Childlike Faith

Today is Dave's 36th Birthday.  Not only is it a day to celebrate him, but we are also celebrating another joyous event in our home today.  Alayna asked Jesus into her heart today.  What better birthday present could Dave receive?

Alayna's Sunday School teacher pulled me aside yesterday and said Alayna had expressed that she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart.  She wanted us to know so we could talk to her and see if she truly understands that decision.

This morning I ran errands with Joel & Alayna.  While pulling into the driveway I asked Alayna if she told her teacher she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart, and she said yes.  We sat in the van and talked for a while.  I asked her questions making sure she understood.  She was very insistent that she wanted to ask Jesus in her heart right now.  "Can I pray now," she kept asking.  I got out of the van and stood next to where she sat and talked through with her a prayer of salvation.  As soon as she prayed she jumped out, ran over to Joel, and said "I just asked Jesus in my heart, when you are my age you can do it too!" 

Twenty minutes later I was getting ready to make lunches.  I asked Alayna what she wanted for lunch and she said, "I want a Ask Jesus In My Heart Lunch."  LOL!  So, we made a peanut butter sandwich, and used my heart cookie cutter to make heart-shaped sandwiches.  :)

Boys Outside & The Great Yard Project

A day outside is a day well-spent as far as Joel's concerned.  Now that we are having a few nice days, mixed in with rainy, cold and dreary days, he can be outside a little more.  That is, until it starts raining too hard to be outside...which is just about every day right now.  I am glad he's so happy outside.  He loves to play in the dirt, and filling any object with water is very satisfying to him.  Toys are not necessary.  A bucket, dirt, and some rocks make him happy for a very long time.  He is at the age now where I can send him out to play, keep an eye on him, but still get stuff done indoors. 

The only real problem right now is our yard.  We knew when we bought the house, the builder (a.k.a. "my dad"), was not going to have the yard done, and it would be our project when we moved in.  Knowing this we still signed the papers....thinking back we should have requested it to be finished first.  :)  Dave has been working out back every free moment he has, to get the yard in good shape.  He's been digging out rocks...on the plus side he found 14 nice stepping stones burried in our yard.  He's been removing brush, pulling out trees and shrubs I don't want, and he was finally able to mow last Saturday.  The ground dried up enough to mow.  Our next step is to paint the foundation around our house, paint the front door, front steps and a wall that lines our back patio which is presently an ugly powder blue.  Once that is done, we will mulch, and start landscaping.  There's also some fence to repair, a patio to tear up and replace, a deck to lower, weeds to kill in our lawn, grass seed to spread, and hopefully a swing set to purchase.  The goal is to accomplish all of these things this summer. For the past several months I have been having a lot of trouble with tendonitis in my wrists.  The pain in my left thumb prevents me from using that hand for anything that requires lifting.  It's been very frustrating, but my doctor is insistent that I take it easy so it will heal.  So, I haven't been much help to Dave, at this point, but hopefully I will have strength enough to get to work, too.

Rain water, a watering can, and a sidewalk chalk bucket...what more does he need?

"Mom, you don't mind if I play in this giant puddle in our yard, do you?"

By the way - he played in that puddle for over an hour.  At one point he fell backwards.  I had one happy, dirty little boy, who went straight to the tub.

Belated Birthday Party

This year we promised Julie a "friends" birthday party.  Since I went to Florida right after her birthday, I told her it would take place when I got back.  Yesterday we made good on that promise.  She invited the girls from her class and a couple girls from church and had a party at Jumpin' Jungle.  It was a success, and we had some very happy kids. 

The noise makers weren't my best idea, but I survived it.  :)

Easter Fun

A few highlights from our Easter weekend...The weekend started with the kids having a sleepover at Papa & Lulu's house on Good Friday (Doug & Andrea's kids, too).  I don't have any pictures from that, but I'm told it was a lot of fun.

Making Resurrection Rolls with the kids (recipe at bottom).  We made these in the daycare with the kids, and I thought it was a great idea to do with our kids.  I am not opposed to painting eggs, but this was a lot less messy, and the kids ate them....not the case with hard-boiled eggs. 

Dave & the kiddos at church Easter Sunday. 

Uncle Brad was the Easter hero with his egg hunt.  Boots were necessary since this is NW PA after all. 

"Look what Uncle Brad has in his yard!"

Recipe for Resurrection Rolls:

1 Tube of Crescent Rolls

8 Large Marshmallows

Unroll crescent rolls and separate the 8 triangles.  Take one triangle and wrap it entirely around a marshmallow.  Bake at 350 for about 10 mins. or until golden brown. 

The idea:

Before it is baked it looks like a tomb and the marshmallow represents Jesus in the tomb.  After they are baked it looks like an empty tomb (the marshmallow melts into the roll).