Snow Days

I love snow days (even if they follow Christmas break)!  I loved them when I was teaching, and I love them now that I am at home.  The idea of waking up without an alarm, sipping on hot chocolate, making cookies, and playing board games with the kids simply brings me joy!  It would have been much more fun if there would have actually been snow on the ground, but we enjoyed it even without the snow.  And we have another day off tomorrow!

From Happy Easter to Happy New Year

So it has been quite a while since my last post!  What a great year it has been - filled with so many special moments I wish I would have posted.  Thankfully, I captured most of them with my camera.  Perhaps I will flash back throughout 2014 some of what 2013 brought us!

Here is what Christmas looked like for us.

I hope your Christmas was as joyous as ours.  Happy New Year!

Happy Easter!

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve…

Mark 10:45

Saturday was a day of service for our family, and what an incredible day it was.  We, along with our weekend group at church, went to the Portland Promise Center to serve families in the Portland community.  The event was an Easter gathering - complete with food, a Bible story, a picture with the Easter Bunny, and an egg hunt.

Josh and I were really looking forward to the opportunity, especially as part of Easter weekend.  What a wonderful way to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus!  We talked to the kids about our purpose that day - we were there to serve.  We were expecting approximately 130 people, so there was a lot to do.  We encouraged our kids to meet the kids from the community and make them feel welcome.  Dylan held the door as families entered, helped with the food, and hid eggs.  The girls mingled a little and hid a few eggs as well.

Then came time for the big egg hunt.  We stood back and watched as all of the kids excitedly ran into the yard to fill their bags.  Our kids - the girls especially - wanted to hunt for eggs as well, and although it would have been fine for them to take part alongside the others, we really wanted them to focus not on themselves, but on the joy the other kids were experiencing because of their service.  We explained to them beforehand that many of the kids they would meet don’t have the same opportunities as they have in life and that this day would be a day of great excitement for them.  We wanted our kids to appreciate that.  We wanted to plant the seed of service in their hearts.

Then, as we stood there, the most amazing thing happened.  The day took on a completely different meaning for our family.  A mom of one of the kids noticed that Brooklyn had an empty bag and took some eggs from her daughter to give to Brooklyn.  Then at almost the same moment, another mom and her daughter gave an entire bag of eggs to Kynlee.  Of course, my initial reaction was to say thank you, but to tell them that they didn’t have to do that.  I saw, though, that they genuinely wanted to give.  They were so very kind.  Then, I was completely humbled in the next moment.  My eyes filled with tears as two boys - maybe a couple of years older than Dylan - noticed him just standing and commented that they were sorry that he didn’t get any eggs, and they gave him some of theirs.  No prompting from any parents - just two boys with probably very little in life - giving.  Incredible.  We went to serve, and we left being served.  We went to bring Jesus to them, and we left with them bringing Jesus to us.

Ohio

We traveled to Ohio last weekend with Dylan's soccer team.  It was a tough tournament, and although they didn't come out on top, the boys had a lot of fun as a team.

 



  

Dinner was great.  Then the team headed back to the hotel for more fun.  

  

Sunday was COLD.  This meant hats, gloves, and layers - and not just for the boys!



  

The boys get the Spring season underway this weekend.  Let the games begin!

Fun in St. Louis

Kynlee and I took a quick trip to St. Louis last week.  Our original destination was Chicago, but our flight was canceled due to weather, so instead of waiting for the weather to pass, we opted for St. Louis. 

The main attraction...

Here is what I captured.

 

Time spent with Kynlee is always great fun.  Oh, how she loves fashion, shopping, and a little pampering!   She is such a little lady!

Time Well Spent

Thank you, Ken and Tina Lolla, for the time you spent with Dylan and his classmates.  What a fun time! 

The kids were so excited to ask their questions, and each question was answered with such a purposeful, powerful message.   So inspiring!

 

I encourage parents to check out the Lollas' children's book, Finding Your Gifts (link) .  It will offer such an inspirational message to your little ones.

Thank you again, Ken and Tina!

Makeover, anyone?

 

This sweet little face is what I saw when I walked into my bathroom yesterday.  With mascara still in hand, she turned to say, "I have eyebrows, Mommy."

 

Elyn is one who finds her way into EVERYTHING.  Quite a new adventure this is for us, as Dylan and Kynlee just weren't this way.  They really sort of spoiled us I guess.  We never had to keep things out of their reach, put locks on cabinets, or anything like that.  We simply told them no, and that was all it took. With this girl, it is something new everyday.  What a joy she is though!