December 2021

 Can you believe that 2021 is over? We finished the year off by cramming in as much fun as we could. 

We kicked off the month by heading out of town for a swim meet. Both boys were swimming great and set several new personal bests when the weather decided that tornadoes might be in order. The meet officials shut it down and sent us all out to brave the storm. Thankfully, Nana and Papa and the rest of our crew all made it home safely. It was a bit of a hair raising adventure with high winds, hail, and torrential rain but our area of the state didn't suffer any lasting damage. Unfortunately, the eastern part of the state can't say the same. The landscape out there is now marred by the devastation left behind from a massive tornado. 13 tornadoes touched down in Arkansas that crazy night.

The next week brought an orthodontist appointment that Marie has been waiting over a year to go to. She finally got her braces off! She was super excited until they 'fitted' her for a retainer. Having stinky putty molded around her teeth not once or twice but three times was almost her undoing. Sensory issues compounded an already uncomfortable process. She was a trooper though and is enjoying her new freedom to eat anything.

The girls sang in church during our Happy Birthday Jesus celebration. Marie and Anna were part of a select group of girls to learn some extra parts and use the microphones. All the girls did great in front of a packed house for two services. The girls also attended a special Art Reach as part of an outreach ministry our church hosts. They enjoyed painting and making several different Christmas ornaments. Our children's ministry also had their annual family Christmas party. Jeff was a good sport to allow the kids to "decorate" him like a Christmas tree!

We had to try out something new this month. Our town put up a synthetic ice rink. It is basically a sheet of thick plastic that you skate on. It was a new challenge for everyone as you can't 'dig in' like you would on ice. After a while almost everyone got the hang of it. All agreed that skating on real ice is way more enjoyable!

The middle of the month brought an emergency hospital stay for Nana. Thankfully, after two procedures, she is home and recovering well from the world's largest kidney stone...well almost anyway. We are so thankful for modern medical care and for the quick action of our local hospitals. 

December wouldn't be complete if we didn't ride the Creekmore Holiday Express. Thankfully, we had beautiful weather and the line went quickly. I will admit that it was a little bizarre to be riding the Christmas train and looking at the lights in 70 degree weather. We enjoyed our ride and then drove around looking at the various light shows around town. Some of the ones set to music are included in our favorites. There is also a house that has tons of miniature animals that are lit up around the yard that we love to look at each year. We also made sure to stop at Sonic for refreshments to enjoy as we drove around.

The week before Christmas saw us at Pinecrest Camp for our annual Rice Family Reunion. It was such a bummer this year that Jeff's brother Doug and his family ended up with COVID and couldn't come. Their absence was felt in so many ways. We still enjoyed time with the rest of the family. There are now so many little people that are younger then our kids. It is a strange feeling not to have the youngest kids anymore. This year we included a hike to the Glory Hole Waterfall in our festivities. The hike is a bit challenging but the Glory Hole is a truly amazing part of God's creation. Many enjoyed climbing up rock faces and challenging their bodies and gravity to do the impossible. It made my stomach tie up in knots but thankfully no one was seriously injured. We also played mini-golf, gaga ball, cards, games, carpetball and more. It wouldn't be Christmas without doing a gift exchange. So many fun ideas! There was lots of laughter, some tears, and tons of eating. We hope and pray that we will all be able to gather together next year. 

After unpacking and washing the mountain of laundry, Jeff and the kids made cut out cookies. There were sprinkles and frosting everywhere but the cookies turned out great. 

Finally, the morning the kids have been waiting for in eager anticipation - Christmas morning!! We finished our advent books, prayed together, opened gifts, and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast complete with home-made cinnamon rolls and a cherry streusel. Unfortunately, we were not able to be with the rest of our family because we had been exposed to COVID. Thankfully, we did not get sick and will have another shot at gathering with family on New Years Day.

As we wrapped up the year, we went bowling, frisbee golfing, and headed to the jump house. Whew!!!  It has been a fast paced and exhausting month. 

We are thankful for so many blessings but this month we are especially thankful for our family and for Jesus. Of all the gifts we could receive, our salvation is the most amazing, most humbling, and most thoughtful. To know that the best is yet to come brings a sense of eager anticipation for the wonderful blessing of an eternity spent with our Lord and Savior. May the New Year bring that same sense of anticipation to you and your loved ones. 

Until next month...

December Slideshow

November 2021

We kicked off the month with more birthday celebrations for Elijah. He officially turned 14 on the second. He received a new smart watch in addition to the gifts he had already opened. We have had quite a bit of fun playing with his new Oculus. 

The family received some hard news this month when Papa was diagnosed with prostate cancer. We are resting in God's sovereignty and finding peace in His arms as we await test results that will help determine the best course of treatment. This news, while very hard to hear, did not surprise God nor has it changed the number of days ordained for Papa's life (Psalm 139:16). Our prayer is that God would be glorified through our family as we walk this road. 

We were chugging along with our normal activities until the weekend before Thanksgiving. Jeff ended up coming down with bronchitis while I fought sinus junk. Several of the kids also had sinus issues and a cough. Thankfully, Jeff was able to be quickly seen at a walk-in where an x-ray reassured us that his lungs were clear. He was given a steroid shot and a bunch of meds. I'm so thankful for modern medicine and the ease with which we can be seen and treated by someone in the medical community. 

Eli had a neat opportunity to serve Operation Christmas Child this month. Our church is a collection point for our town and the surrounding areas. Eli helped unload boxes from people's cars, trucks, and van, and then reload them into a semi-trailer. He enjoys serving and is looking forward to doing it again next year.

Though the week of Thanksgiving started with us all a little under the weather, it didn't stop us from catching up on some projects around the house and having some family fun. Jeff replaced our back door and the framing. This project has been on the list for 5 years. It turned out so nice! Jeff also fixed the sliding door on his van, built loft beds for the boys, cooked most of Thanksgiving dinner, and still found time to play. We took the kids to see the new Disney movie, Encanto, at the theater. It was a cute movie with a heartwarming ending. We also went ice skating at the Jones Center. It has probably been more then 20 years since I have put on skates so I was thankful that I only fell once. Most of the kids took to it quickly. Jeff has been skating a good part of his life so he made it look easy. Marie struggled some but didn't give up. It was a great time.

We hosted Thanksgiving dinner for our family, Nana and Papa, and the Andersons. It was a precious time to be together. Singing Great Is Thy Faithfulness was such a good reminder that God provides ALL we need. We enjoyed eating, laughing, playing games, and just being together. After so many years of being apart, whether halfway across the world or halfway across the country, that we try not to take the times of being together for granted. 

We hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for starting with Jesus who provides all we need. See you next month!

November Slideshow

October 2021

 Fall festivals and family fun define October in our house. 

The beginning of the month we were still roasting in the 90's. Thankfully, a strong wind blew in more fall like temps so we could finally enjoy sweaters and socks! We ended the month in the uppper 60's. The boys took advantage of the cooler temps to enjoy a bonfire with hotdogs and marshmallows one night.

This month we had parent teacher conferences. Jeff was gone for two nights to give updates to the parents of his students. I attended the girls conferences. Both Marie and Anna are doing great in school! They both received all "A's" and high praise for their good attitudes and work ethic. We are so proud of them for having an outstanding start to the school year! The boys also finished the first quarter with all "A's" and are ahead in their studies. 

We did our annual family photo shoot this month. It is still a challenge to get all 7 of us looking at the camera with smiles on our faces. The girls are always easily distracted but this year the boys took turns "photo-bombing" some of the pics as well. I didn't know whether to laugh or hit them upside the head! You will have to check out the slideshow for some of the "better" pics. Many did not make the cut!

At this month's dental check-up, the dentist discovered an infection and an abscess in Anna's upper gums. She refuses to wiggle her teeth out and it became a big problem when her adult teeth couldn't get through. Long story - short, the dentist pulled out four of Anna's baby teeth. The days leading up to the appointment were filled with drama but she was a trooper when the time came to have the procedure. I couldn't go back with her and hold her hand but she was brave and didn't fight the dentist. She will have a silly smile for a week or two until her adult teeth finish coming in. Thankfully it is a perfect time of year for a jack-o-lantern smile.

In other news, Jeff was honored again for being chosen as a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science. He was given a certificate at the School Board Meeting, was sent a letter by our Attorney General, and was honored at a Science Conference he attended at Arkansas Tech University. 

The last week of the month was filled with lots of fun activities. Marie and Anna each entered a pumpkin in their school's story book character pumpkin decorating contest. Marie did a penguin from Mr. Popper's Penguins and Anna painted Clifford the Big Red Dog. Neither won but both had a ton of fun. Eden also painted her pumpkin this year to look like a cat. None of the girls missed having to scoop out pumpkin guts! There were also dress up days at school. Marie chose to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Anna decided to go as Little Red Riding Hood.  Eden went as Super Woman. All came home with tons of candy!

We also celebrated Eli's early birthday twice. We enjoyed a trip to the Ozark Pool where we met up with the Andersons and Nana and Papa. Tons of fun was had and the birthday donuts for Eli and Seth were well received by all the kids! We also had a party with Nana and Papa. Eli chose bacon burgers from our local butcher for his birthday dinner. It was complimented with home-made fries and two kinds of dump cake: cherry and strawberry-rhubarb. Thank you Nana! So far, he has received  money for his birthday as he was saving up for an Oculus Virtual Reality Player. Eli is a godly young man who enjoys swim team, board games, food, and anything else competitive. We are so thankful for the young man he is maturing into!

Marie was honored this month to have a piece of her artwork displayed. It has been hanging in a local art gallery for the past month. She is a great artist and it was exciting for her to have a piece of her artwork up for public show.

Finally, we enjoyed two fall festivals. The first is put on by our church for a local facility that helps disabled kids. Jeff and the kids helped set up the games and run the maze. The following evening we enjoyed the fall festival our church hosts for our elementary kids and the neighborhood kids. It is always a lot of high intensity fun and chaos with LOTS of candy. The kids love it! The boys youth group hosted another fun event. They played Office Chair Mario Cart. Picture kids in rolling office chairs, running through an obstacle course, trying not to get hit with noodles, run over "turtle shells" or miss valuable coins. Such a creative and fun time!

We hope that your fall has brought cooler temps and fun times with family and friends. We are so thankful for our Creator who faithfully brings the change in seasons! We look forward to November and celebrating during a season of thankfulness. 

Click the link below to see this month's slideshow:

October Slideshow

September 2021

September is a month of settling in. Settling in to our new school routines. Settling in to our extracurricular routines. Settling into our new schedules for waking up and heading to bed. Settling in is often a hard process but once we're settled, life takes on a predictable rhythm that brings more stability. 

As the month kicked off, Eden got settled into her new school routine with Grace Academy. She is loving her teachers and classmates. She actually says that there is nothing about Grace that she doesn't like! I'm so thankful for the opportunities she has there to play games with friends, do art with friends, and learn more about Jesus from her teachers and the staff! It is also nice that they only meet twice a week so that Eden and I can do school together too.

Anna and Marie continued settling in to their new school routines as well. Both are doing exceptional! Anna received Student of the Month for first grade and Marie received an award for being the first in the 2nd grade to memorize her addition facts. They both enjoy learning and getting to play with friends. Marie especially loves art and PE while Anna loves recess and lunch when she can chat with her friends.

This month the church kicked off their fall student ministries. All the kids have activities on Sunday evenings at the church. One Sunday a month we all serve together as a family. The rest of the Sunday nights, Mom and Dad get a much needed date!

Eli and Thad have gotten into the swing of school, piano lessons, and swim team. They both are doing well in all their endeavors and still manage to find plenty of time to get together with friends. Eli is also on the student praise band again this year at church. 

Daddy has settled into his school routine and is now settled into tutoring as well. He is helping a college student a couple times a week with Chemistry. He also started teaching a Sunday school class at church. In his free time, he keeps up with the never ending "Honey-do" list. This month he also helped do some home repairs for a lady from church. 

Mommy is getting more settled into her Bible Study Fellowship routine. She has already given two lectures. She loves getting to study the Word and share it with others!

As this month wrapped up, we celebrated Marie's 8th birthday. She ended up having a birthday weekend. We enjoyed a party with Nana and Papa on Friday night complete with a unicorn cake and unicorn ice cream. She received many amazing gifts and has spent hours playing Legos, shooting nerf darts, and snuggling with her unicorn stuffie. Saturday, we took the kids and Moses to Spartan Adventure Park for a few hours of jumping, climbing, and running around. It was exhausting just watching them play. Saturday night we enjoyed pizza and a movie of Marie's choosing. Sunday, she enjoyed cinnamon roll casserole for breakfast and more birthday songs from church friends and the Andersons. Finally, she enjoyed Face Timing with Grandma and Grandpa Rice. What a fun weekend!

We also found time to take the girls skating and close the pool. We basically spent the month moving from a less organized form of busy to a very scheduled form of busy! I think we are fairly well settled into our fall routines and hope to put it on cruise control for a couple months before the holidays hit and change everything again. 

We hope that as you also settle into your fall routines, that you still prioritize spending time with God. For us, that looks like Tuesday night Bible Study, morning quiet times, Sunday church and youth groups, and nightly Bible reading with the kids. All the routines in the world will amount to nothing if not centered on Christ. Let's not lose our true focus as we settle into to all that God has called us to!

September Slideshow

August 2021

 August brings an end to summer fun and the start of another year of school. There is always a bit of sadness as Jeff heads back to school and our time together becomes much less. Most of the kids were excited to jump into another year of school but a couple weren't ready to start cracking the books again. 

The first week of August, the boys participated in Mid-High week at our church. It is a time devoted to 6-8th graders where our youth pastor and small group leaders intentionally pour into our kids. They eat together, play together, pray together, and study the Bible together. Both boys thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It is hard to believe that this was Eli's last year for Mid-High!

Marie and Anna counted down the days until Meet the Teacher. Both couldn't wait to get back into school and find out if any of their friends were in their classes. Marie's teacher, Ms. Sampson, is young and full of energy. She and Marie hit it off right away. There are several of Marie's friends from last year in her class. Anna's teacher, Mrs. Fielder, seems very sweet. Anna's best friend ended up in a different class but they still see each other and play on the playground together. Anna has also started making several new friends. Both girls are loving being back at school!

Eden also couldn't wait for her Meet the Teacher Day for Grace Academy. She will be attending Grace two days a week and doing school with Mom the rest of the week. Her teachers, Mrs. Mounts and Mrs. Clark, seem like the perfect combo to be teaching a room full of kindergarteners. Eden is super excited for all the fun units they have planned and is already looking forward to the various dress-up days!

Mommy enjoyed kicking off another year of BSF with her fellow leaders at an encouraging time called Summit. She joined about 50,000 leaders from all over the world in this uniting event that focused on getting them ready to study the book of Matthew. She loved the worship, speakers, and time of fellowship with her leaders. She is busily putting together all the details to begin class in a couple weeks.

Eli and Thad kicked off another year of school with the River Valley Virtual Academy. Thad opted to take another Sign Language class this year and Eli signed up for Algebra. They both have a full load. They are continuing to take piano lessons and swim for the Tide Riders. 

Daddy's new school year is also off to a good start. He has several new administrators and is very thankful for the Christian men and woman that God has called into those positions. He is also teaching a new class this year, Programming 1. 

Well, that is all for now. Come back next month for more fun with the Rice Family! Be sure to click the August Slideshow link to see pictures from this past month.

August Slideshow

July 2021

 July was jam-packed with birthday celebrations, camp, training, and vacation. Jeff also completed the bathroom remodel while the kids wrapped up another summer of swim team. 

The girls wrapped up a great week of Vacation Bible School to start the month. They learned about God's amazing creation and what an awesome God we serve. Eden loved the singing, Marie loved the crafts, Anna loved making new friends. The program they did at the end was especially precious!

July always starts off with Thad's birthday celebration and this year was no different. For his birthday, he requested a 2 night sleepover with his bestie, Moses. The kids also jumped, ran, and climbed to their hearts content at Spartan Adventure Challenge. I was getting tired just watching them! We enjoyed 2 homemade dessert pizzas, a bonfire, and time with Nana and Papa to complete the birthday weekend. 

Jeff also wrapped up a week of training at AP Chemistry Bootcamp in Little Rock. He really enjoyed getting to introduce the students to new content, fun labs, and share his love of and excitement for Chemistry. We thoroughly missed having him home and couldn't wait for his return. Being apart definitely makes us realize how much we love to be together!

Jeff and I decided to try something new that we have been talking about for years...swing dance lessons. We have had two lessons and are definitely starting to get a feel for it. We, along with about 10 other couples, are learning East Coast Swing. The great thing is that no one takes themselves too seriously. We end up laughing at ourselves fairly regularly during the course of the lesson. I can't say that professional dancing will be in our future but at least we will have a few moves to show off at the next wedding!

We had a great time cooling off at a local waterpark one particularly hot day. The kids showed off on the climbing wall, diving board, and pool. Marie was super excited to be tall enough to go down all the waterslides. Moses came along for the day and the three stooges did their best to do everything in the park multiple times. 

The middle of the month found Thad, Marie, and Anna attending church camp. This year, our church, brought in an outside camp. The camp provided everything and brought it to our church...counselors, bible lessons, go-karts, laser tag, climbing wall, and much more. The camp ran during the day and then they kids came home to sleep in their own beds at night. It was really a great way to "camp". The kids got to experience camp but still get good rest! They all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and can't wait to do it again next year.

While the middles were at camp, the rest of us found ways to have fun. We enjoyed several rousing games of bowling. That was good for a few laughs. We also treated ourselves to ice cream after working so hard to knock over all those pins!

At the end of the month, we packed clothes, food, and games and headed to Myra's Mountain House. This is the same vacation rental house we stayed in last year. It is a great location for us being just a little over a mile from Cove Lake and a little over 10 minutes from the top of Mt. Magazine. We spent the better part of two days at the lake. The weather was gorgeous. We swam, boated, played in the sand, and worked hard at doing nothing. It was perfect. We also did a short hike to the highest point in Arkansas at the top of the mountain. Some other highlights of our trip included the kids conquering an escape room, playing family games, and seeing a variety of wildlife. We are so thankful for the time and resources to get away for a few days and just be together.

As our summer wraps up and week look forward to the start of another school-year, we are so grateful for the Lord's blessings and for all we have been able to do this summer. 

Sorry for the LOOOONG slideshow. I started the process with almost 1,200 pictures to choose from!

July Slideshow

June 2021

Our vacation adventures continued this month as we wrapped up our time in Wisconsin before heading to Illinois. We enjoyed a fun new playground, frisbee golf, and ice cream on Lake Michigan. We also enjoyed squeezing in a few more games that included just a little bit of family competition. 

Once we arrived in Illinois, the boys geared up to help with strawberry picking. It was so neat to see the operation in progress and the boys enjoyed getting to pick again this year. There is truly nothing like the taste of a fresh picked strawberry that is sun warmed and juicy! We also had tons of family fun playing games, riding horses, and cuddling sweet baby Asher. It was great to be with family if only for a short while!

Coming home we jumped back into the world of swimming and Jeff began the kids' bathroom remodel. The boys participated in their first meet of the summer and did awesome! Our club hosted the event so it was all hands on deck at the pool. It was a great meet and a good time was had by all.

The bathroom was quickly demolished and the rebuild has begun. As of the writing of this blog, the plumbing under the house has been replaced, new flooring from the subfloor up has been replaced, the closet wall has been moved, and the toilet is back in (hallelujah). 

The kids have also been busy with church activities. The boys had several days of work projects with their youth group. This is an event they do each year called Kingdom Worker Week. They bless members of our church and the community with all sort of service projects. Anna and Eden had fun at a day camp hosted at church. Marie is looking forward to camp next month.

June isn't complete with celebrating Dads. Jeff is an amazing Dad and we celebrated with cinnamon rolls, strawberry shortcake, and tools. We also got to celebrate with Papa. What a gift to have such Godly men in our lives!

Papa and the boys had an adventure this month when they went to the Arkansas Air and Military Museum in Fayetteville. They saw some cool aircraft and military transport vehicles. A highlight was getting the opportunity to climb inside the cockpit and pretend to pilot one of the planes. Eli said he didn't think he would ever be a pilot because there were way to many buttons, switches, etc on the instrument panel and he would never be able to remember what they all do!

Nana, the girls, and their cousin Livi had an adventure this month when they went to the Alma waterpark. Marie and Livi paired up and rode all the waterslides. Anna and Eden also paired up. The girls had a great time and were completely tuckered out that night. Kuddos to Nana for being willing to take this crazy group of girls to the water park!

The boys had their kidney check-ups this month. While Thad's kidney function continues to remain stable, Eli's has decreased significantly. The doctor is changing some things but ultimately we are trusting in our sovereign God for whatever the future holds.

As we wrap up the month, Jeff is in Little Rock teaching a camp for AP Chemistry students, the girls are doing VBS, the boys are finishing up the month of swim, and I am working on the start of next year's study for BSF. We are also squeezing in as much friend and family time as possible. Thank goodness for long summer days!

We hope you are enjoying some summer fun w/ family and friends. See you next month!

Click the link for this month's slideshow...

June Slideshow

May 2021

May always seems to go by in a heartbeat. From birthday celebrations to end of school parties, there was never a dull moment.

We always kick off the month of May by celebrating Jeff’s birthday. This year he celebrated by installing a new water heater and enjoying time with family at a church function. The boys also participated in a swim meet that day. Thad ended up placing in all 3 events he competed in. The water heater installation was a success. The family fun event for church was a blast! It was quite the day!

The following week, Jeff completed the final preparations for his AP Chemistry students to take the big test. He always treats the kids to a good breakfast of Chick Fil A and Panera. This year has been a crazy one for he and his students. They had to make changes to the way things were taught and learned as there were some kids in person and some virtual. We are praying all their hard work pays off and they all get good test scores.

Eli and I participated in a fun Mother/Son event at the church prior to Mother’s Day. There was good food, fellowship, and fun games. We didn’t end up competing very well overall but we had tons of fun playing. We don’t often get to do things one-on-one so it was a real treat.

On Mother’s Day, Jeff and I were treated to a free showing of In The Heights. Eli and Thad babysat so we could have a date. It was a fun musical to get to see in the theater!

The following week, Thad participated on a student panel for Charter school students. He was the only student from his school asked to participate so it was quite the honor. He and 5 other students from across the state answered questions and spoke in front of a approximately 150 teachers. He did great! Jeff took the day off so he could take Thad and they both enjoyed some father - son time together.

The middle of the month found us heading to the Anderson’s house to celebrate my birthday along with Jeff and Nana’s birthdays. We were blessed with beautiful weather and had a great time! I can’t wait to put together my new puzzle and try out my new hammock.

Anna finished kindergarten this month. Jeff and I got to go to her school and view all the projects she has been working so hard on this year. Her teacher also had a fun slideshow full of pictures of the different things they had done. It was the first time we have been allowed in the building this year. We really hope next year is back to normal!

We had another fun treat this month when we headed to the circus. We had purchased tickets last year but then COVID shut everything down. The kids were super surprised when we pulled into the parking lot and they saw the big tent. Nana and Papa joined us for the adventure and a great time was had by all.

The last week of the month, everyone wrapped up school and finished up piano lessons. Eli and Thad each earned a trophy this year for their performances at festival. We then packed our bags and headed to Wisconsin for our niece’s wedding. Rachel had asked Marie, Anna, and Eden to be her flower girls. It was a beautiful day and a storybook wedding. It was such a blessing to witness Rachel and Nathanael’s union and celebrate with so many family and friends! We were also blessed to be able to stay with Grandma and Grandpa Rice and thoroughly enjoyed their hospitality.

May was filled with so many blessings that I cannot even recount them all. God is good! Stay tuned next month for more of our family adventures.

May Slideshow 

April 2021

 April was a month of new opportunities and memories.

Easter, as always, is such a time of celebration. We are so blessed to serve a risen Savior! We enjoyed a church full of people worshipping together. It was the most full it has been since COVID. What a blessing to see people we haven't seen in a year. After lunch, we did an egg hunt for the kiddos. Eli found the golden egg and got his choice of dessert venues. Andy's frozen custard did not disappoint!

The boys had several days of state mandated testing this month. They both have worked hard to do well and we anticipate that their scores will reflect that. They also continued to work hard in swim, piano, and guitar lessons.

This month, Jeff and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. We were blessed by some friends who kept all 5 of the kiddos for an entire weekend. Jeff and I headed to Eureka Springs where he had booked a cabin in the woods. It was so nice to relax and enjoy conversation where we were actually able to finish a sentence without being interrupted. We enjoyed time hiking, took in a show, and thrifted at a hidden treasure...a Goodwill Outlet store. It had been years since our last getaway without kiddos and we pledged not to wait that long before we do it again!

A little over a month ago, I was asked to pray about becoming a Teaching Leader for BSF. With clear direction from the Lord, I said yes. This past month was full of homework followed by 3 intense days of training. It is going to be a very challenging new adventure but I am depending on God to equip me to do what He has called me to do. A special thanks to Nana and Papa for helping with the kids those days. Also, thank you to Jeff without whose love, support, and prayers I would not be taking this next step in my journey with Christ.

We were blessed with some exciting news this month when Anna tested out of speech therapy. While she will continue the need to practice what she has learned, she is speaking correctly with 80% accuracy. This is a big deal and one we don't take lightly. Anna has been in speech therapy practically her entire life. She and Marie also did well on their mid-term progress reports at school! We are so thankful for how well the girls continue to do at school.

Eden continues to work on her reading lessons. Anna has been helping her learn some sight words. She also spends time riding her bike as fast as she can around the yard like a crazy woman. She has thoroughly enjoyed all the extra time she has been able to spend with Nana this month!

In our free time, Jeff and the boys mostly completed the privacy fence along the back of our property. I'd like to see Mac jump that! They also helped plant 20+ bushes and make a new flower bed for me. The yard is starting to shape up. Jeff has also been rebuilding the motor to our push mower and make a new swing set for the girls.

As the month comes to a close, we are excited to turn the calendar and begin another exciting month. We hope you'll check back next month to see all the happenings of our crazy family! I also hope you enjoy a walk down memory lane with some pics of the boys from when they were just little guys.

April Slideshow

March 2021

 March was packed with birthdays, competitions, and tons of family fun!

The first weekend in March, Jeff and the boys headed to Benton for the State Swim Championships. Thad qualified to compete in 4 events. He swam in three of those events over the course of the weekend. He took 2nd place in the 50m breaststroke and 4th place in both the 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly. We are so proud of his accomplishments and how he and Eli continue to push themselves to be better swimmers.

That weekend the girls and I celebrated Anna's 7th birthday with some friends from church. She enjoyed jumping at the Monkey House, eating Frozen cupcakes, and playing with her friends. One of her favorite gifts from that party was her new hobby horse...er...unicorn. Anna enjoys playing with her dolls, talking, and pizza! 

The following Monday, I received a call from school that Anna had passed out. After 5 hours in the E.R. and numerous tests, the doctor found no definitive reason for why it happened. Thankfully, she suffered no after effects or concussion symptoms and has not had any issues since. 

The next weekend the boys competed in the annual Piano Festival. Both chose advanced pieces and received the highest rating: Superior. It is a joy to hear them progress in their skills and see how much they enjoy playing! That day Anna also got to Skype while opening her birthday present from Grandma and Grandpa. We are so thankful for technology that allows us to stay in touch and celebrate special moments!

The next week brought the end of the third quarter and school and with it parent teacher conferences. All of the kids received glowing reports and their grades reflected their hard work. That Friday, all the kids had off of school so we headed to Nana and Papa's. We had fun starting work on a playhouse for all the grandkids.

The third weekend, we headed to the pool in Ozark where we met up with Nana, Papa, and the Anderson Family. Livi, Anna, and Eden all celebrate birthdays in March so we had a joint party complete with pizza, cupcakes, brownies, and pool time. Some of Eden's favorite gifts were an Elsa dress and shoes. Anna LOVES her new music box. 

The next week brought a reprieve from our regularly scheduled activities. Spring Break 2021 included a trip to the Little Rock Zoo, the Amazeum Kids Museum, and ice skating at the Jones Center. We were blessed with gorgeous weather for the zoo and fun was had by all. A highlight from the Amazeum was the new building block exhibit. It was fun and challenging to try and build intricate designs with the blocks. Ice Skating was a blast. None of the girls had been before and they all did great! We were thrilled that rather then giving up after several falls, they just kept getting up and trying again. 

The month came to a close with another birthday celebration for Eden. It is hard to believe that she is now 5 years old. She enjoyed having "circle" cinnamon rolls for breakfast and getting to Skype with Grandma and Grandpa. Her favorite gift from that morning is the new doctor coat and instruments. We and the dogs have now had several check-ups! Eden loves singing and listening to music, riding her bike, and learning to read.

Whew...what an exciting month! We are so thankful for all the amazing things we were able to do, for the birthdays we celebrated, and for our Savior who has blessed us immeasurably. We hope that as Easter draws near, you too are thankful for Jesus who died for you and rose again, defeating sin and death! 

March Slideshow

February 2021

February fun included sledding, snow angels, and hot cocoa. It was quite a month for crazy weather. Read on for some of the highlights.

The first two weeks of the month were business as usual in our household. We did school, therapy, piano and guitar lessons, and swim team including one swim meet. Then, an artic wind blew in weather the likes of which Arkansas hasn't seen in almost 50 years.

Valentines Day started with a few flurries coming down. It was really very pretty. The kids wasted no time getting on snow clothes and going out to play in less than an inch. The snow was very dry so making snowballs was a no go. It was so very cold that Mom and Lily stayed close to the fire. 

The following day brought more snow and even colder temperatures. The kids and Jeff all did school virtually and would continue to for the rest of the week. Finally, there was enough snow to make sledding a true adventure. Arkansas does not have the equipment to keep the road clear and so they ended up closing some of the streets that are on really steep hills. All the better to sled on! We spent a good portion of the week going over to our good friends house to take advantage of their hill as well. Thanks to all-wheel drive, we had no problem getting places.

While the weather was fun to play in, the really cold temperatures meant frozen pipes for many and rolling-blackouts to conserve energy. Thankfully, our pipes didn't freeze and our power was only shut off for an hour. Our church, however, suffered several broken pipes that resulted in ruined carpets, drywall, and the cancellation of some of our regular church activities.

The end of the week, as the weather began to warm, the snow became perfect for snowballs and snowmen. Mac loved the snow and spent a lot of time rolling around and eating it. Jeff and the kids built a snowman that was about 7 feet tall. Thad also built a snowman but the poor guy lost his arms as Mac took off with them. 

That weekend the temperatures warmed and by Tuesday of the following week the temperatures were in the 70s. We went from bundling up in snow clothes to pulling out shorts and t-shirts in the span of a week. How crazy is that?!?

This month, Jeff was awarded The Distinguished High School Mentor Award. Students that he has taught in the past and are now a part of the School of Chemical Engineering at Arkansas State University nominated him for this special award. It is such a sweet gift to receive accolades from students that have gone on to higher education and recognize the amazing teacher that Jeff is and the solid foundation he gave them in Chemistry!

To end the month, we hosted Papa's birthday party. The Anderson's came and we celebrated with banana cream pie and ice cream. Papa enjoyed his day complete with a crown and a new commentary set. We also had reason to celebrate with the Anderson's as Amos passed another Praxis test. God is so good!

We hope you have managed to stay warm and dry despite the crazy winter the US is experiencing. We also hope you have reason to celebrate and find ways to thank God for all the amazing blessings he pours out!

Click the link below and then press play for this month's slideshow.

February Slideshow

January 2021

2021 finally arrived! This month hasn't looked very different for our family then did the last twelve months. We are thankful that we have had a fairly normal routine and haven't battled any major illnesses!

The weather has alternated between warm and nice and cold and rainy. On the nice days, we have enjoyed spending time outside. Anna and Eden have learned how to ride their bicycle's without training wheels. Eden has actually started riding Marie's bike as it is a better fit for her growing body. We also installed a dog perimeter fence to hopefully keep Mac in the yard. The boys made their own forge after watching the show Forged in Fire. They are working on their blades and have come up with some creative ways of doing things (see the picture with the leaf blower). 

The kids all started another semester of school. Marie and Anna really enjoyed kindness week at school when they got to dress up every day. They wore pjs, dressed in red/pink, wore western attire, got some crazy hair on, and finished the week with 100 days of school shirts designed with their own thumbprints. Anna received two awards this month in school. 

The boys are working hard on the swim team. Thad has state qualifying times in several events. Eli is seconds off of state qualifying times and is hoping to qualify at the next meet. They are also working hard on their piano pieces for festival that is coming up in March. They have already memorized two pieces each and are now polishing them.

For Christmas this year, we gave the family The Adventure Challenge: Family Edition. It is a book that has 50 scratch off "adventures" to do. You don't know what the adventure is until you scratch off the challenge. One you scratch, you are committed. We did our first adventure and scratched a square that had a family lip sync battle under it. The challenge was parents vs. kids. It was so much fun and we really saw the kids different personalities come out in how they chose to "sing" and dance. We laughed until we cried. I think the kids won the battle. Jeff and I are not nearly as entertaining. 

The girls really enjoyed having a tea party at Nana's house. They have been anxiously awaiting the day when they could put to use the tea cups that Grandma gave them. We got fancy, had some fun treats, and sipped on cider. The girls don't really care for tea but they approved of the peach/apple carbonated cider. It was really cute and we learned some etiquette rules for tea parties. I think the part they enjoyed the most was getting dressed up and eating way more sugar then mom normally allows!

In addition to learning how to ride a bike without training wheels, Eden lost her first tooth. She couldn't wait to show everyone. After watching her sisters lose teeth left and right, she was super excited to finally see what it was all about. Her smile just got a little cuter!

Well, that is all for now. Unfortunately, Smilebox is no longer working and so I hope you are able to enjoy the slideshow via Powerpoint. Be sure not to miss the lip sync videos and the one of Eden riding her bike. Until next month...

January Slideshow