I am fairly sure we are going to have to go buy some mouse traps...oh, wait, or just use one of the many Tom and Janet bought us for Christmas a few years ago. (Ha ha!)
Tonight I was making cookies and they kept disappearing off the cookie sheet. Once, and then twice. After they were out of the oven and on the cooling rack, two more disappeared. My only problem is that I'm not sure if they make mouse traps big enough for...
I am absolutely blessed to have a homeschool co-op here in Dubuque to take a part in. Absolutely love it and love what it is slowly shaping up to be. That being said, a few of us girls decided to take it a step further and meet on the off weeks of co-op to cultivate friendships for us and our children, and to let the kids do some activities that you just need more kids to do.
Last week, when we met, one of their activities was a relay race. They were split into teams of four and had to put on an over-sized sweat suit, give their team high fives, and take it back off so the next kiddo could "suit up".
They loved it... Well, most of them. You can see by Libby's face that she wasn't too enthralled. She did it, but she refused to smile, or have fun.
And when Lance decided not to participate at all (he's only four, cut him a break)...Stacey jumped in to help!
Grace got a little help when it was her turn...she had fun.
Eve Ellie (age 2) thought that she might like to try it out. We had so much fun together and the kids got to learn a little bit about teamwork. I am so glad that we have friends to lean on, both close and far, in this homeschooling journey.
I have to admit that although the Bible says to "sing a new song" multiple times, well, change is just plain hard. I miss the hymns I sang as a child. I don't convulse in pain when I hear a hymn. I belt it out as loud as I can.
Our church, growing up, did a magnificent job mixing the old time hymns with the new chorus's (which are now also considered ancient). I was especially privileged to sing under Harry Clendenin, who WILL be leading one of heaven's many choirs along with his wife, Melissa!
Today, though, it seems somewhat hard to find a church that does a good mix. It seems either they sing hymns and shun the new songs, or vice versa. I have struggled to fall into our song service at New Life, which tends to go for the newer songs, for this very reason. It seems like the songs straddle my voice range. I want to sound great (or at least good) when I sing to my Saviour. I don't want anyone to hear me when I screw up a lyric or can't quite catch a note.
I can say, though, that although it is a struggle, I have definitely made progress in this area. I have to constantly remind myself that praising God comes from the heart, not the lungs. God doesn't care whether I am on tune or not. He cares that I am singing the words to Him, not for anyone else. He would much rather hear a person praise Him that can't carry a tune in a bucket, but has a heart overflowing for Him, than a person with the most beautiful voice that is just singing words.
Therefore, I will continue to belt out the hymns that we do sing and fumble through the other songs that are a little bit harder for me; all while keeping my mind and my heart on Christ...because that's where my focus should be anyway.
That being said, here are a few of my favorite new songs that we have been singing lately at church.
Mom asked me to take a picture of the girls in their soccer shirts and hats way back when soccer season was going on. Well, soccer has been over for two months and I finally followed through. Anyway, my mom made these hats for the girls and they love them! I love them too, but I love this picture even better. :)
Here is the cake daddy bought Grace. We were going to do the actual celebrations in Ohio with my family (don't worry, we still will), but when I asked Chris to pick up a mini-cake (Cars, if possible) he heard Cars or bust. So, he went to Hy-vee and asked about a Cars cake. They told him that although there is supposed to be a 24-hour notice, they could whip one up for him in about 15 minutes...so, here is Grace's birthday cake. :)
The excitement is mounting as we sing to her.
Finally, she gets to blow those candles out...and she is officially four...no, really, we had the cake right about 9:58 when she was born. That being said, when she woke up today I told her it was her birthday and she was four. She responded with, "No I not. I three." It didn't take her long to get excited about being four though. :)
God beat us all out on birthday gifts. He gave Grace snow for her birthday. I won't even post a picture of the book we got her. It wasn't as enchanting to her as I had hoped. In fact, she liked Mater better. Such is life!
Liza, the wife of Chris and the mother of Libby, Grace and John. I am a God follower that wants to spend every day taking one step closer to God and leading my children one step closer to God too.
I am the mother of two precious little girls. They are such a joy...most of the time. We have to have a dose of reality every once in awhile with some frustrations. I have an awesome husband whom I couldn't live without and we are just about to move into our brand new home. I am excited to be in my own home again after a year and a half.
