Happy Leap Day Everyone!!! We only get this day once every four years, so enjoy it.
I was at a tea party with aunts and cousins earlier today and what a riot. Still lots of kids involved when you gather with the Riehl's and now mine are right in the midst too! Everyone brought something and it tasted so yummy! The eats, the chatter, and the Norwex display was great!
When I got home I decided to make some quick snacks for the kids when they get home from school. Normally, when they come home, they help themselves to a snack and then wait for supper. Today, I made some hot tea for them and some of their fast, easy favorites!
If BIG sister and BIG brother love cucumbers ... why not the LITTLE sister???
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Also today, Ashlyn marks 11 months and 1 week. I keep thinking of her upcoming birthday and I am brain storming some plans. She's pleasant and smiles at everyone. Just this week, she started taking a couple of steps alone. We are practicing to have walk back and forth to us. She goes for a few steps and then realizes what she's doing ... drops to her knees and crawls. I predicted a few weeks back that she would be walking before her first birthday, but I guess that big learning skill does take time. Give her a few more weeks and she will just take off walking!!!
This is another latest ... she puts her hands on her head and laughs. I am not sure if she is playing peek a boo or just doing it for fun? Cute!
Happy Monday!!! It's the start of a new week. The beginning of a new day! The start of a big pile of laundry!
Our weekend was a good weekend. We spent a lot of time at home just enjoying each other and relaxing.
Hadassah spent Friday night at a friends house. She had fun, so thank you Anna for inviting her!!! The rest of us went to Matt Lapps and played some Cities and Knights (an extension to Settlers)! We normally do this a lot with Matt's during the long winter nights, but this year seems to be busy. Maybe it's the 'not so cold days' that keep us going and more busy??? Anyway, Mike ran from our house to theirs and after he got showered up and drank some of Matt's good, healthy smoothie, we got to our game. It was a good time and fun!!!
Saturday, we picked out some new flooring for our home! There are some rooms that need to be upgraded and we are hoping to have our new flooring in soon!!! After some relaxing and a long 30 minutes on the treadmill, we visited my grandparents!!! (It is hard for me to get motivated with my running since we are back from Florida! Running in 70 degree weather is still much funnier than the 40's!!! Mike put a guilt trip on me so I agreed to do the treadmill instead of getting out in the chilly wind!) Anyway, I was so excited to hear that they were coming home from Florida for the weekend! (Sad that it was a funeral that brought them back though!!!) Because we didn't get to Sarasota this winter, it usually seems really long since we get to see Daudy D.'s! They spend the whole winter in the warm south but because of an extended family member passing into eternity this weekend, they came home. Saturday night, we went to their house and chatted and ate snack! It was so good to see them again! They left this morning again for Florida and I hope the rest of the winter is bright and sunny there for them! Love you Mommy and Daudy D.!!!
Sunday was church for us and then the rest of the day at home. We rested. Mike ran and I treadmilled. The kids played lots of Lego's. Baby enjoyed the attention she got and loved the rides! Hadassah and Matthew tied a string to one of my baskets and put Ashlyn in it. They pulled her around the house and she was loovvinnggg it! She loves her siblings and it's great to see how they love each other!
Waving "bye bye" ...
Now, it's Monday. When I woke Hadassah this morning, I said, "This is the last week in February and then it's March and Spring is in March!" Yeah!!! Love Spring time! Today the kids are in school and Mike's at work. I cleaned up the house from our laziness yesterday and the laundry pile is going down! I also need to stock up the fridge and pantry with some wholesome foods.
I hope your Monday is a good start to a good week!!!
Sometimes life just dosen't seem fair. Sometimes it's not. Sometimes things don't go our way. Actually, why is it when things are "not so good", that it's then we notice our blessings?
Why do people have to suffer? Why are there so many women loosing their unborn babies? Miscarrages and Still bornes? Life is tough sometimes.
Why do children have to battle for their health? For, shouldn't that just be something old people face? Why is there that dreaded desease called Cancer?
Why do some children face battles in life as really tough? Well, probably because they are!
Why do I worry about the future when the God of the Universe is in charge? Do I lack faith? Belief? Do I doubt His power?
HE IS IN CONTROL! Of everything!
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The start of this week seems to be bumpy. I come back from vacation and it's hits me like a ton of bricks of what really is important in life. Formost my relationship with Jesus, next my family, and then my friends. What we do today, will our affect us tomorrow.
So, if you are one that is hurting today, take courage! Take strength in Jesus! Praise Him in the storms of life! Think positive even though life seems negative! Train your thoughts to say, "Make today the best day of my life!"
Last night at small groups I was reminded of just how important it is to think positive and praise the Lord for the blessings we have!
I have a small book of Bible verses that I jotted down many years ago. It starts out with these words:
1.) God is who He says He is.
2.) God can do what He says He can do.
3.) I am who God says I am
4.) I can do all things through Christ.
5.) God's word is alive and active in me.
I'M BELIEVING GOD!
And here are some verses that I have written down on my pages. Let them feed your soul!
"But he was wonded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Is. 53:5
"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:6&7
"Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." Is. 49:15b
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Prov. 3:5&6
"I can do all things through Christ which stengheneth me." Phill. 4:13
"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thansgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Phill. 4:6
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will fless from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." James 4:7&8
"The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?" Ps. 118:6
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10
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Here's a song I heard on Monday and thought, "Wow, that would be a great song when I need a lift. Or when others need encouragement. Or when life is tough."
So, here it is to those of us who need to be reminded of God's awesome LOVE & PEACE LIKE RIVER!!! (Isn't it comforting to know it's not like a creek? Rivers are full and overflowing! Lot's of water! Lot's of peace!)
We are back from the warm south. It was a great time away, but being back to a normal schedule and in our own home, feels good too. Thanks so much Dave's and John's for inviting our family to your vacation suite!!! We really loved it!
Our flight home went well. Ashlyn did great on the first flight, but on the way home, she was so tired and really needed a nap bad! She was crying and miserable till finally she feel asleep on Mike's lap as he tenderly tickled her arm with his fingers. It relaxed her and she closed her eyes! It wasn't a real long nap because our flight was only 2 hours, but it was enough to make her smile again! Hadassah and Matthew liked the flights and enjoyed the snacks and soda they got served! We had a humorous pilot. He made funny comments though out the flight. One quote he said went something like this. "Never criticize someone till you walked a mile in their shoes." Stop and think about that!
Today the kids are back to school and their backpacks were filled with all their extra papers and books they needed to complete from being away. They were ready for school again and were excited about seeing their friends!
Here are just a few more pictures of our vacation!!!
Go PINK!!!
Before he got wet ...
Sisters ... (Yes, it was Hadassah that put those glasses on Ashlyn.)
I can't tell you how many years Matthew used these goggles. They are his swimming companion!
Baby loved the water and splashes!!!
Hadassah kept teasing Ashlyn and bringing her out of the water. She would scream and want more!!! Yep, back to the water fun for these two!
Jenika and Hadassah stuck together all week. They would go from the pool to the hot tub ... to another pool and then back again! Water ducks!!!
She would go in as far as we would let her! Daring!
Florida has lizards. The boys caught one along the shrubs by the pool one day. Jerome just loved it!!! After a little bit of playing with it, the lizard dropped it's tail and ran back to it's home! The kids were are flipped out at the "left behind" tail.
At the resort, there were kids activities every day. Hadassah won the ho la hop contest one afternoon. They had really cool face paintings!!! Hadassah picked her favorite animal - Panda Bear.
Panda, Wolf, & Tiger ...
Matthew picked a tiger.
Before leaving the resort, I spied this creature! The butterfly was enjoying the sweet nectar!
Our family before leaving this gorgeous place ...
Baby loving a balloon ...
Dave, Suz, Justin, Jordon, Jenika, & Javon ... Thanks guys for the fun time!!!
John, Martha Rose, Jerome & Tyrell ... great friends! Thanks for the fun!
The building on the left is the one we stayed in. On the 14th floor!!! The first time I looked out over our porch, I felt dizzy and it took away my breath. 14 stories high is really high! I did get used to the height by the next day. Mike loves being up high! He loved his "office" on our porch.
Every morning, he would check the stock market and make some business calls.
We took a family trip to Sea World yesterday! We had lovely weather and we all enjoyed it very much. The kids were astounded at all the beautiful fish God created!
When we arrived we went to the Shamu Whale show. Awesome and very neat! Then we walked around the whole park, stopping at all the many exhibits!
Hadassah wanted to do some roller coaster rides. I got Mike to go on that with her. Then we did a few rides with Matthew too!
We gave them both $3 for a small prize. Matthew picked from a bunch of little sting rays (not real) and he won a small sting ray. Hadassah picked from a group of octopuses. Depending on the color on the bottom of the animal you would pick, that determined the size of your prize. Well, Hadassah picked a yellow color and won a BIG octopus! She was delighted!
We ended our day with the little rides. Ashlyn got to go on her first Mary-go round ride and she loved it! She also loved all the fish! Every time we walked away from a fish aquarium, she cried!
You could actually go into an area that the fish surrounded you inside their glass. Here's the two oldest enjoying the views!
You could pet real sting rays!!! There was a pool of tons of sting rays that swam around and you could touch them. (The part that stings a person, was clipped. No danger!)
Here was one of the many walk through aquariums.
Dolphins!!!
Ashlyn taking in the view of all the fish and loving it!!!
Birds ...
We bought some fish and fed it to the seals. The seals make a nasty barking sound and it stank from all the fish! Matthew liked this!
Tropical plants ...
Ashlyn on her fist Mary-go round ride! It's not the best picture ever, but she loved this ride!
The day was a lot of walking, sunny and fun! Thank you Hon for the fun day and for taking us to Sea World!
