Last year before a teenager for Lamb 2

Lamb 2 took his turn to go to Grandma's house to make his cake.

It was lemon with vanilla frosting and Skittles on top.

He used the same candles that Lamb 1 used this year, with colored flames.

We had an appointment for Lamb 3 this morning and all of our family went along. The Lambs were upset that they couldn't stay home today, but they were very well behaved in the waiting room. We stopped for a Starbucks treat on the way home and then Ram and Ewe took turns running errands so the Lambs could spend the rest of the day at home- playing with Lamb 2's birthday presents, playing basketball outside, and playing on their iPads some too.

It was a quiet birthday, but he had his birthday meal requests and all of his grandparents and Aunt Hannah and Uncle Eric called too. He received lots of small gifts, no big gift, and we plan to take him birthday shopping over this long weekend with the birthday money he received.

Breakfast: poached eggs, bacon, cinnamon toast, OJ
Lunch: Sub sandwiches and barbecue chips with sweet tea
Snack: queso dip (he calls it cheese fondue) and tortilla chips
Supper: lasagna and cheesy toast
Cake: lemon with vanilla frosting

We are very busy getting our new house ready to move into, but we did take a day to celebrate Lamb 2. Happy #12!

Double digits!

I have no clue who most of the characters on this set are, but he was very excited about his big birthday gift.

No more number shirts!

Birthday breakfast was monkey bread.

My sister made a nice card for her youngest nephew.

More birthday meals to make and more birthday news to share, but here is the beginning  for our April 2 boy.

14

He is learning what "adult" birthdays are like. Almost all his presents were books from both his grandparents. There was no huge Lego set to put together this year. He was content to use his day off of school reading, playing iPad, and playing basketball with his brothers. (Homeschooling means no school on birthdays in our family.) He was happy that we didn't have anywhere to go today. The local grandparents even came over to our house. It was a little bittersweet for me today that it was the last homeschool birthday for him. Maybe he will end up with a snow day next year? He was born during a snowstorm, so we can hope, but that was in MN.

Lamb 2 made a really nice card

Grandma sent candles that light the same color as the candle. They were pretty neat.

Birthday Meal Requests:
Breakfast: French toast
Lunch: Sloppy Joes
Snack: fudge
Supper: Pizza (but we went out for pizza yesterday so we will have pizza another day this week, we just had leftovers tonight.)
Cake: Vanilla with homemade dairy free frosting that is the best frosting I have ever made!

I was a little exhausted after cooking all this plus making some other food for our family this week and doing all those dishes. I will sleep well tonight! Ram teased me that I didn't even have to teach school today, but honestly I don't know when we would have fit school in! Tomorrow will be back to regular schedule.

Year in Review-June 2017

Photo credit: Steve Blakey
Lamb 2 (on right) began being an acolyte

Lamb 1 did a rowing camp for a week. The weather was rainy all week so they weren't able to go out on the water every day. But he loved the days that he was able to.  I am so glad they allowed middle schoolers to do this. He may be on the crew team in high school.

Photo Credit: Hyde Brothers Booksellers Facebook Page
We went to the 25th anniversary Midnight sale at Hyde Brothers. We ended up not being able to attend the Christmas midnight sale so I'm glad everyone in the family was able to pick something out this time.

Katie's book was released and I bought a copy of The Harvest Raise. If you haven't read the Anthems of Zion, you really need to!

Lamb 2 and 3 did a week long choir camp. The director was one of my sister's grade school teachers. The Lambs weren't thrilled about choir, but it accomplished my goal of giving them the basics.

On the last day of choir camp my parents and our family attended a small concert where they showed what they learned. It was amazing what they learned in one week. We found out they had attended camp all week with a distant cousin when my mom saw her cousin at the concert.

We went to visit my sister a few weeks after she moved to St. Louis. 

My brother-in-law was anxious to go to the City Museum with his nephews. There were a lot of slides and fun stuff to do. 

We all rode the Ferris wheel up on the roof at the City Museum.

The Lambs had fun at a city park.

Ram and Ewe with Pinocchio.

As a lifelong Lutheran, I had never been to the LCMS headquarters. We loved having a tour of the International Center. I got copies of this photo for our Christmas cards that I still haven't sent.

Aaron works at the International Center. He was in kindergarten my first year of teaching.

Lutherans with CFW Walther

Our tour guide had only given a few tours before our tour. Rev. Harrison was Senior pastor at the church where I began teaching. He is now the Synodical President. The tour guide was surprised when Rev. Harrison invited us into his office and spent about 20 minutes with us. We were very grateful for him to take time out of his busy schedule to visit with us. Ram was excited to see all his books!

I was the country mouse going to downtown St. Louis. I told Rev. Harrison that I did not sleep my first night in the city because of all the city noises. He joked that I should go to Stanley's and smoke a cigar and I would sleep well the second night in the city. I didn't smoke a cigar, but we had to stop by for a photo after that!

We all had to pound the gavel in the Board of Directors room. My brother-in-law had the most fun. I tried to think of important decisions that have been made in that room for the good of the LCMS.

It was interesting to see the KFUO station and they were generous enough to give us a bunch of swag which we shared with my dad as he often listens to KFUO.

 

 

Lamb 1 and 2 did two weeks of basketball camp. I wasn't fast enough to get a better photo of Lamb 2 getting his participation award.

We were very proud of Lamb 1 for winning Best Attitude award at basketball camp this year. They only gave a few boys out of the approximately 100 attending an award.

Lamb 2 was sick on his birthday so he never made a cake. He made a cake for his baptism anniversary.

Between pictures and singing Happy Birthday, more M&Ms and candles in variegated  colors were added.

A friend from ID came to an organist workshop at the Seminary so we spent an afternoon together .

Lamb 2 did a tennis camp. I thought it was a week long camp and planned to go early on the last day and take pictures of Lamb 2. When I went to pick him up on Thursday, he told me that was the last day of camp. Oops! At least I found out then instead of taking him on Friday! He really enjoyed tennis and I think he might have found a sport he can really enjoy for the rest of his life.

Photo Credit: Steve Blakey
Winston was the first son of our congregation to be baptized and ordained at our church in 125 years. Ram was a pastor giving a blessing at the ordination and Lamb 1 was an acolyte.

Lamb 1 and Winston on a different day than his ordination.

Winston's mom was a teacher at the school when I began teaching. We hadn't seen each other in many years.

Winston was in 4th grade when I began teaching. He was Lamb 2 and 3's Sunday School teacher last year.

I got a print of the cover of the new edition of He Remembers the Barren. I had it framed, but we aren't hanging up pictures in our rental house. I am looking forward to getting a permanent home and hanging it. The symbolism on this print is beautiful and meaningful.

The Lambs have enjoyed playing with my dad's old erector set. I'm not sure why Lamb 2 doesn't have a shirt on other than it was hot?

A better picture of the bulbs that I brought from ID and planted at my mom's when they were in full bloom.

Lamb 2 and I picked strawberries. Too much rain made it an awful year for Indiana strawberries. We spent a long time picking a few berries. I don't know if Lamb 2 will ever want to pick strawberries again. We ate a few fresh and I barely had enough to make one batch of jam. Hopefully next year will be better strawberries.

Year in Review-May 2017

 May 2017

May was a huge month for photos and important events in the lives of our Lambs.

Ram's parents visited and it was the first time we saw them since we moved in August 2016. Ram's dad practiced his photography skills and took several pictures for us. My parents came over for pictures too.

Lamb 1 age 13

Lamb 2 age 11

Lamb 3 age 9

We went to the zoo one day when Ram had class. The zoo brings back lots of childhood memories for me.

Lamb 2 turned 11 during their visit. It felt like old times to open up presents and celebrate his birthday with them. Lamb 2 received a Lego volcano set. 

The entire visit, the Lambs took turns with a stomach bug. We sang to Lamb 2, cut the cake, and he got sick. We took turns staying home with the Lambs and going places with Ram's parents. I felt so bad that the Lambs were sick during their short visit, but I was glad that none of the adults got the bug. It also rained most of their visit and during their drive here and back. Between the rain and sickness it was a little depressing, but we were so glad we were able to visit with them and show them where we live now. They may never drive to visit us again after this time!

The Lambs had their first piano recital in IN in May. All of their grandparents were able to attend! 

After they performed, they went and sat in the audience for the rest of the recital. This was Lamb 3's first piano recital. He was so happy to join his brothers and perform! I loved watching my stair step boys during the rest of the recital. They did a good job listening to the rest of the students perform. 

The piano teacher had these Kit Kats as a cute snack for the reception.

On one of the days that everyone was healthy we went out to eat for ribs.  We were trying to figure out what to order and finally decided to order this huge platter and share it. There were no leftovers after the 7 of us finished eating lunch!

We went to the farmer's market on opening day for the season and a newspaper reporter was there as we were trying tea. We bought some tea and this photo was in the newspaper.

Lamb 1 was confirmed at our church at the beginning of  May. 

My sister was unable to attend, but Lamb 1's other godparents were able to attend. They also came to MN to his baptism. I never would have guessed that they would also be able to attend his confirmation. Another blessing that we moved back to the Midwest.

We hadn't seen Lamb 1's godparents for many years so we were excited to have a visit with them. Playing giant cards with godfather Latif was fun.

His godfather works at a brewery and brought Ram some special edition beer. You can't buy it in the store any more, but we were so glad to get some.

He brought root beer for the Lambs.

Godmother Ruth brought a kite and we took it to the park. She loved our park and gave me a new appreciation for our neighborhood. I took it for granted after growing up in Fort Wayne. 

Lamb 1 enjoyed playing ball with his godfather.

 

I was one of the winners of the photo pie contest so CPH sent me a shirt.  In the competition with my sister, I was the first one to get a t-shirt. She had to wait until the book was released to get her t-shirt.

I had already won the t-shirt, but the Lambs wanted to do the coloring contest. I was surprised that they wanted to do it, I didn't ask them to do it, they chose to do it. We put them on the refrigerator for months.

We attended a sheep festival at a local park/farm so I wore my Ewe hat and Ram wore his Ram shirt.

We took our rooster pictures to the farm for a visit. We had fun on the hayride.

I brought some of my bulbs from ID and planted them at my mom's house since we are renting now. I was pleased that they came up in May.

 

My sister visited for Mother's Day and it was the first time that we met my brother-in-law. They have been married for 5 years, but always lived far away from us and we were unable to go to their wedding in Hawaii. We went to a park and had fun playing basketball. They moved back to the Midwest in May so hopefully we will see them often!

They loved playing football at my mom's house. We had beautiful weather for their visit.

Even my mom played football!

We tried to take family pictures but it was sunny and they didn't turn out well. 

The selfies were hilarious even if they didn't turn out.

We helped my dad put the flowers we gave him for his birthday outside for the hummingbirds.

 

The Lambs think Uncle Eric is strong and fun!

Godmother Hannah was not able to attend Lamb 1's confirmation, but she did go to our church the Sunday that she visited so we could take pictures. Lamb 1 was an acolyte that day.

We lived in ID for 5 years and neither Ram or I were ever called for jury duty. 9 months after we moved to IN, Ram got jury duty. It was actually more complicated than I thought it would be to prove that he was no longer an ID resident, but he was successful to get out of this jury duty. It would have been too long of a commute!

Lamb 1 and 2 attended a blacksmith class. Unfortunately Lamb 1 got a minor burn and had to sit out with some ice for awhile. He was able to return and complete his project that day. The newspaper came and did a report and several weeks later they were in the newspaper and on a video at the newspaper website. They would love to do more blacksmithing, but it meets on Saturday mornings and we usually have confirmation class then. Lamb 3 was sad that he was not old enough to do blacksmithing. Maybe in a few years they can all go to the blacksmith shop more regularly.

I was amazed what they completed in just a couple of hours.  They were treated like adults and expected to be serious about their work.

On a different Sunday than Lamb 1's confirmation, Lamb 2 and 3 had their first communion. 

One of Lamb 3's godfathers was able to attend his first communion. He was not able to attend his baptism, so this is another blessing that he was able to attend this day.

We went to a Memorial Day parade. I love being back in my patriotic hometown for events like this! 

Lamb 3 got out his cars to play while we watched the Indy 500.