Snow Day/ My birthday

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, the kids had no school due to ice.  We stayed home and watched movies, played games and cooked.  

On Friday, we got snow and the kids were let out of school early.  We immediately got bundled up to go sledding down the hill by school.  That lasted all of about 2 minutes. So we came home and tried to build a snowman.  The snow was very dry and powdery and didn't pack well, but we did our best, which turned out to be a Jabba the Hutt looking Snowman.  

We ventured out into the snow to go to dinner for my birthday. Then Cody made me peanut butter pie for dessert!

Kingdom Tales

The boys have written 2 more amazing books this year, and they are must-reads!

Kyle's book entitled Automatic Pia is a thrilling comic tale of an accident-prone boy who is hearing impaired and gets himself into some crazy situations.

Barrett's book called Baseball! is a classic underdog story about a team who pulls it together for the final game...but you'll need to read the book to see how it ends!

3/52 "Can I cook with you?"

Overcomer

You're an overcomer
Stay in the fight ‘til the final round
You're not going under
‘Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when He reminds You
That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer

Everybody's been down
Hit the bottom, hit the ground
Ooh, you're not alone
Just take a breath, don't forget
Hang on to His promises
He wants You to know

The same Man, the Great I am
The one who overcame death
He's living inside of You
So just hold tight, fix your eyes
On the one who holds your life
There's nothing He can't do
He's telling you

You're an overcomer
You're an overcomer
You're an overcomer

So don't quit, don't give in, you're an overcomer
Don't quit, don't give in, you're an overcomer
Don't quit, don't give in, you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer

Annabelle's been struggling with sleeping in her own room lately.  Some fears have left her unable to do it.  We have tried many things but so far we have not succeeded in helping her overcome her fears.  We have tried all kinds of logic and reasoning, getting this cool new "princess" canopy, telling her Bailey can sleep with her...or a brother...or both brothers.  It's just not happening.  That's okay.  I know she will overcome this.  She is an Overcomer!  

2/52 Camping

Cody and Kyle went camping last weekend.  Annabelle and I went for the first few minutes just to take some photos.  This was the first time Kyle was getting to use his tent somewhere other than our living room.  He also brought his bow and arrow that he won for selling so much popcorn for Boy Scouts.  Kyle really enjoyed their night hike and he found some fossils on the lake shoreline.

He Created You

I woke up this morning

Saw a world full of trouble now

Thought, how’d we ever get so far down

How’s it ever gonna turn around

So I turned my eyes to Heaven

I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”

. . .

He said, “I did, I created you”

~  Song: Do Something by Matthew West

I was volunteering up at the boys' school this week when I came across a board of recognition for students who were caught doing good things.  I don't know why I was surprised, but I found this: 

I am one proud mama.  Barrett is very good about using money wisely and he is an excellent saver.  He is also very generous and often willingly spends his hard-earned money buying gifts for others.  He has also invested some money and is starting to see his money work for him.  I am very proud of him for being the helping hand a friend needed. It's not always easy to give up something you worked hard to earn, but he did and he was happy to do it and expected nothing in return.  That's character.   That's what makes Barrett shine.

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