Bible Buzz

This year the kids have been in a class called Bible Buzz.  It is all about bible knowledge and bible memory...with lots of crazy motions!  Their teacher Mrs. Dennis is beyond wonderful, patient and full of endless bible knowledge.  The class may see crazy-and it is but I am amazed at what the kids remember.  There have been many times when we are in the car that Becca gets out the book of questions and starts quizzing everyone...including myself   Andrea was even able to keep up, maybe not quite as fast as the others but still putting those verses in her heart along with the other kids.

 

FUN AT THE ZOO

The days just keep marching along, I feel like we are still recovering from our mini-vacation.  VBS planning, puppy classes, BSF and AHG meetings all just keep marching along and I am lagging behind! Thankfully the kids have testing this week so we are able to get caught up in all things school-hopefully!  Yesterday Andrea's class headed off to the zoo.  I love that in K4 parents are still able to come along with siblings.  It really was a fun, the sun was shining and with a lot of the zoo renovated there was a lot of new exhibits for us to see.

Ready to run!  By the timewe left I think most of the kids were hanging with their moms, definitely tiring walking all morning.

It has been a while since we had been to the zoo and longer since we have walked through the buildings. Plenty to see and learn about.  This lizard was missing a good portion of it's tail.

After almost 5 hrs of walking James...and Andrea were all smiles when we finally got to ride the train.

 

 

Another Flat Stanley Project finished-thanks mostly/entirely to Sharon, Mom and kids!  After all the work they did in taking him everywhere in CA for a week or so Becca and I totally forgot about actually putting the poster together.  The plan was do put it all together this weekend but somehow we all got pretty excited about not having any plans and just hanging out at the house this weekend and totally forgot about Becca's homework.  Stanley was a day late, I think Becca was still a little sleepy this morning.

 

I was very proud of Becca-her hard work is not showing, but she wrote all the captions by the pictures...something that is still slow going at this age.

A LITTLE BASEBALL AND SOME MORE BIRTHDAY

It has been a full weekend of baseball.  After lots of rainouts, this weekend was sunny and beautiful so extra practices were called and we spent a lot of time hanging out at the fields.  In talking with another mom we really discovered that it is not so bad.  The kids totally have a great time whether practicing or playing with all the other siblings...I am just enjoying the weather not in the 90's! 

The  last team we played had a decent pitcher which allowed our team to do some hitting.  Mostly at this stage in the game the kids are only getting on base by walks.  Brayden did some pitching, had a good inning and then a not so good inning.  The balls just keep rolling in and I start to sweat, it doesn't seems to bother Brayden any, except I think his arm was quite sore as the more balls the longer the inning!  His proud moment was hitting a triple.

 

 

These are some pictures left from last weekend, celebrating Brayden's 9th birthday with all the cousins, on Ron's side of the family.

 

 Becca and Andrea some how convinced Grandma to sew them each a little bag.  They loved picking out their fabric and designing it.  Then even learned how to use the sewing machine and iron, so glad Aunt Robyn and Grandma both have lots of patience.  Who both spent a lot of time with the kids and lilly while Ron and I were busy with visitation and funeral activities for Ron's Grandma.

 

 

 

 

Most everyone who when swimming plus a little one on the way!

 

BABY ZOE

I could have taken pictures all day...so fun to play with a baby!

BIRTHDAY BOY

Happy Birthday Brayden.  I have to say this year was a bit different for him and it was a little struggle.  We ended up making a quite trip back to MI for the funeral of Ron's Grandma.  He was unsure of not celebrating at home in Tulsa but when he realized he would be having lots of fun with relatives he quickly changed his thinking.  Then as we were driving home on his actually birthday he once again decided traveling over his birthday was not for him...such a pout for a nine year old!  Seeing everyone one was very special both at the funeral/visitation and over the weekend.  Lots of memories and laughs, always fun looking at old pictures.  All in all a very busy couple of days but very special to have that time together with family.

Happy Birthday to my big 9yrs old....so quick to remind me that he is getting older.

Who can resist this cutie???  Zoe is such a beautiful/happy baby, Doug and Robyn are just the best!  We all had fun with her-definitely a huge bonus after the long drive.

 

HAPPY BITHDAY...thanks to Ron for finding and thinking about making a Mine Craft cake, something that is always on Brayden's mind these days.

 It wouldn't be a complete party without the silly string!

Such a special time with everyone, something that rarely happens even in the summertime.

PHASE OF LIFE

These days I feel like I an unable to function unless I have my calendar in hand.  The elusion that is portrayed is that once the kids are in school things calm down and my free time should increase.  I am finding this just the opposite as we move into the phase of life.  The calendar seems to be filling up with all kinds of deadlines or activates-most  requiring some sort of prep work, which takes up any time I might have thought I would have with the kids gone during part of the day.  I have to say I am now loving time at home....what a change from when we were home all the time with little ones and I was always itching to get out.  Saturday we had a wonderful day at home.  The kids ran free all day, as Ron and I tackled the yard...true they were covered in dirt, shoe/sockless by the end of the day but oh so much fun.  I am constantly reminded how fast time goes, and now that they are in school the end seems to be coming so fast.  The fact that I might only have about a good 6 more years to influence my kids before the pull of friends and the world gets ahold of their minds scares me but motivates me to keep going on those days that seem endless.  Ron and I are in a Sunday School Class which at time is a stretch for me but one of those things I am finding is worth the extra discomfort.  Sunday we were reminded to be deliberate in our decisions and activities, it is nice to talk with families dealing with older children, a heads up is always nice.  This parenting is not an easy thing and I am finding myself no longer complaining about the laundry because housework is seeming like the easiest part of my job at this point.  Anyway, on to another week of learning and being deliberate about work, friendships and time spent.

Like the pig tails?  The school put on the Musical Oklahoma and some of the Elementary kids participated.  They wore their hair in braids for the play consequently they have been Becca's request since last week.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

There are many reasons why I love Friday....this is the kids favorite!

Happy Birthday Ron!

It was a little confusing for the kids to celebrate Ron's birthday this year as it fell on Good Friday.  We had talked a bunch about what a sad day Good Friday was....then we sang and celebrated for Ron, slightly confusing.  It was a nice day Friday as both Ron and the kids had off of school.  Ron was able to enjoy a bike ride in the afternoon and we ended the day on the baseball field watching...then running as lightening storms moved in.  The kids had a nice time making cards for Ron.  It was pretty cute seeing what they wrote.  Becca's card read like a Christmas card as she got most her words off some left over Christmas stickers.  Ron was up Saturday for another  bike ride only to come back drenched after getting caught in a terrible down pour.  We ended up having cake and ice-cream Saturday evening with friends after a crazy busy Easter Egg hunt, which once again had to be inside due to rain!

It was a house full- 9 adults 12 kids, we ate the entire cake and almost all the ice-cream in one sitting!

 

 

.....and with the rain comes Baseball!  After sitting in freezing temps the other night it is hard to imagine sitting in sweltering temps at the end of the season.