Happy Easter!

 Charlie and Hazel

Precious Life

Charlie has needed some extra special care today.

I took Oren and Hazel to dinner tonight. Watching them at the restaurant reminded me how precious life is.



Easter! Such a Sunday of celebration!

Friday night

Hazel just put together her first ever Lego set! YAY! AND she loved it!

Oren got dad time, time with Miles and time at school while I subbed the past two days. It was fun, the learning - awesome. Second grade is terrific. I enjoyed being in Hazel's class.

Next week I will teach kinder kiddos.

Merit has been trying to get over something for about a week. A double header in Yakima is what his day tomorrow looks like. Praying he feels well tomorrow. 

Willem is doing great in school and officially starts baseball next week. 

Chick therapy!

Carter at short!

 Our freshman team #gochiefs

Carter

Drake! The Vela's new pup

Lucky #7 - Merit Henry

The weekend is here!

The March Pass

During March, the month we lost our mom, I let myself really "go back" and remember. I dig through old pictures. Every March, God allows me to remember more about my time with my mom. For this I am grateful.

My mom passed away on March 25th and a few years later, also on March 25th, her father - my Grandpa Ken- was called to heaven. My mom was 45, my grandpa 75 - many of us think those numbers aren't high enough, right? Those lives are too short. But we aren't the writers of the book and we have to accept the plan God has. Or at least it is better when we choose to.  March is certainly a month of missing two very dear people. Both my mom and Grandpa Ken were so easy to talk with. Both forgiving, funny, kind and wonderful.

I have had years of sort of spinning out of control, come March. Like being "stuck" the memories being really good but really hard and me really wishing her back. Knee deep in anything that made me remember her, I sort of got lost in wanting her back. Not wanting to deal with the many things that have to be dealt with - family of six, mom obligations...But the past few years have been more of a healthy remembering and honoring which has been a blessing.

This March - so far anyway- my thoughts take me to my youngest brother Phil often. He is a helpful guy! Being the youngest of 5 and three of those being older sisters, we doted on him, poured his milk till he was 10, we did a lot for him. You wouldn't know it now.

For several years after our mom was gone and once the grandchildren started being born, our family took a fun adventure together! My dad, all five of us kids, spouses and grandkids! Staying in Plain - just outside of Leavenworth -, Crescent Bar, Suncadia... and although we haven't done this in more than 4 years the memories we made will last a lifetime.

Pictured here, Phil dishing up the kids. 

Helpful and fun! 

My mom would LOVE to see the UNCLES Matt and Phil are! 

These weekend get aways were fun, funny, good... 

Oma's lodge - a beautiful place we rented in Plain - right outside of Leavenworth, Tasha is holding Brielle. She is pregnant with Case

For our family, little get aways within driving distance seem to suit us best. 

What I also love is to show our kids that we don't have to spend a lot of money, go too far from home or be elaborate to have a wonderful time with great memories made.

With or without some of those people we love the most - time presses forward. When we find JOY in the JOURNEY - the days are good. But we all need a "pass" to have days of longing and missing too. Let's show grace, to others and ourselves and treasure each day.

FRIENDS

I was a little nervous about the weekend.
I have found a way to help calm those nerves -- these people! (Jenn and Marilyn not pictured). Our birthday group. They pray, they make me laugh, they make me smile, we share each other's burdens, we love each other's kids.
There have been losses and gains, there have been tears and laughter. There have been many memories made. Often times just in each other's kitchens and for me, that is so very perfect.

I approached the weekend with more gratitude in my attitude.

Oh and this mornings Kari Visker texts didn't hurt a bit either! She is loyal and true.
FRIENDS! How I appreciate them!! 

Chickens, Kids, The Outdoors!

Oh the joy.

A girl and her cat. 

Connie LOVES to go on hikes with us!! 

Cheese! 

Our most interesting, most timid, most odd hen.

She is one year old this month and has never laid an egg...

or has she? 

She is a great flyer, sneaky and creative. 

She flies out of the coop each morning and in right before bedtime. 

Hens and Chicks

Hazel Jane

Tuesday!

My cup of coffee tastes extra good this morning. Or maybe cupS of coffee. I suffer from some insomnia but the last month has also brought me some good nights sleep. I usually take magnesium before bed, I think this helps. Last night was not terrible, but the coffee seems to be a morning necessity.

Oren had MANY things to show me yesterday! I wasn't responding quickly enough in his mind, so he finally said "Pretend you are magnetic and I am holding a magnet." 
He is SUCH a joy. He is a challenge too. He is so smart. He is very cautious. He is so much fun. 




Willem's weekend of basketball was his BEST weekend YET!

We blinked and this happened. 

Time FLIES and I will enjoy every second of it! 

I better run ... Dentist appts for Hazel and Oren in a few!

Monday Morning

Our weekend summed up:
My Fair Lady! What a show! More performances next weekend!
Baseball AND Basketball! Baseball for Merit in ML --  The team played great. It was a jamboree. They played two 3 inning games and won both. Merit pitched well.
Willem played 5 games of basketball in Spokane. I have never seen a kid grow so much in a sport in one season. His coaches believed in him, his teammates believed in him and his hustle and work ethic is outstanding.
Hazel went to Alli's birthday party and had a fantastic time!
Oren was along for the ride. What a kid.
Then yesterday afternoon, Blue Palm with all 4 kids! We love Fro Yo. Then, time with the chicks! And some relaxing.

And here we are, it is ALREADY MONDAY!
Wishing you all a terrific week! 

Fun on the Farm

Friends!

Oren's drawings are very interesting. He told me this is Goofy.

 Wild Will, creek jumping

We have babies to take care of! 

These chicks are so darling. Oren and I brought two chicks to school this morning, Hazel's school, Hazel shared them in her classroom and then we shared them in two kindergarten classrooms. It was wonderful. We have four for now, hoping to get a couple more in a couple of weeks.

Merit is gone a lot! I realized I haven't gotten him on our pictures for a while. 3 hour baseball practices after school! And then he will be gone for away games too. We certainly miss him! He is having a lot of fun though.