Easter Sunday 2013

a family-style amazing race

Fishy faces at Bass Pro Shop

At Christmas, each individual family (on the Oedy side) gifted each other a special event in 2013.  Up first, an "Amazing Race" style photo-scavenger hunt complete with photos and clues.  Dan and I had fun planning the stops.  Dan's got quite a bit of experience in this department and we had a good time coming up with creative stops together.  Everyone had a great time!  They came back to the house afterward exhausted, happy and ready to chow down on the pizza they picked up at their last stop.  Uncle Greg and Aunt Shirlee were in town and joined in on the fun, too. 

Millie Grace with Grandma and Grandpa in her favorite ballerina costume

We included a Random Act of Kindness,...each team delivered a plate of rice krispie treats to a different fire station.  This was one of their favorite stops.

Rolling down the only hill in these parts at  a local park.

And the last stop...pick up your dinner!

Before the games begin...Dan filling in the gang on the rules.

Camille stayed home with Dan and I, not too happy to be left out.

Uncle Greg is such a good sport.

Go Eagles!

Tired and happy to be together.  :)

In the Groove

Last week was a bit rough after two weeks of no school/no structure.  It felt like usual after Christmas break was over...except that this year....our kids stay here with me!  No farming out of bad behavior or overstimulated brains from too much TV.  Oh I remember these times when I taught in public school.  The first week back was almost always a wash!  Which allows me to extend a little more grace to myself and the kids when transitional weeks come.  It's normal!  :)  So, we started out slowly.  Just the basics.  And a few  extra crafts and outside breaks.  This is the time of year we LOVE to be outside.  Florida winters almost make up for the sweltering tropics the other 9 months of the year. 

I'm happy to say that this week has been SO much better!  Dan and I pow-wowed about some things in the order of our days that needed tweaking and also, we have established a family Sabbath.  This will occur on Saturday, since as a minister, Sunday is a "work" day for our Dan.  Our homeschool week goes from Sunday-Thursday since Dan has Fridays and Saturdays off (mostly).  :)  

Without further ado, here's a little of what we've been up to lately!  

Millie LOVES her glitter glue/paint as much as her big sister!

We make it go a little further by squirting small blobs on the paper and painting in the blobs with paint brushes.  

Daddy and Millie snuggin'.  She is ALL about Daddy these days.  And Nana and Papa.  :)

Big girl hanging out in the front yard last weekend.  She is Daddy's yard helper and enjoys working side by side with him.

On Saturday, Graham's best "home brother", Johnathon came over for a birthday celebration. Dan took them to play putt-putt golf,  and at Graham's request, cheese fries and root beer afterward at Rib City.  These fellas are too funny.

This is what I get when I ask the two of them to pose for a picture--instant bunny ears.  Are they nine + ten or what?  ;)

Today, we had a little crafty fun!  I found some festive pipe-cleaners in the $1 section of Target, so we twisted and hooked lots of little hearts together....

....made glasses....

....and lollipops....

and this cute garland!  I love it.  It hangs on the entertainment cabinet in our living room.  I need to remember that pipe cleaners are such a great way to entertain.  Pretty sure that we spent close to an hour doodling with these things.

This was Hannah Reece's math project in her Saxon K program.  We created a "pictograph" together.

I love her illustrations.  I accidentally flipped her oven upside down...oops!

Our Favorite Winter Activities by Hannah Reece
"We play in the snow."  (She wanted to include that from when we lived in N.Carolina several years ago!)
"We play on the playground."
"We swim in the pool."
"We go to the farmers market."
"We drink hot chocolate."
"We like to read."
"We bake treats in the oven."
"We celebrate Jesus at church."

{first} trimming the fresh tree

This is the first year we've bought a fresh tree in our ten years of marriage.  I never had one growing up because we had a house of allergic people.  I LOVE the way it smells, the beautiful imperfection of the branches and we had so much fun picking a tree out together.

Dan empathizing with our cute tree-it has a lean. :)

Tree decorating always includes donuts and hot chocolate...Reecie always reminds us!  

Millie hugs and kisses her favorite ornaments.

My parents gave this one of Santa in a pink convertible to me on my 16th birthday Christmas...Hannah Reece thinks this one is hysterical.

Dan throurougly enjoying ;) the task of separating, checking and sorting lights.

Everyone with their "favorite" ornaments

Millie throwing a raspberry in there for comedic relief...she loves to make us laugh!

The first ornament on our tree -- J for Jesus.  He's the reason for all of this!

It took three kiddos to help me let go of my perfectionistic ways....it was awesome to watch the kids put the ornaments on themselves this year.  Graham helped us hang ornaments on the high branches...he's getting so tall! It's my favorite tree EVER!  As Camille says, "it's so boodaful!!"

ash wednesday

It's Ash Wednesday.  I'm embracing the ashes, a symbol of repentance of sin. Sin leads to death.  Without the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I am physically and spiritually dead.  The ashes are a symbol, not at all necessary for holiness or relationship with God in Jesus Christ.  The Christian calendar year and liturgical calendar are still fairly new to me.  With each year, I learn a little more, embrace these seasons more wholeheartedly.  These seasons are healing.  In observing them, they become intentional opportunities to open my heart to for the Lord to revive areas that need healing and wholeness.

Source: s258.photobucket.com via Sarah on Pinterest

The season of lent is becoming my favorite time of year!  These forty days, I choose to intentionally repent, reflect, worship and be renewed by the Holy Spirit.  One way I'm intending to lean in to hear his voice more clearly is by choosing not to read blogs.  This is something that I really enjoy ...so much inspiration and encouragement out there in blog-land!)  Instead, I will replace the time spent on reading blogs with more time reading scripture, receiving hope, instruction and  encouragement from the Lord.  To God be the glory!

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 

Psalms 51:10

LOVE

This year, I tried some new ideas for Valentine's day fun!  Thank you very much, Pinterest.   

Heart-shaped hard-boiled eggs...these were a hit!  Graham said he thinks we should have these EVERY Valentine's day;  :)  I agree!  Super easy and cute.

I wanted to add this to the bottom because they were actually dinner, but I'm having trouble with that.  First,  I poured a little batter into a sauce cup.  Then I  added a couple drops of pink food coloring, drew it up into a medicine dropper,  and made the "heart" in the waffle iron base.  I let it sit for a 10 seconds or so, to firm up and then added the plain batter, as usual.  Voila!  Valentine's waffles!  These were a big hit.  

We emailed dear friends and family members this pic as a valentine this morning.
 

A special valentine for my love...waiting in the sock drawer for his discovery, ha!

Special love notes for the kids when they woke up this morning.

Graham:  You are handsome, You are a great dancer, You ROCK, We love you!!, You rock at angry birds, You are so funny, You are an excellent reader, You have interesting ideas

Hannah Reece:  We love you!!, You are smart, You have a pretty singing voice, You have a beautiful smile, We love to laugh with you, You have a special way with animals, You are a hardworking girl, You are an awesome helper!

Camille:  You are learning to use the potty, You have cute dimples :), Your kisses are so sweet,  You are a fast runner, You make us smile, You are a great sleeper, We love you!!, You are a funny girl

I love how these turned out.  I plan to bring them out every year.  Target dollar section mailboxes, glued to wooden spray-painted candlesticks from Salvation Army.  Total cost:  $5!  The kids have really enjoyed surprising each other with  little Valentine cards over the last two weeks.     

Everybody pitched in on this little project.  Tissue paper hearts:  wrap tissue squares around  the pencil eraser, dip in glue, and press onto heart, repeat...again and again!  

Our photo wall all dolled up for V-day!   Gobstoppers in the mason jars.  Handmade Valentine's for each family member from Hannah Reece.  Millie's is covered in dried oatmeal, she loved it so much!  :)

It was a special day.  Daddy surprised me with 3 red roses at lunch time and he gave the girls the cutest soft, stuffed roses.  One pink and one red.  I'll have some time with my valentine later this week, he's teaching a Bible study tonight, it's season after all.  :)  Busy, busy.