My three sons, a Papa Joe, and some baseball.

Baseball is our life in April and May.  Both of our older boys play.  It's a bunch of baseball.  Levi has taken it all in stride.  He just made friends with all of the team families, shown here.

They have better snacks and let him get away with pretty much anything.

Finally, Zaddok's turn!  This is his sweet PeeWee team.  I can't wait until they are teenagers.  I'm pulling this one out.

Why the fright son?

We had a very special guest at the last games.  This is Papa Joe.  He rode in on his motorcycle to watch the boys play.  The boys were so excited!

Asher and Papa Joe doing the post-game briefing.

Had to get a "dude" pic in front of the sweet ride.

See ya Papa Joe!

 

My weirdest child.

See.  If that's not comical, I don't know what is. 

This is my little sister Brittney.  She also made a special trip to come watch the boys play.  It's so nice to have family who love my kiddos!  It makes it fun for them to show off for someone new. 

Sad, sad day.

I was gone for about an hour this weekend and came home to find my husband sitting in our shower with my baby boy wrapped papoose-style.  There was crying.  I was confused.  Then I saw the clippers.  Yes, Matt was trying to give Levi his first little hair cut.  We had talked about it but I was just not prepared to see that baby-fine hair cut off.  I think Matt wished that he had not started it.  It was a wrestling match.  But the end result was just precious. 

Whatcha gonna do Dad?

Nooooooooo!

This is too much!

Someone help me.

I will not smile or be happy.


*Pictures were taken by Jolie!  Didn't she do great?*

Recital!!!

Recital week is always a mixed-feelings week.  We are excited but a bit stressed.  Ready for it to be over but then sad when it is.  The girls did so good.  They worked hard and pulled it off.  The instructors, who are college students, put so much work into it.  They made it special for the girls.  They even gave out gift bags at the end and had handwritten notes for each girl and each mom.  I couldn't believe how thoughtful they were.  They really cared for our girls.  Thanks Ms. Chelsea and Ms. Nikki!  Here are a few pics.  I am going to take Jolie out this next week and take some pictures of her in her costumes.  I will post some of those at a later date. 
 

My little dancer in the dressing room.



Jolie, Merik and McKenzie

These girls are sweet friends and beautiful dancers.

Jolie's modern dance was called, Sahara Snakes.  Thus the snake move. (She was a bit nervous so she wouldn't smile.)

Jolie and Merik.  I can't stand how grown up they are.

Waiting...

The story ballet cast.  They did An American Girl.  It was so fun!

She was Kit Kitridge.

Life is crazy in May!

My life gets crazy in May with baseball, dance recital, end of school stuff and planting time.  So I have not had much time to sit down and write.  But here is a quick picture update.  I will be writing again soon!

Asher is down and ready in the center.

He had such a good game that he got the game ball!  What an honor.

So proud!

The team minus Whitt and Caiden.

It's neat to have cousins playing right across the complex.

In our spare time, we like to jump on the trampoline.

Sometimes we fall down.

All the way down.

A preview of Jolie's recital.  This is McKenzie, Merik and Jolie.

A preview of the backyard garden.  No plants yet.  We are a bit behind.  This is the load of composted cotton burrs that we got to amend the soil.

This sweet boy doesn't have baseball pics yet because I keep forgetting my camera.  Next week baby, next week.

Plots, plots everywhere but nothing finished yet!

Here is our small plot in the front yard.  It is now home to several kinds of squash, a Pueblo Indian popcorn that my Papa gave me, some melons and 2 different kinds of okra.

Taters!  2 different kinds of taters.  These have a cozy home in our alley.

This?  This is my Everest.  It is a huge plot in our backyard.  It is covered in Bermuda grass.  We are slowly digging it out but it is growing back.  I think it's angry.  This will be the home of my tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, lettuce and carrots.  We must conquer!

I just love my chicken house.  I had to share pictures of the finished product.  Thank you to my sweet and talented husband!

They must be happy with life.  They lay 4 delicious eggs a day!

This little chubby hand loves to help put the eggs in the carton.  Sometimes, eggs end up thrown to the dog.  I try to be stern but it's pretty funny.

My Linus.  We have to wash the well-loved blanket several times a week.  Have blankie, will travel.

"Could my brother BE any funnier?"
(Chandler Bing style)

"Yep, he can!"

Tis the season!

Passover season that is.  We are in the midst of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. (Click for a great website with info on both.  Thanks Michelle!)  I love this season.  It is sweet to be able to celebrate the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus) with God's Feasts.  No, we are not Jewish. (But we do cherish the Jewish people and have looked to their example of how to honor the Feasts.  They've been doing it a LONG time!)  No, we aren't members of a weird underground church. (Although we are a bit weird.)  And no, we do not honor these Feasts because we think it will gain us salvation.  These are all things we have been asked so I wanted to preempt any questions.

We have simply taken God at His word.  Genesis through Revelation.  Old and New.  There are the times He has set apart for us to honor Him and His plan.  We are blessed to be a part of The Vine, though we be wild!

“But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry… But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.”



– Romans 11:13, 17, 18, NASB

So, I wanted to share some of our pictures from this year's Pesach Seder or Passover Service.  I welcome any questions.  I know this is a different way for a Christan to celebrate the Resurrection season or Easter.  But we prefer glorifying Jesus through Feasts to the tradition of  bunnies and eggs!  I know, I know.  Bunnies and eggs are fun.  I'm not saying everyone has to follow our lead.  For us, letting go of old traditions to embrace God's traditions, has been a blessing. 

 I do struggle with one thing though.  Easter candy.  I am not really even a candy person.  But give me a Reese's Egg or a box of Peeps and I'm a happy girl.  What is it with Peeps?  They have some strange hold on me.  I don't even really like the way they taste but I will eat the whole box.  Don't even get me started on Cadbury Caramel Eggs.  YUM!

Anyway, however you are celebrating this year, I pray that the sacrifice that was made on the cross would become very real to you.  I pray that you would remember that gift and accept that He loved you enough to suffer the Cross.  I pray that we all take time to examine ourselves and how we respond to His gift, that we would show that sacrificial love to everyone we come in contact with.  I pray that we all give Yeshua Jesus glory and honor and praise, not just in this season but everyday.

We were so thankful to Ann Kitten and Casey Kelley for taking on the enormous task of putting together a Passover Seder for 100 people .  They made it so beautiful and special and they worked their tails off!

Our fearless leader Roman!  He really made the evening a special time to worship our Savior.

The Passover table.

Prophet Elijah's seat.

Did I mention that about 30 people from our group provided more food than 100 people could eat?  It was amazing and delicious!

Roman being a servant in the example of Yeshua Jesus.  The washing of the feet is always a very sweet time.

Asher eating the maror or horseradish. 

We were able to have worship woven into our Seder this year.  It really added to the spirit of the evening.

Jolie was able to keep up with the service this year.  She really understood what was going on.

Zaddok and Judah got to check the door to see if the prophet Elijah was joining us this year.  They came back to report that he, in fact, was not there.  Maybe next year.  Or, next year in Jerusalem!