Easter 2016

Little Man's 30 second head start on the egg hunt!

Kite Flying Day!

What a glorious time we had flying kites with Hailey!


We ate a picnic lunch first, and the weather was p.e.r.f.e.c.t.


Then it was on to the big hill....






Son C flew a home-made one. If you look at the white house, and the tree covering the left side of the front of the house, you can just make out his tiny white triangle of a kite!


Here it is up close. He wasn't satisfied at first with how it was flying.


But daddy gave more specific instructions, and showed him how.... and he was much more successful after that!



A fun day that is already a lovely memory!

February 29? Really?

Look what I saw peeking out of the ground!


This must mean spring is not far off!

I Love Spring!!!!

I always seem to forget how many different shades of green there are, and each spring it is a wonderful surprise to see the variety of deep, medium, and light green hues.

Spring pics from our yard:

The one half of one flowerbed that is weeded and mulched so far! haha (many more to go). This is the herb garden outside my kitchen window.


Flowering tree in the front,


and in the back.


Phlox growing in the rocks by our front door. We haven't planted annuals yet, so I'm very grateful the previous owners planted so many perennials!

It's Not A Tornado, but....

...our clematis arbor did not survive the wind storm we had last week. :-(

$10 worth of happiness

Outside Recess!!!!

Without snow gear!!

Yippee!

Goodbye Boots!

Hello roller blades!!

I know that Spring is coming because.....

....we saw our first robin today!!!!

Yippee!!

Our Weekend in Pictures

League champions in their age division! (son C is standing in the back on the left)


And.....(drum roll please)...... I have been waiting YEARS to take the following pictures. My children are now old enough to weed wack and MOW THE LAWN!!! Yippee!!!!!!! In fact, they fought over who got to mow first. Our daughter insisted on doing it first since she's the oldest. ;-) (notice the very weedy garden behind my husband)





Working in afore mentioned weedy garden.......


....and though we have a ways to go, some of it now looks like this!

Every year it's the same.....I say I'm going to claim the garden from the weeds before they get too big, but every year we are in a push to finish school, and busy with birthdays, and I just don't get it done in April or early May.


We had a whirlwind visit with Uncle Kevin and cousin Cody, who flew in to town for a couple days! (great to see you guys!) This is Cody with his grandma. :-)

On Saturday afternoon we attended a high school graduation party, and had our co-op end of the year picnic! I was so busy talking and eating at both events that I took no pictures.

And on Sunday afternoon we had some friends over. Here is the "boy" table.


And the "girl/adult" table.



Busy but good weekend, being and doing together.

Thank you, Lord, for my family, and for all the mundane daily tasks that make up life. I love living life with my family. Knowing that You are over us and under us and around us and IN the daily-ness brings me such comfort and peace. I love you Lord. Thank you for loving me.

Tiptoe Through The Tulips

I just have to post these flower pictures because they are so pretty! Seriously, doesn't it bring a smile to your face just to look at them?

The tulip growing capital of the U.S. is a very short distance from my parents' house, and we had the opportunity to drive through the tulip fields and then tour a display garden. How often am I in Washington in April? When the tulips are in bloom? And how often am I by myself? When it's easier to stop somewhere on a whim? Will the planets ever align this way again??! We went for it, and it was both visually beautiful and very fun to spend the afternoon with my parents.




God's creativity is just stunning!






The fields full of tulips stretched almost as far as the eye could see!


And off in the distance (can't see in this pic) were the Canadian Rockies, and the Washington Cascades, both mountain ranges glistened with fresh snow. Beautiful!




Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful creation you have made, and for giving man the task of cultivating and caring for it. Thank you for this beautiful, amazing, and colorful glimpse into Who You Are.