park days

We had one beautiful day of sunshine and quickly headed to the park. We have one awesome park that has the instruments for the kids to play. I love being there, because even when it's packed, the sounds of the xylophone ring in the distance and it sounds melodious. Libby was fascinated in the swing just watching everyone. Check out her neck. Oh wait. She doesn't have one. :)

handsome boys....

Somebody think she's hot stuff....driving now and all....

Almost Friday!!!

I should have taken before pictures so you could see this mess before we got it ready for the garden. This used to be a flower bed. But this year- I'm tackling the ol' garden. We'll see.

Lettuce sprouts are beginning to come up....

Broccoli!

A few red strawberries.....

Look at the baby green beans!

Zucchini.....

I have many other things planted. These are some that actually produced something already so I thought I better take a picture before they die. :) The rain and the watering have been my biggest challenge. The neighbor's watering leaks into mine and it's hard to make sure they don't get too much water. We need the sun out- that's the bottom line.

Anyway, it's excited to check it everyday to see any growth. I've read gardening tips that say, "Try to weed at least 10 minutes a day to keep up with the weeding." Last night I was out there at 9:30 just trying to adjust the watering system. But that's the only time I have to be/talk with Jer. Like I have an extra 10 minutes without Libby in my hands and the boys trying to dig up the plants..... sigh. Parent first. All the extras fit in after - if they can. :)

Ian was sick this week. 2 days of puking. Luke had chocolate syrup diahrrea (worse than his normal condition), and Libby had a tummy bug, diahrrea (+her normal puking) and an ear infection.

But it's already Thursday and almost June. The sun has to come out eventually, right?

goodbye for now....

These are the chicks from our "small" group......(Drew snuck in there...) But it will be sadly downsizing.....

Ian and Ella telling secrets when they were over....

The babes.....

Obviously there were too many cameras around.....

Nice work Amanda, getting them to be still for a second.....

and only a second.......

We will miss you T-man!

We have 2 families from our small group moving.....a sad goodbye. The Duerre's have been close friends for awhile now and we adjusted to them leaving 2 years ago when they relocated a few hours away, but we've enjoyed having them around the past 6 months and now they are leaving to go to Peru for a missions position. We will miss you guys and look forward to hearing about your adventures and God's hand at work.
We regretfully say farewell to the Marchants, as we will miss your kind spirits and friendships. Good luck on your journey as well. I pray that you guys will connect with others down there and build new fellowship- come back to visit though!!!

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven."

Ecclesiastes 3:1

warm weather, please come......

My dear friend Becky, emailed me last minute and said she would be driving through town, so she was here on Cinco de Mayo. The kids loved the pinata. It was so sturdy that I was able to put it away for next year! :)

Recent rainbow pic. Rain, rain, rain. It's May now. Where are the flowers? Oh mine are dead- from the frost.....:)

The kids making plans with Aunt Lora and Uncle Andrew....

Ian is on and off with it. Some days he's excited and then other days it is pure meltdown. In fact last week Jer had to the coach the team and he had been whiny the previous week when dad was coaching. Maybe I shouldn't say whiny, more like sobbing...so this week we told him, if he started crying about it, he wasn't going and dad would leave without him.

I should mention that we have told him that we won't be doing it next year because it seems to be such an ordeal for him, but this year- he made a commitment and he told his team he would be there- so we will be. Needless to say, he pulled it together most of the day until right before his game, "My legs hurt!" "I can't run!" "I don't want to do soccer." So- Dad left without him. He ran to the door and realized Dad had really done it and came in sobbing and begging, "Mom, I need you to take me to my game." "I can't honey, Libby's sleeping. You should have stopped crying when Dad asked and gone with him. Now you'll have to stay home and take a nap with everyone else...." I sadly told him. Hard lesson, but effective. The next practice, he was PERFECT.

We thought Luke would really enjoy soccer this year. And he usually does- at least some form of it. He enjoys chasing the kids around. He has no intention of keeping track of the ball. We possibly have very nonathletic kids. I must have brought that gene.

So 18 more days til school's out and who knows how many days til we have warm weather. I should bring up now- that our school rocked our state testing. Which is a huge victory! We not only reached safe harbor (which is normally the goal to try and make....) but we met the goals of AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) and were even a few percentage points above them. I am so grateful for the momentum that it has given the kids and the staff.

I started the garden and have covered it some nights but the last two nights I didn't (last night I even checked on the freeze) and now everything is done for. (sigh). I just bought started plants that my co-worker grows in her greenhouse for her own garden and then sells the starts for $1.00 to recoup her costs. So I only bought what I thought I needed- according to what I already had planted. Well now- that is nothing. Anyway, I'm irritated, but trying to chalk it up to a learning experience. (minus the cost. )

We'll see if I have any "fruits" from my labor.