Visits

A week ago, the kids got to have a former PA of Drew's over for dinner.  Our kids and the Morley's kids regularly pray for him as he serves as a missionary in Southeast Asia.  He is over there to learn the language and then will help translate the Bible into that language for the first time.  They got to ask him lots of questions and see photos and videos of the past 18 months there.  It was a very special evening for us.  

This past weekend we were excited to have the Goads come to visit.  It has been 18 months or so since we have seen them and our kids picked up where they left off.  It's really fun to watch them play and enjoy each other.  Epple's family joined us for dinner as well and I wish I had gotten a photo of their kids with this bunch.  Next time.  Eloisa, Eleanor and Eliza (hello E names!) are all around the same age and have a grand time together. Thanks for making the drive down and we will see you in September for Art Prize!

Easter

After two very long days Friday and Saturday painting our deck, we got to break it in with dear friends for Easter lunch.  It was so white that it was almost blinding.  Friends would walk out from the house and have to shield their eyes.  After 5 hours of kids running and eating, it is looking much more loved.  

Thankful that the curtain was torn in two.  No more striving.  No more penance.  No more sacrifices.  "It is finished." Jesus said.  Live in freedom.  You are loved, dear children.  

It was the most beautiful Easter day in as long as I can remember.  It seems to be notoriously rainy and cold here on Easter.  After experiencing what seemed like an eternal winter, we were all giddy to spend such a glorious day together.

Isa was like a mother duck leading her little chicks around all day.  Lucy, Shiloh, Calais and Stella would all march in a line behind her wherever they went.  Wish I had gotten a photo.  At one point they all rounded the house in a line and each one was carrying a little shovel, rake, or hoe.

Florida Vacation

Spring Break was spent in Florida this year.  Drew's parents came with us so it was nice to have their company.  And nice to send two kids in their van for the ride down.   I would have been tempted to complain about all the cool (60s) and cloudy days but it snowed in Upland twice while we were gone and was in the 30s so I stuffed those complaints.  Thankfully our pool was heated and so the kids got a ton of swimming in. 

Isa is not drowning.  She made this face or worse in all 10 photos I tried to take of Drew with the kids.

 The last day I had jeans on and was covered up with a towel and the kids still spent a few hours in the pool.  I have always been a wimp when it comes to swimming in cool weather.

We had a hot air balloon go directly over top our house one morning when we were outside eating breakfast.  The kids got to watch it land.

 The boys spent one afternoon at a Tiger's Spring training game.

Our big splurge of the trip was a day at Legoland which Benjamin has been wanting to do for years.  He gets a free child ticket in every Lego magazine and always asks if we can go because "it's free!".  In the past, we have had to explain that the ticket will expire because transportation, lodging, food, time off and adult tickets aren't free.  He loved the day there and wishes we had gone back the next day.  We definitely did not get to see/do everything because it was busy.  The kids all did amazing and walked a ton without any meltdowns.  There were lots of crying kids in the afternoon and I was surprised and thankful that mine were not in that mix.  Made for a very pleasant first theme park visit for our family.

Sam was the only one that wanted to ride a roller coaster.  I took him on his first and he rode one later in the day with Papa.  We would have taken him on all of them if the lines hadn't been so long.  Benjamin had no interest in the coasters and would have spent his entire day at the Imagination Center building things with all their Legos.

 Benjamin under the sign as we ended the day.

The worst part of the week was trying to get Stella to take an antibiotic for an ear/tonsil infection.  It was like trying to give medicine to a wild, stubborn animal.  She's finally given up and is taking it without complaint in a bowl of yogurt.  Adventures in parenting.