Large Amounts of Candy

2014:

In summertime the many of the suburbs of Minneapolis host a city-wide celebration.  Brooklyn Center hosts Earle Brown Days.  The days of celebration have many activities, one of them a parade.

On the evening of the parade, I convinced Joe to take us to the parade.

The kids loved the parade,

the cars, the clowns,

Isaiah even liked the fire engines.

But most of what they liked, 

was amassing large amounts of candy.

Good Idea

2014:

In June, we participated in our annual two weeks of swimming lessons.  This year Xandra

and Theia

and Aliyah participated while Joey, Isaiah, Tikvah and I watched.

During many lessons, as expected, Aliyah needed some convincing

that this was a 

good idea.

Surviving the Afternoon

2014:

While grandpa and daddy are away,

grandma took us to play

at the pool and hot tub.

It was difficult work,

but we managed to survive the difficult afternoon.

Stop and See the Chicken

2014:

On the way from Minnesota to North Dokota, or vice versa, we always pass a very important monument.  Until a recent summer night, we've never taken the time to properly appreciate this important symbol in our midst.  Finally, Joe could pass by no longer without acknowleding this special monument in our midst...

the world's largest prairie chicken.

Located in Rothsay, Minnesota approximately 30 minutes from my in-laws doorstep,

at the precise spot where you are just ready to be done travelling and out of the car, but you know you can hang on for just another 30 minutes as long as you don't have to make any more stops.

It is at that precise moment that your husband decides its time to take a family picture at the World's Largest Prairie Chicken.

So, you begrudgingly climb from the car, when everyone has already happily run ahead, pull out the camera, take the shot, roll your eyes at your husband and calculate that if you weren't staring at this oversized chicken, 

you'd be 15 minutes from home,

and then you zoom in and see the smiling faces of your children and their prairie chicken excitement

and you feel bad, because you're not enjoying this monumental moment.  Instead you're grumpy. 

And then you look up and see the sunset, that you would never had seen if you hadn't stopped because you'd be travelling in the opposite direction

and then you're thankful for God's faithfulness and the beauty He creates, and while you're still not excited about the oversized prairie chicken, you concede that the stop was worth it.  

Especially when you read that the purpose of the prairie chicken monument is to remind visitors of the beauty of the prairie.

Mission accomplished.  Even for grumpy mamas.

Some people stop and smell the roses.  We stop and see the prairie chicken.

Sometimes God's beauty is in the most unexpected places.

Rubbing Off

2014:

Kids are good at following your example.

I guess all the couch sitting and bon bon eating

is really starting to rub off on them!

The Crowning Event

2014:

They crowned him king.

There were crowns

and trumpets

and much whispering,

and tears.

It was quite the event.

Transformation

2015:

After transforming our living room into a bedroom for a few days,

which the kids thought most excellent, by the way,

Joe managed to transform the girls room

by completing a U-shaped to house their beds.

He worked hard

for many days and weeks

and I worked hard to supervise his work.

When I finally deemed the work acceptable, 

we moved the girls back into their newly transformed room,

which I evidently forgot to take pictures of, so the suspense will live on in your hearts.

Just imagine lots of stuff on the floor AND lots of stuff next to the ceiling and you'll have a pretty good idea of what it looks like in there.  

The bad news about the loft is that now they have two places to store all their many treasures.  

The good news about the loft is that now I can only see one half of their treasures.

Very Seriously

2014

The end of the school year brings with it the end of the Awana year.  

Here are my Awana Cubbies

singing their songs

with the Cubbie wanna-bes watching them

getting their awards

from teacher Paula

and teacher Liz.

Here are the Sparks getting awards from Ms. Julie

and singing their songs.

Post celebration pictures:

Xandra - 1st grade

Theia - Kindergarten

Aliyah - 5

Joey - 3

These kids take Awana very seriously.

Very.