School

How we feel about having three more weeks of school left....


























Bring on summer! we are more than ready!

Smores

Weekend fun

This weekend Sarah and Jill came to visit. 

On Sunday they wanted to go canoeing. I think we will be canoeing a lot this summer. 

Joel went on strike because I wouldn't let him grab a fishing lure that was stuck to a tree.

His faces make me laugh

We paddled around for over an hour and got out to go look at the big river when all of a sudden a huge crack of thunder came.  We went back to the canoes and started heading back to the park.  Joel and I were in the same canoe and he surprisingly thought the rain was great.  He paddled and had a great time.  He just kept telling me that it was the SECOND time we had gotten caught in the rain at this park so he is making sure he brings an umbrella with him.  Norah didn't say anything, she was really quiet Brent said but she just looked miserable. We got soaking wet. She had brought special the dog and also another stuffed animal. When she got home she carefully  dried them off and put them under a warm blanket with their heads on a pillow.  So sweet.  It was fun - and the rain added another adventure to it.

Joel

In awanas the kids sing this books of the bible song and Joel gets so excited when they sing "JOEL"

So we decided to read Joel in the bible together

Garden

This year our garden is doing much better. We have snowpeas, raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, eggplant, zuccini, squash, pumpkins and I'm sure I'm missing something.   Brent wants to expand it because some volunteer pumpkins showed up and I wont let him pull them out yet.  I'd love our own pumpkin patch!

Its fun to see the kids and even neighborhood kids come over and pick snow peas and eat them.

This little girl sneaks blueberries all the time.  They are coming in slow - one or two at a time and I think that's how we will eat them this summer.  One at a time, a few a day. The kids notice right when one gets ripe. 

Mud man

Mud Man.  Always.

Awanas

The kids have really enjoyed Awanas this year.  Its our first year being apart of it and I'm very impressed.  They couldn't wait each week to go. And while they were in Awanas, Brent and I were in a bible study with our neighbors at the church.   One thing the kids loved was their Grand Prix (a pinewood derby) The kids got blocks of wood and designed their cars. Then they went and raced them.

We didn't win any prizes but Norahs was the fastest car out of our family and Joel is convinced he knows what type of car will win next year. 

Above Norah's car is beating Joel's.  She has really enjoyed that fact!  Joel is not going to let that happen again! ha!

They had a fun awards night on the last night and Norah and Colin both got prizes for their age group. 

Colin has already aged up into youth group but Joel and Norah can't wait until Awanas starts next year. 

Canoeing

On mothers day these three made me breakfast in bed.  Colin made 6 eggs, three sausages and Norah insisted I have pancakes on top of that! I was well fed for the rest of the day.

After church I went for a long run while the kids cleaned the house for me and then we went canoeing.

Joel and Norah were in a canoe with me while Brent had just Colin.  It didn't seam fair but somehow my canoe was always faster than Brent and Colin.   Even with all the breaks Joel kept taking.  I used a kayak paddle and I think from now on thats how I will always canoe.  It made it much easier.

It was a beautiful park to canoe in and the kids loved it. I think we were out close to two hours on the water.

This boy.  He is so so sweet sometimes but also so hard other times.  On friday he came home with a bunch of mothers day crafts they made in school.  He was so proud to show me and even made coupons for me that he was eager to do.  That night I was putting Joel and Norah to bed by myself and asked Joel to go read/play in his room while I put Norah to bed. (Brent was still at Busch Gardens with Colin)  Norah just needs a book, song and she's out for the night typically.  Well that was the worst mother according to Joel and he kept crying that he had made all those mothers day crafts for nothing!!! NOTHING!!!!  All because I told him to go to his room, read a book, or play with his toys for just a few minutes.  Life is never boring with Joel.

I was surprised at how much he liked canoeing.  He did great and didn't complain at all.  He keeps asking when we are going back so I think we will be canoeing a lot this summer.

Blackie the horse came along with us.  Norah kept leaning to each side trying to scoop up the algae until I told her that we could tip over and there were snakes in the water.  She didn't really believe me about the snakes until Brent and Colin watched a snake fall into the water from a tree in front of their canoe.  Then she stayed perfectly still the rest of the time.

A beautiful day spent with my favorite people.