March 2018

March in Pictures!

Emma and Isaac have choir every other Wednesday night, so on those evenings Josiah loves having "Daddy Night" with Dave at home.  My parents gave him this "Richard Scarry" game for Christmas, and he loves to play it!  He is so good at spying Goldbug with his magnifying glass. :)

Lunchtime with new magazines!  Right now, each child has their own magazine subscription, and they love when a new issue arrives!  Josiah has "Jobsite Juniors," Emma has "Clubhouse, Jr.," and Isaac has moved on to "Clubhouse."

Stephanie, Avary, Nickie, and I hosted a wonderful shower for our friend, Julia, and her new son Jamesson!  Julia and John adopted Jamesson in December after fostering him for 21 months.  Each of the hostesses wrote questions for Julia ranging from funny to Biblical about Julia and John's experience of Jamesson's adoption.  Julia had time to work on her answers ahead of time, and then we asked her the questions as part of the shower.  It was so special to hear how the Lord worked through her family and in Jamesson's early life to ultimately lead to his adoption.  It was a special night with sweet friends. 

My cousin, Anna, and Uncle Jon surprised us with a visit the next day on their way to Houston for Ashley and Nate's reveal party!  

We celebrated Josiah's third birthday that weekend!

 

The kids, especially Emma and Josiah, were so excited about the blossoms on our tree that appeared this spring!  After we sing "Count Your Many Blessings" during Symposium each school morning, we each share something we are thankful for that day.  One morning, Josiah said he was thankful "for the blossom tree."  It doesn't look nearly as beautiful in this picture as it was in person!

Uncle Mike came for a visit!

Emma and I had a fun evening walking and biking on the Bear Creek Trails while Isaac was at swim team.  

Emma love to take pictures! :)

One morning when we were finished with school, the kids were playing outside.  They brought in this glass which they had filled with water for the blossoms they'd picked in the backyard.  The sticky notes around the bottom said "we love you mom."  

I can't believe how grown up Emma looks here!

The kids like playing "broom hockey" on the driveway at our house and my parent's!

A highlight of the month for me was definitely the Great Homeschool Convention in Fort Worth!  I was so encouraged by the speakers and by spending time with such wonderful friends. 

dear friends Jenny and Tiffany

One of my favorite authors and bloggers, Sarah McKenzie~she has a wonderful new book out called "The Read-Aloud Family!"

It was also so great to spend time at the conference with Jennie and Melanie, also Taylor alum!  

This is my other favorite presenter who has impacted my homeschooling largely through her book recommendations and encouragement, Jan Bloom!  She is also from Minnesota and even worked at the same Bible camp, Covenant Pines, where I worked in northern Minnesota!  She and her husband were in town again in May for another convention, and we had them over for dinner then!  

Isaac and Emma participated in their first Sparks boat regatta at Countryside.  Both of them even made it to the final heat!  Isaac's ship was "The Dawn Treader" and Emma's was "Fairy."  Dave built and decorated the ships with the kids while I was at the homeschool conference.  

So excited!

When Isaac got to the final heat, he set his boat in the rain gutter and started practicing his blowing.  He was huffing and taking such huge, deep breaths to "practice."  I don't even knew if he knew he was doing it, but he was so focused and ready!  One of his Sparks teachers, Jessica Pennington, and I saw him and couldn't stop laughing!  I love his intensity in all things.  

My friend, Tiffany, had a fun getaway in March also.  We talked for hours, laughed, and browsed at the Painted Tree!  Here are a few gifts that made us laugh!

Emma loves smothering our foster baby with kisses.  She says, "I'm a kissing machine!"  Also, this is an outfit she picked out herself.  I love seeing which clothes she picks out to wear and her reasoning for why they match--she always has a specific reason!  For example, this outfit matches because both top and bottom have flowers!  One thing's for sure--she always picks soft clothes!   

Breakfast time with Kirsten

We had a fun hike with our friends, the O'Briens, at Bear Creek Park!  They have shown us the best, hidden places at the park where the kids love exploring!  

Three Easter cuties ready for an egg hunt!  

Our friend, Ashley, hosts an egg hunt each Easter.  This year she had 1500 eggs, including 10 golden eggs!  Isaac found one of the golden eggs and a tiny snake, which he loved showing all the other kids!  

Emma cut her bangs the night before Easter!  She said, "I found scissors and cut it!"  Ha!  I found the hair tucked into the floor of her Calico Critters house, sort of as a nest for her creatures.  A few weeks later, we were reading how Samson couldn't cut his hair and discussing the requirements for Nazarites. Emma said, "They can't cut their hair, like I did!"  It still makes us laugh when we see her short bangs! 

Coloring Easter eggs!