Samuel 9 Months

First Lego League World Championships in St. Louis

Joseph's FLL team, The Determinators, won the State Championship and were invited to the World Championship in St. Louis, MO.

My Mom went with me and the children.

It was super busy everyday and I didn't get to see a lot of the actual things they did.

I did get to walk around to all the booths of teams from all over the world and that was fun and interesting!

 This was the awards ceremony and of course everyone got a small medal for this level, but our team did not win anything in St. Louis.  Maybe next time!

Joseph and teammates.

 Hanging out between competition rounds.  I'm not sure why Mom and I did not make it into a photo!

Isabelle's Confirmation

Isabelle was confirmed this spring at

Duluth First United Methodist Church.

At home before

s

Confirmed with Joseph, Mom, Dad and Papa

All the people in her confirmation group

 With Dad and Mom afterwards..Dad rocking a beard!

Isabelle's Thirteenth Birthday!

Isabelle's birthday was on April 10.

We have a teen in the house!  We love her so much!

She's cheery, chatty, joyful, and thoughtful!  She loves her home and family!

She's a sweetheart!

Isabelle wanted chocolate cake southern style!

(yellow/butter cake with choclate icing..yummy!)

Joseph's Eleventh Birthday!

Our Joseph turned 11 on April 8!  We love this precious boy!  

He's compassionate, thoughtful, energetic in mind and body and he's

full of love!  

He wanted a green cake this year! YUM!

He also requested BBQ chicken, rice with raw carrots, celery and ranch dressing for dipping!

Happy Birthday!

Easter Saturday Egg Dying

Easter 2013

We were thrilled to be able to set out three baskets this year!!!

Joseph..this boy actually woke up last this year!

Isabelle..second to arise!

First one up..pretty much every morning!

Our three blessing!  Hearts full of love!

More beautiful every day!

Hanging out while Daddy sets up the camera just right!  My arms started to fall off!

 We did the best we could.  Samuel is quite the wiggle worm!

Family Favorites Spring 2013

I posted some of our family favorites in the fall.  We were so excited when the next season of Downton Abby came out, and now we are eagerly awaiting Doc Martin coming out at the end of the month!

We just finished watching the first series of Call the Midwife.  We waited for what seemed like forever for it to come out for free on Netflix streaming.

The next series is scheduled to come out at the end of this month.  It looks like a great TV time is in store for us in April.  

We are also watching The Vikings!  I quite like it!

Brendon and the kids love to watch Formula 1 racing.  Seriously!

I think it's hilarious, and bit skewed.  However, they have fun!

We read The Unlikely Missionary

It's a great book.  I think it was a good reminder.  Our family is already leans strongly in this mindset, but was great to read another book like this.  Our focus is local as far as being physically present in outreach endeavors.

Current Favorite Cereal !!!
Try it!

Oh my goodness, I actually downloaded a baby app!!!

Alright, that's it for our spring sampling!!!

Diet Update

February turned out to be a maintaining month and it was hard just doing that with all the hoopla around here.  Today is DAY 1 again.  Logging everything at WW online.  Arghh...I really don't want to and yet really do, so I'll just do it!  It feels like it's time for vacation and more vacation! I think I'll do the woman thing and get a hair cut!  Isn't that like a vacation? When I go to the beach I'm sure I'll be quite happy I sucked it up and started back logging in at WW!!!!  

Plans

2013 has gotten off to a rough and blurry start.  First, we all caught whatever evil illness was floating around.  It made its unwelcome rounds in our family, and left us exhausted for weeks.  During that same time Brendon had been suffering from a kidney stone.  They are pretty common for him and generally run the course and are gone!

Not this time.  The short version is the past three weekends have been spent at a hospital.  

The normal quick procedures just didn't work and then complications arose.  

We have plans and spending time in the hospital was really NOT part of those plans!  Are they ever?

For myself and the children I planned to have half days of school this past week, so that we could do home management projects.  Having planning and organizing weeks help us work more efficiently for several months.  However, it is time to regroup and replan.  We are learning more and more to roll with it and move on when surprises come along. 

Old Jerry and Phil had this to say:

Jer 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Phil 4:13: I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

It is true!

Thank Goodness!

Shrove Tuesday 2013

Oh do our children look forward to this day every year!

Pancakes, bacon and sausage!

Candles and a festive atmosphere!

See the ever present homeschool corner?

Not just plain pancakes, but a cheery M&M's are a must!

 Our littlest boy getting in on the action!

 Having fun!

My biggest boy getting down to some serious business.  I forgot to mention the maple syrup and cream!

YUM!  Love our girl!!!  She's pretty big on the syrup and cream too!

Quick photo of grabber boy. Had to take that away and he wasn't too happy with that action.

 Our favorite Dad and husband!

FLL Robotics

The FLL Robotic State Champions

Joseph has been involved in First Lego League Robotics this year.

It has been a wonderful experience for him.  Winning was great, but it would have been a wonderful experience even without that.

He learned so much about research, robots, programming and engineering.  Not to mention

team work and working with a great group of kids.  Their coach did such a fantastic job.

  

 I did not attend the state competition, which was an all day event held at Georgia Tech.

However, Isabelle and I were watching via live streaming and were able to see them announce the winners!

The next competition is the World Competition held in St. Louis Missouri at the end of April.

The expect around 30,000 people from around the world.

Samuel's First Food

Samuel had his first little bites of food.  He loved it!

He wanted to do it himself!  

Christmas Lunch 2012

We were so happy to have a crowd for Christmas Lunch.  

In addition to our family of five, we were grateful to have Mom and Dad, Kelley, Lora and Sebastian,

Aunt Jan, Brad, Lesha and their three beautiful children.

Brendon grilled beef tenderloin, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE!  

Mom took a little nap while dinner was being prepared, but she did notice me with the camera!

Now Dad, he did NOT notice me.  

He pulled the chair up to the fire and had a nice little snooze!

A crowd gathered and having fun!

Three Coker children.

 Here's Brad!

Dad and Sebastian

Mimi and Samuel