Happy Birthday Pop

My Dad's birthday was this weekend.  We traveled home to Pittsburgh to surprise him and spend the weekend with my family.

the trip was actually great.

We left at 4:00am and arrived at my parents at around 3:30pm

Pictures to document the weekend

A table full of cousins

Loving on baby Ben

Celebrating Pop

The little ones at this table just adore their Pop.

We created a photo book for his birthday and each one of the grand kids wrote a special message to their Pop.  The overall message was one of service and love.  My Dad is 100% committed to his family.  To my mom, my sisters and I, and to his grand children.  Each page in the book told stories of love, sacrifice, patience, commitment, and devotion on the part of my dad. 

Sweet little cousins.  These two guys are just exactly a week apart in age.

 They had a ball playing with the sliding deck door together.

Haha, you're locked out!

 

 Nana and her girls.

 Luke wanted a picture with Nana after the girls had their picture taken. Andrew jumped in and photo bombed our second attempt!

It was a weekend of memories...park trips, sunny days, backyard frolics, family pictures, dinners on the back deck, sand box fun, cousins, cousins, cousins, indoor swinging, fire truck riding, pogo sticking, crafts, outdoor painting, and too many laughs to recount.  So thankful for family, for opportunities to be together, and for my Dad (best known and loved for being Pop).  This was a great beginning to the summer.

 

 

 

 

 



April Showers Bring May Flowers

Weekend yard work is upon us.  The kids love working, or should I say playing while we work, in the yard. 

 

Mom's favorite cookie cake baked and created by Emily for Mother's Day....YUM!

 

We ventured out this year with good friends to try our hand at picking ripe, juicy strawberries.

Before I knew it, we had 3 overflowing buckets of yummy goodness.

We came home and froze half of them for smoothies

and the other half we ate!

Andrew was with us, but in true Andrew fashion he was off exploring.

 

"For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.  How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts!"

Psalm 92:4-5

 

 

 



Our First Garden

For the past several years, the kids have asked if we could plant a garden.  We have got as far as buying the seeds.

This year, I promised myself we would plant the garden.

We started the seeds inside and will transfer them outside soon.

Hoping for a bountiful harvest and a new learning experience for the kids.

 

"But the good soil represents those who hear and accept God's message and produce a huge harvest-thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted."

Mark 4:20



Intentional Living

Life is busy.  My prayer this year has been to be intentional about our time.  I was looking at pictures on my phone recently and realized that I had over 200 pictures.  So, here are some of those pictures that I took as we celebrate each and every day God has given us.

 Valentine's Day

 Working off all those yummy treats we enjoyed in February!  Not really, but that's Mommy's goal and we all know that anything Mommy likes, her kids like too!

 Unfortunately we were hit with the stomach bug this year.  Over a two week period everyone in our family endured its wrath.

 Much to the delight and then utter disappointment of the kids, this was all the snow we saw this year.

 Little kids+ the stomach bug=Dad cleaning the carpets on Friday night.

Luke was enthralled with the rug scrubber and still talks about it to this day.

 Little stowaways...Somehow in the wee hours of the night, these two little loves find their way into our bed and make sleeping so comfortable.

 I had the opportunity to attend the Great Homeschool Conference again this year.  This year it was extra special and super fun because my sisters and mom all attended.  This little cutie was getting all the basics on homeschooling.  So excited to share these experiences with my sisters as we journey through homeschooling our kids.

 St.Patrick's Day

Tried our luck in catching a leprechaun, but he was too tricky for us.

 Spring has sprung and park days are becoming a regular part of our weekly schedules again.

 Happy Birthday Jake

We blinked and he turned 17!

He asked for an apple pie

 Spring soccer has begun.

Matt had his first try at being goalie and he loved it.  I on the other hand was very nervous anytime the ball was on that end of the field.

 Thank you God for the blessing of being Mom to these kids.

Some days are hard...

Some days are tiring...

Some days I'm frustrated...

But everyday I'm grateful

 First catch for Andrew

This is a new activity that all the kids seem to really enjoy.

 The gang that always seems to be together and for that I'm grateful. This is one of the many blessings of homeschooling.  A friend stopped by last week while these kids were on the deck dying eggs.  She commented how much she wished her kids wanted to do activities together.  I quickly noted the amount of arguing that occurs with them all being together, but I have thought about her comment everyday since then.  I often get upset when they argue with one another, but I am so grateful that they see each other as best friends and I pray that this knitting together of their souls will last a lifetime.