Big Gets a Ride

It doesn't matter what it is Truck, Car, Tractor, Four Wheeler, Boat, and Lawn Mower
Big Rides Em All!

Monroe Louisiana

The kids and I recently took a short trip our first actually to Louisiana to visit the Spence family. The Spence's lived here in Grenada about 6 years ago. We have only seen them two other times after they moved. Since then Carrie has had two girls, I have had Joshua, and we each began the journey of homeschooling. I can't begin to tell you how bad the four of us needed this trip!

Tayler and Brodie really hit it off! I think she developed her first crush as well. She still talks about Mr. Brodie all the time!

Hello Mags!
Brenden has been eyeballing these circuit kits for awhile now. He was so excited to get to play with some!

Kate is cheesing just in case she is in the picture to!

Kate and Joshua get a turn.

Early one morning everyone enjoyed electronics while waking up. We may have to get one of these I Pads one day. They are great for learning and entertaining!

Carrie has had Ivey forever, she actually showed her and won before. She is the has to be the best natured dog I have ever been around! She would sleep in our room at night. Here she is one morning. Looks like she stayed up to late with the kids.

This little girl makes me want to have another! She is the sweetest cutest little one and such a camera ham!

Maggie's Blanket I made her, it only took a few days before her second birthday to finish. Better late than never!

Almost!
Yes my child the is the only one that messed up this one. 

Can you spot the two oldest in this one. The ones that cooperate more than all the rest? :)
L-R
Joshua, Brenden, Maggie, Jonathon, Kate, Tayler, and Brodie

Best Friends though far away when we talk or get to see each other the distance never maters! I am so grateful to have Carrie in my life. I admire her and have learned so much from her throughout the years that have blessed my life! Thank you Carrie for opening your home to us, feeding us, and giving us the get away we desperately needed!

Sweet Treats

Josh happened to be working in Jackson near Gigis Cupcakes. The kids had been extra good so I asked him if he would pick up four cupcakes. One for each of us. Apparently Josh had trouble with his math that day. Ha ha but we were glad they sure were good! My mom had also sent a goodie box with peeps and pecans that arrived earlier that day!

Joshua chose purple, and was proud to show of a cool Lego airplane he built.

Mommy's Strawberry Shortcake cup cake(had real strawberries inside) and her favorite yellow peeps!

Brenden's Kentucky Bourbon Ball(had custard cream inside)

Tayler's Pink Princess(had a crown on top)

Meet Patrick

Joshua's Maze

Brenden's Maze

Taylers' Maze

I have been wanting a "class pet" for awhile now. On a recent date Josh and I took we ended up at Petco. All of us enjoy looking at all the animals, so we usually stop in sometime before heading home anytime we are near. This little guy caught my eye. This was the first time I had seen a black dwarf hamster. It took a lot of pleading but I convinced Josh he belonged with us. I picked the name Patrick for Saint Patricks day, since we brought him home in March.
The kids were thrilled to death and we all enjoy him. As you can see one of our favorites is building mazes for him to maneuver, there have also been Lego houses with doors and windows to crawl through. Our next project is a card board maze with tunnels.

Snoozing

I check on the kids before I go to bed, this is how I found Joshua one night.

I caught Shadowfox snuggling with Tayler when I went to wake her up for the day.

This was another morning, seems he was getting a little morning hug.

And then again on another night. Can this be comfortable? No PJs for Joshua he has always insisted on sleeping in his clothes. I think he feels he already missed to much sleeping and doesn't want to getting dressed in the morning slowing him down.

First Family Geocache

I have been wanting to do a trail walk for weeks now as a family. Due to chores, sinus issues and other things we have not made it until today. I told Josh why don't we try out the Geo Cache application on my phone. I wanted to test it out with him before the kids and I ventured off on one by ourselves. And so we did! February 26th and almost 70 degrees outside it was gorgeous! We made a stop by our favorite ice cream shop and then headed to the trails at the lake.

Above is Geo Cache #1 Brenden found.
If you aren't sure what these are they are treasure hunts for which you use a GPS on your phone to locate. The treasures usually aren't worth much Ha well in an adults eyes anyway. You take a treasure and leave a treasure. There are even logs inside for you to sign your name and date, or anything else you would like to add. Brenden got a firefighters knife out of this one. We told him he wasn't quite ready for that yet, so Josh is going to hold on to it for a bit. In return we left a pencil and a hot wheels car.

We had told Joshua that he could pick a treasure out of our next find. You can see how he felt about that clearly.

We are all looking in what seems to me to be an impossible area. You never know where a cache is hidden or what is it hidden in(container). As we all searched I prayed Father this little boy has his heart set on finding this treasure, I know it is such a small thing but to him this is major. If it is your will please help us to find it. Immediately I looked down and there in between three small trees piled with sticks and leaves with only about an inch showing was a green ammo box.! I never would have found it nor would any of the others with out Gods help! He loves us so much that he answered even a small prayer to make a little boy happy! It was a great lesson to teach the kids, Brenden said how did you know you would find it, how do you know God heard you? I told him that was what faith was all about and he then said believing even when you don't see it with your eyes. Exactly! I replied.

Sp happy and proud!

Joshua with his treasure Arthur from the sword and the stone. Tayler picked a pink flamingo. We plan to set our own up soon. Josh brought home some small metal electrical boxes with lids for us to use. Our goal is to try and do at least one per month, though I will more than likely fit in a few more with the nice weather!

Our Very First Goose Egg

We have had some trouble with ducks eating their eggs. Yes unfortunately they will do this. Not on purpose to start with but if one happens to get broken and they then get a taste for them they will continue. Ha Doesn't make me a happy camper I am not raising and feeding the buggers so they can eat the eggs. We have a few tricks up our sleeve to try and hopefully these will stop them. Meanwhile I sent Tayler up to see if we had any eggs(trying to get to them before they eat them). She came back with a our first goose egg! As you can tell she was so proud she was the first to find it!

Modeling the egg.

For comparison left to right chicken, duck, and goose.

I waited on Josh to get home and cook it for us. The yolk is HUGE! I can't say why other than it is a mental thing was hard for me to try it. I mean chicken egg normal, duck eggs a little stretch but goose just bothered me a bit. After Josh scrambled it we all had a taste and Tayler finished it. These are even thicker and richer than the duck eggs, with the same buttery flavor and texture. I want to blow the next few we get for the kids and I to paint.egg