he rides

Owen learned how to ride without training wheels this spring just before he turned 4.  He is definitely our earliest "rider."  And with NO help from anyone.  Thomas came upstairs and told me he was riding on his own one day.  Wow.  Determined little guy, for sure!  He's already working on wheelies and trying to jump after 2 big months of experience.  Love this guy.

chicken pedicures

Chickens joined the family in May.  Oh boy!  Tom & the kids had been wanting to raise chickens for some time, but I really didn't think the subdivision covenants would allow us to.  We got the "thumbs up" from the subdivision property manager, and brought the girls home a week later.  Tootsie, Enchanted, Bo, Homer,  and baby jr, bowser have provided hours of entertainment for the kids!  Ella & Claire are 100% in charge of feeding & watering them, and we have been pleasantly surprised at what a great job they're doing so far.    Snickers & Tootsie  have been replaced with snow &  Rocky.  A few Random chicken facts for you....The girls are convinced that Bo is a rooster.   You tube can teach you just about anything...including how to clip a chicken's wing.  We know this because chickens can fly & neighbor dogs can kill chickens:(.  Our chickens won't begin laying eggs until after their first molt this fall.  And finally, pre-teens think it's pretty cool to paint chicken toes!

No joke

This photo was taken at the Easter sunrise service our church holds every year at the Hatchers Pass bridge.  We got a fresh dump of new snow Easter morning!  Snowpants, winter gear & Easter!  No joke:)  Forgot to take any of us in our "Sunday best", but I think this photo is a better memory anyway:)  Ya gotta love Alaska!

Good.

Good.  It was Good Friday.  The kids were outside on their bikes looking for puddles.  Thomas came home before the others.  I was busy making supper.  We needed to eat early to make it to church on time.  Tom got home and began explaining to Thomas what Good Friday was, what to expect at church that night and the meaning of communion.  And what followed...oh how GOOD it was.  Thomas prayed with Tom and asked Jesus into his heart...just the three of us there, looking at eachother, the quiet, the stillness, the lack of chaos, and then that sweet little voice repeating the prayer of his daddy.  Clearly orchestrated by God....At church that night, we had "Christ at Center" communion.  It was so special to give Thomas his very first communion...to know our little boy was growing up and would join us in heaven one day!  So.... ...so very GOOD.

tiny

Is there anything more fun than the first frog of spring?  Tiny is the biggest frog we've ever seen at our house and the kids were so excited!  They named him "tiny" and kept him carefully for 2 days in an aquarium.  The grass wasn't even green yet.  Not long ago, we learned "Tiny" was likely a lady as we saw her (YES. We're certain it was her) swimming in the lake not far from a clutch of eggs.  Frogs.  Love them!  Sure sign that summer is really coming...

whiter than snow

Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow...

What a beautiful thing snow is on Easter.  While we always wish for green grass, snow is much more realistic

for us!  Fresh snow is so symbolic...He died for us... forgiving our sins, washing us clean, erasing the red, making

us white as snow.  

Good times with good friends.

Easter

 We brought the kids to the Easter sunrise service at Hatchers Pass for the first time this year.  It was cold with plenty of snow, but they did great.  In all the buzz, I forgot to take a family photo later in the day.  We did put on our Sunday best, complete with sandals...you just HAVE to  on Easter....but snowgear & blankets will go in the books for this year's photo.