Sister time = being thankful and feeling REFRESHED

Our sisters weekend was GOOD for the soul.

Friday morning Vance pulled out of the driveway with the camper and all 4 kids! I waved and blew kisses and was quite certain I had never been at this house all by myself. At least not in years!  They headed to Yakima for camping and baseball. When I learned that the 12 U Chiefs, the team Merit is on, was going to play in an out of town tournament the same weekend I was meeting my sisters in Seattle I thought "oh boy!" But Amy Raymond was awesome and said if Vance wasn't up for taking all four kids there, their family would take Merit. Vance decided, however, that he was up for the adventure! And Amy and Morgan said they would help him and oh my goodness they did! This baseball family is just that; family.

Hazel told me the day before they left that she couldn't wait to sit on Kari Visker's lap. She also loves Emma Vela and Ishmael's sister Vivian. All my kids feel very comfortable around the Raymonds. Morgan likes to cuddle Oren and he relaxes in her arms. So, that was that! I knew everyone was in good hands.

After a wonderful visit with Shannon and then Lisa Friday morning, I loaded up the car, said goodbye to my chicks (no easy task) loaded the dog and took her to the Boarders and hit the road for our SISTERS WEEKEND! 

I picked Natasha up at the airport at 3:30, our first stop was Starbucks, then we met Lesha at the hotel! So fun!! Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory that night and AGAIN the next night. We slow sipped lattes, shopped, enjoyed the free continental breakfast at our hotel, talked about light hearted stuff and giggled and talked about serious stuff too.

IKEA is always fun! 

so often you will find us in the "red zone" 

I wish there weren't so many miles between us but that, quite possibly, is why these weekends are amazing and special and refreshing. I thank God for these courageous, brave, fun girls!!! And just an important side note: Natasha flew to San Diego after our girls weekend and met with heart specialists there. This was something her Anchorage heart failure specialist requested she do. The appointment was good. They were hopeful and there is so much now that can be done to help someone with heart issues. I pray we all grow to be old women. And that we can all watch our own children and each other's children grow up. Our mom never got to experience being a grandma, I hope we get this chance... and all the while I want to trust God's plan. 

Enjoying THE NOW

In less than 24 hours I am going to be with my sisters. I can't tell you the joy this brings me! Oh my gosh, they encourage me, they make me laugh, we have been through tough stuff, fun stuff... all the while leaning on each other! And they will listen to me go on and on about these darn chickens! And well, I have a few friends who will too - you know who you are! :-) 

Spring Break 2015, making memories with these sweeties!

all boy, rough and tough Oren has gentle hands when it comes to these babies

Oren is HOT and COLD. He is intense. He is FUNNY. He can be so sweet. His hugs and kisses are amazing. He reminds us a lot of Merit at this age! 

He went from the easiest going baby to a toddler with lots of spunk and some attitude! lol

Today felt so full. I am trying to get all the groceries these guys will need for while I am gone. I am getting caught up on laundry. Vance and I got the chicks situated. Their weekend will be busy because Merit has baseball. Oren took a good bath today and got his hair washed and then when I got back from the grocery store he was SO dirty. With a big dusty grin on his face!! He had been throwing dirt, eating dirt, chasing chickens and butterflies I am sure...

I got a good long catch up with Katie A. today and that, as always, is good for the soul. We have nine children combined, so good long catch ups aren't that easy to come by. ;-)! 

Spring break has been good! I wish I would have played more basketball and UNO with these kids but the days get busy and I always wish I could "play" a bit more! 

Okay, so my sisters are brave and amazing. Natasha has a heart appt. in San Diego following our girls weekend. She is being proactive, she is taking great care of herself! 

PRAYING that the appt. goes well and PRAYING that these girls have lots of positive cardiology appointments in the coming years. Touching on this on my blog is ...well, difficult. Because I want to respect their privacy, but I also believe in the power of prayer! Our mom didn't have the knowledge they have regarding this heart stuff. 

Being able to just BE with them this weekend feels like an amazing gift! I am so excited! And you know - Worrying gets us no where. Our prayers are heard and they bring us peace. And there really IS something about just enjoying THE NOW.

Country Livin'

I think I took 100 pictures on Easter Sunday. I am glad I did.

"Mom, let's be outside together, just you and me. You can work in your garden and water your flowers and I will color." - Hazel Jane age 5

Today was beautiful! I sat outside, drank my cofee and watched the chicks. 

Later in the day I sat in the field with Willem and Hazel while Nellie and the chicks ran around.

Tonight I let two chicks play for a while, out in the tall grass with the purple flowers! They are so darn cute.

I have one more excuse to put off laundry, dusting and bathroom scrubbing. (yikes)

I can't get enough of these girls. 

I thought babies and puppies grew fast. Chicks grow SO fast! 

April 7, more pictures from Easter

What a fun day! What a fun birthday! It was a wonderful, lazy morning at home with coffee and sticky buns. I enjoyed the morning while listening to the kids and tending to the chickens. :) We are on SPRING BREAK and loving it!

 A fun afternoon movie with Willem and Hazel. We saw Cinderella and it was beautiful. And then tonight sweet Julia watched Oren while the rest of us had dinner at Porterhouse! This included Riesling and chocolate cake! :) 

More pictures from Easter Sunday...

I am so thankful for my family.

This fun purse made a perfect "Easter basket"

for Hazel! A thrift store find

Baby toes, chicks, a bow tie and my favorite 22 month old

This picture is precious to me

 Our family!

Happy Easter

This weekend has been wonderful. 

Merit, Willem and I went to the Good Friday service at church.

We left the church and the prayer and discussion on the ride home was just what this mama heart needed.

Yesterday it was a day of being outside! My kind brother Matt brought over a chicken coop!! YAY!! I love it! And we worked on that a bit, visited, Grandpa Vic stopped by, Uncle Jeff came over... It was a great day and the weather was gorgeous. This morning the Easter Sunday service was wonderful. We had a big ham dinner, Oren took a much needed long nap. That boy goes and goes! And sleeps hard, I am thankful.

I don't know WHAT Uncle Matt said, but Oren clearly doesn't appreciate it! ha!!

This boy! He brings us ALL a lot of laughter and a lot of JOY!

Happy Easter! 

Jesus Paid it all

All to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow

It was a MARCH of more JOY less pain

I feel like I CHOSE to see the good this March. I CHOSE to soak up God's blessings. 

I knew my mom would want this of me. 

In the first several years after she passed away, I almost felt like I was holding my breath during the month of March. It was the month that I let myself really mourn. But some days I couldn't gather myself together to do what I needed to do for my family. I would go through old pictures, watch home movies, read some of the cards she wrote me and some days, I sort of sunk into something that was hard. There are many sweet memories and her example was wonderful. SO, I focus on the good. 

I have a very dear friend going through something hard right now and my prayer is that she can support her siblings and that they can support her through this tough time. My siblings have been amazing support --through many of life's hardships. I have a heart hanging in my room. It is a heart that Lesha gave me when I had my miscarriage. That heart and her letter were such encouragement! 

I opened my heart and my mind to blessings this March and there have been many.

okay, so the thrift store blanket is pretty perfect for these girls 

This morning we brought two chicks to Hazel's pre-school for sharing! It was so fun! I loved seeing the boys and girls faces. Hazel is some sort of farm girl! That girl is not afraid of any animals and she certainly isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. I love this! 

#morejoylesspain

#beautysurroundsme