It's my favorite time of year again when the trees turn into beautiful blooms that make me think of a fairy land and grass turns a deep green. Everything feels fresh and new and we can hardly make ourselves stay inside long enough to finish school each day.
Here's some of what we've been up to...
Our kittens have grown! They've also wised up to the fact that being picked up by anyone smaller than 12 is going to mean being squeezed, thus they've gotten hard to catch. They are now 100% outdoor cats...much to Micah's delight.
Liza being slightly less than precious at our mid-semester picnic with Archway, the boys' co-op classes. Just a few weeks until summer break!
Micah and the boys installed a railing in the front of our house last month - yay!
Owen turned four! He is a delight and comes up with the most random and hilarious things.
Playing Duck-Duck-Goose at his party.
Secret Selfie during church...shhh...don't tell Gan Gan we were using the phone.
We attended Reptile Day at the Life and Science Museum in Raleigh last month and saw all sorts of creepy crawly creatures. One of the handlers was explaining how a large salamander can actually regenerate a lost limb and had a strange blank stare when we said, "Wow! God is so amazing!".
Touching a huge iguana!
Less than perfect backdrop for a family photo at the museum...wait, I take that back...I just realized Liza didn't make the picture...sigh, oh well!
Every morning around 9:45am Liza somehow gets her blankets and passy out of bed (passy is supposed to be just for bedtime) and drags it around the house until snack time at 10:00am when she shrieks with delights and throws them all down on the floor in exchange for a banana or cashews.
I went with Micah to his main event this year as president of our local Rotary. It was reverse raffle fundraising event for a local summer program for troubled youth. He had a lot to organize and did a wonderful job facilitating the event.
Liza in awe at the fantastic play made by one of the famous Tarheel team members.
Railing finished! On to some landscaping!
Liza has a friend down the road named Lincoln. Lincoln is 17mo old and is about an inch taller than her. He is a BIG boy! Liza was delighted to have a handsome driver. She was so funny. She kept climbing into the car, calling Lincoln to sit next to her and then she would just sit there and smile really big.
Part of school each day is Seth reading to Owen a library book or two.
We've a few gorgeous days of weather the last few weeks and one of the days we hit our favorite Putt-Putt place. Can you guess who wasn't the winner?
Pops (my grandfather on my dad's side) sent the kids a hand-made jigsaw puzzle! I just think it's super cool that they have something made by their great-grandfather.
The church hosted a women's retreat last weekend for the ladies in the church and I got to spend four days at the beach! It was totally refreshing as usual. I even got to finish complete sentences when talking with my friends!
Pops, this picture is for you. Seth loves his truck and was glad to join the ranks of large truck owners around here.
April showers...
Attempting to make squid models for a school project.
Here is a lady who has become special to us. Mrs. Nadine used to live next door and had to move last year because of declining health. She pops in every once in a while when she's back in the area. I like the old-fashioned "just stopping by" ways. The house was a di-saster and I had to literally dig the couch out from under a pile of books and laundry to offer her a seat, but that's the small stuff and shouldn't keep us from enjoying impromptu company. We Americans need to "just stop by" more often.
Funnies...
"My mouth burps when I tell it to...most of the time." -A proud exclamation from Owen.
"I like spring and winter, but I haven't tried summer yet." -Owen
Owen - "I want to be the president when I grow up." One of those moments when you just stop what you are doing and smile and think of all the wonderful possibilities his future might hold, until.... "or superman, or batman, or..."
Driving in the van and listening to Google Maps speak the directions, Owen says "Alexa sounds tired."
Other news...
Scott is doing well in Japan and getting ready to be deployed on a ship this summer for four months.
Business is moving right along for Dad in Manhattan Kansas. He is really enjoying his work and sounds like he's doing a great job as well.
Joy and James are expecting baby #2, a girl, in June and Clark is enjoying the bliss of being an only child for just a few more months.
Blake and Seth start baseball practice next week! They are super excited and I'm excited to be starting our first year organized sports as a family.
As always, I hope you all are doing well! I better run, Liza and Owen are making a mess as Blake and Seth are simultaneously trying to tidy up, so there is undoubtably a squabble about to erupt.
Love to you all! Happy Easter!
Love,
Kari, Micah, Blake, Seth, Owen and Liza
