Awana Games

Eli ready to go!

 

Relay race!  Eli was last and took the lead for his team!

Three-legged race.  Eli is instructing him on what leg to start with.

They did so good!  They tripped and fell coming in for the cone and Eli landed smack on his face.  His nose and lip were bleeding.  By Monday we noticed his nose was bruised, had a bump on it and was slightly crooked.  We ended up calling the doc and having to take him in for an x-ray.  Thankfully, it wasn’t broken!  Whew!

Oh, and they did win the race!  Eli reached out and knocked over the cone even after he smacked his face!

This was our first year in the Awana Games.  They took 4th place.  We learned lots!  All the kids did great and had lots of fun.

Spring chicks

 

These chicks/ducklings are 4-5 weeks old.  We have four ducks (all girls!), and six chicks.  Isaac has Snowball and Slippers; Eli has Sparkie; Logan has Bob; and Camden has Chickadee.  Oh, and I had Louis and Martha, but Martha decided to go swimming one day and didn’t make it.  Now I just have Louis.

Meet BOB!  This chick is held more than any other chick!  Logan spends lots of time with him.

Logan holding Ferdinand.

Louis and Sparkie.

Have a mound, they will come

Years ago, I was given some "boy" advice after having my second boy.  They were mainly silly things like always rip the tags out of shirts, but amazingly, they have all proven true.
One piece of advice was always have a mound of dirt, gravel, sand, whatever for them.  It will entertain them for hours.  We actually have two big mounds of gravel right now that were intended for our driveway.  The boys have been having a blast playing on these gravel hills.  They have made roads in the hill for their trucks, put up flags and cones, dug holes for their army guys and even dug holes for themselves.  All four of them go out and enjoy playing on the gravel hills!  I hear a lot of, "Meet ya at the gravel hill." 
So for those of you with boys and you're wondering how to keep them from bouncing off the walls and entertained, get a mound of gravel (dirt or sand will do too). 

                                                            The Mounds.

Yes, even the chick came out to play at the gravel hill.  Meet Sparkie, Eli's new chick!

                                                      This is the "hole."

And always be sure they clean up and bring in their "tools" at the end of the day.  :)

Needed

A day of fishing

Like Joshua’s antlers?!?!  Ha!  We all had a good laugh out of it.  I honestly didn’t notice it when I took the picture.

“Ah! Look at all these fish!!”

Camden was so proud of his fish.

  

Logan caught the only perch of the day.

Eli’s giant blue gills!

A good day fishing was had by all.

Logan’s artwork

The family cheering at a Bucks game.

Our dear Ferdinand has started really protecting his girl lately.  As a result, Logan is scared of him.   He insists Ferdinand has big sharp teeth that will bite him.  I laughed so hard at this picture he drew of Ferdinand.

Jesus on the cross.

To my teenage boy...

Happy Birthday! You're now thirteen,
You've arrived at a special age,
Choices and plans, what will you be,
A doctor or nurse, a teacher or sage?

It's quite okay if you don't know,
More important it is, to live each day,
Take each challenge one step at a time,
Learn and enjoy, your work and play.

Live each moment, do all things well,
What's inside you, are things that last.
At home, at school, wherever you are,
Thanks be to God, you're growing fast,

Life goes quickly, it's a great gift,
God grant you wisdom to reach your quest,
In his sight you are most precious,
God help you do your very best.

May true friends come, they are a blessing,
Choose them wisely, this is our prayer,
Everyone fails at one time or other,
God bless your steps with friends that care.

Keep close to God, He is your help,
Ever faithful, your truest friend.
Follow his light leading to heaven
To enjoy his reward, life without end.

Happy Birthday! and many thanks,
That God has blessed you in many ways,
We pray he bless you all through the years,
And guide and guard you all your days.
___________________________________

Poems by Paul Berchtold

WE LOVE YOU!