I really really want to be more diligent about updating our family blog. As a family we are doing so much and have so many fun adventures that I definitely don't want to forget them! Plus we always enjoy looking back through the years and looking at how much the children have grown and changed.
So here's a quick update and a prayer that I'll get my life together and start posting on a regular basis:
--Hannah --
My sweet girl is now 13 years old! An official teenager 😭 We surprised her with a party at our church building and invited many influential, Godly women that a part of her life to come and speak to her. Hannah sat on the stage and we all took turns sitting with her and sharing what we love about her and giving her advice. It was so sweet and I cried like a baby as those beautiful women spoke to Hannah.
Hannah is so incredibly smart and helpful (on days that she isn't being an angsty teenager). She still loves all things arts and crafts related. We bought her a sewing machine so now she's learning to sew and has made her own dress - which doesn't look too bad for a first attempt. I am so thankful for my girl and have been trying to make more of an effort for us to spend one on one time without the boys.
...Our sweet friend, Kayla, teaches first grade at the school near our house. She invited Hannah to be her guest reader. We loved her class so much we ended up staying for a math lesson and a fun game...
...Praying for and over Hannah at her 13th birthday party...
...Delicious cake...
...Hannah and I at the Forum watching our homeschool friends in Beauty & the Beast...
--Samuel--
Sammy is now 11 years old!! He's pretty much the same height as me and is going to be tall and athletic like his Daddy. He still loves basketball and video games. He did take a year off from basketball this time around since he didn't really enjoy his last coach and he was starting to get a little burnt out.
He loves Fortnight and has fun playing with his homeschool friends. He's also into Beyblades right now and was getting creative making his own with Legos before he realized Walmart sells the actual Beys.
He's still a good big brother -when he's not annoying the daylights out of Amos & Shiloh. But he's always willing to jump with them on the trampoline or have a Nerf gun fight. Sammy has also been cooking supper for our family one night a week. He picks the meal and cooks it all by himself. He has really been enjoying this and I love the break :-)
...learning to play the keyboard - just like his Daddy...
...Sammy being silly at the orthodontist...
...teaching his little brothers how to make chocolate chip cookies...
--Amos--
This crazy kid is giving me a run for my money (well, he and Shiloh both!) This past December, he and Bobby were jumping on the trampoline and Bobby threw Amos high in the air. As Amos came down, he tried to catch himself with his hands and ended up fracturing his humerus in his left arm -which happens to be the same bone on the same arm that I fractured when I was his age. After the initial shock and pain he was very excited to be the first of his siblings to break a bone and loved every minute of attention he received.
He also lost his first tooth (December 10th, 2018) and then literally lost it. Sammy and I hunted for 30 minutes and finally found it in the bottom of the Lego container 😏
Out of all my kids, I think Amos enjoys school the most. He learned to read last year and loves reading in his little Bible reader and then drawing a picture that relates to the story. He's also pretty good at math and is now adding and subtracting up to 15.
Amos definitely sings and dances his way through life.
...lost tooth...
...broken arm, before his cast...
...Amos's poor little arm was so swollen when they took off the temporary cast...
...Amos picked black for his cast and we bought silver Sharpes for people to sign it...
...even Rosie is happy to be with Amos!...
--Shiloh--
My baby boy is now 4 years old. I can't handle all this growing and changing. He has a BIG imagination (not unlike his big brother, Amos). Right now he loves telling us stories that involve "a dark and stormy night" in which some bear or wolf will be attacking a family member but "super Ninja Shiloh came and crane kicked" the bad guy and saves the day. He is obsessed with ninjas right now.
He has also been wearing his Halloween costume from three years ago on a daily basis and often times to bed as well. He named his costume "Giraffe-y Laugh-y" and freaks out if we can't find it. He will also freak out if we can't find his snuggle bunny that he has to sleep with every night.
Shiloh currently loves watching Teen Titans Go! and reading Creepy Carrots, Creepy Underwear, & Dragons Love Tacos. He spends his days jumping on the trampoline and trying to keep up with his big brothers.
...reading to Rosie...
...Shiloh had his first real birthday party when he turned 4. He chose a Dragons Love Taco theme and we made tacos (of course!) and our sweet friend from church made this cake for him...
...wearing Giraffe-y Laugh-y to bed...
...Shiloh decorated his box and was ready for our homeschool Valentines party...
We have made many wonderful friends here in Jonesboro that we now trust to watch our kids. This means more date nights for us!! Woo hoo!
Bobby was also ordained as a minister but only because he is visiting men in prison and you can't go after normal visiting hours unless you're a preacher. Still, it was very special as Michael and several men from our fellowship prayed for Bobby.
Bobby also surprised me and the kids with a trip to St. Louis. We got to visit and go up inside the St. Louis arch and then we spent an entire day at Six Flags. He is such an amazing husband and I cannot imagine our lives being any different. I'm beyond blessed!!
