Summer is coming!!

I can't wait!!

What does summer mean for us?  Well hopefully lots of purposeful time with our kids, it will be nice to have them home!  We have some fun things planned swim lessons for 3 of them, basketball camp for Jack and pottery lessons for Me, Jack and Kate.  We hope to spend Thursdays with my side of the family at the pool, several Kings Island trips with Ben's parents and many many Sundays grilling out.  We hope to spend lots of nights on walks, hanging out in driveways chatting with our neighborhood friend, maybe hosting an outdoor movie and of course many lemonade stands (I think we'll limit them to one a week this year)  We are so excited about a family vacation and a vacation with just Ben and I, YEAH!!! 

OK so I am really excited about the vacation with the two of us.  We haven't been just the two of us, ALONE, away for more than a night since the honeymoon.  I can't wait to have uninterrupted conversation, sleep in or get up early because I choose to, eat somewhere that has no kid menu or kids eat free nights.  I can't imagine what it might be like to lay on a beach and not get up 2 seconds later to pull sand out of some one's mouth, wipe their butt or build a sandcastle.  Don't get me wrong I love my kids and super glad they are in my life BUT I love my husband more and need this time away to refocus and just be together!  We are going to Bermuda and this is where were staying...  

More to come on that at the end of June!

I am also very excited that we get to host book sellers this year from Florida.  When Ben was in college he would go and sell educational books in the summer and he did this for four summers.  As a matter of fact that is how he got his current job.  We have three boys staying in our basement, they come home late and leave early so not too mush trouble.  They are all in college and young.  Since Ben sold books I have always wanted to open our house to booksellers, this has been the first year that it's been possible.  It has really confirmed that we love having people live with us, it's been a lot of fun so far!

I am very excited to continue to share our journeys this summer!

Happy Birthday Kate

Well it's been so long since I have been in the blog world.  I really wanted to write for each of my kids a birthday message with pictures and videos, I never seemed to get there so we're going to play catch up.

Kate's 6th birthday party

                                            Kate wanted to do crafts, we painted birdhouses.

                                                                          All done!

                                                                  Happy birthday Kate!

Dear Kate,

You are 6, wow I can't believe this has gone by so fast.  I very distinctly remember holding you and thinking you were so pretty, just like a girl should look.  You have been a joy to mother of course we have our moments that can be tough but I still take great joy in being your mother.  My favorite thing about you is your imagination.  Since you were very small and starting to talk you would be content along as you had any two items so that they could talk with one another.  You often would just play quietly and contently.  It's so fun when we get a sneak peak into your world you create. 

You also have a real love for anything art, I am excited to see how God will use this gift he has given you!  You are such a girl, no one had to teach you this, I am pretty sure you came into this world wearing a dress.  You love to dress up and I am not sure there will be a day that you will grow out of this :) .  God has created you for us, you teach us so much.  You have a very sweet and sensitive heart, often you will have your feelings hurt if you feel like we are laughing and it's about you.  This past fall you started kindergarten and you seem to be doing great.  It's so fun to see you hide God's word in your heart.  You are growing up to fast!  My prayer for you is that God will continue to reveal himself to you and that you will live a life that is full of His love!  I pray that my expectations for you would not supersede what God's plan is for you.  Lord I offer Kate with open hands to do and will as you please, thank you for allowing Ben and I to parent her.  Give us the wisdom and strength it takes to do it all with Grace. Amen 

      

                                         Some our favorite Kate pics of the last couple of years.

                               This is the same video twice, sorry...can't figure out how to remove it.