The Cross and the Crown

Our church puts on the "The Cross and the Crown" Easter Drama every year! Our famly was asked to participate again this year. We have been busy with practices but tonight starts the show. Last year over 3,000 people saw the Drama with just 4 shows and we had to turn people away. SO, this year we are adding another show. The Drama runs Wed-Sat night and then again on Sunday morning. Tonight there will be a group of 25 woman from a Correctional Center in the audience. How awesome is that!! We are praying for lives to be changed!

I think it is awesome that everyone in our family wants to serve in this manner!

Love days like these

Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous Spring day! We had the doors and windows wide open while doing art today!
The kids are working with color wheels and had to draw butterflies and then color them. They did great! But while they were coloring and drawing I turned on a Bach CD. The kids first asked where the words were. I told them that there were no words and that they need to feel the music and make up their own stories! Oh, we had SO MUCH FUN! They told tales of introducing the newly born Princess, a duke trying to cheat a King and walking through the village market!
I love days like this!

Manna Experiment

We have been studying about the Israelites Exodus out of Egypt. For 40 years the Israelites wandered the dessert. The Lord provided Manna for them every morning. I realize that honey flavored bread wafers may get old after a while. So yesterday I did an experiment with the boys. I served Manna (popcorn) for a morning snack and then again for lunch. Gage and Levi thought it was awesome, Hayden... that was a whole different story! He was not impressed at all! He threw a 20 minute fit before settling down long enough to let me read the bible story. He was totally irrational and all we could do was laugh at him. I realize that just upset him more, but it sure was a sight to see.

We talked about how God provided them the same thing to eat every single day and of course the Israelites grumbled. Hayden was our perfect example of a grumbling Israelite.

I did allow Hayden to eat a real lunch but I threatened to offer him popcorn for an afternoon snack and for dinner. He said "can we at least have POPCORN CHICKEN for dinner"? I wish I had some to offer him! I think it may be a while before he eats popcorn again.

Soaking up the Sun

Oh how wonderful it is to have the sunshine AND warmth! Today is supposed to be 72 and by Friday is supposed to be 75!

I had the heater off for the last 24 hours but Brian said it was "Freezing" in the house this morning so I turned it back.

It is 10:30 and the boys are almost done with school and they are SO excited to get outside and soak up the sun! They all ready have shorts on!

We also had the treat of enjoying breakfast with Brian today! He has to work late tonight and usually he still goes in early in the morning but today he decided to go in late. I guess working 9 days in a row has taken it's toll. He made us all omelets for breakfast! YUM!

Brian will have tomorrow off and you KNOW he is asking to go to the beach since it is in the 70's but I am afraid the water will be too cold.

I hope it is Sunny where ever you are!

Spring is in the Air...

Oh it has been a LONG cold winter for NC! We broke the record for the most number of days 20 degrees BELOW the average! I stopped counting when we hit 60 days. So much for Global Warming.

Today feels quite "Springy"and I so thankful! The sun is shining and we are supposed to be in the 60's for at least the next 5 days! The days are getting longer too!

Since I am feeling so springy today I decided to update my blog background too.

Unfortunatly Brian is working this weekend so he won't be able to enjoy this beautiful day! Bummer!

Reading Merit

The boys are working on a Reading Merit for Royal Rangers. They have to read 5 books over the next 6 months! Now, you have to understand my boys would rather have teeth pulled then read!
Brian took them to the library two weeks ago so they could pick out their books. Hayden came home with a couple huge books! I thought to myself "There is no way he can even finish just one of these babies let alone all 5 of them in the next 6 months!
Hayden chose "Amos Fortune Free Man" for his biography. This is a 181 page book that was written 60 years ago. I didn't think it would keep Hayden's attention. But as the days have gone by I have been totally amazed. He has carried that book with him everyday and everywhere. As he watched TV he even used the commercial breaks to read a few pages. It has been awesome to see him so motivated to read.
Monday night Hayden finished the book! He came down stairs bawling his sweet little eyes out!His heart was truly touched by this true story of a black slave man who died over 200 years ago. Hayden begged me to buy him the book so he could read it over and over! His birthday is coming up, so we shall see.
It only took Hayden 12 days to finish his book and 3 of those days he was sick in bed with the stomach flu! I was greatly impressed and I pray that this book has sparked a passion in Hayden to read! Brian and I don't enjoy reading but I hope my kids will.

He is almost done with the second of five books! Go Hayden Go!!!