Tibbetts Family

Christmas Music

2011-12-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

Both K and L sang in the children's Christmas choir. K played a piano solo (video below) and T played the drums for "The Little Drummer Boy" (video below).

K's 9th Birthday

2011-11-20T18:33:00.000-08:00

K turned 9 on 11/11 and I (Mom) took her out on a special birthday date. She got her hair and nails done at a local salon.

I took her out to eat lunch.

Then we came home and she opened presents. Two people who know her very well (her sister and "Miss" Linda) got her the same thing because nothing screams "Kaitlyn" like a little pink poodle. K thought it was hilarious!

Of course, we had birthday cake. K requested an ice cream cake, but we used brownies instead of cake and she wanted mint chocolate chip ice cream. We used mini chocolate cookies to decorate the cake and made them look like music notes because K loves music (especially playing the piano).

Apple Picking Fall 2011

2011-10-27T17:37:00.001-07:00

Since moving to Pennsylvania in 2008, we have enjoyed visiting local orchards and picking apples. The children love eating them and baking with them and it has truly become a tradition we've made since living here.

Want to go down memory lane? I've given links to all our previous apple picking posts below.

Apple Picking 2008

Apple Picking 2009

Apple Picking 2010

Springtime Update

2011-06-12T15:19:00.001-07:00

We have been enjoying some fun springtime activities. We've been gardening. We are working on developing more flowerbeds around our house and also giving container gardening a try. Tyler has wanted to grow his own carrots for a while now, so he planted some carrot seeds. They are doing well, and we hope to be eating them in about 30 more days!

Bird watching is another one of our family's favorites. We feed finches, hummingbirds, and we have a separate wild bird feeder, and a bird bath. We are attracting all sorts of fun birds and identifying them in our field guides. Tyler is really into birds right now, especially water birds. We had a mother woodpecker make a nest in one of our trees and it was fun to listen to them and watch her feed them.

This weekend, our church had a picnic and we had a wonderful time. Some friends of ours brought a huge water slide and it was a big hit with all the kids (big and little).

So, how about you? How was spring been treating you? We have one more week to enjoy some rest time before we start three weeks of a program called Tennis for Kids, and then Vacation Bible School, and then Heath and I are headed to Ontario, Canada for a mission trip. Once we return from that, my focus will be getting things organized for the 2011-12 school year. Lauren will be a 1st grader, Kaitlyn a 3rd grader, and Tyler a 4th grader.

K's Poetry

2011-03-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

K entered a poetry contest hosted by one of our local library branches. She won 2nd place in her category and she was invited to a special celebration to read her poem. It was a really special and fun night for our family! All of the poets did an awesome job!

T and K had a good time listening to all the poetry, and the refreshments were a nice bonus too!

Reading and writing poetry is something we do regularly, and it was encouraging and inspiring to our entire family to take part in this celebration.

Happy 6th Birthday!

2011-03-30T11:53:00.001-07:00

The baby of the family, L, is six-years-old today. This is how the boys in the family help prepare for a birthday around here. They eat all the extra icing from the pan.

This is how the sister helps prepare for a birthday. She creatively and neatly decorates the birthday cake.

Happy Birthday baby, I mean, Big Girl! We love you and are so blessed to have you in our lives. You make us smile, laugh, and you give us a reason to just spin around with silliness at random times (like when we walk down a grocery aisle)!

I also want to mention a dear friend to our family, "Miss" Linda who took L to story time at the library yesterday and out to lunch as a special birthday treat. I didn't post any pictures of their day together because I wasn't sure "Miss" Linda wanted her picture on the internet or not. When you live nearly 1,000 miles away from family, it is such a sweet blessing from the Lord when He brings people into your lives like "Miss" Linda and her husband.

New Haircut

2011-03-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

L wanted to get her haircut. She easily got 3-4 inches cut off. She looks different, she likes it, and it makes my job of de-tangling a lot easier.

What's New

2011-01-29T13:28:00.000-08:00

It's been over one month since I've updated our family blog, so I thought I'd share a little bit about what's new with us.

Mohawks!

Learning Latin with Dad

Snow Creations

Missing Teeth

What's new in your world?

Christmas 2010

2010-12-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

T turned 9 in August. He has enjoyed playing his first season of football, and misses playing very much. T wants to be a lot of things when he grows up. One thing he wants to do is to start his own police organization, but it's top secret and I can't share any information on our family blog.

K turned 8 in November and has been taking piano lessons since May. K wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up.

L will be 6 in March, and she loves all things that sparkle, and to accesorize her outfits. L is busy learning how to read this year and being Mommy's special helper all around the house. L wants to be a ballerina when she grows up.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Happy 8th Birthday, K!

2010-11-11T09:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my funny, creative, sweet, and servant-hearted 8-year-old little girl! I love you!

Vacation Day #7

2010-11-11T06:13:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, November 3rd was our final day at the condo. We spent time at the beach, the pool, and at a mini golf course. It was a fun and busy last day!

Vacation Day #6

2010-11-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, November 2nd, we drove over to Sanibel Island. We visited the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

K participated in a junior ranger activity and was awarded a Junior Ranger badge at the end.

We went on a drive through the refuge, and we actually spotted a live alligator in its natural habitat! This was so exciting!

Along the driving trail, there were a few trails you could pull over and park, get out of your vehicle and go on a walking trail and explore.

Along a walking trail, we saw this really cool ORANGE grasshopper!

Of course we spent more time at the beach once we got back to our condo!

Vacation Day #5

2010-11-09T06:58:00.000-08:00

We weren't planning on going to a zoo, but we learned that this particular zoo had an alligator feeding show, so we decided to go on Monday, November 1st. K thought it was pretty cool that right when she walked into the zoo she saw a bird that looked a lot like the one on her shirt! The zoo was a small zoo, but it was one of the most relaxing times we've ever had at the zoo. I think it had something to do with the fact that it was a Monday and November!

The alligator feeding show was cool, but don't try this in the wild, folks!

Dad always lets the kids get a small souvenir from the zoo gift shop. The children have things from zoos in Tennessee, Nebraska, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and now Florida.

Vacation Days #3 and #4

2010-11-08T07:40:00.000-08:00

This is the beautiful view from our condo!

On Saturday, October 30th we spent more time on the beach. L is just chillin' out and watchin' the waves come in.

Now L is running from the waves. Dad and T like to get out and let the waves hit them. They also liked trying to use "the force" (think Star Wars) to stop the waves.

K was focused and diligent with her sand castle building endeavors. She was really excited when we came back Sunday afternoon and she found it all still standing!

Horseshoe Crab!

T slept on the pull out couch.

These are bunk beds the girls slept on. Actually, they only slept on them for a couple nights and then all three kids ended up sleeping on the furniture in the living room.

On day #4, Sunday, October 31, we went to a nearby church for a worship service, ate lunch out, and then went back to the condo to rest and then headed to the beach!

Vacation Day #2

2010-11-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

We made it to the beach around 4pm on Friday, October 29th. We unpacked the van, and headed straight to the beach!

I saw some of the most gorgeous sunsets during our stay here at Ft. Myers Beach, FL.

The tidal pools were fun to wade across and play in. It was fun to look for little fish and watch the beautiful birds eat.

Vacation Day #1

2010-11-06T10:07:00.001-07:00

On Thursday, October 28th, we left at 3a.m. and Savannah, GA was our destination. We crossed over this BIG bridge (I am scared of bridges).

We made it to Paula Deen's restaurant, "The Lady and Sons" at 2:30 in the afternoon, and were able to enjoy a late lunch (which was technically our dinner since we ate breakfast and lunch so early since we woke up at 2:3o a.m.).

After dinner, we walked to the riverfront and explored the area. It was nice to walk around after so many hours in the minivan.

This is my favorite picture from Savannah! These oak trees with Spanish moss are beautiful!

I'll post tomorrow about our second day of vacation.

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

2010-10-14T15:20:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, we packed a picnic lunch and our kites and headed to one of our favorite PA state parks! This was T, K, and L's first kite flying experience, and we had so much fun! I don't have any memories of flying a kite as a child, and Heath said he hasn't flown a kite since he lived in Germany. He only lived in Germany for preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st grade - so it has been a while since he's flown a kite. K just asked me today if we were going to fly our kites again this weekend. She can't wait to go again!

Apple Pickin' 2010

2010-10-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

This is our third year apple pickin' in PA! This is a picture of the children in 2008

2009

2010

The children and I went apple picking on Saturday, and this week we've been busy making dumplings, apple butter, and jelly!

More Football

2010-10-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, T had his first game, and I took a lot of pictures. This week, I plan on just watching because you miss a lot of the action when you have a camera in front of your face.

Playing quarterback!

Check out that pass!

Flag Football

2010-09-17T07:13:00.001-07:00

T's first football season has begun! He is very excited! I am sure we'll be posting more pictures throughout the season!

Feed the Hungry

2010-09-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

This past weekend our family participated in a local missions project with our church. On Friday night, all three of us girls went and helped pack sack lunches.

The little girls helped fold up socks and put them in Ziploc bags.

They were rewarded with some extra cookies we had.

On Saturday evening, Dad, T, and K went to three different sites to pass out hot meals, sack lunches, socks, hats, and mittens. Dad had lots of opportunities to tell people about Jesus and pray with and for them. This is our family's third year helping with this ministry and the children, especially, look forward to it every year!

5th Sunday Sing

2010-08-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Our family sang a song at our church's 5th Sunday Sing last night. K wanted to do "Cast Your Cares" from a CD from Seeds Family Worship. Have you heard about Seeds Family Worship? If not, click over and check them out! They make great CDs filled with Scripture-songs! We really like them! I pray our family will continue to praise and worship together! I really didn't know if the children would actually do this when there was a crowd watching them or not, but they did. This video is actually a portion of one of our practices.

Rocks, Paths, Playgrounds, and Wiffle Ball

2010-08-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we climbed on some really big rocks, hiked some really pretty trails, played on a playground, and played an epic game of wiffle ball - and we did it all at one of our favorite local state parks!

Turning 9

2010-08-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

T turned 9-years-old on August 7th! He is crazy about LEGOs, and had a LEGO cake, and got lots of new LEGO sets as gifts! It is really cool to see him build these things mostly by himself. Just another reminder he is growing up!

Vacation Bible School

2010-08-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

I remember attending VBS as a kid, and I remember helping with VBS as a teenager and college student. I love VBS! Now that I'm a parent, I love how it is a ministry that our entire family can participate in. I remember teaching 1st and 2nd graders at West Helena Baptist Church whenever T was 3, K was 2, and L was just 2 months old. I dropped L off in the nursery, ran to teach my class, and they let me take a break while they were in recreation so I could go nurse her, then I ran back and finished up teaching my class! L was the only one in the nursery, but the nursery coordinator in that church came every morning to watch her so I could teach. VBS has always had a special place in my heart as far back as I can remember. This year I am teaching 3rd and 4th graders. K did a great job this year helping me cut things out for our lessons. Each night the children do something to help me get prepared whether it simply be just helping me carry all my junk into the church. I am co-teaching this year with a wonderful friend of mine, and I'm so thankful! Heath is helping lead the worship rally and he enjoys this so much! Vacation Bible School is a fun week to minister, grow, and learn together as a family, as we teach children about Jesus!

Summer Learning

2010-07-17T19:53:00.001-07:00

Last week, while Heath was away on a mission trip, the children and I attended a really cool program at our local library. There is an organization here in York County that rescues reptiles and amphibians, and they actually put on a wonderful one hour program for children. It is fascinating, and funny, and an absolute blast! At the end of the program, the children can stand in line if they want to have a turn touching a snake. T and K took their turn touching the snake, but L wanted nothing to do with it. L did go to the program, and she really enjoyed it. The guy who did the program is really funny!

Do you see L? She is the little blonde on the far right sitting next to K in the tie-dyed shirt.

Summer Learning

2010-07-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

Do you see L? She is the little blonde on the far right sitting next to K in the tie-dyed shirt.

3rd of July Tradition

2010-07-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

This year, for the second year in a row, we spent the 3rd of July with some friends. We live here in PA with no family around, and they live here in PA with no family nearby; so we hang out a lot together on various holidays.

We started the night off with a cook out.

Then the children went on a scavenger hunt!

Of course we ate some dessert!

And we ended our night watching a beautiful fireworks display!

Cousins

2010-06-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

The children got to visit with all their cousins while Dad was participating in a mission trip in Northwest MO. We spent two days with our Mid-Missouri cousins, and two days with our Southwest MO cousins.

Mid-Mo Cousins

We went to Shelter Gardens to take a few pictures. It was 90 degrees by 9am, so we didn't stay too long.

The girls worked on building a sand castle, and T worked on catching minnows in the lake.

Southwest MO Cousins

We had a blast at Aunt Kim's house. She had a BBQ for us, and set up two kiddie pools for the kids to play in, and Aunt Becca made homemade ice cream.

Daddy's Pancakes

2010-06-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

Everyone in our home knows that Dad's pancakes are WAY better than Mom's pancakes. I (Mom) don't really understand why Dad's pancakes are so much better than mine because we use the same exact recipe, but it's true - his are better!

K is still cooking once-a-week. This week she wanted to make pancakes, bacon, and sausage for supper. We do breakfast for supper around here quite regularly.

K did a great job flipping pancakes. She's done this before, but this was the first time she really did it well! Hey - her Dad's a great teacher!

We used the strawberry jam we made yesterday as a topping on our pancakes, and let's just say these were the BEST pancakes any of us had ever eaten in our lives!!!!

Strawberry Pickin'

2010-06-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

We went strawberry pickin' today and had lots of fun! T only picked the biggest and best berries, L picked whatever, and K did a good job of picking nice, red, ripe berries. The weather today was absolutely beautiful and perfect for picking berries. Our sweet friend, "Miss" Linda helped us can some strawberry jam, we froze most of the berries, and we're saving some to make Dad a special Father's Day dessert this weekend since we'll be travelling on Father's Day. We hope to be able to pick blueberries next!

Landscaping Take 2

2010-05-31T14:56:00.000-07:00

We've been working pretty hard out in our yard this Spring. Do you remember this post I shared on April 3rd? Well, I have some new pictures to show our progress!

Remember, this is how the walkway looked when we moved in back in January...

This is what the walkway looks like today...

This was an old abandoned sand box. We are guessing there used to be a box. We dug up all the sand and hauled it off. Then we slowly started planting some plants who like the shade.

This is what the old sand box area looks like today. There will be more color as the marigolds, impatients, and hostas grow and bloom.

This picture shows you how the rock continues on around the house...

I really am learning as I go. I may have planted some things that won't do well in certain areas. But, I will learn from my mistakes and make some adjustments next year!

Fun Weekend

2010-05-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend Dad put together a "Guard Your Heart Camp-out" for families in our church. The camp-out is a family event, and is centered around Proverbs 4:23: "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

On Sunday evening, we attended the AWANA awards ceremony. This is L's last year as a Cubbie and she will be moving up to Sparks next year. K has one more year left in Sparks, but T will be moving up to T&T next year.

State Park

2010-05-08T15:06:00.000-07:00

This afternoon we visited the Samuel S. Lewis State Park for the first time. We had a lot of fun exploring and climbing on all the rock formations. Next time we visit we are going to pack a picnic lunch, climb some more, find the 1 mile hiking trail, and take a kite to fly! Today was a little on the cool and windy side, but the sun was shining beautifully!

Playing Catch Up

2010-05-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I posted anything here on our family blog, and I do apologize for that. We have been busy though. T and K are wrapping up their 2nd grade curriculum, and I have almost completed my two college courses as well. Since my last post L has enjoyed a Princess tea party with a few of her friends to celebrate her 5th birthday, we had a frightening run in with a short tailed shrew, and all three children raced in the AWANA Grand Prix. Here are a few pictures:

Easter 2010

2010-04-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

L summed it up when she wrote (with Mommy's help):

Praise the Lord! We serve a risen Savior!

Landscaping Take 1

2010-04-03T14:42:00.001-07:00

When we moved in our walk-way looked like this:

This Spring, our walkway looked like the picture on the left. Some sort of "viney" tuberous plant was taking OVER!!!! The picture on the right shows what our walk-way looks like now. We pulled up all the old weed barrier, mulch, and dug up all the yucky plants. Then we laid down new weed barrier and a very pretty rock! Heath's experience from working one summer on a landscaping crew came in handy.

The kids even helped out quite a bit. It was a fun (but exhausting day)!

Landscaping Take 2 will be adding some color to the walk-way!

Easter Choir

2010-04-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

On Good Friday, our church's choir led worship through an Easter Cantata called, "Run to the Cross." Heath directed the choir again this year. We had a wonderful time getting to know more of our church family and building relationships with them. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was shared through music and through our Pastor's preaching.

We pray you all have a blessed day tomorrow as we celebrate our Risen Savior! Hallelujah!

L's Bday

2010-03-31T07:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we had a small family party for L's 5th birthday. Her daddy brought her home some beautiful flowers. She felt very special and loved. She got to open all the birthday packages that family sent her from Missouri. On April 10th, L is having a few little girls over to have a Princess Tea Party. So she is excited that her birthday celebrations aren't over yet.

My Baby is Five Today

2010-03-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

There is something about a child's 5th birthday that makes a Momma sad. Five means Kindergarten is coming soon. Five means learning to read and to tie your shoes. Five means more independence and less dependence. Five means they're growing up - and growing up too fast!

Five years ago, little L woke me up in the wee hours of the morning by popping my water (I know, she probably didn't literally pop my water). THIS was not our plan. We lived eight hours from our family, and we had the c-section scheduled, and arranged for Grandma to come and take care of T and K. So, in the wee hours of the morning in our new home in Mississippi, we called our Sunday school teachers and asked if we could bring T and K over because my water had just broke!

We made it to the hospital just fine, and L was born on Wednesday, March 30th around 8:00 a.m.

I can't help but think about West Helena Baptist Church, when I think about L's birth. Because three days before her birth, we met our new church family. They were calling Heath to come and be their Student Minister. When L was only a few hours old Bro. Dusty, the Pastor, and his wife, Mrs. Mollie knocked on my hospital door to visit us. Their visit truly blessed us because we knew we wouldn't be visited by any family that day since we lived 8 hours away, and L's 2-week early arrival was a bit of a surprise. I also think about Mrs. Jimmie Ruth and how much she loved (and still loves) our little L. Mrs. Jimmie Ruth watched L a lot in the nursery at WHBC, fed her lots of gummies, and still keeps in contact through mail, e-mail, and phone calls.

The day L was born, we became a family of FIVE. We had three children ages 3 and under. When I think about what life was like five years ago, it makes me tired. But it also makes me smile.

My little five-year-old, I love you! You are a sweet, kind, loving, and helpful little girl! Thanks for all the hugs, kisses, and smiles you give me everyday! I love being your Mommy!

Crayola Factory

2010-03-29T18:57:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our trip to the Crayola Factory.

A Trip to the Dentist

2010-03-25T13:17:00.000-07:00

All three little Tibbetts' went to the dentist today, and once again they all received great reports from the dentist - NO CAVITIES!!!! In this picture, the children are showing off their shiny smiles and their new toothbrushes in the van after their appointments.

Tomorrow, we are headed to the Crayola Factory with our Learning and Fun Club! I'm sure I'll take lots of pics and post them soon!

Thanks Mrs. Jimmie Ruth!

2010-03-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Throughout the children get special packages in the mail from our sweet, dear, and precious friend Mrs. Jimmie Ruth in Arkansas! We love and miss her so much! Their Easter package of goodies just arrived this week, and they KNOW if the package is from Mrs. Jimmie Ruth, then there will be gummies inside!

Thanks Mrs. Jimmie Ruth! We love you!

K's New Haircut

2010-03-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night, K and I went to the mall to go shopping for L's 5th birthday! While we were there, K got her haircut. I think it is super cute:) We had so much fun hanging out together. She is such a sweet little girl. She is such a JOY!

Bowling

2010-03-02T08:57:00.001-08:00

The children enjoyed a bowling field trip yesterday. We did all our school work in the morning, and our friend, Mrs. Linda came and picked us up. We enjoyed lunch at Chick-fil-a, playing in their play place, and then a couple games of bowling at a local alley. It was nice to get out of the house for a few hours and have some fun!

Snowy Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T12:35:00.000-08:00

The last time I posted on here was on Sunday, February 7th. Since then we received another foot of snow, celebrated Valentine's Day, and MORE snow is coming down RIGHT NOW!!!

Even though Heath was only in the office Monday and Tuesday last week, we still didn't see much of him. He was busy shoveling snow around our home, neighborhood, and helping out a few friends. So, by Valentine's Day, the children and I were in need of some time with him. Heath did a great job making the holiday special for us. On Saturday, a beautiful bouquet of tulips were delivered to our door. Tulips are my favorite flower. These tulips are extra special to me because with the 40+ inches of white stuff on the ground outside, they are a sweet reminder that Spring is coming!

On Sunday morning he told the children and I that he had some sweet surprises for us. After worship he took us out to lunch. We NEVER go out to eat on a Sunday, so this was an extra special treat. We waited 60 minutes for a table, and this picture below shows you how L felt about the long wait.

She eventually cheered up. Playing silly games and taking silly pictures seemed to help everyone endure the wait.

After lunch, Heath took us to one of our favorite local places and the children got to pick out what they call, "Valentine goodies."

This is mine and Heath's 11th Valentine's Day together! Each year together is sweeter than the year before!

Big Snow Storm

2010-02-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

We have lived in our new home for one week now! It has snowed twice since we moved in! Earlier this week we got a couple inches, but this weekend we got a couple FEET! The roads are still in pretty bad shape, and I am sure many people have not even shoveled their cars out yet; so a lot of churches have cancelled their worship services for today (our's included). Today we will spend some time worshiping together as a family. K will be teaching Sunday school and she is very excited.

More About Our New Home

2010-01-25T06:01:00.000-08:00

This bay window is one of my favorite things in our new home. I have this vision of seeing my children sitting in it reading lots of books, and sketching lots of pictures. I think I read too many Austen novels that put these types of ideas in my brain...

I took this picture of the kitchen while standing in our big dining room. Having a separate dining area verses an eat-in kitchen was an important thing on our list!

We are doing our final walk through on the house on Tuesday, closing on Thursday, and moving on Saturday. On Friday, I will probably be going over and doing some cleaning. Should I line my new kitchen cabinets with shelf paper? Is that NECESSARY? Opinions please...

Our New Home

2010-01-14T17:18:00.000-08:00

We hope to be closing on our new home on the 28th of this month! I haven't shared this on the blog because we were waiting on inspections to go through. So, if everything keeps moving along, we will hopefully be moving into our new home in about 2 weeks!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

"And on the very first Christmas Day, God said to you, 'I love you more than anything in this universe!' " ~ From Ytreeide's Advent Storybook, "Jotham's Journey"

Winter Storm

2009-12-20T13:13:00.001-08:00

K trying to get down from the front porch.

We are estimating we got around 20 inches at our house.

T wanted to see how deep the snow was. He used his arms to measure it.

L climbing up one of the big drifts.

The children finally made their way around to the back yard.

The children love the snow and spent a lot of time out in it today. I guarantee they will be out in it tomorrow too!

Christmas Packages

2009-12-19T10:58:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Mrs. Jimmie Ruth, Lauren LOVES her gummies. Whenever a package in the mail arrives from our sweet friend in Arkansas, she knows there will be gummies inside!

Thanks Mrs. Jimmie Ruth! We love you!

Christmas Tree Decorating

2009-12-09T17:13:00.001-08:00

Once all the snow melted and the tree was dry, we began to decorate.

The children each get a new ornament every year, and they also make homemade ones too. Each year I love to hear them pull them out and reminisce and ask us questions about when they got certain ones, or how old they were when they made the ornaments. One day when they are grown and have homes of their own, they will get to take all their ornaments with them.

Dad and I picked up a cute Christmas ornament while we were in New York City last week. I like it!

T, K, and L enjoy decorating the tree, and we were done in no time!

Christmas Tree Cutting

2009-12-06T17:19:00.001-08:00

The beautiful snowfall we had yesterday created a beautiful opportunity for us to go to a local tree farm, choose and cut down our own Christmas tree.

The children sat on the hay bales and waited for the tractor and wagon to come pick us up and take us to the field where we could find a beautiful Douglas-Fir.

L's favorite part of the day was not getting the tree, but riding on the wagon.

We hopped off the wagon, and within minutes we found the tree we wanted.

Dad cut and cut and cut while K held back the branches. He almost gave up, but K cheered him on. He wanted to stop mid-way through (not really) but K told him, "You've already started cutting down this tree, you have to finish."

Mom and the kids posing by the tree after we all yelled, "Timber!"

K pulled the wagon the whole way to the van.

But she wasn't any help when it came time to tie the tree down to the top of our van.

The Boy in the Kitchen

2009-12-05T15:51:00.000-08:00

T helped me out in the kitchen during our Saturday homemade pizza night. He told me he thought a bacon pepperoni pizza would be good, so I let him make it.

First Snow of the Season

2009-12-05T15:42:00.001-08:00

The children enjoyed getting out and playing in the snow today! We just returned home with them around 1am this morning. It was a special treat for them to be welcomed back to a winter wonderland at their home.

T said the only thing that could make this day MORE perfect is if it was Christmas Day so he could open the presents that Grandma sent home with us! But, the beautifully wrapped packages will stay under the tree until Christmas morning (much to his dismay).

Thanksgiving 09

2009-12-03T13:18:00.000-08:00

We loaded up the minivan and visited our families in Missouri for a few days. The drive from our home to Southwest Missouri is 17 hours. When Dad is behind the wheel you stop for two reasons: to get gas and to go to the bathroom. Seriously, he doesn't want to waste prime driving time for dilly dallying around restaurants and convenient stores! Our first day of driving we spent 11 hours in the car, and ate packed lunches and snacks in the car. Once we got to the hotel, the children enjoyed playing in the pool while Dad picked up a pizza for us. The second day of driving was only around 6 hours, and this day of driving seemed like nothing to the kids!

As I type this the children are actually still in Missouri. We will meet Grandma tomorrow at a certain location along I-70 to get them back. Grandma volunteered to watch them for a few days because Dad surprised me (Mom) with a day trip to New York City for our 10th wedding anniversary. Plus, Grandma had not had the children since July 2008. The children enjoy spending time with her because she has a fun yard to play in with trees and tree stumps to climb on, a dog, some cats (one cat that used to be ours), and some horses. On the return trip back home, since it was just Heath and I, we drove straight through.

Time with Mommy's Family

Time with Daddy's Family

Here's one picture from our NYC Trip

Our Thanksgiving trip is over, our trip to New York city is over, and we go pick up the kids tomorrow. So, it's "back to life, back to reality" come Sunday morning. When the children return home we will do the basics in school (reading, writing, and math) everyday. Along with our school work, we will start our Advent traditions, decorating, and baking!

Thanksgiving Homeschool Club Field Trip!

2009-11-20T14:16:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday, November 18th, the children and I enjoyed a fun field trip with our Learning and Fun Club friends. We all met at a local church and had a Thanksgiving feast, made a Thanksgiving craft, and then we went to Nixon Park to learn how animals prepare for the winter. We also brought donations for a local food bank to help families in our area have the food they need for this holiday season.

L and K enjoying their Thanksgiving feast

L, K, and T posing for a picture for Mom before leaving Nixon Park

Happy Birthday!

2009-11-11T02:46:00.000-08:00

My sweet little middle child is 7-years-old today.
She is loving, thoughtful, creative, and kind.
She loves to sing, draw, and write her own stories and poems.
She is learning to cook and wants to learn how to sew.
When she grows up she wants to be a veterinarian.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET GIRL!!!!

October Homeschool Highlights

2009-10-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

The children practiced some of the Christmas songs they're learning for children's choir at church. While they were practicing, they decided it would be fun to put on a Christmas Concert for their Dad one day when he got home from work. They made a sign, and even made him a ticket. T played the drums, L played the maracas, and K sang and played the tambourine.

For Science we've been having a lot of fun studying the solar system! The children put together this cool notebook page that shows you the order of the planets from the sun.

The children loved math this day. The lesson involved candy. Of course when they were done with the lesson, they got to eat their candy.

Learning to Serve

2009-10-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

The weekend of October 9th and 10th, our church participated in a service project called "Feed the Hungry." On Friday night the girls and I went to church and helped pack sack lunches, and K helped sort the socks, hats, and gloves that were also passed out. On Saturday night, Dad and T went and helped pass out the food, to pray with people, and to share Jesus with people if the opportunity was given. As parents, we want our children to learn how to serve. Jesus didn't come to be served, but to serve (Mt. 20:28).

Matthew 25:35-40

³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Homeschool Picture Day

2009-10-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

We have now lived in PA for 13 months. I am still amazed by the rich history and beauty of this state! On Tuesday, we visited a gorgeous place. We are in a club called Learning and Fun. It is a group of homeschool families who get together for field trips. On Tuesday, our group got together for a special picture day. The pictures were all taken outdoors at Wallace-Cross Mill. The children had fun playing and exploring around the stream.

Apple Picking 09

2009-10-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

Apple picking is becoming a tradition here in our family. You can see how much the children have grown since we went apple picking last year. We plan to make applesauce, apple butter, and apple dumplings this year!

The top picture was taken last year (2008), and the bottom picture was taken this year (2009)

Pumpkin Carving

2009-09-30T01:50:00.000-07:00

We chose our pumpkin, and brought it home. Dad began carving while K watched.

The children were disgusted by the pumpkin's "guts."

Well, K wasn't grossed out for long. She dove right in and helped clean the pumpkin out.

We saved the seeds to roast another day.

Dad asked the children to draw a design of a pumpkin. Dad chose to use T's eyes, L's nose, and K's mouth.

Not bad for his first time EVER carving a pumpkin!

Of course we had to go outside and light it up

We ended the night by eating a piece of pumpkin pie, of course!

A Post for K

2009-09-29T19:41:00.001-07:00

I promised K's Aunt Jessica that I would post some bigger pictures of the children. T has a post about his new cub scout year, and L has a post about her new fall clothes. Last week we took some pictures of just K to share on here for Aunt Jessica (and other family and friends too). K will be turning seven very soon! She is a true joy to be around. She is creative, fun, and a hard worker! You can look at some of her artwork by going over to my other blog where I write about homeschooling, homemaking, ministry, and whatever else I have on my mind.

My Baby

2009-09-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

My baby is growing up way too fast! She has loved getting out all her new (to her) fall clothes out! She wanted me to take a picture of her, so of course I did. Her Aunt Jessica has been complaining about the photo collages I post on here, so I'm trying to please her by posting some bigger pictures of the children on here. Next post will have to be a K only post! This one is a post only about L, and the one before this, was a T only post.

Wolf Cub

2009-09-18T18:46:00.001-07:00

T has started his second year of cub scouts. Last year he was a tiger cub. This year he is a wolf cub! He is excited to be meeting with his cub scout friends every Tuesday night again!

Labor Day Fun!

2009-09-09T15:02:00.001-07:00

We had a great Labor Day weekend! On Friday, we invited some new friends over for dinner and games. The Missouri Tigers made our Saturday great by gaining a victory! On Sunday we enjoyed going to church, and L and Mom enjoyed a birthday party. On Monday we enjoyed going to Chick-fil-a for lunch, playing Frisbee golf for the first time!

2009-09-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister.

-- Alice Walker

If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child.

-- Linda Sunshine

L Loves to Play Putt-Putt

2009-09-06T17:22:00.001-07:00

One of L's friends had a birthday party today! His birthday is not until December, but he wanted to have an outdoor birthday party, so we celebrated early! I thought it was a fun and creative idea! The children enjoyed pizza, putt-putt golf, petting a pony, feeding some animals, and eating cake! L's favorite part was playing golf!

Tibbetts Family Theatre

2009-09-03T15:16:00.000-07:00

The Three Little Goblins

K has been wanting to write a play. So this week we got to work! It turned into a team effort, because T wanted to join in on the writing of the play as well. We had a lot of fun! We kept it a surprise all week and performed it for Dad when he came home today. T was the green goblin, K was the blue goblin, and L was the pink goblin. I (Mom) had the honor of playing the role of the little girl!

When Dad walked in the door, he was given a theatre ticket, some popcorn, and a lovely usher showed him to his seat!

Here's a brief review of the play from Dad.

The special effects were incredible, and there was more dialogue than I would have expected my children to be able to write.

The children did all the planning and writing of the play themselves! It was a great time, and I look forward to watching many more of their own plays in the future! The children called their play, "The Three Little Goblins and the Terrified Little Girl."

The Entire Cast

Physical Education

2009-08-28T17:47:00.001-07:00

One day when I was fixing lunch I heard a lot of commotion and giggling! I walked into the living room saw the children having a "stuffed animal war." It was hilarious! They had fun, broke a sweat, and were hilarious to watch!

First Day of School!

2009-08-17T15:08:00.001-07:00

A lot of families take pictures of their children on the first day of school. This year I told the children they could pick out whatever they wanted to wear, and also the location they'd like their picture taken. So, we headed outside with the camera and took some pictures. We often joke that these three little Tibbetts' aren't the most photogenic children, but they sure are CUTE:) T is in 2nd grade, K is in 1st grade, and L is in K/4 (4-year-old Kindergarten).

A glimpse into our school room! We do school all over the house, but it's nice to have ONE place where things can be stored and set-up.

Summer Vacation 2009

2009-08-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

It takes four hours to get to Pittsburgh from our house, so the DVD player went with us! We enjoyed a "picnic" lunch in the van about one hour before we arrived at the zoo!The zoo was crowded, but we still were able to see everything and have lots of fun!
The hotel was very nice and lots of fun! We did spend time at the pool, but I forgot to take my camera downstairs with me!
The Cardinals game was fun, but it was very, very HOT!!!!! The kids stayed in their seats until the 7th inning stretch, then I took them to the playground to play! Dad got to see the exciting 8th inning though!

VBS Carnival!

2009-08-07T18:37:00.000-07:00

The children had a blast at the VBS Carnival! The bounce house was their absolute favorite!

T's 8th Birthday!

2009-08-07T12:15:00.001-07:00

Once T returned home from Cub Scout Camp, we knew what we wanted to get him for his birthday - a BB gun! He was surprised and very excited.

Birthday Cake!

A birthday package from Aunt Kim arrived today! She always throws in goodies for the other siblings too! The girls enjoyed discovering their little surprises! T loved this drum t-shirt she sent. He said it was his 2nd favorite gift from Aunt Kim. His 1st favorite were these wooden boat models to build and paint!
HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY T!!!!!

VBS 2009!

2009-08-06T18:56:00.001-07:00

T and K enjoyed VBS very much! L didn't want me to leave her, so she just hung out with me. I think the 10-day separation was a bit much for her:) So, she and I enjoyed hanging out with friends, taking pictures, and walking down to the snack shack to get snowballs (a.k.a. snow cones).

The 2nd night of VBS was the day I returned home from Peru! When I walked in my mind was flooded with many thoughts when I saw all the teachers dressed up, and all the elaborate decorations. I was reminded how little the Peruvian churches have in comparison to most churches in the U.S. I was reminded how content, thankful, and joyful the Peruvian children were with a simple coloring sheet and ONE single piece of candy. Part of me felt a little guiltly, and greatly saddened by the amount of money our church (and many others) spend on one week of VBS. Don't get me wrong, I think VBS is great! But, I do think sometimes we overspend and lose sight of the MOST important thing in the midst of the decorations, costumes, crafts, and music. The most important thing is Jesus Christ - sharing His love and His saving message! How I pray the children who attended our VBS truly understand who Jesus is and what He has done for them!

I know my children learned a lot, and had wonderful teachers. I am thankful!

Peru

2009-08-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Well I (Mom) am home from Peru. If you'd like to look at some of the pictures and videos I took while there, you can click HERE.

I love the Peruvian people! They are warm, caring, and loving! Truly their JOY comes from Christ, and Him ALONE!!! Oh, the lessons I have learned from them!!!

I am thankful the Lord gave me the opportunity to go and serve in this way! To simply join Him and the Peruvian churches in their ministries.

A Toothless Girl!

2009-07-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot! Kaitlyn lost another tooth while Dad was away! When your children lose their bottom teeth, they really don't look THAT much different. But, when they start losing those TOP teeth...it's a whole different story! They look different and sound different when they talk!

I don't like it when they start losing teeth, because it's just another reminder that they are growing up...TOO fast!!!!!

Busy Week

2009-07-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

While Dad was away serving at the Philly World Changers project, the kids and I stayed very busy! We went swimming twice, ran errands, went grocery shopping, got to visit with relatives visiting from MO, played with some toads, and enjoyed a picnic at a park with some friends! We missed Dad while he was away, but are thankful for so many of our new friends who helped us have some fun while he was away!

Uncle John and Aunt Claudia were on their way to visit family it Pottsville, PA and stopped by to spend some time with us! When you live nearly 1,000 miles away from ALL your family, it is a HUGE blessing to get visitors!

We enjoyed having a picnic lunch and playing at the park with some friends!

Early Birthday Celebration

2009-07-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

Dad's birthday isn't until Sunday, July 12. We're celebrating early because he is going to be busy on his birthday as the World Changers Worship Speaker. He actually had two celebrations. On Thursday, we asked some friends if we could bring some pizza over and visit with them. When we got there, Dad was surprised with a yummy ice cream cake! Today (Friday) we served Dad his favorite cobbler he requested instead of cake, and he got the Bourne Trilogy as his gift from Mom, T, K, and L!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!! We love you! We are excited to hear how God is going to use you mightily next week!

If you'd like to keep up with the Philly World Changers project, you can click here. The staff will post pictures and updates on the 2009 World Changers Blog!

Enjoying Nature

2009-07-08T14:13:00.001-07:00

For our summer schedule this year, the children and I have been packing a picnic lunch and going out for nature hikes on Mondays! We usually take our camera with us. All the pictures below were taken by K! I think she got some great shots! She would find her object...zoom in just right...and say, "perfect" in a hushed whispered tone, and SNAP the picture! She's so sweet and creative! T was busy trying to find another frog. L was busy tracking down the HUNDREDS of butterflies we saw! It was such a fun Monday!
On Sunday night, we picked our first bell pepper from the garden! T got the honor of picking it:) Today, we picked our first zucchini. I was so excited and wanted to take a picture, but I spared you all the boredom:)
Are you enjoying the great outdoors this summer? Do you have a vegetable or flower garden you enjoy spending time in?

Finale to the 4th

2009-07-07T09:45:00.001-07:00

Since we were busy both Friday and Saturday evenings, we didn't have a chance to set off the fireworks we purchased. So, we did that on Sunday evening. T and K enjoyed sparklers, but L wanted nothing to do with them. We got to see a really cool hot air balloon, and Dad got a really cool picture of it with the children in the foreground!

4th of July Weekend!

2009-07-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous 4th of July weekend!

July 3rd

Went over to Mr. Bob's house to watch the huge logs in his yard be cut down to lumber he's going to use to make some benches. Mrs. Dollie showed us their beautiful gardens and bird feeders!
Went out to eat lunch!
Went grocery shopping
Dinner and Red Lion, PA fireworks show with some friends (see picture)

July 4th

Our friend, Brian, got to hang out with us while his Mom and Dad went to a wedding
Went to Brian's house and swam, ate dinner, set off fireworks, made s'mores, and hung out with three other ministry families!

July 5th

We got to see some precious friends of ours from Mississippi! Christine's parents live just a few miles from us! We haven't seen our friends in about two years! Now, we're going to get to see them TWICE a year!

Dad and I were talking about how this has been one of the BEST 4th of July's EVER!!!! We were disappointed about some of PA's firework laws, but the good times with friends evened it all out!

End of the Season

2009-06-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

K enjoyed playing in her instructional baseball league this year! Saturday was her final day of the season, and she's sad about that!

Her team played all their Mom's the final game of their season. Then, we headed over to a local park for a special trophy presentation and baseball cupcakes! K was the only girl on her team and she did an outstanding job! She's a good hitter, runner, and she listens to instructions well! One of her coaches told me before we left, "K is an exceptional athlete. I hope you will continue to allow her to be involved in sports!"

Camp Tuckahoe

2009-06-27T13:50:00.001-07:00

Tyler's Favorite Memories...

I liked seeing the tadpoles, going fishing, getting in the row boat, learning archery, and learning how to fire a BB gun, and making smores.

Click on the picture and it will pull up a larger image so you can see each picture better:

This was T's first year in scouts, and his first year to go to camp! T and Dad had a great time together! Dad had lots of fun, but he said, "I'm glad it's only once a year!

Girl Time!

2009-06-26T18:04:00.000-07:00

We dropped the boys off at Cub Scout Camp on Thursday afternoon. It was a hot day, so we headed to a pool! Some friends of ours gave us permission to use their pool any day we wanted to this week. So far, we've been there twice!L has stopped sucking her thumb! We are very, very excited about this around here! She sucked her thumb so much she gave herself a HUGE callous on the knuckle on her thumb. I did the same thing when I was a kid (so I've been told). I sucked my thumb until I went to Kindergarten, and I figured L would do the same thing! Well, we told her if she stopped sucking her thumb, and made the bump on her thumb go away, she would get to go to the store and pick out any color of nail polish she wanted. She has NEVER had her right thumb nail painted...EVER!!!! She was very excited! So, today I took her to a store and she picked out BLUE sparkly nail polish!!! Too cute!
The girls and I are going to K's last t-ball game of the season. Well, actually they're not hitting off a tee anymore, so K keeps correcting me and telling me she plays baseball now. After BASEBALL, we are going over to our church because they are having a Car Show. Then, around 3pm, we get to head out and drive back up to Cub Scout Camp to pick up Dad and T!!!! Can't wait to see them! I'm sure T will talk my ear off the whole ride home!

More Monday Fun

2009-06-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks, the children and I have made Monday our special fun day! We are a one vehicle family. So, this means taking Dad to his office at church, dropping him off, and then we spend the day running errands and doing fun stuff! When we're done, we go pick up Dad and take him back home with us:)

Today, the children and I went to get some supplies I need for my upcoming mission trip to Peru! Then, we took a picnic lunch to a park and we played there for a while before going to the library. After the library, we went to visit a special lady from our church, Mrs. Brenda!

We had so much fun! As you can see from the picture, the day wore L out!

More Father's Day

2009-06-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of the song the children sang for their Dad on Father's Day!

Our friends took us out for ice cream yesterday afternoon. Each of the children took a turn riding the wild pony ride! It was a fun and special day!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

This year for Father's Day, the children did something special for their Dad. They learned a song called "Dear Jesus" and sang it for him. After the song each of the children thanked their Dad for something he has taught them about the Lord. Then, we all gathered around Dad, prayed for him and gave thanks for him! It was really sweet.

Then, we went to church for worship!

When we came home we got a surprise phone call from some friends inviting us to go have lunch with them!

When we returned home from our lunch outing, the children gave their Daddy clues where he could find hidden things around the house. Each child made a homemade card for him, and we got him a couple things to help make grilling a little easier for him.

I have a Strawberry Blackberry Lazy Cobbler cooking in the oven for him (that's ALL he requested for Father's Day). I doubled the recipe because we're going to share it with our church's small group tonight!

I hope Dad feels special, loved, and appreciated today and EVERYDAY!!!!

Garden Update

2009-06-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner, Heath grilled some chicken, and I put together a broccoli salad, and sauteed some mushrooms. T asked if there were any other choices for vegetables. I said, "no." Then, he asked if they could go pick some spinach from the garden to eat with their dinner. I said, "yes!" They picked the spinach, washed the spinach, and enjoyed eating the spinach!This picture shows you what our garden looked like on planting day, and what it looks like now!
Some close ups of some of our growing veggies! It's been so much fun to watch our garden grow!

End of School Celebration!

2009-06-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

We started off our celebration with a little Guitar Hero!

BBQ on the deck!

Water Gun War!

We ended our celebration by staying up late to catch lightning bugs!

Fun Day!

2009-06-09T05:29:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, the children and I had a great time! We dropped Dad off at work, came back home and packed our cooler, and set out for a busy and fun day!

We went on a nature hike, and took lots of pictures. T also caught his first toad of the year! He was very excited! Then, we had a picnic lunch, and played at a playground. When we were done at the park, we headed to the library to check out books and sign-up for the Summer reading program! Then, we were off to pick some strawberries. While we were at the strawberry patch, we ran into some friends and had fun visiting with them. Then, we all ended up at a local snow ball stand.

When we were done with our cool treats, we went and picked up Dad from church and headed back home!

It was a fun day!

Sonic!

2009-06-02T18:55:00.001-07:00

When we moved from MO to PA, we were disappointed to learn there are not very many Sonics in our neck of the woods. But the Lord is so good to us! A new Sonic has opened up about six miles from our home!

Mrs. Jimmie Ruth, do you see the bear in L's lap? It pretty much goes with her everywhere:)

T-Ball Fun

2009-05-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

K chose to play t-ball this summer. It is an instructional league. But, from time to time, they get to scrimmage other teams. K's team is called the Stewartstown Pirates. Today they played the Stewartstown Cardinals! When we got back in the van after the game, K said, "This was the funnest day of my life!" She is having fun and enjoying t-ball. Have we mentioned before that she is the ONLY girl on her team! Below is a video of K hitting the ball. Be patient. She does eventually get an AWESOME hit!

Nikki's Notes

2009-05-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

We have been busy around here. I (Nikki) went to Southern CA to visit my sister-in-law. Heath stayed at home with the children and worked from home. I returned home on Friday, May 22nd, and then Saturday, we took the kids to the Balitmore Zoo and had a lot of fun! The girls attended their first sleepover on Sunday night and had a blast! T, Dad, and I hung out and had a great time! It was fun having one-on-one time with T! So, on Memorial Day, we stayed at home and just chilled out!

K is playing in an instructional t-ball league this summer (pictures coming soon)!

T and Dad will be going to Scout camp in June. The girls and I are planning some fun activities to do together while they are gone. They want to invite a couple of their friends over for a sleepover!

In July Heath will be the worship speaker at the Philadelphia World Changers project. He'll be home for 5 days, and then I'll leave for Peru for 10 days! So, July will be gone in a blink of an eye!

In August our church will host Vacation Bible School. We are also planning on going to see the St. Louis Cardinals play the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park! We're excited about that! Seriously, all of our family vacations involve either baseball games or zoos! But, we enjoy it and have lots of fun!

So, how about you? What are your Summer plans?

AWANA Awards Night 2009

2009-05-14T06:21:00.001-07:00

The children have enjoyed participating in AWANA this year. T and K did Cubbies at our church in West Helena, AR, and here in our new church, they get to participate in Sparks! This was L's first year to be able to participate in AWANA, and she loved going to Cubbies every Wednesday night!

AWANA is a great club for kids to learn Scripture and begin hiding God's Word in their hearts.

I love how the NASB translates Psalm 119:11.

Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.

May the children not just hide God's Word in their hearts, but TRULY treasure it!

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

Heath started taking the children to pick out gifts for me 4 years ago. It's always fun and hilarious to see what the children pick out. You can see the nice glasses K picked out for me. I got a set of 4! L gave me the lovely red, white, and blue necklaces you see around my neck. Tyler's gift was helping Dad cook a special Mother's Day dinner! Oh, and I almost forgot the HUGE bouquet of flowers the girls picked for me while we played outside yesterday afternoon! There's nothing like a bouquet of dead weeds...LOL! But, it was truly a labor of love. The girls worked hard so they would have a BIG bouquet to give me!

Truly, I do feel blessed, loved, and appreciated every day. But, I do enjoy a little special lovin' and attention on this day we call "Mother's Day!"

Mother's Day

2009-05-09T05:33:00.001-07:00

This is my 5th Mother's Day without my Mom, and my 2nd without my Grandma Gay.

When I was thinking about what photo I wanted share, this one immediately came to my mind. I had to really dig to find this photo. I knew what box it was in (my college memorabilia box) so that helped! While digging through the box, I found A LOT of letters written to me by my Mom and Grandma! They were faithful pen pals during my college days! I shed quite a few tears going through these priceless memories. Sometimes I get tired of grieving the loss of my Mom and Grandma. But, if grieving = remembering, then I'll choose to keep on grieving!

This Mother's Day, I'm going to take the advice of my sweet friend, Angie and share a fun story about my Mom with my children. I actually think this would make a WONDERFUL Mother's Day tradition! I'm thankful for the memories, even when they cause me sadness. I only cry because I love them and miss them so much! I'm thankful for the hope, peace, joy, and excitement of I have of seeing these two precious ladies again in Heaven one day.

If you are blessed to still have your Mother around this Mother's Day, please love on her and let her know how thankful you are for her! If you are facing this day with sadness because your Mother has passed away, I encourage you to share a special story about her with someone in your life! Remember her, and celebrate her life.

Happy Mother's Day 2009!

Old Friends

2009-05-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

We got to take a road trip today and visit some old friends. Heath and Matt have known each other since high school. Nikki and Annie met in college. We are two families who have moved to PA from MO. It was nice to see some old friends today. The children had fun playing with Matt and Annie's pets (5 cats and 2 dogs). We hope to be able to hang out with our old friends again very soon!

T and K were privileged to be able to help walk the dogs today. They said that was their favorite part about our whole trip today. L got a blister from her new flip-flops, so she got to ride on Dad's shoulders.