May 2017

May in pictures!

We've enjoyed being outside, riding bikes, and playing with friends!

Josiah got a haircut and looks so grown-up (sob!)--I feel that I now see a picture of the preschooler he will someday be!

Homeschool means you can do school anywhere...at the doctor's office or at the top of the stairs!

Josiah did some "schoolwork" too--he said, "I drew a snowman for you!" 

We finally made it to BiCentennial Park in Southlake that we've heard so much about--and it's amazing!  (That's saying a lot because we have a lot of fantastic parks around here.)  Isaac was so proud to make it to the very top of this web (even higher than he is in this picture!) and yelled, "I made it, I made it!"  At the same time, Josiah went down this green slide for the first time on his own and then yelled, "I made it!" after he heard Isaac yelling the same thing.

While we were at BiCentennial Park, a tree company was taking down our huge willow tree in the backyard.  It made such a difference!  Everything is lighter, including our master bathroom and the laundry room.  I love lots and lots of light in our home!  I had no idea it would make such a big change!

We had such a fun weekend camping at Lake Ray Roberts with my parents!

playing "Corners" math game

Let me tell you that this electric bike is a hit for everyone!  I think my dad could have given rides on it every waking moment!  

When Josiah wasn't taking a turn on the electric bike, he was happy to ride around on his Strider or snuggle and read books with Mom-o.

Dave and the kids spent quite a lot of time fishing.  They were ecstatic when Dave caught this catfish!  My parents, Josiah, and I were all at the campsite and we heard Isaac coming from far down the road.  He was saying, "We caught a fish!  We got one!"  He was just so excited!  I'm pretty sure our entire part of the campground knew they'd caught a fish!  The man who was camping across the road from us came over and filleted the catfish, and then Dave grilled it! 

The kids had so much fun playing in the sand and swimming at the beach, too.

I'm so thankful for peaceful weekends away like these!

And, we got our trampoline!  We had been waiting to order it until we had the tree taken down.  Dave started assembling it one night and didn't finish until after dark, and then we all jumped!   It is so fun!

My uncle Jon and Anna stopped over one evening, so the kids immediately enlisted him to help build a tower.  

We also met Jon and Anna at a Chick Fil A in Dallas, which is such a funny story!  We were trying to meet them for lunch, so I found the address of a Chick Fil A in Dallas.  As I got closer, I realized I was headed to downtown Dallas.  There wasn't any parking anywhere, and when we "arrived" at the address of the Chick Fil A, it was inside a skyscraper off of Pearl Street.  I do not like driving in downtown traffic, and I did not want to park my Suburban and then walk downtown with my kids...but Jon and Anna convinced me to do it.  We walked and walked until we found a food court that did have a small Chick Fil A in it!  We laughed so hard.  It was a good memory!  

This sweetie doesn't take many naps anymore, but I love this sweet nap time picture of Emma where she had many of her baby dolls lined up beside her.

Nana and Papa came to visit us over Mother's Day weekend, and we had such a wonderful time! Papa jumped a lot with the kids!

We had the most delicious Mother's Day lunch at Mac's in Grapevine!

Emma finished her year of PreK!  These are her first and last day of school pictures.

Her class had "Crazy Hat Day" for the last day of school, and Emma chose to wear this crown.

Emma's graduation ceremony with her teachers Miss Tammy and Miss Julie!  They were just wonderful, and they are already anticipating having Josiah in their class in a few years.

I was just as sad as Emma to say goodbye to her sweet teachers.  They had a very special connection with Emma.

fun at the Fort Worth museum!

Isaac caught these two toads in our backyard and named them Trumpkin & Jumpy.  He kept them in a large bucket and had so much fun keeping them for a few days.  One afternoon, I even let him take the bucket upstairs during reading time.  (I promise that I never would have thought I'd ever do something like that before I had Isaac!)

Several days later, we knew it was time to release them, so we took them to the pond near our house.  Isaac was so sad to let them go!  He was brave until the very last minute of releasing them, and then he came home and sobbed.  He really loves animals!  

Dave finished a huge project for Rinn Homes, so we all went out and celebrated with ice cream!

playing Jenga with Mom-o and Pop

My kids love listening to audio books.   Here Emma is listening to "Anne of Green Gables" and eating her Chick Fil A one afternoon.  :)

For Valentine's Day, my parents gave us a card that said they'd keep the kids for a weekend!  Thanks to them, we were able to get away over Memorial Day.  We figured out that we hadn't had a night away for three years!  We stayed in Frisco at the Westin, and it was absolutely gorgeous!  We bought new shelving for the schoolroom at Ikea, ate cheesecake and Chuy's, read a ton of books, and laughed!  It was so special to have time together.  

In May, Isaac started conditioning practices for swim team.  On his first day, it was only 64 degrees and raining!   We were all so cold and wet!  Emma was going to try out for swim team, but when it came time to swim the length of the pool in the cold, she decided she'd rather sit with me and try again when she's in 1st grade.  

In May, Josiah started refresher classes for his survival swim lessons.  Isaac and Emma usually crouch down on the edge of the pool and cheer for him!  

I don't take all these precious pictures and moments for granted.  I remember that it was not too long ago when May was a hard month for me with Mother's Day as I so longed for a baby.  Praise the Lord for these miracles in my arms!  

"He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children.  Praise the Lord!" 

Psalms 113:9