Archive | May 2013

Spring is a Rather Lovely Thing

Anything to allow us outside time!

Strawberries

Some days are chillier than others

Belated Birthday Girl

Sisters

Veggies

With Aunty Faithe and Uncle Joe

Cake

Matt and Henry

Dragon Riders of Minnesota

Fun outside

Spin

Holy Cow The Week Goes By

May 15-16

Where has the first half of the week gone??? I realized early on this week that I could not renew our copy of Mr. Popper’s Penguins so the push has been on to read the last few chapters. The consensus is that the book is VERY different from the movie but both are good.

The weather seemed slightly questionable on Wednesday with lots of clouds and cool breezes so we kept our park outing relatively short. The other kids were there though and we had fun. BUT we left late to get there.

The other kids shared their toys

So much fun

Our book of the day was My Mother’s Voice by Joanne Ryder. I had them draw things that reminded them of me… interesting collection!

My Mother’s Voice

The boys all took advantage of the Art for Kids newest how to — drawing an Eagle. I was surprised at how creative Zander got!!! A first for him! He tells me TWO page drawings are where it’s at now!

Eagles

Gavin took the art one step further and did TWO wonderful illustrations he wants to gift to his goddaddy Cory… we just need Ken to actually REMEMBER to drop them off!  Of course we jumped (hehe) at the chance to do a new Wild Kratts – two kinds of hares – arctic and hispid.

Wild Kratts

We took a vote on Thursday and decided to walk the main road to look for yard sale signs. We didn’t find any but the day was warm and the birds out in droves.

Drawing on the go

After we got back we took some necessary bubble time and enjoyed the little breezes pushing them around.

Bubbles

For our dinosaurs we had stepped back most of the week to make room for other activities BUT Emanuel and I enjoyed some dinosaur jokes. You can print them out HERE.

Their fancy envelope

Our pre lunch work was quite cooperative. I was so proud of the big boys helping the younger kids with their workbooks.

Working together

After regular work and naps for the little ones it was back outside time. Art has been choice of the day for activities and then some.

Art pads out!!

Even the bitty one

This was a piece for Nana

Sunny moments are starting to add up and I am glad.

Cheese

Waiting for Summer’s Return… a Book Review

I could not resist the combination of a free download AND a  recommendation on the front cover by the very first author I ever met in person as a teenager… Janette Oke. Waiting for Summer’s Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a historical Christian romance based in Kansas at the time of covered wagons and small towns.

Summer is a newly widowed woman from Boston who lost her family (husband and children) to illness on their way out west to find their own farming land. Feeling abandoned and having lost her faith in God and the people around her Summer is at a loss as to what to do. Return to Boston and her inlaws who disowned her husband when they chose to leave it all and head east or her brother and his wife who saw her as a burden or stay and try and make a life where she could visit the graves of her beloved children.

Peter and his son Thomas live with Peter’s deceased wife’s grandmother on their settlement just out of town. Alone but for the 3 of them, Thomas had fallen and injured himself badly enough that he could not make the ride to school. This leads to a change in Summer’s circumstances as this traditional Mennonite man is in need of a learned woman to teach his son until he can return to school.

Having dealt with his own questions in regards to faith and God’s will Peter and his family are the perfect catalyst for healing and restoring of faith and perhaps a little love along the way? The town’s own insecurities are examined as we learn more about how persecuted people were coming from Russia and Germany. German Mennonites came to the United States to find the freedom to express their faith, and in turn feared outsiders and persecution. With a mix of English and Low German this is a lovely romantic journey of faith and growth.

If you enjoy a sweet Christian message and characters you can truly fall in love with and care about Waiting for Summer’s Return is the book for you! As a fan of Janette Oke as a younger reader this brings me right back to my original faith based reading!

Waiting for Summer’s Return