Impossible

Why is it that getting 4 kids to smile (and look good) at the same time is IMPOSSIBLE?

I can get smiles from some, frowns from others.  Half smiles, weird looks, crooked smiles or just pouts!  WHY????  

Then there are those times when you have a beautiful little girl, who decides to stop smiling when the picture is being taken.

Or the handsome little man who gives you the "mom, I'm so not into this right now" look!

I'm beginning to think it's the photographer!  

The kids are cute, I just can't capture it!

Honor Roll

These 2 both made the Honor Roll for this 9 weeks!  

They were pretty excited because they both had a C at mid-term!  

Proud of them!

He Is With Us

This picture was one I stopped and took while taking the boys to school one day last week.  It was a gorgeous sunrise!  A beautiful reminder of the Lord's presence!  

He is with us, always!  

Sometimes we fail to see Him, but it doesn't diminish His presence.

I'm thankful for His Presence with me every moment of every day!

Picnic Inside

The indoor picnic worked well with all the kids here!  T

They loved the idea and loved the "ants" too!

Fun times with all these kids in the house!

Indoor Picnic...w. ants

Yesterday Maddie and I had an indoor picnic!  

We made it fun!

All of the sudden we had visitors...ants.

They got into everything.

Maddie wasn't sure what to do...

Then she ate one...

and she liked it!

We had a fun picnic!  

Love this little gal.  We might even have a picnic next week as we finally get the babysitting kids back and discuss and Aa week!

It was pretty funny though, we were nearing the end of our "picnic" and Maddie said, "Mom, why do we have water?"  

"We always drink water Maddie what do you mean?"

"Well, on picnic's we get juice boxes!"

(might have to get some juice boxes for next week's picnic)

Love this girl and love being with her!

Top of the 5th Grade in Reading

Our home houses one of the top 2 in Reading in the 5th grade (at Fairview).  Ronnie's class was challenged to meet 3 reading requirements for the last month.  Only 2 out of the 80+ met those requirements!

Ronnie was 1 of the 2!

He's not a big candy person, so he's not sure what to do with the BIG candy bar (I'll help him figure that out), but he was super excited to be at the top of the class!

We're proud of you Ronnie Lee III!

Cookies, Air Guitars and Crafts

Maddie had a very full day today!

First we baked cookies! (choc. chip).

Then, while I finished up the cookies she decided it was guitar time!  She was singing with Alan Jackson's, Precious Memories CD and playing her Air Guitar!  I think she listened to the CD 4 times today!  It was so much fun listening to her sing hymns and Praise the Lord!

Finally we finished up a craft that has been half started for several months.  It's a "game" of sorts that we made using letters, numbers and shapes!  It's really pretty elementary for her, but she enjoyed helping me put it together and said the "babysitting kids" will like it :)

So we had a pretty productive day here!  We also visited Granny and Gramps and Pap and delivered some cookies!  

Wilmore Week #21

#21 is underway!  Ron left this morning, instead of yesterday and now officially we are back into the swing of things.

I need to get the kids up to get ready for school.  After having 3 weeks off this has the potential of being a very LOOOOOONG week.

We will lean heavily upon Jesus this week.  Trusting Him to sustain, guide and go before.

Would you pray with me for safety for Ron this morning.  Pray for a good week of research and the ability to get a lot accomplished.

Prayers would also be welcome for the boys as they get back at it and we get back into a routine.  Maddie and I will have one more week here before beginning to babysit again!

Thank you for praying for our family.

2 Weeks Christmas Break + 5 Snow Day = 4 Kids ready for routine

It is about time for a routine around here.

We have had kids sick and snow like crazy - we need routine back!

Even the atari is getting old.

Even shoveling was fun, but there were days when even that couldn't be done for a very long period of time.

Although there is/was a lot to shovel.

 Now the melting has begun and we are on the mend around here.

Routine we need you!

Off on the Prediction - Snow and Bitter Cold - 2014

The predictions that I mentioned on my last post were a little off!  We got 8-10 last week, and were predicted to get another 4-7.  Well we got 13!  So we are snowed in with 20+ inches of snow!  We tried to keep up with the shoveling while it was coming down in order to not be too overwhelmed, but that is a lot of snow!  Now today our temps are below freezing with wind chills in the -40's!  It's brutal!  We are staying in and trying to stay warm!

Here are a few pictures of the neighborhood when Ron ventured out yesterday!  We aren't in the country, so we have been spared some of the drifting!  I can only imagine how big those drifts are.  

You can't hardly tell, but Ron is standing in front of one of the piles we have shoveled.  It is HUGE!

We tried some Snow Ice Cream, it was pretty good!  A first for us!

Snow days are suppose to be FUN, well these have been a little different!  The kids were suppose to go back to school on Monday,  but have been off both yesterday and today.  The not fun part is that they have all 4 been sick.  Nathaniel actually started a week ago, so he's doing good now, but he decided to share his germs with his siblings - love it when they finally decide to share!

They are sharing strep and taking turns laying on the couch!  Not so fun, but were trying to make the most of the days home together, despite not feeling the greatest!  Ron and I were talking this morning how their personalities come out when they are sick.  We have 4 very different kids when it comes to being sick - happy, grumpy, "normal" and weepy (in random order)- it all makes me a little crazy!

Hope you are staying warm and taking opportunities to make memories together!

4 to 7 more coming

Round 1 produced between 8 and 10 inches!  

Round 2 starts tomorrow night!

New Years Fun

A couple of days ago we traveled again to Northeast Ohio to Ron's parents.  One last visit before school starts up again.  What we didn't figure for was the snow!  We ended up staying longer than we planned, but it was fun being snowed in!

The boys did some work for Grandpa, but there was also a lot of fun!

Beautiful

Games

Yummy Food

a cook in the making

and lots of sledding!

even Grandpa got in on the fun!

There was snuggling too!

Thanks Grandpa and Grandma for a fun time.  

It's fun being snowed in with  you!