Sunset Lake Campout

Unit 1 girls at the Sunset Lake Campout this last weekend. Brenda & I are Unit leaders and these are our amazing girls. Believe it or not... this is Sunset Lake, the smallest lake ever! Did not stop us from having fun however!

the girls getting ready to go out on the canoe right after arriving at camp.

Sam, Brooke, & Carly on the water.

a beautiful picture of me (not) getting ready for morning inspection.

All the girls cooking bread on a stick... that they carved themselves with a pocket knife.

My little cute McKenna hanging out by the fire.

Sam learning how to use the axe... she did not enjoy this activity... and nicked two of her fingers on the wood... she completed the tasks of the day however & earned her camping honor.

I felt super lucky because Josh and the kids were able to join us for the weekend. Even though we were in separate cabins and he had serious daddy duty... it was great fun to be able to experience this together.

My Girl...

Emma is singing this song on Friday for the chapel service at the school. I am not busting any buttons or anything... :) She LOVES to sing... but she gets so nervous when up front... so pray for my baby, who is not so much a baby anymore. She will be singing in front of about 220 people! She will have two friends with her, I will try to post video of it if I can... I am subbing that day.
Mute the music at the right side of the screen... that way you can hear her precious voice!

Springtime fun in the yard...

My precious kiddos...
just love them SO much!
So thankful for the beautiful days that we have had...
so thankful I have time to play with these kids.

First soccer games of the season...

after the 3/4 game... sydney, rachael, missy (went to high school with her mom) emma, jack, & mckenna lounging on the grass before the start of the 5/6 game.

sam getting in the action

snagged the ball and heading down the field. Sam was super aggressive tonight and not tenative at all. Was super proud of her! She played most of the game at forward, her team tied 2-2.

between games... sydney & jack on one of the other fields not in use. give him a ball and he is sure to be kicking it all over the place!

this is emma's first ever soccer game...
she scored the first goal and then another in the second half...
she was super excited & so was I! So surprised with how agressive this girl is and how she is NOT afraid of the boys.

the weather was FABULOUS!!! 80+ and boy was I loving that! Looking forward to the next game! I hope it doesn't rain...

the cutest thing ever...

Last night I went to tuck Emma in to bed... when I went to turn the light switch this is what I saw...
I think this is the cutest thing ever! She is so nervous for her first ever soccer game...
I am not sure why, I know she will do well!

{Friends}

I have been doing some scrapbooking lately...
It fills the creative bug within my soul... and makes my heart happy to look at my family & friends. I did this layout a few weeks ago... me and my dear sweet friend Lisa at her Master's Ceremony. I was so lucky to be able to attend with Sydney & Jack last May... just now getting around to scrapping it!
My current project is
"The Early Years, Josh & Suzanne 1992-1994"
I think it is coming along nicely... Josh says the pictures are embarrassing, but I think that it is just our journey of life... we will probably be embarrassed by these pictures in another 10 years! :) I am just SO thankful to have had all these years together and am looking forward to so many more!

{FAMILY WALL}

We did it!!!
Finally got our family wall up!
I am so excited with the way it turned out...
and that we get to enjoy it every night while we celebrate Jesus together!
Life is good, and worship makes it even better!

something smells fishy...

jack is sitting by the pond...
just waitin for our new arrivals...
something smells fishy...
(notice the car & froggie & paci? gotta do something about that..)


Sam releasing our newest pets.... all 20 of them!

SO happy in their new home...
only 6 of our former pets made the NW winter...
they were getting lonely.
Our kitty's were {happy} with our new pets!

They're Here!!!

My tulips have finally made their arrival!
I am SO excited just had to share!!!

Here Momma

after I got home from work today...
the little mister went outside to play...
he returned with more "flowers" for me!
luckily I was sitting beside my computer, my camera next to me...
I picked it up and snapped pictures of him & my flowers of course! :)

I am one lucky Momma for sure!
Staying busy just counting my blessings!
(I think he missed me today!)

Flowers...

A first... flowers from my little man!
After getting home from the library he ran outside with Sydney...
a few moments later (while I was posting about the library) they run back in with handfuls of dandelions... and Jack had the biggest grin on his face! (so precious)
so... even though they are weeds by the worlds standards... I grabbed a cute mason jar, tied some raffia around it... and wa la... a beautiful arrangement for me to enjoy!!! :) Not to mention they were thrilled with the idea of their flowers on the kitchen counter!
I think I will let him know that I prefer roses, tulips, daffodils, well pretty much anything... nope... just going to enjoy this simple gift from the heart!

Library Time

jack LOVES the library... not the books... but the games and toys.
we are coming here often... today he sat at a table and played with this magnetic table... the WHOLE time, and of course, he cried when I said we had to leave.

SO excited for the new library to open mid-May!!!! YIPEE!!!

Trampoline Fun

The girls did not get to experience a trampoline until they were older... Jack doesn't know life without one...

If his sisters will take him outside he is 100% there. Here is a video clip I caught of him the other day jumping and playing with the balls... balls you know make everything more fun! :)

Sabbath Praise

"train a child in the way he should go..."
This is Josh's new Sabbath morning sidekick...
Cade Erwin... he is 3 years old. He stood there and strummed along with Josh and the other praise leaders...

I guess he came downstairs Sabbath morning with his guitar & sunglasses on and said "I am going to ROCK with Josh!" So precious.

I love that my hubby is such a kind and loving man, dedicated to working with children and leading them towards Christ. God has truly blessed me, & our family. My prayer is that we continue to grow in Him daily.

{SPECIAL}

Believe it or not this is my 400th post!!!

I wanted to celebrate it by recognizing someone who is very special to me...

My MOTHER!!!
and guess what? Today is her birthday...

So... we made a little sing-song video for her... and I just want to share a few things with all of you.

Today she is 61... but looks 50.
She is such a LOVING person...
A GREAT wife to my dad (they celebrate 40 years this year!)
The BEST mother a girl could ask for...
I am SO proud of her & all she accomplishes.
She inspires me to believe in myself...
She can be as tough as nails... especially when it is work related!
SUPER AMAZING grandmother to 8 cute grandkids!
She is super thoughtful sending cards, care packages etc.
She treats my friends like they were her own kids.
She is sensitive & cries easily (I hated this as a child... and now I do the same thing!)
She sacrifices herself for others... helping whatever way she can.
She has an amazing laugh that makes me giggle.
She is the one who can make it feel better when I am super sick.
I have watched her for years... and she amazes me with her business sense... her ability to deal with tough situations and hold her head high....

When I grow up... I want to be like her.

I LOVE you mom... I wish we could have been together today... and I can't wait until you come back home to the NW, it has been too long.

And for all you friends who know my mother... give her a shout out in the comment section... she would love it!

soccer player

The little man is SO loving spring soccer!
We stopped by the girls practice... and he just took off kicking balls and running all over the place. I guess he didn't get the memo that he is not old enough quite yet... It was a year ago right now that he began walking... and dribbling a soccer ball! We have come a long way since then... :)

new hat & a friend...

Sydney and her friend Madison spent the afternoon yesterday frolicking in the beautiful sunshine! When we first got home they decided to change into swimsuits and their new $4.50 hats... to make up their own High School Musical dance... they didn't know that I could see them but they were looking at their reflection in the window off the dining room.... it was one of the cutest things ever!

After dancing... there was some jumping on the trampoline... and then it was up to the front yard to play in the pond and rinsing their toesies in the little fountain... too precious.

The sweetness of this age is almost too much for me! Melissa & I laughed that for the price of that hat we got hours of entertainment... and sydney is still wearing hers today! :) The little things...

Flashback to April 2005

this is one of my all time favorites...
the girls playing in the backyard together...
they seemed so big to me then...
how times have changed!

Sam was 7 years old here... ugh

mckenna- the little princess was 3 years

emma was 5 years old.. not in school yet

and of course super syd... almost 2!

Where did the time go? Life seemed so busy then... but really it was pretty relaxing, with only one in school... we got to hang out at home and enjoy life not worrying about all the school activities! Times have certainly changed since 2005... I miss it, but I am glad for all that my precious girls are becoming... and I am thankful for Jack... he gives me the chance to experience it one last time. The girls are now 11, 9, 7, 5, and jack 2... can I get time to FREEZE? Well, thanks for letting me remember... I just am so thankful for the memories... and believe it or not, these pictures are actually scrapbooked!

just us girls

here is the deal...
sun in the NW during the month of April is fleating...
especially if it is over 70 degrees outside...

So I said... forget the house,
forget the chores,
they will still be there on Wednesday when it is supposed to rain!
I am heading outside to play!

and that is what I have done for the better part of the last 3 days...
play, eat outside, read, layout, bible study on the front step, garden, and more. It has been GOOD for my soul!

Today it is back to the grind... laundry, dishes, tidying rooms, etc. but now I feel energized like I can make it until May when the days all turn blue & sunny! :)

sydney and I enjoyed some moments reading and playing in the yard while the other girls were at school and jack was napping...

we read... and she chased butterflies and I watched in amazement realizing how big my "little" girl is. It is hard for me to see that they are all growing up so quickly. Thank goodness i took those 3 days off to enjoy my time with them! :)