Favorite Moments

*watching Aubrey examine flowers, bugs, and everything in the yard with a magnifying glass
*taking a walk with Aubrey and examining ant hills
*Gracie reading the Christmas story to us from her Bible last night on the way home from our land
*seeing Madelyn's sweet drawings
*Madelyn's excitement over the chicks hatching at school. I can't wait to hear about it!

Favorite Moments

*making a little progress on our land
*seeing the girls in their dance recital costumes
*setting up our summer and fall schedule. Lord-willing, here are some things planned...

Summer
soccer for Madelyn
drawing for Gracie
lots of doctor appointments
building a house
learning to swim
reading our way through the Middle Ages
planning preschool activities for Aubrey for the fall (I'm using some Mother's Day money to buy a lesson plan book. I'm so excited to go to The School House!)

Fall
tap for both girls
library volunteer for me
possible Picture Person
maybe a Bible study
library story time for Aubrey

Library Day

One of my favorite things to do with the girls is go to the library. When we come home, I set up the books on a little table that we have. Maybe I should work in a library someday.

My First Baby

May 12, 2014: Today was a very sad day for our family as we said goodbye to Lily. We have had her for nine years. She was there as we brought three babies home, and she accepted them and loved them. She was there to comfort us on a very sad day in our lives, April 5, 2005. She drove across the country with us as we moved 1700 miles away to Arizona. She loved to chase the lizards there. Then we bought a truck topper just for the sole purpose of having Lily ride back to IL with us when we moved last year. She hated thunderstorms and made the fourth of July miserable for us. She loved playing in the snow this past winter with our girls. She was a part of our family and will be missed. We love you, Lily Mae!

Learning to Rainbow Loom

Mother's Day

Color Me Your Way

The girls and I absolutely love these giant coloring books. They are not just for kids, but adults, too. There are many hidden pictures within the pictures. The lady who created them and illustrates all the pictures herself said that even chemo patients and adults struggling in some way find that coloring her pictures is very calming. Here are some samples. I won't tell you which one is mine!

*taking a long walk with Aubrey. We got to watch the train go by, see tree-trimmers turn branches into woodchips, and watch roofers throwing things into a dumpster. Very exciting time on our street this morning!
*Madelyn reading Biscuit books to Aubrey. I even caught it on video.
*Gracie's love for reading. She is flying through chapter books!

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

I love my children's artwork, especially when it is something they have made specifically for me. Madelyn just handed me this gift, wrapped in orange tissue paper. It is a Tickle Shield. According to Madelyn, I place it on me when I am being tickled and the shield will protect me. How cute is that?

I first found this book when Gracie was little and I have read it to all three girls. We love it!

*playing outside with the girls in the warm sun

*taking pictures of the girls and the flowers blooming in the yard

*creating a new blog

*sending off another query...Chloe Conquers Kindergarten...a story I wrote for Aubrey. I truly hope someone publishes it someday.

*visiting my grandparents

*the Tickle Shield from Madelyn

*the way Gracie and Madelyn keep making rainbow bracelets for Jim to wear