Veggies

I love garden fresh veggies

Our seedlings have done better this year than ever!  It's almost time to get them outside!

Beautiful, yummy salad with our own radishes and lettuces (spinach, arugula, tango, buttercrisp, miner's lettuce and more that I can't remember).

Life is Good

So, I saw this cute idea to teach the "Fruits of the Spirit".  Basically, you fill a jar with small candies (We used jellybeans).  When you notice someone exhibiting a "fruit", they get a jelly bean.  The key:  Parents have to notice.  It cannot be pointed out or hinted at.  This is a great positive reinforcement exercise for parents, too. 

Off and on, Michael has been working through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.  I told him we would have a party when he finished.  He finished this week and picked an ice cream sundae party!  

 How did my baby get to be FIVE?   

 Doing the happy dance!

Our spring garden has yielded some salad and a few radishes.  The strawberries are coming along nicely and we are looking forward to getting our inside seedlings in the gardens soon.  It's been a good year for our seedlings.  

Life is just good right now! 

Strangely Dim

I took a break this week. I scheduled this week's posts, just to keep things going on here. (And to share our cute Easter pictures). It just seemed like a good week to step away for a bit. I had no real pressing responsibilities in this online world or in the real world (where people contact me through this online world).

I have several upcoming exciting projects and I needed a time of refreshing.  

But when I fix my eyes on all that You are
Then every doubt I feel
Deep in my heart
Grows strangely dim
All my worries fade
And fall to the ground
Cause when I seek Your face
And don't look around
Any place I'm in
Grows strangely dim

-Strangely Dim 

Resurrection Sunday

Since starting our journey into "simple church" or "house church", holidays have been more of a challenge for us.  At the beginning, it was very lonely.  This Resurrection Sunday was such a blessing.  We had two additional families join us.  

We had a huge spread for lunch and then shared a few worship songs.  We read the Resurrection account in Luke 24 with group discussion afterwards.  I took the little guys and went through the Resurrection Eggs.  Then, we had an egg hunt for all the kids.  

It was a beautiful day full of fellowship.  The most blessed Easter we've had in a long time.  I'm so thankful that we were able to share it with others! 

He is Risen...He is Risen indeed!

Our family

Eggs

I love this picture!  It looks like a flower!

We had all kinds of fun goofiness while we were dying eggs!

Saturday

 We decided to give our kids Easter baskets on the Saturday before this year.  

It's nice to change up things every once in a while!  

 

How Deep...

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished


Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer  
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

How Deep the Father's Love for Us
by Stuart Townsend 

Every Good Thing

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 

James 1:17 

The boys doing their impression of a fictitious character named "Mrs. Kramer"--think grumpy librarian.  It actually might be a representation of my personality lately.  I'm experiencing some major grumpiness lately.  Mixture of spring fever and ready for school to be over, when we have SEVERAL weeks left.  

I have several ideas I'm getting ready to start.  With last week's busy-ness, frankly, I've been overwhelmed and discouraged. JP and I had a long conversation last night.  He always talks me through my "stuff" and I went to bed feeling better than I have in at least a week.  I get so wrapped up in all the things that aren't going the way I think they should.  Forgetting that God has plans that go way beyond my little thinking. 

I'm trying to "go with the flow" especially with school.  We started some projects for the fair in September.  

Michael's painting entry

In addition to our Resurrection Eggs, I'm doing this Holy Week activity with Michael.  I've wanted to do it for a couple of years, but this year he's just the right age for it.

I need to plan more art, music and field trips as we finish up this year....and count my blessings.  Definitely that last one!

Keep Walkin'

I've been putting in the miles in the last few weeks.  

I don't know about you, but I can always find reasons not to exercise.

"I'm tired"

"I don't have anywhere to walk or anyone to walk with"

"I don't have the right clothes"

"It's hard..."

Whine..whine...whine

Yes, I have been a bit of a whiner in the past.  But hopefully that is just in the past.  

I have decided I'm getting out there and if I can't do anything else...I CAN walk! 

We live in a very rural area where only the main street has sidewalks.  Before I made excuses about our town not being walker friendly.  No more. 

I put on my shoes and I walk up and down those sidewalks until I hit the two mile mark on my pedometer.  Sometimes I go back out for a shorter one mile walk later.  I have made it a point to walk in any "safe" weather.  Windy...light rain...whatever.  If I don't give myself an out, I just do it!  Six days a week!

I may look crazy and people will most likely start identifying me "as the lady that walks up and down the street", but it's better than being racked with health issues from the lack of activity.  

 

We are a "fast" society.  I want to see results fast and if I don't, it's obviously not working.  That's why we see such a market for "lose weight fast" supplements and diet plans.  These may work for some people, but in the long run I'm sure it's creating much of the same yo-yo dieting we've seen through the years.  

I'm not dropping weight like crazy or anything like that.  But I am maintaining good health.  I'm seeing so many people my age and a bit older with so many health problems.  Some things I can't control, but I should do what I can with what I do have control over. 

So, I walk and I plan to keep walkin'!

Weekly Wrap-up

Has it been a week since I last posted? 

The week was full of activity---lots of physical activity!  The boys are in the middle of swim lessons.  Michael is trying to get over his fear of going under the water.  He is doing a whole lot better!

One night, Tera made these adorable and healthy desserts for us in our new push pop set. 

I've been trying to retrain my brain to think of health in regards to activity level vs. the number on a scale.  So, everyday this week we've taken advantage of the weather and went for walks--long walks.  Any day we are out in town, we go by the library and walk on the trail there.  It is so beautiful and there is always tons of wildlife.  We've been averaging between 2 and 3 mile walks.  On the days we do not make it into town, we walk around our little neighborhood.  Sometimes I walk by myself and sometimes we use it as PE.  I'm shooting for over 10,000 steps in a day (roughly 4 miles).  I even bought myself a couple of pairs of workout shorts.  I'm not one of those people who can pull off wearing yoga pants. 

Our beautiful view:

I've never seen these birds before starting our walks on the library trail.  They are called American Coot.  Their feet are some of the freakiest things I've ever seen.  

According to my children, no week is complete without Chess Club! 

We started meeting with some other home schoolers this week for a time of sharing the kids' creative writing.  We'll be learning and sharing once every couple of weeks.  

Lots of other exciting things are starting to come about, hopefully I'll talk about some of those before next Friday!