April

While going on a walk, Thomas sat on Dad's shoulders.
 He didn't want to fall backward
so he cleverly found Daddy's ears and held on tight!

Sweet Grace climbing trees!

There's nothing like finding a good dirt pile
while on a walk!

In my opinion, Robbie's shoulder is the most comfortable place to fall asleep.

Grace braided my hair for me.  LOVE.

My beautiful Grandma passed away March 28th.
She had prayed over the years to have a peaceful death,
to pass away in her sleep.  It's quite a beautiful and awesome
thing to see a prayer be answered.
It kind of takes you back and leaves you in awe.
She was an exceptional wife, mother, grandmother, and
great-grandmother.  She loved God.
She prayed for her kids and her grandchildren daily.
She always prayed for Thomas.  The day we found out she had left this world
for heaven, Thomas sat on the kitchen floor and laughed....
I know she was right there with him, playing with him in a way
she always wanted to but physically wasn't able.
Now she is free from all burden.  Praising God with the Angles and Saints.
Seeing my grandfather again!  I wish I could hug her, see her one more time,
but I am so happy for her, for her answered prayer,
for her wonderful and long life and that she is now Home.
"....and He will raise you up on eagles wings"
We love you Grandma!!

We had a friend come and visit us last week.  His name is Rexatoni.  We took him to see the Blue Bonnets and AF Planes.  We had  a great time and loved taking pictures with him.  

Our little Classical Conversations friends came over and brought and Easter egg hunt with them!  The kids LOVED every minute of it!  We are so thankful for friends!

I love this in motion picture of Grace.
She's a serious egg hunter!

While waiting for the girls to go potty at Hobby Lobby ,
Anthony wanted to show me how he can jump up and reach the
"men" bathroom sign.  This is him preparing....

Him in action.
A successful picture of a successful jump!

Our Lenten Cross  mid-Lent.
Grace wanted to put flowers where Jesus' head was.
She also made a face for him...
I had to get a picture before more flowers filled in.

I bought flowers from Oriental trading company.
They were beautiful!  The only problem was
they were much smaller than I had thought!
There was know way they are were going to fill the cross
and there was know way I was going to spend the $$ to buy
at least 8 more packs!  So I bought a flower punch and card stock.
This will be perfect to have for the years to come!  Much less Money but still
look nice!  Especially if we get some fancy paper!  

Our Lenten Calender!  We walked the Lenten path together!
I love this so much.  It's a great visual for the kids... and me!!

The GREAT EASTER BUNNY TRAP...  (I wish Rob could write this story for you... he would tell it so much better because he remembers details much better than I!)

 Last week I was in the middle of cleaning, cooking, curling my hair, making my face beautiful, exercising, schooling our children, reading the bible, saying my prayers, sitting at the computer when I hear Anthony say, "Grace, lets go out side and make a trap for the Easter bunny."  Next thing I know the three stooges are heading outside with scissors, tape, note pad, pen and string.  I finished up the surely very important article I was reading and headed outside to watch the action.  Grace had a little dilemma, was it a good thing to try and catch the Easter bunny?  "I mean, he really is God's servant... just like Santa Clause."   (or as mom and dad mentioned, how would the EB give candy to all the other little children in the world if we caught him and kept him for ourselves?  Or if we did catch him would he be happy and still give us candy? Or if he is God's servant, really, do you think he'll fall for the trick or is he laughing right now at the cleverness and delighting in the innocents of these wonderful children.  :) I know it's the latter)    Somehow, for once in his life, Anthony convinced Grace to move forward on this creative endeavor.  

Bella is desperately trying to "pose" with Anthony
for the picture.  He is not paying attention, what-so-ever! 

writing the Easter bunny a note

 So here it is... rock attached to string under some beautiful looking flowers and a nice note to entice our furry servant of God.  Anthony said that their trap was just like the one Brer Fox made for Brer Rabbit.  And he was trying to convince me to let him camp outside to watch.  No deal.  Knowing that the Easter Bunny wasn't going to fall for the trick, Anthony delighted so much in his creation and Grace still wanted to EB to hide eggs for them to find.  They could hardly wait for Easter!

finished product!

 **Video of trap to come in a later post!**

 During our Holy Week walks we found this ginormous tree that someone had recently nailed wood boards too!  Wow, can you imagine the excitement!?  So fun.  The kids had a great time and continue to take walks to their tree fort

Bella constantly reminds me how big she is
and how she can climb the tree all by herself!!

Starting our Divine Mercy Novena.
This was an easy craft and has been a great way
to involve the kids in the Novena and to
teach them about Christ's Divine Mercy, Sister Faustina,
and celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday!
So far the kids have taken turns moving Jesus from
one day to the next and
each child takes turn leading us in  prayer on their day.
Seriously, priceless moments.

Opening day for baseball season I randomly gave AW PJ's that matched Thomas'.  His excitement was worth a million + $$.  He has called him and Thomas twins ever since.  

 I love them

  Seriously, this was a difficult Lent for me.  But in the end it was all so worth it.  I'm so thankful for this Easter season!!!  I'm thankful for suffering and offering and loving and binding it all to Christ and his cross.  I'm thankful for practicing letting go and letting His grace carry me.  I'm thankful to grow closer to Him.  I want to love love love Him with all my heart.  To really know Him, to trust Him.  I want our kids to know Him, to trust Him.  I want them to desire to love him.  Some days I think that I'm not doing enough for them... you know with all the unrealistic expectations of yourself and that feeling like you are not that organized, clean or whatever else you want to insert here...  Those days I remind myself what's important.  And it's exactly opposite of what the world says.  If our kids truly love God, know God, serve God with a pure and humble heart.  I will have been successful at what God has called me to do.  That's my goal every single day.... as long as I don't get distracted (struggle!)!    

Cross filled to the brim with goodness 

and love for Christ and his passion for us!  

Thank  you Jesus!!  We rejoice in your Resurrection!  

 Coloring Easter eggs!

baskets added, waiting on the Easter bunny!

Easter Morning!
Bella ate like 3 #s of chocolate that day!

Bella still eating bunny.  She definitely wins the
"ate most chocolate for breakfast" award.

 Kids peaking in hole in the tree to see if anyone lived there!

Bella loves loving up on Thomas.
She gives him at least 1000 kisses a day
It goes like this: kiss hand, kiss other hand,
 kiss foot, kiss other foot, kiss face, kiss head,
say, "Tom" or "Tommy" or "Toma"
then kiss him all over again

We celebrated Easter Monday with these little treats...

 Easy to make, fun to eat!

T-ball has begun!!

I can't get enough of this picture.  

AW

Grace in the out field and Daddy is the umpire!

Team picture!  Our name is "the HEAT"
HEAT stands for "home educators associating of Texoma"

planted our Easter lilies in hopes that they'll last longer!
We'll see if it works!

nothing like sprinkler time in April!

he loved his uniform so much that he
wore it the next day and slept in it!