School Days and a Bird Unit Study

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School continues on!

I really haven’t determined what our summer schedule will look like yet – but we usually have a structured “school” time everyday during the summer as well.

Right now we are still using our winter schedule and enjoying our days very much!

We start our “school” day after the kids have a 7 a.m. breakfast, and then do their chores and their personal Bible time.

I sing a Bible song to call everyone to the counter at 8:30!

They probably come running so I will stop singing, ha, ha!

Our Bible time consists of singing, a devotional time, and prayer and it is so, so, so sweet.

Next Chad gets to work at the desk, I get Lane going on his work, and then I teach Tate and Eliza their phonics, math and reading.

Sometimes we have a mascot!

Tate has carried his elephant every. single. place. he goes for the last week or so!

Lane loves to read his Science lessons and then make a journal entry about what he learned.

Such treasures these journals are!

I am doing a bird unit study with the three youngest ones right now and it is super fun!

I ordered lots and lots of bird books.

The kiddos watch videos about birds too!

We have been filling our yard with things for the birds!

Things for them to make nests with…..

and things for them to eat!

At 11 o’clock the younger kiddos have what we call “Lane time” where Lane takes them downstairs so I can meet with Chad to help him with his school!

Chad loves his Mystery of History curriculum!

This day he was learning about Vietnam.

Chad did typing lessons back in sixth grade, and for practice I have him type his Science study guides.

We have read aloud time for a half hour before lunch and then another half hour after lunch.

We also finish up anything we need to after lunch as well – like this spelling test!

I am excited to pray about our summer schedule and see what the Lord brings to my mind!

I can hardly believe it is already MAY!

These days with these precious kiddos are such a HUGE blessing, and, Lord willing, I am looking forward to many more!!

A Road Trip With My Crew

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This past week we had the opportunity to meet up with some sweet friends who just happened to be in Dubuque, Iowa, which is only two hours away.

We had been looking forward to this for quite some time!

We met at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium to start our day there.

It was a very neat place!

Right as we walked in we were met by this beautiful (live!) duck and some turtles!

The first area was all about erosion.

There was SO much neat information to read about in every area, but also several hands on areas for the kids to enjoy.

The fish areas were amazing!

These fish were HUGE.

The second floor of the first building was not finished yet, so we headed outside to walk to the boat that was out on the dock.

It was such a beautiful day!

But very chilly on the water and on that boat – so we did not stay there very long!

We walked along the river to the second building, which turned out to be even better!

We saw this octopus which was really neat!

The lighting in that area was blue!

There was a play area with water on the second floor.

We stayed in the water play area for quite some time.

Pretty soon all of the school groups cleared out, so we headed back downstairs to pet the sting rays.

This by far was our favorite thing!

It was lunch time, so we looked up a park and headed up the road to eat a picnic lunch.

It was the PERFECT weather for a picnic!

We sat in a park outside the courthouse right in the downtown square.

It was beautiful there!

While we were visiting after lunch, I got a parking ticket!

Thankfully we saw the officer giving it to me and ran to speak to him and put more money in the meter!

It turns out it was just a warning anyway.

Country folks we are!

We thought this park had swings, but it did not.

We looked up a different park and headed there to play for the afternoon.

It happened to be on the side of the river and so, so beautiful!

Here’s me and my crew!

And my girlfriend and I!

The kids ran and played and played and played!

See that little speck in the sky on the left of this photo?

It was the perfect end to a perfect day as we watched that bald eagle swoop down and grab a fish out of the river!

The kids had a blast, us two Moms enjoyed being together very much, the weather was perfect, and the Lord protected us with travel mercies both there and back.

What a GREAT day.

Memories in the making for sure!!

Thanks for inviting us, sweet friends!

Can’t wait to see your WHOLE crew in September!!!

Keeping Those Memories Again

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As a Mom of kiddos that are spaced out in age from 25 years old to 6 years old, I often have the thought that I might slight the younger ones of things the older ones had – things like lots of photos and keeping their memories.

Yesterday I downloaded 247 photos off my phone from one week’s time, so I am guessing I can quit worrying about that!

How I enjoy keeping our family’s memories!

While we were waiting for all the snow to melt, the kiddos literally ran in circles on the deck for days on end!

It got their wiggles out though!

This one.

She STOLE my heart and KEPT it.

Date night.

Have I told you I love them?

And that I LOVE coffee treats?

What’s great about the coffee treat I order is that is it only 8 ozs of coffee in the bottom of that huge cup and then stuffed the rest of the way full with ice!

Then I add a splash of my own coconut cream from home.

SUCH a treat!!

Blake and I specifically went to the mall on this date night because I had some books I wanted to see, touch, open, and glance through.

Then I stood in the bookstore and ordered some of them from the library to pick up later!

This cookbook was beautiful!!

We are not mall people though!

I did love seeing this little bakery there!

Addie’s DREAM is to own a bakery!!

But this one is not hers, even though it has the perfect name.

Sometimes date night means grocery shopping.

BLAH.

Look at these sweet treasures from our friends that stayed with us!

They are missionaries from Africa!

There was about a week here lately where my side of the bed looked like this quite often.

I wasn’t feeling very good, thank you chronic disease.

Praising the Lord that I am better now!

Last Sunday we took our snack dinner to River’s new place!!!

THE FARM!!!

The kiddos had a BIG time in the puddles and mud!

It was such a beautiful evening!!

Last week spring arrived!!!

I might have got a little teary.

We’ve been waiting a long time!

Even when the temperatures were just starting to creep up a bit, I couldn’t help myself!

I cracked all the windows and we put on our sweatshirts!

The days that Addie Mae is home from work look a lot like this!

This was my morning snack one day.

Not really helping my “I don’t feel so great” thing, was it?

I somehow justified it in my head!

Chad.

His guitar.

I love them BOTH.

He is not sad here.

I just caught him off guard.

We had our monthly women’s meeting at church last week!

Addie always diligently does the craft!

I always bring mine home to do later!

Someday I am actually going to do them all!

Our sweet Sadie Jo got really sick last week too.

The vet is treating her for Lyme.

She is doing GREAT again now!

Don’t ask me how I feel about Lyme.

Ever.

Did I mention spring is here??!!

Warm weather, sunshine, long days?

YES!!!

The sun streaming through the windows makes me HAPPY!

Season changes are super duper hard on our sweet girl Eliza.

Praise the Lord for essential oils!

Speaking of that girl – she reads NON stop.

All the day long.

Anything she can get her hands on.

And she is GOOD at it too!

Some more SPRING IS HERE photos!

We ate our afternoon snack on the deck!

In short sleeves!

Soaking up that SUN!

My body has been craving a season change in our food choices too!

I made turkey veggie burgers one evening.

Grant grilled them for us!

Here’s Lane, playing along with you tube.

Sitting on my exercise ball.

I love this photo for so many reasons!

I love this photo too!

Always together and better because of it.

Spring is HERE!

We were able to release our butterflies!

They flew away happily!!

Here’s what it looks like when Addie Mae goes to help Kayla on a Wednesday afternoon.

Good things in the oven!!

What a hoot!!!

Guess what?!

I have some SPRING photos!!

Tate told me he sits like this because God designed him this way.

SOB.

You got that right, buddy!

Fearfully and wonderfully made!

I had THE BEST CREW EVER as we got ready for our friends to stay with us!

Just look at this work force!

This place was shining.

Remember that foot of snow we got on APRIL 18TH??

Our neighbors are SO sweet!

Took four swipes to clear the drifts off the driveway!

The guys were SO thankful!!

Look at Blake’s beautiful drive to work after that big snow!

Have I ever told you how much I love this sweet baby?

Bed head and all!

This is her “I am not awake even though I am sitting upright” face.

We are working hard to have Eliza get dressed all by herself!

She has come SO far!

Remember my painting projects?

Here is the knife block Addie and I painted!

I ordered this CD recently and it has been on repeat this past week!

Something about these hymns that just do the soul so good.

Do you all make granola?

It’s our cereal, it’s yummy, and it makes the house smell SO good while it’s baking!

Ok, then!

Memories kept.

Except for one more.

A spring sunset.

Look what God did!

Nothing like it.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for so, so, so many good memories!!

The Children’s Museum

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A little over a week ago, while we had some friends staying with us, we headed to the Children’s Museum for an afternoon of play time!

We have a membership at this museum, and the kids always enjoy playing there.

There were new exhibits this time, which made it more fun!

Tate and Eliza’s favorite spot is the grocery store!

It even has a working cash register – so cute!

The grocery store is part of the gas station.

We even managed to see everything on all three floors, I think, in the time we were there.

The perfect end to our afternoon was climbing in this climbing structure!

Eliza even went to the top!!

With all of the cold temperatures and snow that was on the ground the week our friends were here, it was nice to get out and let the kiddos run around for awhile!

Children’s Museum, I bet we will be back soon!

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