This week's project...

 getting ready for our part in the spring program/Kindergarten graduation on May 15th!

We are singing "The Butterfly Song".  My heart does a little flip-flop when our little friends sing it!  Little E started singing at the start of naptime...I couldn't resist recording...and she got all excited about singing for the camera...then forgot where she was.  "Oops, I forgot that part!"  If I can get the video to upload...grrrr.
We are still working on some of the words.  They are going to be bonkers tomorrow when I bring in the hats for them to wear!  Mrs. K. found the idea for the program piece online.  We both immediately said we needed to do the song.  I thought about ways to do costumes...not using paper!  Mrs. D. crocheted the hats.  I embellished them with felt.  I have giggled all through the sewing process today!  Oops, gotta get pictures of the bees and butterflies too.

THE BUTTERFLY SONG
(If I Were a Butterfly)Words and Music by Brian M. Howard

If I were a butterfly
I'd thank you Lord for giving me wings
If I were a robin in a tree
I'd thank you Lord that I could sing
If I were a fish in the sea
I'd wiggle my tail and I'd giggle with glee
But I just thank you Father for making me, me

CHORUS     
For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile
You gave me Jesus and you made me your child
And I just thank you Father for making me, me

If I were an elephant
I'd thank you Lord by raising my trunk
If I were a kangaroo
You know I'd hop right up to you
If I were an octopus
I'd thank you Lord for my fine looks
But I just thank you Father for making me, me

If I were a wiggly worm
I'd thank you Lord that I could squirm
If I were a fuzzy, wuzzy bear
I'd thank you Lord for my fuzzy, wuzzy hair
If I were a crocodile
I'd thank you Lord for my great smile
But I just thank you Father for
making me, me!

Just thankful for my family!

 I am now the shortest one in our family!  These kiddos were little just awhile ago...what happened?!  I'm glad we aren't older...or are we?!  Our soon to be 12 year old, 13 year old, and 14 year old!

Weekend visitors

 It is fun to have special visitors for fun things!  Thank you, Papa and Grandma, for coming to the play!

 Girls Outing to Charming Charlies!

 We can always find something to buy at Charming Charlies!!!

 Frozen yogurt to revive us...because we found the new Hobby Lobby...right around the corner!!!

 Home in time to fix supper for the guys...chicken on the grill to make Mexican rice bowls...

 before the Bulls game!  Guys in the livingroom and girls in the diningroom!

 "What's for dessert?"  Ummm...give me a few minutes and I will come up with something!

 Thank you, Pinterest!  Chocolate pancakes with cheesecake cream frosting!

Everyone gave a thumbs up!

Behind, Above, Below, Over, Under, and In the Scenes

 Sunday afternoon the set went up!  "Kari, we have hit a brick wall...no pun intended.  Do you think we could..." Michelle asked as she showed me some pictures.  "Oh, sure!  I could make that sign for you." and that turned into, "Will you help us make it look pretty?!" 

And so...I went to Technical Rehearsal with the girls on Monday night to see what could be done.  Then I went again on Tuesday night to fine tune my ideas...woke up about 4am wondering if I could construct a branch for the house panel out of spray insulation...

 and when I looked it up online...it has been done for years by playset builders!  Mr. V found a can in a closet at church dated 2007 and it worked!  Note to self...next time spray on plastic and peel or cut with a scissors rather than have to muscle a box cutter on cardboard.  Live and learn!

 Tuesday and Wednesday after school, I spent on and off the ladder painting and embellishing the set Scott built.  Scott put a lot of time...and blood...into this play!  I felt terrible when I turned and saw the result of a falling hammer off the ladder he was moving...after he had hung the branch for me!  I practiced my first aid and got him safely to his son and vehicle to go get checked out.  No stitches...but he had a mild concussion.

 I got the blood cleaned up and headed home to get the kiddos and come back for church.

 During Thursday's naptime...the leaves went up on the branch.  Everything was ready for Opening Night!  How exciting!!!  My only donation...nail polish melted away by the hot glue.

Our little actresses....were a little nervous!

 So proud of them!  They got into character and didn't look so scared!

 I laughed like an idiot on Monday and Tuesday night...these kiddos are hysterical!  I put a lid on it for Opening Night...I was in the second row and wanted Mari to hear everything!

 "You are a big, fat liar, Professor Hill!"

The "Think System" worked!

"Lida Rose" by the Quartet.

Do they look nervous?  A performer...a watcher...and parents of two actresses with major parts!
Everyone did a fantastic job!!!  I am in awe of how all that hard work comes together!

The girls went to junior high MACS...

Aunt Mari checked on them when she got there!  Ashlynn played her flute with Mrs. Faith accompanying her.  Alisa played a clarinet duet with a friend and piano accompaniment.

This week is play week!

The girls have their outfits.  The practices are wrapping up.  The set is almost finished.  It is time to break a leg!  Or if you are helping with the finishing touches of embellishing the set...break a fingernail or two.

Tomorrow is....MACS Competition for the Junior High

Two girlies
One early wake up call
Two instruments
Two lunches
A bundle of nerves

Some days...

are just really hard when parenting isn't easy!  We have had a few of those kind of days sprinkled around lately.  I felt it again this afternoon walking down the hallway at the end of the school day.  I mentally threw my teacher aide hat aside  and grabbed the wadded up Mom hat out of my back pocket (I actually had pockets today!)  Let's just say...I don't do well with attitudes and eyerolls...especially when the offender has not obeyed.
Yes, we expect teenagers to obey!
We also know they will make poor choices.
We expect to have to deal with the consequences.
We know that we will not always handle the poor choice making well.
Yep, we may even get embarrassed.
...especially...when questioned by observers...if everything is ok...which it clearly is not...
and that is where grace steps in...
reminding me of some poor choices I made too...
Cary Schmidt calls these years that we are in "The Mistake Zone".  So wisely put...but not excused!
Some days are messy.
And I'm grateful for...
grace.
love.
forgiveness.
patience.
Because tomorrow just might be messy too!
It is called parenting.
It is what we have been called to do!

A Short Get-A-Way Up North

 After a very early and busy Easter morning with our sunrise service, breakfast, and Easter service, our family loaded up and drove North.  Ted found another retreat for us to try out a couple hours away...

 THIS WAS NOT IT...BUT IT BECAME THE CENTER OF A GREAT JOKE WITH MARI AND BRAD!  However...while driving through the countryside around Grayling...this is a common sight...shacks/cabins for hunters and snowmobilers and other weekend warriors.

                                             THIS WAS THE PLACE TED BOOKED! 
              A place in the center of the country as you entered Huron National Forest.  So quiet!

                                                     It was lovely!  So clean and homey!

 The owners left a yummy loaf of cinnamon bread to welcome us.  They had everything you could possibly need...including a laundry room!

 This is a place we would recommend!  "What would make it perfect...being next to a lake like the place in Cadillac!"

 This room became the fast favorite of the kiddos!  Alisa did her watercolors at the counter while watching the birds.  The tv found various favorite shows.  The jacuzzi tub hosted a rotation of swimsuit clad kiddos.

                                                   We absolutely, positively crashed!

 I liked the decor!  The girls liked the extra space to read and play.  Chevy found comfy spots to sleep.

 

 The guys liked the opportunity to watch the Bulls!  I read a book cover to cover.

 We saw several birds at the feeders...but no turkey, deer, or bear!  Monday, we woke up to snow on the ground...that melted throughout the day.  Tuesday, we woke up to snow flurries that didn't stick.

We headed home on Tuesday...because not all of us have spring break this week..."someone has to earn a paycheck!"  We brought a special treat back...and shared with Uncle Brad and Mari and cousins.  To say we are resting and relaxing is an understatement!  Thankful for this little bit of a reprieve...because everything ramps up again on Monday!

Spring break...has sprung!

School was done on Thursday.  And Friday included rest and fun with family as we get ready for Easter Sunday..."Hey, Kari, I think we need to test these rolls to make sure they are good for the Easter breakfast!" sniffed Uncle Pastor as the baking had begun. "Do you have stuff for frosting?" Oh yes, I do!  And I'll even put on another pot of coffee!