365Project.2016 | March

So, when one is three months behind on a project, what is one to do? I decided I had a couple choices:

1. Give up blogging altogether.
2. Cut my losses and pick up at the current week. 
3. Attempt to fill in the gap and move forward.

I'll admit, I have very seriously considered  #1. When one person in three months even mentions the absence of blog updates, it kinda makes you realize that life most definitely will go on, even if your blog doesn't. :) But I personally enjoy my 365 Project when I'm not behind on it, and as one friend encouraged me, if I stop now, I'll miss capturing Abby-girl's little years. ♥

#2 was also a serious consideration, but, I'm kinda an all or nothin' lady. If I'm going to continue (see #1), it would definitely bug me to have a three month gap. Plus, I know I have some super cute pictures that I don't want to miss! :)

So, that brings me to #3. It's crazy to see how much has changed in even just a few months. (Back to why option #1 was mostly ruled out.) However, I totally get that looking at a month or two's worth of photos in one fell swoop is a wee bit overwhelming. So, feel free to skip the next few posts and stop back in when updates are coming more regularly again. :) (Hopefully that will happen again someday...) 

But, for myself, and for those who have actually missed the updates, here be March. :) Enjoy! And for the record, I love hearing your feedback. ♥ Feel free to drop a note here or on Facebook ... it's super encouraging to she who sits behind the keyboard. :)

Day 66. Sometimes the sunset is just breathtaking ... I love the winter outline of branches against the sky! ♥

Day 67. Look at our big girl just sitting up at the table!

Day 68. Matthew had so much fun writing and illustrating his story "Corn Stalks"! ♥ And let me tell you, he was very proud of his book! Every single teacher and friend at church had the privilege of reading it at least once ... if not 2, 3, or 8 times! :)

Day 69. It's so fun to watch Abby's fascination with animals and birds. We spent nearly an hour outside just watching and waving to the migrating birds ...

 And this lovely young lady came to join us partway through. ♥

 Day 70. So thankful for Hannah-bug--she's a great big sister and a huge help to her Mommy!

 Day 71. Sleepy girl. ♥

Day 72. Uncle Scott and Aunt Barbi moved this weekend ... Grandma watched the kiddos so that Mommy could take a morning and help Aunt Barbi with some last minute packing. :)

Day 73. And Grandma did some more babysitting on moving day! Abby had fun introducing her cousin Noella to the wonders of the play cabinet. :)

Day 74. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Bug. Be. Gone!

 Day 75. We enjoyed watching so many different birds visit our feeder this spring!

 

Day 76. We've played lots of board games this spring, including more than a few rounds of Stratego. :)

 Day 77. We enjoyed a field trip with our homeschool group where we got to learn and watch how to make maple syrup! So interesting!

 

 

Day 78. Family Movie Night! Hannah worked hard to make it extra special, including tickets and refreshments. :)

Day 79. Matthew enjoyed his latest project from Kiwi Crate! ♥

 And Abby got creative in her own fashion ... oy vey! ♥

 Day 80. Another beautiful sunset. ♥

 Day 81. Paint samples ... they're good for stacking if nothing else! :)

 Day 82. Abby-girl loves brushing her teeth!!!

 Day 83. Ah. Paint samples. This is what you're really good for. :) Yellow is out ... now to welcome beige, greige, taupe, gray ... ?????

Day 84. Our piano teacher's husband collects miniature John Deere tractors and likes to keep them in a certain order ... but also enjoys the challenge of spotting when they've been rearranged by the kids in his life. :)

 Day 85. Clothing swap + L.I.F.E.

 Day 86. Hannah has been learning some new cooking techniques through the monthly ChopChop cooking challenges ... handling the raw meat to prepare a roast chicken definitely stretched her beyond her comfort zone!

 But it came out great! :)

 Day 87. Happy Resurrection Day 2016! ♥

 

 Day 88. While one child learns long division,

 Another learns to say "thank you." ♥

 Day 89. MAJOR change and blessing unfolded at the end of this month ... Grandma began watching Abby-girl four mornings a week so that I could focus on school with the three older ones. What. A. Blessing. ♥♥♥♥♥ SO Thankful!!!!

Day 90. Hannah was super excited to reach her goal of answering 50 math facts in 2 minutes! Her $5 prize was well-earned! :)

 Day 91. Even Blackie gets in on the homeschool morning selfie! :)

And that be March 2016.

Thanks for joining us! :)

365Project.2016 | Week 10

I was blessed this week with a new appreciation of the value of "ordinary" days as I listened to a woman share about the changes and transitions from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. Her talk included pictures of her sons at each stage of life ... pictures much like those I share on our blog. 

Obviously, it's fun when there's something special or unique on the calendar, but the majority of childhood is simply a string of "ordinary" days. Hannah will soon be 11. Seriously, the time goes by so quickly. Before Abby is 10, Hannah will be off to college. I'm so thankful the Lord helped me five years ago to set up a routine to capture these "ordinary" days. And in the midst of them, when I'm tired and frazzled, may He help me to truly remember that each day is a gift and a blessing. Some days come in pretty wrapping with a bow on a top, and some days feel like they were tossed to the bottom of a grocery sack. But each day is a gift.

May we always be thankful. ♥

Day 60. Our piano tuner returned with the "guts" of a our piano. :) He did such a fantastic job refurbishing it, and the sound is so much prettier! Hannah and Peter loved watching him work, and I was blessed that he was more than willing to answer questions. :)

We celebrated the balmy 41 degrees with an afternoon walk. :) This was my view for most of it ... kids running ahead to the next wait point. :)

 I love this crew!! ♥

 Day 61. Matthew had so much fun creating the special snack he read about in his Kiwi Crate this month! :)

 Day 62. Abby loves her dolly, and she's definitely starting to get more "mommyish" in her play. ♥

And then there's the older sister who occasionally seems to pretend that she has a "real live" doll. :) Abby doesn't mind a bit and revels in the attention. :)

 Day 63. Meet Hedgy. :) Sculpted and painted by Hannah-bug. 

 

My parents blessed the kids with Kiwi Crate subscriptions for Christmas, and the monthly deliveries have been much anticipated and enjoyed! :) Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa! 

And while one sculpts and paints, another colors. And tries very hard to get her crayons to stand upright in the notebook holes ...

Day 64. We've had the privilege of previewing a new product, hot off the press, these last few weeks! Friends from college have created logic puzzles for kids and we've had the delightful task of being guinea pigs for their books. They've done a really great job, and the kids have been learning so much working through the puzzles. I'm looking forward to sharing more about them in a few weeks. :)

It's been a huge boost of confidence for Peter to see that he can read and solve these puzzles independently!

We learned this week that our area has been nicknamed "Crows' Hollow." No question about why! We're having a repeat of fall's escapades, but in reverse.

Yay!! Date night for Mommy and Daddy! :) So totally unexpected, but abundantly blessed by my friend who offered to watch the kids for us for an evening. So thankful for the time to be with my hubby. ♥

 Day 65. Abby-girl is learning to color and showing definite lefty leanings. :)

Eeeee! We have only seven weeks left in this school year, and this afternoon I made initial plans for next year's schedule! We definitely like being able to take regular breaks in our schooling ... we tend to prefer the sprint over the marathon. :) With the exception of September and April, each month will have at least a one week break. :)

 

And then this evening we had the fun of attending a local high school's well done production of "Mary Poppins." It was a 3-hour performance, so Daddy kept the Abby and Matthew home with him, but the rest of us thoroughly enjoyed it! :) (And I personally think Grandma looks exceedingly pretty and nothing like a Grandma in this picture.) ♥

And such be our week. Filled mostly with blissfully simple, ordinary days. 

#thankful