Thursday, June 29, 2017

Swim Meets and Chicks

 We have Lazers spirit! Our swim team is so great- we love the coaches, the dynamic of older swimmers encouraging the younger ones, and the hard work each child learns through swimming.
 Stretches for the Mini Lazers. They are too cute getting ready for the Lollipop race!
 Geneva and her coach.
 Savannah and her coach.
 When we got home our chicks had started to hatch! This is seriously so great to watch! We loved watching God's timing- exactly 21 days and they all hatched! Each on has a little tooth at the end of their beak to crack open the egg. Quite amazing!
 Our study is full of birds! We have 9 total. 
 They are so precious!
 Each with their own pattern and coloring.
We're enjoying them this week and I'm secretly happy to send them back to the farm Saturday. The house is getting kinda stinky.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Fun with Friends!

 We've been having such a great time visiting with the Archer family. We go way back with them, even before Jesse and I were married. Kim and I knew each other back when we were kids in Sunday school. So, having them here from South Africa for the month is great fun! 
 All the ladies!
Fun at the lake!
 Savannah drove the boat :)
 Swimming with Mrs. Drum was a highlight!
Geneva and Mr. Drum :)
 
These two. Ha ha
Well, that is a couch full of cuties!
  
Sonic run with friends!
Jesse and I are so blessed with dear friends. God has showered us with people younger, our age, older and people in different stages to share life with. True fellowship over the Word and what the Lord is doing in our lives makes friends like family. We are thankful for their fellowship!

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Last Day of Second Grade For Maddie Girl

This year has been so good for Maddie! She's learned some valuable lessons. When we turn towards God in struggles, we are refined. I see her persevering and growing in responsibility. I'm so thankful to have her as my daughter! Her favorite part of this year was Mrs. Anthony and Mrs. Oliver and her friends. She loved learning multiplication! 
We started off the morning with studying about how to be peacemakers. I've been seeing the need for this topic :) Whether we have conflicts with friends or arguments with our sisters; we want to please God with the way we work it out. I realize this problem doesn't go away as you grow up- we all have disagreements because there is sin in this world. The book Peacemakers is what we're going to study this summer for our devotions. 
Then we had a girls morning shopping at Old Navy for some summer clothes. 
Thanks Gigi for the gift cards (we saved them up from Christmas)! Then we headed to Chick Fil A for lunch :) These girls are such a blessing!
 
Tessa took Maddie out for a smoothie to celebrate the end of school :)
 And then Geneva and Savannah had swim lessons from their favorite, Miss Ashley!
 Ahhh...SUMMER!

Monday, June 12, 2017

Last Day of Kindergarten for Savannah!

 I cannot believe how much Savannah has growth this year! She is so much more independent in her work, confident in her answers, enjoys reading and writing! She has made some wonderful friends in KA and had two amazing teachers- Mrs. Gleason and Mrs. Kim.
For the last day, the kids played in water, had character awards, and picnic lunch.

 Mrs. Gleason is so loved.
 G really wants to be in this class NOW :) 
Savannah's character award was for Faithfulness. 

Summer time is here!! 

Friday, June 9, 2017

Celebrations

These girls are just too cute. Savannah and Naomi have had a play date every week throughout kindergarten. Geneva loves to be do whatever the big girls are doing. It's been so fun to watch these girls become closer friends and grow up this year .
Thursday was Sports Day at ICS. Jesse helped with the water games.
 Savannah had her first ballet recital. She was so thrilled to be on stage!
Here's the class
She's such a sweetie
 Daddy bought her a rose bud, which happened to be the name of the dance, too.
   Goofy people.
And we like to celebrate with ice cream :)

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Friends

 Friendship is such a blessing, yet at the same time can be such a challenge to keep. Most of us make many friends throughout our lives. Friends at different ages and stages of life, friends from various activities or places we've lived. It's pretty hard to keep up with all these friends. So, my friendship with Jan Tremaine is a rare treasure! We became instant friends at age 6, so we've been friends for 32 years (yes, do the math- that makes me 38)! She and I were both homeschooled, lived on the same street, and our dads worked at the same church! Besides all those commonalities, we really had fun together! We have many embarrassing stories we could share between enterprises we tried to launch and pretend games, but I think the best part of our friendship is how we've cared about another and shared life. Jan moved away when we were 12 years old, but we wrote and kept in touch. As we got older, we called one another. Then Jan was my first friend to get married. I traveled to be in the wedding, then again for her first couple of kids. She was such an encouragement to me as I went through singleness for what seemed at the time, forever! Then she was a bridesmaid in my wedding. We have remained friends through moving to several different states, getting married, having babies, and so many other life changes. I'm thankful for you, Jan! It's unique to have a friend that values so many of the same things. I thank you for your selfless example of a true friend! Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
We were able to see each other this week. 
We had the family over for dinner as they passed through town on vacation!
Such a blessing to have these kids.

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Almost Summer Time

 We're very happy about the weather warming up and school wrapping up!
And Geneva is a rockstar on her glider bike. she can fly!
 Maddie's class had character awards this week. She received the award for "Perseverance: being able to cope with stress to accomplish God's work". She sure has worked hard this year! Mrs. Anthony said that Maddie has even asked if she could bring work home so that she could catch up. I love her determination and hard work!! She has grown so much in responsibility. The kids also read the stories they have written and illustrated. Maddie has become quite an excellent writer!
Savannah had a ladybug release party this week!
"It's in my dress!"
"Now it's in my hair!"
Savannah's class also went to Hidden Pond for a field trip. They are too cute.
Class photo. They got to see frogs, snakes, and learn more about the life cycle.
Friday Savannah's class had donuts with dads- Happy early Father's Day!
 We celebrated National Donut Day. It's a thing and it is noteworthy :)
 Saturday morning at 7:30am, Geneva grabbed her new Preschool book and a pencil and said, "I need to do my math!" This girl is motivated. I love it!!
 Then off we went to Maddie's last soccer game! Love this team of girls and their coaches.
And when we got home, chicks had been delivered! We have 2 baby chicks and a few eggs in an incubator. In 21 days we hope to have a few more babies!