Birthday + Zoo = FUN

February 27, 2021 | Stacy

For extra birthday fun we loaded into the big van and headed to the zoo.

(Missed Melody and Daddy in the shot.)

We had a 2PM entry time and the zoo was PACKED.

We explored the zoo for about 100 minutes, enjoying the particularly active animals. It was about 45F and SUNNY! PTL.

We had to wait in line once for about 20 minutes as they limited entry into the building. The kids kept themselves joyful playing Simon Says.

We stayed a little later than we meant to as we HAD to get in to see Katriel’s favorite animal: Poison Dart Frogs. (That doesn’t require capitalization, but they are Poison Dart Frogs and that’s important!)

We got home for cupcakes and presents.

It was just SO cool. I am so grateful for friends who are on the same page as we are.

FYI – the last normal thing our family got to do last year was go to Chuck E. Cheese for Katriel’s birthday.

Happy Birthday, Katriel!

February 24, 2021 | Stacy

We woke our beautiful 8 year old with a family sing-a-long. We had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and a minimalist school day.

She got a sweet package from her birthday buddy, Miss Pam. She was blown away by the little kitty and the tag that said, “Handmade with Love.”

Nan took her out for lunch, and Johanna and I frosted the cake with Lion Guard characters.

Nan and Nene and Miss Barb joined us for dinner. Katriel picked pizza.

Happy Birthday, Katriel!!

It’s snow fun

January 30, 2021 | Stacy

Before and after photos.

I love it when Asher comes over to play. He and Katriel use imagination in the all the best ways.

Tinker Toy-ing

January 8, 2021 | Stacy

I should have asked if construction jobs were easier to complete if the pieces were color sorted first.

She made an entire Toy Story Land.

I {heart} her.

New Favorite Photo

December 23, 2020 | Stacy

Johanna posing and Katriel peeking… Can I frame this?

Play dates are good for the soul.

September 18, 2020 | Stacy

I am not so good at taking photos – either remembering to take them, or executing them… but we’ve been very intentional about setting up play dates for Johanna and Katriel this fall.

Today, we picked up Asher and headed to Chase’s for doughnuts, and some animals.

He made Katriel this incredible picture out of LEAVES from his yard!

Camp Cherith Day three

July 22, 2020 | Stacy

We made it through breakfast without rain.

And then in CAME with a vengeance.

I momentarily considered calling it a day and heading home, but we decided to just wait it out, and I’m so glad we did.

Amidst just a drizzle, we did our nature activity. Our leader for this was the director of the camp.

She was such a delight to talk with. We had a number of friends in common.

We examined some pond water, and Katriel found a tadpole! Someone found a snail!

Our last activity was hiking. First we found some quotes and scriptures about being in nature.

We had our last meal – a lovely lunch.

And then we went to the Tuck Shop and purchased some souvenirs and ice cream for our trip home.

IT WAS SO AWESOME!

Camp Cherith day two

July 21, 2020 | Stacy

We woke by 7 to a glorious morning and headed off to breakfast by 8AM. We came back to our cabin to do our devotions, and then we went to our first activity, which was swimming. I didn’t take my camera. I sincerely enjoyed, to the core of my being, my conversations with the two women who are swim instructors/life guards. One was from FL and one from IL. I was so soothing to talk with them and find they felt the same way I do about this “pandemic” and the lockdowns. They also were so encouraging to my reluctant swimmer and they played with Katriel and their cool toys. Our family had the WHOLE POOL to ourselves.

We headed back to the cabin to prepare for our next activity.

ARCHERY!

Our wonderful archery instructor does this FOR FREE every summer as a ministry. God bless these leaders. I am just in awe.

My girls are naturals!

Tab shoots left.

I even took a turn.

WE WERE HUNGRY!

Then we went outside for our post-lunch devotional activity.

This one focus on how we need people in our lives to support and encourage us.

We had cabin quiet time. Here she is reading her Bible storybook to me.

Finally we had a craft period.

Again, we had a lovely adult leader who met my girls where they each were at for crafting. Different than at home, where mom is all about calculating the mess, our leader was all about helping them see their vision come to be.

We hurried back to the cabin for swim suits and we were at the Tuck Shop the moment it opened for our daily ice cream.

Tab used free time to read while we hit the pool again.

Dinner was delicious.

We played on the lawn a bit.

Then a game before campfire games.

Our family was the only group to finish the map relay race on time. Tab is an expert mapper. (It runs in the family.)

Devotions and treats.

And SLEEP!

Camp Cherith

July 21, 2020 | Stacy

NY has a lot of Christ-centered camps that operate year round, with a special emphasis on youth camps in the summer.

Covid stole that from most of them.

Camp Cherith, in Western NY decided to offer family camp for units traveling together. Each group got their own cabin and their own dedicated bathroom facilities and dining table. We also got to rotate between activities over six times slots on three days. They also provided us with post-breakfast personal devotion material, post-lunch family devotional material, and after dinner songs and campfires with testimonies and games.

We left our house around 8:30AM to be at Cherith by 10AM.