The days of summer

We still feel busier than ever this summer but we took the time this past week to sign up for the local library's summer reading program. We have participated in this for years and the kids love it because their reading is rewarded with prizes. Here they are in a candid moment getting their hours in. While Boo doesn't really read, her hours are spent listening to the rest of us. The kids completed their first 3 hours in 2 days and were thrilled to get coupons to Pizza Hut for personal pizzas as a result. I think next time the prize is a book.


Amazingly, Spiderman (who usually only reads if it's required for school) has really stepped it up and it's been great for his reading confidence. Jaybird ALWAYS has his nose buried in a book so this is nothing new for him but Goose has also improved the past couple months and has read all the way through the American Girl series of books on Felicity. I'm just thrilled that they love to read or listen to me read. I credit our homeschool curriculum for much of that (shameless plug for Sonlight).

Another recent favorite is our new fire pit in the backyard. I'm not sure why we've never done this before but now we can roast hotdogs or marshmellows anytime we want. The kids would have that be nightly but they may have to settle for weekly. :) With 3 fires behind us already (OK, 2 in one week), fireflys and hide & seek have been part of the special nights.

WELCOME SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!

Can you hear the excitement in my typing? We actually finished our more structured school curriculum over a week ago and declared it officially summer vacation. We have enjoyed the reprieve of our old schedule and as you can see here below, we are thrilled to finally have some warm weather. Yesterday they opened our community pool and the 6 of us went for a dip.

My man took the 3 older kids fishing tonight while Boo & I had some quality time at home. I'm told they caught MANY fish but brought home seven (when someone lets you use their pond, you don't want to get greedy) Since Spiderman caught the biggest fish, he gets on the blog.

This was a fun project we did to celebrate the end of the school year. Makit Plates turned an original drawing from each of my kids into a sturdy, "plastic" plate. They are all so proud of their preserved artwork. Believe it or not, I actually have a plate that I made at school when I was in KINDERGARTEN - 1977!! It's now back in circulation in our kitchen as well (and the kids anticipate showing THEIR children the plates that they have made).

On another note, please pray for the people in our area who lost their homes from the tornadoes and flooding this month. We were grateful to be spared any damages but have been trying to help others in our community who were not. There are a lot of families "homeless" and much work to do cleaning up. I've been happy to see all 4 of my kids willing to lend a hand picking up debris and praying for the people who lost so much.

My Animal Lovers

Remember the fuzzy little chicks? They aren't so cute now. They look like strange birds shedding fluff for feathers, at that awkward in-between stage. Last weekend the kids had some hands on practice building as we made this "chicken tractor" for the chicks. Now we can let them outside without worrying what might get them. Another week or so and they can move outside in the coop permanently and hold their own with the old ladies.

One day last week, Spiderman and Goose came to tell me they caught a baby bunny (yeah right). I didn't really believe them until I saw this adorable fluff ball. They all had so much fun playing with the terrified critter and wanted to keep it for real. Thankfully, it was really too young to survive us if we tried so after a couple of hours, it was released back to find it's momma.

Here is the bunny wrapped securely in a towel so it won't escape and below it's trying out the chicken tractor. Before the bunny had been captured, Spiderman had a pet crayfish in a bucket on the porch. That VERY quickly lost all prestige when compared with a sweet, soft bunny.

The Mighty Hunters

Another Spring Turkey season is about to pass. My man and his Dad were both successful getting their birds. This weekend is the end and Spiderman & Goose still haven't been so lucky. This is the first year they have wanted to hunt rather than just watch Dad. Good for them.

We did it again!

I can't believe it but we added more chick(en)s. As if the 7 we already have weren't enough, I've been suckered into more little fuzzy ones. When I took the girls to the hardware store Sat.,I had secretly planned to get one or two for the kids. You see, since we ate Lester the Rooster about 6 weeks ago, we realize we won't be hatching any chicks this year "naturally". Imagine my surprise when the clerk informed me that you had to buy a minimum of SIX chicks (some state law? I doubt it). I was ready to say nevermind BUT...

you see these eyes down below? I had two desperate girls pleading with me and I fell for it. I consider myself tougher than that but now we have these fuzz balls cheaping through the night in our basement (oh, how nice a garage would be) for about the next 5 weeks. My man thinks I'm crazy, go figure.

Well, one benefit for now is that these 4 kids are spending so much time in the laundry room loving on these critters, I haven't seen much of them the past weekend. Oh and just to show you how I got suckered, someone at church today told me they heard the same "6 chick minimum" and went to the next hardware store where they bought only ONE!

He is Risen.... Indeed

We pray you had a significant Easter and a renewed sense of gratitude for what Christ has done for us. We attended a local Easter "pageant" and the church did a wonderful job presenting a musical production of Christ's ministry and ending with his death and resurrection. It was powerful to remember what a great sacrifice was made on my behalf, just to give me a place in my "forever family". The kids were also moved and Spiderman had tears streaming down his face. When the lights went out after the crucifixion, both kids asked anxiously "that's not the end is it?" The truth of the Gospel would be empty if it did end there but when Jesus conquered death, there was victory for you and me.

Today after church, we had lunch with some friends where we had our annual egg hunt. As the kids get older, it goes much more quickly. :) Here they are below as we set off for church.

Spring is here

You gotta love Spring in the midwest, or at least you gotta live with it. A week after Goose's party, we had a few inches of snow on the ground. The kids had their first soccer game cancelled and we waited for the sun to shine again. It did come back but today we had more snow. I'm ready for a real April.

Well Friday we went to the "farm" and planted 150 small trees. I've been asked if he had some special equipment for that but it was really just a big shovel and a lot of muscle. My man (who loves projects like these) calls this quality family time. While that is not what I would have picked for family time, we did have a good day in some high 50's sunshine and the kids were thrilled to get out of "school" for the day. Since there were plenty of us, the kids worked in shifts and those "off duty" got to scour the creek bed looking for arrowheads and cool rocks.


Here is our noble looking Frisbee, who loves the farm more than anything and she ran herself past exhaustion. You have to notice with the boys here below that the tall rubber boots become pointless when you wade in water past your knees! The kids were soaked and filthy but they found some cool fossils and rocks and begged to stay there longer exploring.

Even my prima donna got into the rock collecting and playing in the dirt. Boo did give us a scare once as we were planting trees and she had been walking along the creek bed. We heard her scream and my man bolted over there as fast as his size 16's could carry him. It turned out that she "heard something squeak at her" and she panicked. Must be those bed time stories about man-eating squirrels....

So all in all, we did have a fun afternoon and despite the sore muscles and the loads of muddy laundry, we did have some good quality time.