Spring

Today Chad actually had the day off.  The sun came out so we all headed outside.   

 We have been reading a book called Amon's Adventure as a family and it has been awesome!  It's hard to only read one chapter a day.   It's a great story and it also has helped keep our focus on the Resurrection.   We decided to make this little garden...we were late in getting started but it was still a great project to do together.


 Today ended up being beautiful so we all headed outside and worked together as a family.   The 3 big kids cleaned out the hen house.  I wasn't sure they could do it on their own but they did a great job and worked really hard! We added all of the chicken poo to our compost pile.  Then we shut the chickens in and let them go to work turning it for us.

Everyone worked hard but we also had a lot of fun!

Today I planted my winter sown veggies in the garden.  I'm really nervous about it.   They have survived frost, freezes, and snow so I'm not worried about the weather.  I'm worried about this rabbit!  We've set out a trap but haven't caught him yet.   So, I sprinkled red pepper all around the garden and on my plants.  I'm hoping they don't get eaten...I'm so excited to finally eat out of the garden again!    Hoping we do better than last year.   One problem I realized I have, is that I don't have enough room.   I have so many plants under lights and not that much room left int he garden...so, I'll have to figure that out!

Odie

This little guy is changing so much!  The 15th marked one year of being home.   He has gone from 18 month clothes to 3T!   He is talking so much!   He's getting ready to turn 3, but, when he is asked how old he is he says, "sixteen" as serious as can be.  When you correct hi he says again that he is 16.  He's not playing!  I think he really thinks he is about that old. He's got the attitude and independent spirit for sure.   He is known as "Odie" around here.  That's how he said Moses as first.   It's really just the kids that call him that, and I think it's so sweet.  He makes us laugh all the time.  So thankful for this little turkey.  Love him!

I've been starting seeds for the first time this year.  I started with some winter sowing that has gone really good.  I can't wait to transplant those seedlings into my garden.   Now I've started several inside and they are under florescent lights under the house.   It was not as warm as it should be so I know they are growing slower than usual...but, hopefully that means they'll be "harder".   They all look super thin though so I'm not very confident in them.  We shall see!

Moses and Ethan had a collision that gave Moses a big goose egg over his eye and then a black eye for a couple of weeks.  

March 4th Ethan turned 9!  I look at him and just can't believe how old he is!  He is such a sweet kid...when he isn't terrorizing his siblings. :)   We are so proud of him.  He played Upward Basketball this winter and on Saturday, at the awards banquet,  he was awarded the White Star Award(Most Christ like).   He isn't the best ball player, but, but his attitude was great and he gave his all.   Sometimes I get overwhelmed with "putting out all of the fires" everyday, that I forget that I do have good kids!  God is working despite my shortcomings and I'm so thankful for that. 

Ethan shares a birthday with Chad's mamaw Eva.   We got to take her out to lunch on her birthday.  She's a sweet, sweet lady.  Thankful she is in our lives!

Soaking in the Sun

Last weekend we took advantage of a warm day and headed to the mountains.  Chad has been working a lot and we really needed a break as a family.   I'm so thankful to live in such a beautiful place!

Give my boys some rocks and water and they can entertain themselves for hours!

Potty training a boy means they get to pee in all kinds of fun places!

Chad, Ethan, and Luke race back to the car after following some deer.  Chad wins!

So sad...

It's so sad when your kids start reading and realize they've been saying things wrong...but, they are the little things that melt your heart and make you smile every time they say them.  

Awhile back Luke read the words on a bag of marshmallows and turned around in shock and said, "I thought it was MARSHLELLOWS!  It's supposed to be marshMellows!".    So, now he says it the right way....so sad!   Today we were doing reading with Christy.   Ethan was doing her flash cards and came to the letter U.   It had a picture of an umbrella and he was saying it very clearly for her.  "UN-BREL-LA".   I said, "Buddy...it's UMbrella".  Luke yells, "WHen I was little you guys told me it was RAINbrella!".   Ugh...so no more "rainbrellas" or "marshlellows".