Spring Fever

We are impatiently awaiting beautiful spring days in our household.  You know, days where Joe and Ella can freely roam outside without shoes or a jacket... THAT would be nice!  But instead, we rotate between beautiful, sunny, 65 degree weather to rainy, stormy, 35 degree weather.  Come on spring!

It was rainy all day long today.  Freezing cold outside, pouring down rain, and muddy.  BUT, yesterday was BEAUTIFUL!  I'm talkin' sunshine and about 65 degree weather!  Sarah, Anna Grace, Joe, Ella and I ventured downtown and Greg took John and James to baseball try-outs.  We definitely took advantage of the beautiful weather.  We walked up and down the railroad tracks and walked around by the river, and Greg and the other boys met us for lunch and a fun photo-op.

We walked by the river.

(Gorgeous, isn't it?)

and I took advantage of every photo opportunity :)

Joe and Grace jumped off the ledge...

And Ella watched them.

It was a little chilly by the water, so Ella huddled up.

More photo-ops... complete with their hair blowing in the wind

He will now oblige to getting his picture taken.

He's pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself :)

We also wrote our names in the dirt.

SIDE NOTE: Joe is learning letters and how to spell... He is fascinated when he learns to spell a new word!  (He can spell all his siblings names, too)

The boys met us after try-outs.

Just in time for family pictures!

We found this saying on the river wall and couldn't just pass it by...

everybody jump!

I took a few more pictures by the wall, and then we headed to lunch.

This little nook was found on our way to eat... it was the perfect size for AG.

Lil Miss waiting for her BBQ sandwich

After lunch we got ice cream

and I snapped a few more pictures before we headed home.

Needless to say, we enjoyed our sunny Saturday afternoon!

Some random tidbits:

• The concrete wall inspired me, our new theme for this blog is: All you need is love.
• In the process of the new blog "design" everything vanished... poof... gone.  And with it went the hit list, music, follower gadget, and everything else on the sidebar.  So, if you were a follower of this blog, you will need to add yourself again.  We are starting fresh. Tonight.

Update on the Country Music Half Marathon:

Marathon training is going great!  I am now up to 8 miles!!!  I will have an update on the Running for One More progress and fundraising later this week... that is a post in and of itself!

One last picture:

Blessings and Happy Spring!

Shari

Guatemalan Rockstars!

Music Music Music!
Joe and Ella share a special bond... and that is that they both LOVE music!
Joe plays the piano with his daddy ALL of the time.  He really enjoys it... and he is REALLY good!  He is good at listening to the different sounds of each key.  Joe also likes playing guitar.  He will use anything that is remotely close to a guitar- a stick, a violin, a hanger- as his guitar.
Ella is also VERY musical!  We got used to finding Joe in the piano room, but Ella has started to catch on, too.  She loves to sit on the piano bench and press the keys.  She has a great ear, too, because it really sounds good when she "plays" the piano!  She's also into singing right now.  Her favorites are "Old McDonald" and "Jesus Loves Me".  She walks around the house (or store or restaurant :) singing "Jesus loves me this I know.  For the Bible tells me SO!" So precious!

{PSALM 150}
1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.

2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,

4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,

5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD.

*Joe is in a "no pictures" stage and refuses to have his picture taken, so Ms. Photographic gladly stepped up to take his spot. :)