A fun family Sunday... at a safe social distance.

Today was such a nice family day.  Again I think to myself... if it wasn't for this terrible virus, we would never have taken the time to create these memories. After church, and debating what we should do while staying safe, we made the decision to leave the house!

Can you see the excitement that everyone felt in just leaving the walls of our home.  We ended up driving about 1/8 of a mile away from our house to a little desert oasis I had no idea was so amazing and so close.

The boys knew about it and recommended it, because they like to fish and explore there.  I hadn't taken the time to really see all it offered.  Turns out it has now become a new favorite spot we will most definitely be visiting in the future.  And the other bonus... there was almost no one else there!

Honestly it's like our own private park just around the corner from our house...

Jennings was excited to be outside (poor boy has almost all pink stuff.... got to love hand-me-downs from the big sister)

He was looking all around

Isn't it beautiful?

The boys immediately jumped into fishing and were in their glory.  Boy had they missed this. It was finally something from their normal routine

I couldn't believe all of the beauty that was around it.  I think with us having time to slow our world down, I've been able to see even more of the beauty that surrounds us.  

Gabe getting ready to cast.  It felt normal to be there but we are keenly aware our world is different.  We are still adjusting to wearing the masks.  I wonder if someday it will be normal.

While the boys went fishing, we walked around and took in all there is to see.  And turns out there was so much. We saw turtles, fish, several families of geese with their new babies, ducks, hawks, and lots of beautiful flowers.  

Jennings was thrilled!

After our adventure at the secret oasis, we decided to surprise the kids and get ice cream.  But not before we found a round-a-bout and decided to just drive in circles until the kids realized what we were doing.  Here's a video of it... I couldn't stop laughing...

Totally made me think of European Vacation 

They were pretty pumped to get ice cream.

Turns out Jennings wasn't thrilled we didn't share with him so after screaming for a while we decided to let him try... turns out hes a huge fan!  HUGE.  Probably should have waited a few more months... but as the 5th kid, pretty much anything goes right? 

After we got home I decided to give Jennings some actual food (his favorite sweet potatoes) and Madelyn decided it was a good time to hang on my neck.

She then begged to "make me pretty" and gave me a quarantine mommy make over.   The price is right and the results are shocking. 

She was working very hard and a few times I asked if we were done...

Making progress

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Told you the results would be shocking... she likes glittery things but you wouldn't know would you

(This little guy keeps on learning new ways to talk it seems daily)

To wrap up the night the kids played a game of Jelly Belly Bean Boozled.  Its the game where you spin and you might get a good tasting jelly bean or a nasty one.  Most of the time you're getting a nasty one... Madelyn seemed to be able to tolerate them even if they were nasty.  Michael on the other hand... well he wasn't able to keep his meal down after the spoiled milk. 

Today was a really nice day and while we've had our true fill of family time, we are making lots of memories I hope the kids will remember for the rest of their lives.  We will no doubt look back on this time and know it was a very difficult time for our country and so many lost their lives, but we will also look back and see that there was good times too.  We've never spent more time together and for the most part, it has been a really good thing

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Until next time,

Angie (aka: Sparklicious) 

Still can't believe he's going to be in high school...

This week Gabe graduated from 8th grade and I can't wrap my mind around the fact that in three short months he will be off to high school.  How can it be?

Wasn't it just yesterday he was dressing up and pretending he was superman and going to rid the world of Lex Luther?

Wasn't it just yesterday he still had those baby-like hands and the cute baby-face?

I promise it feels like just yesterday when I found him praying in the backyard for the plant he and Michael dug up and knew they had ruined it.

Yep it was yesterday when he was so extremely grateful for the smallest of things, like a flashlight or toilet paper... well I guess somethings to be grateful for don't change...

Wasn't it just yesterday when this handsome little boy came into our lives and with his innocent smile and memorizing eyes that melted my heart?

This first ride home after meeting him the day prior will always be etched into my mind as one of the greatest days of my life.  I promise this was not THAT long ago.

But I guess the yesterday has turned into many yesterdays and I simply want time to slow down a bit.  If the last 10 years have gone this fast.... that makes me know the next 4 will fly by.

While it seems like yesterday he was just this age, I know that the memories we've had and those I cherish are more than could fill 1,000,000 days.

We are so proud of this little guy, although he's not so little anymore...

As he begins this exciting next step of his life, I hope he always knows how much he is loved, how we only want the best for him and how we are going to push him to always strive for the skies.  

Congrats Gabe on your graduation from middle school.  Good luck in high school... please listen to our advice...

Always try your best

Be friends with everyone you can

Try as many new things as you can

Don't be afraid to fail, it's how you learn

Know we are here to support you and guide you along the way.

Have fun.

Never doubt how much we love you.

Until next time,

Mom

Schools out... for summer!

It officially happened yesterday but today was the first day of summer...

Flash back to the first day of school...

This year's school year ended in a way I don't think any of us saw coming.... Who would have thought they would spend the last quarter of school doing online assignments, tuning into Zoom meetings like their parents and having to share computers and fight over internet spotty service just to "do school"  It was definitely not how any of us perceived we would spend our spring.

Here are a few things we learned:

• Mom is definitely not cut out out to be a stay-at-home teacher
• Mom is definitely sub-par when it comes to being a "nice teacher"
• Mom's expectations are too high (or maybe their expectations are too low) we differ on how to view this lesson
• The kids will never complain about "going to school" again
• Teachers deserve more money, more resources, and a declaration of "sainthood" in my opinion.  My one room school house of 5 was super chaotic... I can't imagine class sizes of 30 plus!
• Teacher's definitely deserve their summers off!
• School is about learning and so much more... like social time, friends, activities and more.  The kids miss their friends, and simple activities we took for granted... PE, library, art and music.  

And so many more lessons.  

Last day of school.

While we have no idea what school will look like in the fall, we give thanks that our children have access to education based programs, have food at home and are safe.  We recognize that for some children, school was the only place in their life where they had these basic necessities and while I joke that "home school" was hard, truth be told, we all did just fine.

For those kids at home with worries about where their next meal will come, afraid for what their lives look like and a lack of basic things like books... my heart is filled with ache.  My mind spins at night when I should sleep about how to help.  I pray their worries will turn into answered prayers and that normalcy and safety, learning and fun will return to their lives very soon.

Until next time,

Angie 

And today she is 4.

Madelyn woke up this morning in the 4 o'clock hour and while I was up feeding Jennings I was hoping I was wrong in hearing someone one the stairs.  Turned out I wasn't... it was Madelyn ready to get up to begin her birthday. She was so excited she actually woke everyone up (well, except Gabe) and after Dad enforced that everyone had to go back to bed, she finally got up around 7:15.

She begged Michael to move her mattress into his room so she could sleep on the floor in his room.

Today was a wonderful day for Madelyn and we tried our best to make it fun.  She got to open presents throughout the day, we had pancakes for breakfast and grilled out for dinner.  We got her special rainbow cupcakes she picked out from a cupcake store and she got to see Nana and Papa for the first time in person since March 10 or so.  We also had a few wonderful visits from some dear friends who sent their birthday wishes from the front door.  Madelyn was so so so happy today she didn't want to go to bed at 9 pm tonight.  Or maybe that was the sugar from the mermaid ice cream, the special birthday cookie and the cupcake.  Okay I'm sure it was that.

I can honestly say today was probably the best day we've had in a long while.  It was so nice to catch up with Nana and Papa we had really missed them, all of us.  We grilled steaks, burgers, had potato salad, watermelon, cantaloupe, corn noodle casserole, and dessert.  I think we ate too much but somehow still end up with room for cupcakes.

Madelyn received many gifts.  She was excited for them all, thank you to those who shared them with her.  It will give her some toys to play with for many more weeks/months.

I'll close tonight with just a big collage of pictures... I think the smiles on her face speak for themselves.

To Madelyn...
Four years ago tonight, I laid in the hospital bed, so tired, but oh so so so so happy.  Madelyn you were our rainbow baby of hope, that life was going to be good.  You sure fulfilled that wish and so much more. Madelyn your sincere joy for life, love of all things good, free-spirit heart and contagious laugh are some of the things I love about you.  You remind me every single day of the good that life brings and mostly you do it through your smile and silly facial expressions and your genuine heart... "Mom, I'll give you all my toys, or Mom when I get some candy I'll share with you. or "Mom, I only need 1 of your M&M's... to which 30 seconds later, "Now mom, I only need 3 of your M&M's"

Madelyn I love you to infinity and beyond.  You healed this momma's hurting heart 4 years ago and you've filled ache with love and joy in return.  Don't grow too fast my baby girl.  This momma wants to cherish you for as long as she can before you get too big and don't want me to smother you with love and kisses.

Happiest of birthday's Madelyn Faith.  Love you always and forever... Mom and Dad