March 2023

We kicked off another busy month with the Arkansas Swim Championships for 14 and Under. Thad made state qualifying times in 5 events. He did a great job and medaled in 3 of them. Jeff and the boys had a great time and took advantage of time in between events to visit Bass Pro Shop and enjoy some great food. 

Leigh Ann finished off her physical therapy for her shoulder and back this month. She is thankful that after 4 long weeks, she is doing much better!

The second weekend of the month, the boys participated at the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith, piano festival. They each played two songs and were judged based on a variety of elements. Both boys received the highest rating. We are so proud of how hard they work and how much they enjoy playing!

Anna celebrated her 9th birthday this month. She requested Fruit Loops and Chocolate Milk for her birthday meal followed by an ice cream cake. She was living her best life as she gussied up and put on her crown. She asked to go to the zoo for her birthday so we set that up for Spring Break. 

This month brought the end of another quarter of school. The kids are all doing well and are on track to finish their studies at the beginning of May. 

We finally made it to Spring Break. Grandpa and Grandma Rice blessed us with a much anticipated visit. It was so fun to catch up, have a tea party, play games, read stories, go for walks, celebrate birthdays, and laugh together. We celebrated Anna, Eden, and Grandma's birthdays. It was such a sweet time to be together!

Next up on the docket for Spring Break, was a trip to the Tulsa Zoo. The Lord blessed us with an absolutely gorgeous day. All the animals were out and about enjoying the sunshine. It was so neat to once again be reminded of our Creative Creator God. In addition to seeing the animals, we rode the carousel, took a ride on the train, and watched the Sea Lion show. Thank you Lord for an amazing day!

To finish Spring Break week, we celebrated Eden's 7th birthday. She too requested cereal for her birthday dinner along with a tie dye cake. She and Jeff made the cake. It turned out sooo cool. She also invited two friend from church to celebrate with us. After food, dessert, and gifts, the kids all headed to the Box Arcade for several hours of high intensity gaming. Eden really wanted to play "driving games" so Jeff made her dreams come true. In addition to receiving her much anticipated American Girl Doll from Grandma and Grandpa, she also got a pair of twin baby dolls and double stroller. It is hard to believe that our "baby" is 7 already!

As the month drew to a close, we were so thankful for all that the Lord had blessed us with including visits with family, time spent together, birthdays, and health! 

March 2023 Slideshow

February 2023

We started February with another day off of school thanks to an ice storm that came through. Thankfully, it was short lived and we returned to our normal busy schedule.

Eli participated in several swim meets this month. He has done an awesome job in his first year as a high school swimmer. His times qualified him to swim in the 5A State Championships. He took first in his heat in the two events he swam and also made personal best times in both. It has been so fun to watch him grow in his athletic abilities. 

The boys had their 6 month kidney check up this month. We were so thankful to hear that their kidney function remains stable. In fact, Eli's function has improved slightly since his last appointment!

We were so blessed to get to celebrate Papa's 69th birthday along with Nana and the Anderson Family. There were times this past year when we weren't sure if we would get to celebrate another birthday with him. Thank you Lord for another year!

The girls continue to learn and grow. They are all improving in swimming and hope to move up a level soon. They have had fun this month experimenting with different hairstyles. See the slideshow for pictures.

As the month came to a close, spring found its way to Arkansas. The trees are budding, some of the early flowers are blooming, and allergies are in full swing. Because of the nature of spring here, we might have temperatures in the mid 70s one day and the mid 40s the next. It serves as yet another reminder of our Sovereign God who controls the seasons and our days.

Well, that is all I have for now. I hope you enjoy the slideshow!

February 2023

January 2023

 As we turned the page on yet another calendar, it was good to look back and see God's faithfulness and blessings in 2022. Now, we look forward to what God has in store for our family in 2023.

This month we dove back into our routines after a wonderful Christmas break. The kids did school, attended piano lessons, swam at practice and several meets, and enjoyed a few snow/ice days.

On  highlight of the month was the almost 4 inches of heavy wet snow we received. Jeff and his students were virtual for a total of 4 days. This meant time to play in the snow with the kiddos. The kids created massive snowmen, large snow boulders, and an igloo big enough to sit up in. The snow was beautiful and made everything so pristine. It was fun while it lasted!

Another highlight was when Jeff and the kids participated in a hike around Lake Alma with other folks from our church. The Lord blessed with a beautiful day and a great time. The girls made it further than they ever have and we are hopeful to do more hiking in the future!

One final highlight was spending time with Leigh Ann's Uncle Dave and Aunt Bobbie. They spent almost a month in Arkansas staying in a VRBO near Leigh Ann's parents. We enjoyed several dinners with them and thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship we had together. The kids all had fun making crafts, playing games, and hearing stories about "the good ole' days". It was so special to have them here!

A few extra things this month included play dates, attending friend's birthday parties, and getting to go to a fire station and tour the trucks.

As we look at the year ahead, we are excited about what the future will bring and continue to eagerly await the Lord's return.

January 2023 Slideshow

December 2022

December was such a fun month. From Christmas parties to family gatherings, we tried to make the most of every moment!

Some fun events this month included our church kids Christmas party. It was neat to watch the kids interact and play games that required team effort. Some games were so silly that you couldn't help but laugh. The girls particularly enjoyed several of the minute to win it games and all the candy!

The kids spent quite a bit of time this month in the kitchen. They decorated sugar cookies with Nana, made Rice Krispie treats for camp, put together a cheese ball for a family gathering, and enjoyed making their own mini-pies for breakfast on Christmas Day. There were also chocolate covered treats to make and more cookies to bake! The kids all love being creative in the kitchen. 

We enjoyed many of the Christmas activities in our town this month. Riding the Christmas train is always a treat. This year we were blessed with a short line and mild weather. Watching the Christmas parade is something we have missed doing the last few years so we took advantage of the opportunity to attend this year. We loved listening to the bands and seeing the horses, floats, and dogs. We also did a scavenger hunt at the library, made crafts, and took some goofy pictures. The fun continued as we did our annual lights drive. This year our favorite houses did not disappoint!

Before we took a break from BSF and Grace Academy, we enjoyed times of fellowship and fun. The girls made Christmas decorations, cookies, and Pop tart houses. 

Unfortunately, the kids were not able to perform their music pieces at the local assisted living home due to extreme cold and the threat of snow. Eli, Thad, and Eden were going to play the piano, cajon, and triangle as a trio. They played for us instead. The weather stayed in the freezing temps for several days. Thankfully, we we never lost power. We enjoyed fires, reading, and playing games indoors.

Christmas Eve we attended our church's candlelight service. It was such a blessing to hear Elijah read scripture, to worship with our family and friends, and to rejoice over the birth of our Savior!

Christmas morning we finished our advent devotions, opened gifts, and made individuals pies before heading to the Anderson's House. We laughed, ate, talked, played, and ate some more. A highlight of the day was the silly gift exchange. What a sweet time to be with all of Leigh Ann's family.

To end the year, we headed to Pinecrest Camp for our annual Rice Family Reunion. We missed  a couple families who had to work but were so blessed to be together with the rest. It was such a sweet time of worship, singing, looking back, and thinking about the future. There was an abundance of food, games, conversation, and fun. The Lord blessed us with beautiful weather and health.

As we look ahead, we are excited to see what God has in store for our family in 2023. As always, we are thankful for His love, grace, mercy, and faithfulness that has seen us through 2022!

December Slideshow

November 2022

November kicked off with Eli's 15th birthday. All he wanted to do for his birthday was hunt and spend time with family. He got both. Unfortunately, all he saw while hunting was a squirrel but he enjoyed what is hopefully the first of many opportunities to hunt. We gathered together with family in a joint celebration for both Eli and his cousin Seth. There was lots of fun and laughter. It is hard to believe that Eli is already 15 and yet sometimes it seems as if he is so much older. Eli has a heart to serve and loves being at the church every opportunity he gets. He is kind and compassionate, has a silly side, and loves music and swimming. We are so proud of the man he is becoming.

The most recent swim meet was a ton of fun. The boys continue to improve and have a great time competing. Eli is now swimming for the Van Buren Pointers as well as our local club. He has added high school swim meets to his already busy schedule but loves every minute. We have a great coach and a fun team of kids who are a great group of kids to be around.

This month we had the opportunity to serve at church through Operation Christmas Child, FAME (a medical evangelism group), and our Community Rescue Mission. In addition to the girls packing gift boxes, medical supply kits, and providing food, the boys also helped haul and pack the trucks for Operation Christmas Child. 

Eli had the opportunity to attend a youth retreat at Ozark Christian College this month. He had a great experience and his eyes have been opened to some possibilities for the future that he hadn't considered before. We love all the opportunities our youth have to live, learn, and grow in their faith!

Thanksgiving week was relatively low key. We went to several parks with the kids on days when the weather was nice. Sat around the fire reading and doing puzzles on days when it wasn't so nice. We also ate a lot of food, and enjoyed fellowship with Leigh Ann's family on Thanksgiving Day. We have so much to be thankful for! 

As November wound to a close, we began our family tradition of doing advent activities. Each night we light a candle, read scripture and an advent story, and begin kindling the excitement for Christ's upcoming birthday celebration. We have done this the last several years and really love the tradition. It is a great way to set our hearts and minds on the true reason we celebrate Christmas. 

We hope that you too have much to be thankful for and are looking forward to the upcoming celebration of Christ's birth. See you next month!

November Slideshow