"You're never fully dressed without a smile!"

And that line comes from…..?

Annie! The girls finished their busy month strong with four performances this past weekend. And just when I was lonesome for their company, they all left for grandmas'! (Hence the availability to upload pictures and chase after the resident bunny eating my garden.)

Earlier this month, we got to spend a day with cousin Evie. (She's growing up into quite the cute little girl!) She liked her cousins and loved her uncle Derrick.

 Last week, we spent an evening in the strawberry field: deliciously fun. As Derrick says, "You only have to pay for the ones you don't eat." By the time you leave, your belly is sick with berries.

We try our best to give the girls a taste of the farm.

Busy, messy, hard work, fun

I'd say, "Where does the time go?" but that's too cliché. Let's just say as the sunshine captures the hundreds of handprints on the glass, birds serenade and flowers cascade in a multitude of color, "Summer is here! And it's busy and messy. It's lots of work. And it's fun."
Yesterday ushered in the beginning of fair projects: Madison on her edible fairy garden and Breanne on  building a lawn game with her dad: corn hole. This past week has begun 32+ hours of Annie practice for all the girls, the first of many hours in the pool, the first parade dance practice, the first trumpet lessons, a new violin, BookAWooky summer reading program, mommy time, date night, two campfires, Summer Evenings in the Garden with the Master Gardeners and dinners on the deck. Golly, what do we do for entertainment around here?
Here's recap of the past month's fun. And remember, any time you want to come join our craziness for a while, you're welcome! Every day is full, and every day has an opportunity for us to become more like Jesus.

Bill Sykes and the work house kid from May's production of Oliver.

Who knew I married a villain?

And why were we standing by the creepy, naked statue?

Madison enjoyed Camp Pepin, an outdoor learning experience for fifth graders in Farmington School District. This was the giant swing. Here she is doing the spider man. 

I survived chaperoning: first mountain dew in years!

Made a trip to Missouri to see Bryce and Kayla. They showed us the best of the Ozarks. Loved the plunge ride at Silver Dollar City.

Weekend away by St. Croix Falls, WI and canoed on the St. Croix: quiet, relaxing, refreshing. (Thanks grandma!)

The latest news...

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Kindergarten Hits

 Aliya was so excited for her Kindergarten program a few weeks ago. She practiced and practiced both her songs and her line to recite. We also enjoyed treats in her classroom afterward. She's still the same spunky little girl, but has grown so much socially and intellectually! Breanne told her that she's addicted to reading Dr. Seuss's, Are You My Mother? There could be worse things.

But, my favorite was the personal Aliya DeWilde rendition of "My Mother is a Baker."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAb3evnkrEA&feature=em-upload_owner#action=share

The egg road trip

I'd love to be the mom that records (officially) life as it unfolds. Unfortunately, with three kids and husband and responsibilities of my own, I'll be the mom finishing the scrapbooks when the kids have already graduated from high school. I'll just embrace it. Every season has its purpose. Right now, the purpose is not timely documentary.

Over our spring break, the girls and I had a terrific road trip adventure. It began at 4pm on a Saturday after play practice for Breanne and Madison's Jazz Team won first place in their third competition! On that high note, we set off 600 miles to Ozark, MO where Bryce and Kayla live. We spent the two nights and a day with them and traveled on another 500 miles to Cookeville, TN, stopping off to see the Westermans outside of Nashville (Madison's first babysitters). We spent four nights and three beautiful days with the Giffeys and the kids picked up right where they left off. We all had a blast! After another 500 miles to Peoria, IL, we joined the DeWilde family for a Evie and Madison birthday party (1 and 11 respectively.) The last 400 miles home were a breeze!

As I sadly began my journey home, I started a list of gratitude of God's grace in our experiences in the egg shaped road trip:

1. girls figuring out the garmin
2. minigolf
3. 15-minute rest…or hour nap
4. flip, flub of grant's feet
5. one last TN sunrise
6. buds and leaves on willis swaying
7. tender beet and carrot sprouts
8. "Montana…I mean Tennessee."
9. sleeping with the window open
10. praying with the girls in Tennessee
11. my Mother's Day magnolia tree (at our first home) growth
12. yellow tulips blooming
13. empty house at 1001 Buffalo Valley Road (not a home..a house)
14. sand all over the tub and floor
15. cowgirl Madi
16. climbing in the barn with Gail
17. barbwire fences and scaling them
18. flowering crab tree and bees
19. Derrick and Jeremy at the Wild game
20. Derrick's faithfulness to me
21. wrong turns
22. hide and seek in the dark
23. crying little boys
24. Gage's huge brown eyes
25. Grant's expression…biting lip
26. cows in the pasture
27. table set for eleven
28. "You shouldn't be offended mom." Advice from the girls.
29. Hannah and Emma for the girls
30. "I need her address." A new pen pal with Hannah.
31. being transparent with friends you haven't seen in three years
32. texts thanking
33. jumping down loud steps
34. chickens and workouts
35. friends
36. Aliya singing (she is a little me)
37. perfect Word of God
38. Madi racing with Gavin
39. openness with girls
40. helpfulness of girls
41. Jesus Storybook Bible
42. Ten more minutes
43. "being"
44. no mushrooms…no issues
45. pudding
46. too much milk
47. Lillie
48. "You haven't seen us play basketball"
49. faithful God meeting my needs
50. invitation to talk
51. Starbucks and lattes
52. the letter
53. time with Derrick
54. great safe drive
55. 100% whole wheat bread from Gail's kitchen
56. girls loving Evie
57. red dirt
58. trampoline
59. sandbox
60. lunch at chick-fil-a with Jennifer and Misty
61. tired kids from a full day
62. hiking Burgess Falls
63. rocks for boys to throw
64. Bre's feet in the water
65. group pictures
66. sweating
67. hot days
68. iced vietnamese coffee
69. Poet's
70. checking the oil and teaching the girls how to
71. small town Missouri
72. Breanne noticing what kind of oil the van takes
73. back roads of Missouri
74. detours
75. cotton fields
76. muddy tractor in the "pond" field
77. Tennessee rest stop
78. daffodils 
79. Bradford Pear trees
80. tulips
81. sweet tea
82. hands and feet with the Westermans
83. house full of little ones: Addie, Sam and Lila
84. Amber's enchiladas
85. talking with Sarah
86. talking with Andrea
87. walk in Dogwood Park
88. girls playing in the stream
89. choosing transparency
90. Siri run with Bryce, Kayla and Derrick
91. Evie screaming about the cupcake until she tasted it
92. stumping the engineers with a riddle that the kindergartner figured out
93. amazing race team pictures
94. Evie on a team
95. the birthday hat for Ben
96. milking by hand
97. brisket to share
98. shopping for Aliya's Easter dress
99. decorations for party
100. double chocolate birthday cake
101. trust in relationships

First band concert

Madison enjoys playing the alto saxophone.

Jazz

MiniKix class

 Not back from vacation but 7 hours, it was time to hit the ground running. Madison competed in the Together We Dance Competition. It really was an exciting morning. She placed third with her Kix class and 1st in her Jazz class. I was so thankful to capture the excitement on the girls' faces as they announced the winning class. They also won their class the following weekend and have been invited to compete in one more competition next weekend. Between dance, Oliver beginning for Breanne and Derrick, band concerts, African drumming, Kindergarten Writer's Worship and knitting club, these girls are keeping me hopping.

Jazz Class

The three musketeers: Annalie, Madison and Taylor