Spring Fun!

(Here are some random memories from throughout our Spring!)

SNOWY DAY BLESSING:
On a Saturday with one of many late-season, random snowstorms, the girls and I decided to try to cheer up some ladies in our lives by delivering some love!

 The girls gleefully yelled "Happy Snowy Day Blessing!" at every house we stopped at!

OSCAR NIGHT:

This is what things looked like at our house this year...
I've gotta find some like-minded friends for next year. :)

PERU PARTY:
We hosted a surprise bon voyage party for a dear former-ACFer before she headed back for Stint #2 of some extended-term missions work in Peru.

Our night consisted of some Peruvian Decor...

(my best attempts at representing the flag)

A pinata...

That's the gal-of-honor Debbie taking the first swing...
yes, using a kid's broom as our makeshift stick.

And...Peruvian Clowns.  :)

(It's actually a thing.  No party down there happens without clowns being present.  Our local friends came through with some great costumes to borrow for the night!!!!!)

CHILDCARE JOB:
Through the spring, I continued taking care of some friends' kiddos in our home.  Here are some memories of...

Worshiping Hard:

 Dancing and singing to some music videos from a VBS Julia attended last summer.

Working Hard:

 They LOVE any art projects they get to do!

 And relaxing hard:

 One of a few Movie Afternoons we did on some of the Fridays.

HOP ON POP:
Our kids' version, when Daddy was just too tired to make it any longer one day...

Yes, that's a book stored ON HIS FACE. :)

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY:

Eliza was tickled to be dressed all in green, just like Daddy.

NITTANY LION LOVE:

Our kids have finally gotten over their fear!  

This was at a Men's Volleyball Match where Chad was line-judging.

BLUE-WHITE GAME:
Yes, I actually took a 5- and almost 3-year old on a HUGE hike (while 9-months pregnant) just to get to see Penn State play in Beaver Stadium for free. :)  It was a BEAUTIFUL day...but the kids (and I!) were pretty worn out by the time we made it home!  Let's hope Chad's available to come with us next year!!!!!!

TWO BEAUTIES:
I took Julia to see a local high school's production of "Beauty and the Beast."  She loved it!

Mommy Fail: Refusing to allow Julia to wear her Belle dress-up outfit to the show ("Honey, people in the AUDIENCE don't really wear costumes...")...only to be confronted by a whole host of little girls whose moms thought differently. (you can see one photobombing in the background)  Either Julia didn't notice, or she was too gracious to point out my mistake... :)

CITYSERVE:
Several churches in our area come together each spring for a concerted effort to bless the community with service projects one weekend each spring.  Our church even cancels all weekend worship gatherings -- instead of GOING to church, we want to BE the church!  It was so meaningful to participate as a family this year..

Here are the girls' Christmas Cards they made to bless inmates at a local prison next December...

You can't really see, but Julia traced her hand on the one card, and then vetoed my ideas of some Christmas scripture we could add on each finger, instead insisting that I write "The Helping Hand of Christmas" inside it.  Whatever that means, haha!!!  That is going to be one confused criminal who gets THAT one... ;)

And we also baked a ton of goodies for the staff of the retirement community where my dad lives (plus the connected skilled nursing care facility).  We dropped it off with a heartfelt thank-you note for all the ways they serve the elderly in our area! (yup Dad -- I just called you "old.")  :)

NAPTIME FOR MOM:
Sometimes, if you set up a teepee in the backyard and take out books and stuffed animals for your kids, you can grab a quick nap... :)

(didn't realize Chad snapped this shot!)

YARDWORK:
Chad had some willing helpers this year...on certain projects. :)

So....that's our Spring thus far!  Lots of FUN memories together.