A Week without Dad~

Spring Break was all fun and games until Sunday morning when Scott left for a week long business trip.

We were determined to make the best of it with drawing and building~

We listened to a chapter of Plum Creek and researched clouds and storms then sketched~

Other sketches from our reading~

 We enjoyed poetry teatime with goldfish and animal crackers~

The pool cleared up even more, leaves filled the trees, and we bathed the dogs~

We went for walks, played outside, and read in the sunshine~

I came up with a list of verses to use for copywork and memorization~

 Evie is determined to write in cursive and crochets chains all day long~

Thursday our theme was Houses and I strewed a few books for them to sketch from.
Calla chose The Little House and look at the adorable sketch she made~

 The other kids drew anything they wanted~

EK got this huge encyclopedia for her birthday and sketches from it almost every day although this is SJ's sketch of a dragon. She sketched the giraffe above~

Finally it was Welcome Home Dad Day and the kids wanted to surprise him with a dinner picnic~

 He arrived in time to vacuum the pool and grill his own surprise dinner! :)

FUN Friday was so fun with reading What Do You Do with an Idea~

 Everyone drew and painted their favorite Idea~

AND THEN... we headed to the pool!!!~

 IT was FRIGID but they didn't care one bit~

Yesterday we worked in our yard almost all day cutting limbs and burning piles~

 The kids also had a swimming afternoon~

So there you go...
A week without Dad and then a homecoming and fun Saturday with a rainy Sunday for rest.

Cuteness~

SJ dressing up with the little girls~

 Playing instead of schooling~

 Calla baby~

Lots of Yard Work~

Exercise is SO good for the heart, soul, and mind especially when you watch the sun come up over your house~

The bitty girls went with us to the nursery for new plants~

We continue to get rid of the big and old~

and plant with new plants~

 It's hard work but feels so good for a clean slate~

Down the front of the house we go!

Play AND Work~

Rosie and the girls bought a watermelon and it was the perfect snack at the pool~

Watermelon and popsicle eating belong at the pool!!!

After dinner Scott and I began another yard project in the front~

 We moved to this house about 9 years ago and the plants have grown SO big!
It was time to pull them up and begin again... a clean slate~

 HUGE improvement and can't wait to get the new ones in~

And then this happened~

There is NO way they will ever forget these fun nights!!!

A Saturday of BIG Yard Work~

We were just out honeysuckling when I got a text from my little brother~

 that he would be glad to bring his little tractor down to help us clear the BIG mess behind our pool~

 And I'm not even kidding when I say he had it cleared in no more than an hour.
He even pushed the big pile to the woods for us while all the cousins played together~

THEN he used the front loader to cut branches off our big tree~

The top two photos are before and the bottom after~

Scott and I finished clearing and planted grass seed~

A HUGE improvement!!!
Thank you Jason!!!

Life Lately~

After Easter photo shoot, Evie attached her little play camera to my tripod
and took her own photos~

 Savannah knows I love daily photos of the boys... just look at adorable Marshall~

New obsession at the pool is blowing bubbles~

We had a death in our family and my aunt/uncle came for a visit... see who showed out?~

I needed to drop off something at a lady's home from our church,
and she invited us in for refreshments then a walk down to the lake~

Friday after a few school items, we spent the rest of the day playing, reading~

and working in the backyard~

 We transplanted many plants and put out tomato plants~

 Worked poor Scotty to exhaustion but our yard looks SO much better~

Lots of celebrations for our big girls:
Savannah and Josh celebrated Marshall turning 2 months.
Amelia and Logan celebrated 6 months of marriage.
Rosemary celebrated Hayden's 21st birthday~

We had a terrible thunderstorm one morning and Calla climbed right into Will's arms~

AND Evie decided she was tired of a big wiggly molar so she pulled it right out herself!
That's a week of Life Lately!

Brave Heart~

All the kids got a chocolate bunny and new float in the Easter baskets so today they tested them out~

and this little Brave Heart was found swimming around the whole pool on her own~

I'd say it's shaping up to be a glorious spring and summer!!!

My Brave Heart!!!