So Long March

April is here!!

The snow is almost gone.

The vomiting flu is just a bad memory.

Chad and Lane were the only ones who got sick!

The rest of us felt off for a day or so, but never got sick.

PRAISE, praise!!

God has been blessing our burdens from Him and our efforts SO much!

Eliza had a rumbly tummy, slept for about five hours and then was up, eating, and fine.

My sweet baby!

Because of illness, I stayed home with the sick ones while some of our crew headed to church that week – it’s been awhile ago now.

While Eliza slept, I learned how to cook!

Just kidding.

I know how to cook! I just like watching the Pioneer Woman!

My Dad got me hooked on this show.

Some of the kiddos love the Pioneer Woman too!

While the kiddos were sick I ran to the library to pick up our go along books for FIAR.

We studied the book Grass Sandals and read a lot of books about Japan.

It was fascinating!!

Of course a stop at the Co-op was in order. Because coffee.

I also got these while I was at the Co-op that day.

A billion dollars worth of gluten-free chicken nuggets.

You lose your mind when you have the flu in your home!

Speaking of a billion dollars, we stocked up on nuts!

Thank you very much, Uncle Sam.

A week ago Saturday was a beautiful day here in our neck of the woods!

Eliza got a fishing rod for her birthday – so there was some serious fishing going on at Twin Oaks!

This photo is of the truck that belongs to the guy who makes all my dreams come true!

He had taken Lane and Tate to Menards to get us a NEW POOL!!

I love that man.

So much!!

Remember the 357,212 photos you have seen on this blog off of our deck?

Well, that deck looked more like a giant play pen in my mind!

For one very cute puppy!

Blake told me he could make it 100% safe for Ruby to not fall off of!

I love how it turned out, and Ruby loves being out there.

We just need to teach her that it is NOT the yard!

No pottying on the deck, Miss Ruby Jane!

I had my guys put the picnic tables up too!

That Sunday we stole someone while we were at church!

I love that young man, Mr. Clyde Strength, SO much!

He was excited!

Sunday nights are what we call “snack night dinner” and time with our favorites!

Briar grows more rolls in her sleep everyday.

Isn’t she adorable??

School continues on!

I took a break from Instagram, which also gave me a purposeful break from taking photos.

I have a few though!

Like the day Chad finished his 9th grade Math book!

Algebra is up next!

I read and read and read aloud everyday!

It’s the best part of school!!

One morning during Bible time I gave a challenge!

The winner would get an ice cream sundae of their choosing before bed that night!

I will let you guess who likes to be challenged!

Especially when there is ice cream involved!

Good job, Chad!!

Wait a second – is that jelly on top of there?!

When it got above 30 degrees hamburgers and potato salad were in order!

It felt like spring, I promise.

Warmer temperatures and an upcoming trip prompted the big clothes switch-a-roo.

Oh boy.

It is a big job!

And there is a leggy sweet girl here who had nothing that fit her.

This pile all got sold at the second hand store.

We bought a huge pile for spring and summer (huge pile!) and only paid $30 for it all.

Second hand stores are my favorite.

Ruby and Sadie are loving the warmer temperatures and melting snow too!

That fluffy puppy is as cute and fluffy as she looks.

This photo just cracks me up.

SO CUTE!!!

Spring at big sissy’s house is the best.

Summer is even better!

The kitties are loving spring too!

Eliza is holding Clementine.

Tate is holding Misty.

Speaking of that boy, we were having some sweet friends in for dinner and he ran to get a calculator and told me he would cal-gu-gate how many seats we needed!

So much I never want to forget!!

Like this.

I know.

I’ve showed you before.

Eliza standing on a chair!

I never ever want to forget each fear, each struggle that the Lord has washed away.

She has come so far!

Eliza stopped sucking her thumb over a year ago.

She came to us one day and just told her Daddy and I that she wasn’t going to anymore!

Addie took this precious photo because they share a room and a bed.

Oh, sweet baby.

You stole my heart!!

In case you are wondering what blogging looks like, it looks like this!

Brain food, you know.

Oh!

I have to show you these!

Blake brought them home for me!

They are super yummy in a salty crunchy kind of way.

Go get some!!

Ok, I think that is all.

Except for this!

A beautiful full moon!

Does a full moon make everyone in your home a bit crazy too?

It’s so pretty though!

We just got home from a big trip last night and are on a spring break of sorts!

But it is definitely not feeling like spring here!

Our calendar is packed for the weeks ahead, so I need to fire the lady in charge and hire someone else!

Lots to look forward to though, Lord willing!!!

Come one spring!!!

We are looking forward to you too!

Happy Birthday, Eliza Claire!!

She’s seven.

Our sweet baby is seven!!

Eliza’s excitement for her birthday this year was super, duper contagious!

We celebrated this past Sunday evening, two days early!

Because of some illness, her party was smaller than we had originally planned, but it was still oh so good!

I’ll let the photos do the talking….

A special meal, our favorite people, sweet gifts, cake, ice cream, and a NEW BIKE!

(still debating on the size of that new bike – might exchange it for a smaller one!)

I would say turning seven was a good thing for our sweet baby, huh?

We literally laughed the whole evening at all the cute things Eliza kept saying!

Sweet baby, we cannot believe you are seven!

It was SO fun to celebrate you and your life!

We are grateful, grateful that we get to be your forever more!

Happy, happy birthday, Eliza Claire!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

Team Tate On The Road Again

One week ago today, Blake and I pulled two precious sleeping cherubs out of bed very early to get on the road and head to UW Madison for Tate’s appointment with his orthopedic surgeon.

My time in God’s Word that morning filled me with strength for the day ahead!

I just love so much how timely the Lord’s truth can be.

We were very thankful for a beautiful start to the day as we sat in the van on the driveway holding hands and praying over our day, the children’s day, Tate, and his appointment.

Sunrises are one of my favorite things!!

We had an uneventful trip to Madison.

We even had time to stop and buy Tate some new shoes!

The kiddos have been wearing their snow boots for months any time we go somewhere, and I did not realize Tate’s shoes had gotten WAY too small.

Once we were at the Health and Research Park Clinic where Tate’s surgeon sees patients, we checked Tate in and waited for his turn.

First up was new x-rays.

Tate has some sort of imaging at every single appoitment he has in Madison.

This day was easy though!

Only standing films and only two views!

Then we all had snacks while we waited for the doctor.

Pretty soon the doctor was with us, and Tate’s Baba and Mama were literally holding their breath.

Why do we do that?

My favorite part of the whole day was the smile on the doctor’s face as he said, “Tate is AMAZING! I would be hard pressed to intervene in any way at this point! See you in nine months!”

And then Blake and my breath filled that room as we exhaled!!

SO, so, SO good!!!!!

We thanked Tate’s surgeon, made Tate’s appointment for new films and to be checked again in nine months, and skipped out of there with the HUGEST smiles on our faces and in our hearts!

We debated where to go to lunch and decided on Whole Foods.

It was disappointing!

We wanted to eat off the hot bar, but it was not allergen friendly this time!

But we filled our bellies well enough, grabbed some coffee at Starbucks and got on the road to get back home.

Here was my view from the front seat about 20 minutes down the road!

And then again about 45 minutes down the road!

Our medical appointments with Tate and Eliza are getting easier in so many ways.

We know our way around Madison and the buildings that we frequent for appointments.

We know our doctors, nurses, and imaging technicians – and they remember us each time too – which is very comforting for us all!

Our appointments are fewer and less frequent as the months pass by, and for that we are SO thankful!

Tate and Eilza are medically fragile, yes.

Tate is called “complicated” and “complex” as well.

BUT – then we watch them.

We teach them school and watch them learn, grow, and thrive.

We watch them walk, run, skip, jump, play, swim, ride bikes, ride scooters, go potty with no accidents….and you all, WE THINK THEY ARE AMAZING TOO.

Rejoice with us!!!

For ALL the Lord is doing for our two precious cherubs!!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!

So Long February, Hello March

Through the snow, ice and below zero temperatures life marches on!

Except when it doesn’t – because we are stuck at home because of the wintery dangerous weather.

It is raining as I type this post, so maybe that’s a sign of things to come?

We are having a hard time imagining where in the world all this snow is going to go!

Even the wild turkeys are baffled by all the snow, and ran by on the other side of the road one day probably looking for some food.

The Lord has provided us with the most beautiful blue, sunny days!

That is one thing snow is good for – it makes the sky seem bluer than even possible!!

This weekend the temperatures were in the 30’s which meant we opened the windows for a bit!!

Things have been pretty normal around here!

My day always starts like this – but how fun is it when your mug matches the chapter of the Bible you are reading?!

Our normal means school. Library day. Lots of reading. Lots of games. Some tablets, once a week. Lots of eating. And lots of food prep.

I’ve been ordering lots of chapter books and the UPS man delivers them faithfully.

Blake and I consider it our “stay sane” part of the budget, ha, ha!

I have a huge list of good books that my girlfriend gave me and I am just going down the list and ordering away!

The problem is that they read them in one afternoon!

I ordered this book for me!

And have fallen asleep every night when I try to read it before bed, ahem!

We love games.

Especially new ones that sweet friends bring over when they visit.

And old ones too.

Tablet time is still on Tuesdays for 30 minutes each.

Lane, Tate, and Eliza have been such great helpers in the kitchen these days.

Train ’em up!!!

I am terrible at getting photos of all their help because it is crazy busy and I am always trying to keep one little Asian boy’s hands from constant disaster – just saying!

I have made these little “parfaits” twice now and think I am addicted!

They make a wonderful breakfast for me!

Nothing like turning this beauty into some yummy chicken salad wraps!

My grocery crew got our freezer stocked with bananas again for smoothies!

I wandered the Co-op just a bit one day and found this vegan cream cheese.

It wasn’t my favorite plain, but I will buy it again if I need it for a recipe!

Fridays are still cleaning and grocery day!

Everyone has jobs and we are fast and efficient!

And our helpers are super cute.

Especially when they wear their Daddy’s glasses.

Here is a peak at what life looks like some days.

How did my crowd get so small???

But then we had some extra kiddos for a whole day last week!

We have missed them very, very much and spending the day together was perfect!

And it called for pretty much a twelve-hour craft day, because, well, we have been stuck inside FOREVER.

Our pups are still here. And cute. And always at my side!

We have purposed LOTS of one-on-one time lately.

The Lord pricked my heart and said “YOU NEED TO DO SOME ONE-ON-ONE TIME!”

So I listened, told Blake, told the big kids, and we DID!

Grant and Lane went for errands and a snack one morning.

Made Lane’s day. And mine!

Grant and Chad went another day, but there is no photograph to prove my story, ha, ha.

Blake has also been grabbing different kiddos at different times to go with him places!

Addie and I spent a whole afternoon in town together doing all the things!

It was the sweetest.

Blake and I are still dating, of course!

When the stinking weather kept us home on a Friday night, we snuck out on Saturday afternoon instead!

Lots to talk about! It was a planning meeting of sorts!

We celebrated our 30th anniversary last week!!!!!

I sent Blake 30 texts to liven up his day!

He didn’t catch on till the end, a few minutes before he was about to block my number on his phone!

Just kidding.

Then Addie Mae made mug cakes and we ate them with ice cream and watched a show before bed.

It was the perfect way to celebrate 30 years!

No trip away this year, but maybe next year!

We are going to the home school convention in April though!

Of course we still see our favorite people!

I have been setting my phone aside on purpose when we do though, so I do not have photos of them!

Addie took this one this weekend.

Briar is getting SO big!!!!

How has the time change been for you all?

This is how we feel about it.

Even my earliest of the early birds can’t handle the time change!

So, Addie spend a whole day shopping and out and about with a friend, and this magnet is what she brought home for me.

Silly girl!!

Today is Eliza’s birthday.

We celebrated Sunday, right before the vomiting flu hit.

I know, I know.

We are SO fun!!

A post on her party will be up soon!

Anyway, I would like to point out some things about this photo.

Like the length of Eliza’s hair.

How short her dress is.

How huge her feet are.

AND that she is brushing her OWN hair.

Ok, ok, ok.

Pay attention, you all!

She is growing up fast, has gotten SO big, needs new clothes, and has come SO far.

How in the world did we ever live without these two?

February, you may have been so very cold and snowy, and March, we have no idea what you hold for us – but we are really enjoying all of our normal things, all of the people in our lives, each other, and this little nest called Twin Oaks!

We have some great plans for the weeks ahead, Lord willing!

Here’s hoping you all are enjoying these weeks and months too!!

Happy March, everyone!!