kids gather to eat their candy!!

Monkeys and Alligators: Levi's 3rd Birthday

 

 Oh...how is it possible that my baby boy is three (on Sunday)?  Levi is so full of life, energy, laughter, and light.  He's strong willed, yet quiet and reserved.  He is deeply loyal to those he gives his heart to.  He is verbal using words big words beyond his years.  He wants to be big like his brothers and do everything for himself.  It's been a busy week getting ready for the party!  We also worked on using the potty only because I told him he needed to learn in order to have his party.

Levi asked for a monkey and alligator party.  So I lucked up and found a book called Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree about monkeys teasing an alligator! 

We made an alligator cupcake cake, and three little monkey cupcakes in a tree!

 Then we read the Monkey/Alligator book and sang the song by Dr. Jean under the jungle vines hanging from the ceiling.

 He loved his cupcake.

 When everyone was outside, he decided to stay in and play with his new toys.
Joel and a friend decided to get into a wagon and ride it all the way the hill and crash into the trees below.  Luckily no one got hurt bad. Joel just scratched up his side. 

 Here's Karis eating her birthday party peas.  Yummy!

Our New Classroom

 To upgrade our classroom, we purchased an IKEA table, four chairs, and Trofast bins!  I have to say that I am pretty excited to teach in our new classroom.  I also spent some time organizing all our school supplies in the brown cabinet as well!

Here's our school baskets. This is our very simple home schooling system.  You do/play with everything in your basket that day.

 

This is one cool table.  It has six drawers for storage.  And the table can be full extended like shown above.  Or I can drop down both sides to make it smaller or invisible. :-)

Alright, time for school!!

White As Snow....

Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

We woke up on Thursday to the world standing still and beautifully silent.  Almost 8 inches of snow blanketed the ground.  It was absolutely magnificent. It was perfect   While the kids were asleep, I went out and breathed in the beauty and majesty of God's creation. It didn't matter that we were without electricity, or that Michael was hundreds of miles away trapped in a frozen metroplex (Atlanta).  I just had to praise God for His awesome power and kind gifts from His loving Father's heart.   I took a few pictures too.  The top picture is the view I saw from my back porch.  Soon the kid woke up, and we jumped into our snow gear and got busy playing!!!

 It took Levi some time to get used to the height of the snow as he walked.  Joel helped him by holding his hand.

 Karis even loved it too.  She was amazed at the white and cold and squealed with delight!

 I shoveled some snow up to make a snow fort.

Sledding was a big hit.  Joel, Levi, and I had our first runs in our lives!  It was a rush.  By the end of the day and 8-10 hours outside playing, our muscles were shaking and aching.  In the afternoon, Michael came home from Atlanta.  As soon as he came home, our power came back on too!  What a great way to end a great day!  I am so thankful for my family, my home, my life, and the greatest gift of all salvation that has washed away my sins and left me white as snow.

 
 

Snow Day January 2014

 We took full advantage of our little snow today!  After spending an hour bundling up,  we all played out in it for several hours twice.  We made snow angels and snow balls galore!  We had a lot of company, too.  The neighborhood kids all came over to play with us!  Karissa wasn't too thrilled after awhile, but she did okay. 

Michael was in Knoxville all day.  He left at 6:30 a.m., but praise God he made it back home at 5:00 p.m.! 

 This red hat was made by my friend and neighbor Nancy Warner.  She passed away on Saturday.   She was an amazing lady and talented crafter.   She is now with her husband, Chester, and she is no longer suffering.  She will be  missed.

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Six Months of HOPE!

 

Karissa Hope is half a year old!!

Oh my...six months has flown by.  

She is doing great.  This sweet girl sleeps almost all night for her tired momma.  She loves to play in her jumper and play with toys in her high chair.  She still hasn't tried real food yet.  We might try that in a few months, but she's not really interested.  She has had one ear infection already, poor baby.  But she was a trooper.  She's a big girl.  I knew that already because she' wearing 12-18 month clothes already.  She weighs 18 pounds, 6 ounces which is in the 90th.   And she is 27.75 inches long.  That puts her in the 97th for height.  She might be a tall girl like her cousin Caitlin!  

Joel had his 5th year check up today.  He's doing great.  The doctor and nurse both were impressed with how he took care of his baby sister.  He's 41 pounds which puts him at the 50%.  And he's 44.25 inches and 75% with height.  He passed all the tests with flying colors.  Doc asked him to count to 10, but he could count to 100 no problem.  Doc said he should be around 6 foot tall one day!   

 Here's some pictures of Clark and Michael doing Upward Basketball this winter.
  Michael is the coach for Clark's team. 

Baby It's Cold Outside

It's a blistery cold day here.  The wind is whipping the leaves that lay on the barren ground from autumn's glory.  The skies are gray and flurries fill the sky from time to time.  The temperature is steadily dropping as the cold front moves in.  The temperature will be in the teens soon. 

But inside our home, we have a fire blazing bringing warmth, hope, and beauty.  My children are happily playing together and discovering the secrets to life: forgiveness and grace.  And my sweet baby is all bundled up radiating joy as she learning about the world for the first time.  We are so blessed.  Not because everything is going good right this second, but because God is that GOOD!  He is good during the mountain tops and the valleys of life.  My God is mighty to save and slow to anger and abounding in love. 


Just as I know this cold front will pass, spring rains will come, and the sun will fill the earth with the great warmth of summer, He is that real to me.  I hope He is that real to you too.

Cheese Warning: First Matching Outfit Picture With MY Daughter!

And just look at that bright smile.   Karissa Hope is just so happy that mommy and she are dressed in matching colors.
 Naw...I didn't do it on purpose, but I have to admit when I noticed I felt a little thrill deep inside my heart.  I guess there is a girl buried deep inside me after all.

I was so so so happy with my boys.  I could have lived and died a boys' mom and thought that I had the most blessed life.  But I have to say, having a little girl has encouraged me to get out of my feminine shell, and let my girlie side shine.   Thanks, Karissa Hope.  You are a special blessing.

I am

Christmas Morning In Review

 Christmas with kids is the best.  We really get into Christ's birth and the gift of  God's son, Jesus.

I love the wonder, the magic, the excitement, and the joy of Christmas.

Here's some of our favorite 2013 Christmas memories:

• This year we did the angel on the shelf thing, and we all loved our angel, Joy.  She taught us so much about the meaning of Christmas.  Each day she came with a special message, activity, or gift.
• Baking with the kids was a big hit.
• We also watched the popular "Christmas Jammies" youtube video a hundred times.  And we'll be singing that tune all year and shaking our hips.  :-)  "In my Christmas jammies..."  
• We went to Rock City and saw the beautiful lights there.  
• We also did our annual Polar Express Minivan Christmas Light Expedition where we went out and found great Christmas light displays.  Our favorite so far in in Soddy Daisy near the lake.
• And of course Christmas morning!!!

When the kids come down stairs, we first huddle together and pray.  We thank God for all of His blessings that He has given us. We want them to know that Jesus was His greatest gift to us.   Then the kids can enjoy their three gifts.  Clark this year got Skylanders, Legos, and more Legos.  Joel got Skylanders, race track table, and Beyblades.  Levi got Imaginext stuff, plastic animals, and Duplos.  Karissa got a piggy bank, movies, and a doll.

The boys' first look at their blessings

Lego Land--Michael and I built 45 sets the months leading up to Christmas.  We got the sets off Craigslist, and they included Star Wars, Lego City, Harry Potter, etc.

Two Trofast systems filled with color sorted Legos!!!  Another Craigslist purchase that took many late night hours!

Levi hit the mother load with Imaginext (garage sale $10!)

We also found a cool water/sand table on Craigslist.  I converted it to a car race track on the lid, and a monster truck dirt track in the tub.  Yes, my kids play with dirt even inside the house!

Little Karissa Hope loved eating her new doll.  She also got a piggy bank and a few girlie movies for one day.

Christmas was so beautiful this year.  We had so much to be thankful for--our beautiful children, Michael's promotion, good health, supportive and loving family,  and so much more.

  I can't wait for Easter!!!

My Littles Are Sick :-(

I am figuring out that having more kids equals more illnesses.    I don't remember Clark or Joel getting sick often. But add Levi and Karissa Hope, and it seems we always have some kind of bug.  Today all four are coughing.  Levi has a fever of 103.  I took him to the doctor, and he got a new "toy" for his breathing treatments.  He also has an ear infection.  Asthma and tubes are now on the table.   Karissa was awake all night coughing and vomiting up snot. After the second night of misery, we took her in too.  She has croop and an ear infection.  Now my five month old is on antibotics. 

 It can be so hard when two or more kids NEED you, and you can't be there for them when you want.   I am trying hard to just breathe and enjoy all the cuddle time I'm getting. I hope that I can use this time of sicknesses to show my love to my family and make them feel extra special. 

Levi during a treatment.  Towel is for when he throws up mucus.  :-)

Our MEDS!

My drooling, snotty princess