Singing With Lots of Rain!

 Here are Katie & Alex - ready for their Spring Choir Concert.  Part of the performance included umbrellas and rainboots.

Grammy & Grandad - always supporting their grandkids!

We live in an area that floods often.  With the Mississippi River just blocks from our house and the Rock River just around the bend, we tend to see flooding at least once a year - no matter the season!  Luckily we are on the hilltop, so we are safe.  Here are the kids in front of some flooded parking lots.  It is hard to envision, but the building to the right of Katie's head is where the boat launch is! 

Celebrating #9 for Alex

We celebrated Alex's 9th birthday as well as Casey's 4th birthday a few weeks ago. 

Maddie taking a turn at the piano

We told Casey to make a silly face and this is what we got!  Will thought it was funny too!

Matt & Brad finally exchanged their Christmas Coke/Pepsi Gifts!  One of the gifts was forgotten during our Christmas get together so we decided to wait until the twins birthday (January)...however, Brad was sick and not able to attend!  So, Christmas in March!!

6 of the 7 kids - missing Katie

Alex LOVES anything with animals!!  Here she is opening Bouncy.

A new bag for her to color/decorate

We celebrated Alex's real birthday a few days later with singing, streamers on her door and her present from us.  I think she likes being 9!

Easter 2013

Time for our annual Barman Easter Egg Hunt!  We were debating which day would be better (weather wise) and finally decided to stick with Sunday...and pray no rain!  Grandad had fun throwing all 800+ eggs on the ground for the 7 grandkids to find!  Here is Uncle Willy guarding his yard.

 

Alex

Katie

Grammy had different bags for the kids this year, which proved to be difficult to hold AND put eggs in.  The twins quickly realized that they could grab more eggs by leaving the bag behind (and running back & forth). 

Will - trying to fix the egg that broke open

Grandad & Grammy with 7 of their 11 grandkids.

Will pointing out Grandad's hiding spot

Grammy & Grandad have always placed little surprises in the yard for each of the grandkids.  This year, they had Easter pencils and cute little pinwheels.  Once we were in our neighborhood, We rolled down the windows and let the kids enjoy their pinwheels.

Grammy & Grandad also put lots of change in the eggs.  Each of the kids came home with a good chunk of change!  They combined what they received from the hunt with their previous allowance to purchase a few animals from the zoo giftshop (Otter, Polar Bear, Cheetah & Panda Bear). 

All Good Things Must Come To An End

Will's first year of Boy Scouts has come to an end.  He absolutely loves being a scout!  He & Matt worked very hard on his book - achieving many goals so that he could earn his Tiger Patch.  He is now an official Tiger Cub!!

The following week, we attended the Awana Awards night.  Here are Maddie & Will receiving their certificate and ribbon for finishing their second book.

Alex received her first T&T award - the Alpha medallion.  She finished her book over a month ago and was able to help other girls work on their books during study time.  Katie also finished her book and had enough time to go back and complete the bonus sections for each discovery/section.  She was the only one in the T&T group to earn any bonus pins - and she earned the Silver AND the Gold.  We were shocked to hear this as she generally works on this on her own.  Notice that both girls are wearing the Bible Quizing medals as well as their Clubber of the Month medals. 

All 4 kids worked really hard this year and accomplished their goals...and more in some cases!  We are so proud of them - especially considering that most of the studying was done on their own with minimal help from us.  They are hiding God's word in their hearts...and I pray that He will use that mightily in the years to come!

Now that Boy Scouts, Awana & Swimming have come to an end...we finally have some down time during the week.  We are looking forward to starting up our parent/child date nights again...as well as heading out to parks, riding bikes, etc in the evenings.  School will be done before we know it and summer will be in full swing!

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

Katie & Alex both participated in their school's annual Mini-Theater production this past month.  Willy Wonka was the chosen play this year.  Katie was selected to be Grandma Georgina as well as a squirrel while Alex elected to help with Stage Crew.  After lots of hours of rehearsing, they put together a wonderful play!

The Squirrels in the Nut Room with the Nut Machine

Katie & Alex after the play.

Katie & her best friend Kaeleen