Parking lot piano party

Allie started piano lessons this past semester, and today was their "showcase" if you will. For the younger kids, her teacher does a "celebration" rather than a recital. They had popcorn, cookies, crafts, a parachute, and an artist to entertain the kids. The artist drew caricatures of the kids. That was treat for Allie, and I forgot to include the pic. Between games, story time, and dancing in the parking lot, the kids came inside and played their songs on the piano for the parents. Allie being so new to all this didn't have much to play, but she had alot of fun! She knows one song, and where several notes are the piano...it's a start!

The keyboard room
Her teacher Mrs. C
Alec showed up to check out what Allie has been doing


He really liked the little piano

Allie showed Mary how to make a "shaker" out of noodles and water bottles.

Yawn...

Finally! I am close to finishing Allie's bed spread. Pictures are the GREATest because you can't see ALL the imperfections. Luckily this one will be on the top bunk. I've never been great at straight lines....drawing, driving, walking.....now sewing. Some how though, it came together. I've still got to put the ties on the front to finish it off. It is not stuffed with the right duvet, so it looks kindof lumpy, but I couldn't wait to post! Yawn again...night night.

Just chattin

Allie and I were "visiting" as I helped her wash her hair. Here's what transpired just now.

Allie: Hey Mary, I just called mom a lady...did ya hear that ...a lady?

Mary: Ha..ha.

Mommy: Why is that so funny ? I am a lady.

Allie: Mom...ladies are fancy and fashion. You are fancy, but fashion???

Mommy: Gasp..What do ya mean I'm not fashion?

Allie: Well...fashion is long eyebrows (think she meant eye lashes), lots of make up, glitter, and sparkles. That's just not you.

Mommy: Okie doke..if that's what you mean by fashion...you are right...I'm none of those things.

Allie: Well...don't worry mom, you are fancy...fancy to me anyways.

Mommy: Hmm...I guess that'll do.

Happy Easter!

Below is an article from the website of John Piper, an author that the hubs and I came across in a bible study years ago when we were first married. I peak in on his blog from time to time and found this concerning Easter. So many thoughts are aroused at Easter when we ponder Christ's death and resurrection. This article was simply stated but profound, so I wanted to share. I posted some pics below of the kids from this morning as well.

"When Jesus was dead and buried, with a big stone rolled against the tomb, the Pharisees came to Pilate and asked for permission to seal the stone and guard the tomb. Pilate said, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can” (Matthew 27:65). So they did. They gave it their best shot—in vain.

It was hopeless then, it is hopeless today, and it will always be hopeless. Try as they may, people can’t keep Jesus down. They can’t keep him buried. They may use physical force or academic scorn or media blackout or political harassment or religious caricature. For a season they will think the tomb is finally sealed. But it never works. He breaks out.

It’s not hard to figure out: He can break out because he wasn’t forced in. He lets himself be libeled and harassed and black-balled and scorned and shoved around and killed.

I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. (John 10:17-18)

No one can keep him down because no one ever knocked him down. He lay down when he was ready.

If China was closed for forty years to the Western missionaries, it’s not because Jesus slipped and fell into the tomb. He stepped in. And when it was sealed over, he saved 50 million Chinese from inside—without Western missionaries. And when it was time, he pushed the stone away so we could see what he had done.

When it looks like he is buried for good, Jesus is doing something awesome in the dark. “The kingdom of God is like a man who scattered seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, but he knows not how” (Mark 4:26-27). The world thinks Jesus is done for—out of the way. They think his word is buried for good in the dust of irrelevant antiquity.

But Jesus is at work in the dark places: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). He let himself be buried—“no one takes my life from me”—and he will come out in power when and where he pleases—“I have power to take it again.” And his hands will be full of fruit made in the dark.

“God loosed him from the pangs of death because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24). Jesus has his priesthood today “by the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16).

For twenty centuries the world has given it their best shot—in vain. They can’t bury him. They can’t hold him in. They can’t silence him or limit him. Jesus is alive and utterly free to go and come wherever he pleases. “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). All things were made through him and for him and he is absolutely supreme over all other powers (Colossians 1:16-17).

Trust him and go with him, no matter what. You cannot lose in the end.

Awed by his freedom and quiet power,

Pastor John

© Desiring God

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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

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Too blah for blogging

I'm a blogging nerd...usually can't wait to blog. This week has been BLAH though. Everyone has those weeks....well this was mine. Lots of sickness, coughing, coughing, and more coughing....and little sleep to go along with it. With Allie, earlier this year we found the magic key with her asthma. She was prescribed a mask that attaches to her inhaler and this seemed to be the "tweak" that allowed her medicine to get into her lungs and actually work. This was the first winter she's ever had where she got a cold and handled it like a normal kid. About 2 months after using the mask, she developed a steroid induced rash that was significant enough after 4 months that the Dr. recommended we discontinue the mask. Since then, she's had cold after cold and the barking and wheezing has returned. The most frustrating thing about all this is that after 6 years, we found out what worked, and presumably we cannot use the mask again because of the rash. Her cough turns every head in the room so it becomes a real issue. Garrett seems to be following a very familiar pattern. He's had breathing treatments more days this winter than not. Sorry to be so blah, but this is why I'm so blah. There are DEFINITELY worse things kids deal with, but this is just the one thing that we deal with and I do get discouraged and tired of it.

So there! Summer come soon!!!

Here are some pictures from our trip last weekend. The kids had a great time with the grandparents and cousins.

This was definitely the pic of the week. Allie went CRAZY FOR CRAWFISH! Yuck..my family loves crawfish, and Allie will try anything. She loved them.

The three amigos....ok...taking the easy way out...slide show of the rest.

May, June, and July

More cousins! It's so fun to watch them grow especially since they are all the same age.

It's all fun and games..

until someone tries to steal your bow.