Austin's favorites at Marbles..

This past Christmas Grandma and Grandpa gave our family a year membership to Marbles Museum. We have SO been enjoying these outings there. It's been nice to go for a few hours here and a few hours there knowing we can just come back if we don't get to everything. I've posted a few blog posts listing just a few of the things my kids love about Marbles. Let me know if we're missing anything that is just too much fun!

Austin loved playing all the 'classic' games with Brian.

He spends a good portion of his time taking pictures and one of his favorite spots is the shark tank.

Austin made a shelf on our last visit there.

While Reece played our weatherman, Austin took his favorite spot as the camera man.

Lindsey's Favorites at Marbles

Face painting especially when you come during 'vegetable week' and get an eggplant painted on your face.

Lindsey made a cross, with Daddy's help, out of wood.

Building a house out of huge legos.

So many girls like dressing up and Lindsey is no exception...

Reece's Favorites at Marbles Museum

Dressing up, as a Knight, and then calling his wife to tell her he'd be home late for supper.

Playing all the classic games that line the downstairs hallway.

Reece and his Daddy built this car and then Reece spent countless times racing his against other kid's cars.

Playing "weather man" in front of a t.v. camera.

A North Carolina snowman

Today our neighbors, Lindsey, along with her Dad and Uncle, came over to work on a snowman with us. Yes...this is a tiny little snowman as I remember my Iowa and Ohio days of making those 10 ft. snowmen. The kids seemed quite pleased with this mini version. They were even more pleased to knock it all over and start a massive snow fight. I think tomorrow the temps are supposed to be in the 50's and high 50's (maybe 60) by Friday so we were all enjoying our last "snow day".

A Snow Day in North Carolina

We've been here for 3 years and this is the first snow day we've had and we are loving it! The kids still remember what to do in the snow. They've been out making snow angels, tracks all around the cul de sac and the fun snow fights. They ended with some hot chocolate hot off the stove and now they are outside for a second round.
I don't know if Brian will remember how to do his job. He didn't have to play on Sunday and yesterday he had the day off for the holiday. Church offices are closed today as well so Brian and I have enjoyed our hot chocolate as we huddle under blankets, on the couch, and watch the festivities in Washington D.C. Had to do a blog post to remember our first N.C. snow day. Fun times!

Lindsey earned her black band!

We love spending time at the Y pool! Brian had the day off today so we decided to spend part of our afternoon there. In order to swim, unassisted, in the deep end you need to take a swim test. Last year Lindsey was too nervous to try and today she just went right up to the life guard and asked for the "yellow band test". To get a yellow band means you get to be in the 4-5ft. area without an adult. She did a great job. Brian found out that she wanted the yellow band (even though the life guard said she could easily get the black band which gives unassisted access to the whole pool) because the yellow band is more colorful. Oh my....such a little female. Well.....five minutes after she received her yellow band she went to the life guard again and asked to be tested for the black band. Fortunately the life guard was very nice and saw the humor in our little female - so he let her swim the whole length of the pool and she was able to get a black band. Yeah!!

Of course we spend lots of time at our neighborhood pool, but we do make a few trips to the outdoor Y pool in the summer. Lindsey now can't wait to go on the big slide this summer with her brother Austin.

Those Packing Peanuts....

Tonight we came home, from the Y, in time to make a quick supper. When we arrived home we were all excited to see a box waiting for us. It was from my sister (aka 'Aunt Nar). It actually was some framed photos for Brian and I, but the kids didn't care because there were those packing peanuts to play with.
I warned them that they would need to clean up each little piece before they did anything else for the evening.

Tonight was the first time that I started to not trust my sister. I had a picture of her telling the UPS store that she wanted them to pack the box completely full of packing peanuts. Just knowing that her neice and nephew would go crazy and get them everywhere. Well... they sure did that and when it was clean-up time you could hear Lindsey saying: "We need your help. There are just too many and it will take FOREVER to get them all." They didn't receive much sympathy... :)
So....is this the UPS store or does my sister have a hand in this? Hmmm....

Bible time for Austin

Granddad and Grandmom bought Austin, Lindsey and Reece each a Bible this year for Christmas. I don't even know if Austin has heard people talk about New Year's Resolutions, but he has kind of made one for himself. A few days ago he said he wanted to read through the whole Bible this year. So...to encourage this I've moved my morning quiet time to the afternoon to join him. It's been really great for both of us because we set a timer for 30 min. and sit across from each other reading our Bibles.

Austin has encouraged me with Bible reading because the early morning time I had set aside always had my mind filled with the "to do list" for the day. Now Austin and I sit down around 2:30p.m. each day and a huge chunk of my "to do's" are done and my mind is sure less busy. Even though it is great for kids to see us doing our own quiet time, I still have a 5 year old that has to ask over and over: "Are you praying Mommy?" It really bugs Reece that I am not saying any words out loud and my eyes are closed.

Another thing is you just don't realize how much your kids watch you because today Austin said he wanted to read his Bible like I do. I didn't quite understand until he said he wanted to hold his pen and underline verses. We had a great discussion over why and what verses and it's been a wonderful blessing to already see new things Austin is learning (especially those who lived to over 900 years old - he read today) and how we pray that many seeds are being planted in his heart and mind.

Praying BIG for my kids for this New Year and their whole life...

I've been more and more convicted that my prayers, for my kids, need to be BIG. I loved reading a letter that an Englishman, Forbes Robinson, wrote in a letter and thought I'd share it here and also 'live it' in my prayer life for my kids.

"I want you to be one of the best men that ever lived - to see God and to reveal him to men. This is the burden of my prayers. My whole being goes out in passionate entreaty to God that he will give me what I ask. I am sure he will, for the request is after his own heart.
I do not pray that you may succeed in life, or "get on" in this world. I seldom ever pray that you may love me better, or that I may see you oftener in this or any other world - much as I crave this.
But I ask, I implore, that Christ may be formed in you, that you may be made not in any likeness suggested by my imagination, but in the image of God - that you may realize not my, but HIS ideal - however much that ideal may bewilder me, however little I may recognize it when it is created.
I hate the thought that out of love for me you should accept my presentation, my feeble ideal, of the Christ. I want God to reveal his Son to you independently of men - to give you a first-hand knowledge of him whom I am only beginning to see.
Sometimes more selfish thoughts will intrude, but this represents the main current of my prayers. And if this is to be won from heaven by importunity, by ceaseless begging, I think I shall get it for you!" Forbes Robinson

Out with the old and in with the new..

As we start a New Year I also like to take back every single Library book and start fresh with new books. I decided to hit the drop off box at night and so I needed all my books in the front seat of the van. The next day the whole family went to the Library to pick up a new stash. The kids were so excited because it had been two weeks since we have gone. Brian and I combed through many isles getting art, history, music composers, poetry, classic literature, weather, human anatomy, audio books, health....hmm...I think that is all we got on this trip but we'll go back for more this week. This is a sure way to experience Christmas every week of the year. And it's free!!! :)

Games, games and more games...

We've been having a blast playing lots of games over vacation and New Year's Eve and New Year's Day were no exception. New Year's Eve found us eating Chinese and playing Sudoku For Kids and Zooreka. With three levels of Sudoku cards, even 5 year old Reece worked hard at figuring out the logical sequence. And Zooreka has you racing to build your own zoo. Trading cards, earning habitats.....these games kept us busy all night. So fun!!

New Year's Day was great fun over at our friend's house. Bill and Martha's new kitty was plenty of entertainment for our kids and of course they had Wii matches as well. That was just too cute watching little Sofia playing the Wii!! What a fun start to the New Year!