Easter

Easter crept up on us so quickly that it ended up being a pretty low key day. The big storm that blew through just a few days before Easter made it difficult to get out of the house and by the time Easter arrived there was still quite a bit of snow on the ground. There was enough snow that the children weren't able to hunt for eggs outside.

I did, however, manage to get my children to go outside and pose for a photo in the snow. How can you refuse your mother, right?

Then it was time to get back inside for church to begin.

Our friends from Fort Collins actually made the trek down to us to spend Easter dinner with us. With our husbands both being pastors it was already a long morning and we were exhausted just trying to stay awake. 

April Flew By

April began with the celebration of David's 8th birthday and we continued the partying with two more birthdays that month. Our foster boys turned 6 and my husband, stayed the same age he thought he was last year. His old age is a making him forget how old he really is.

Our Easter was pretty low key. We arrived to church earlier than normal to help with the pancake breakfast. Then the younger children hunted for Easter eggs and my husband preached a wonderful sermon. Later that evening we had a smaller crowd over and enjoyed supper and dessert with the Clemmers and Sampers!  
To close out the evening our children performed my favorite song from The Sound of Music. Enjoy! It's so sweet.


Our church softball team went out with a bang! By the end of the season I'm pretty sure the last team we played was a little shocked at how well we kept up with them.

At the end of April our friends, the Fienes, came out for a visit. Katie was a real trooper and listened to my girls read to her at the same time, attended baseball games, and even went to speech therapy with me and one of my foster boys. We did make it out to do a little shopping and hit up Starbucks. The last day of their visit we took them to Estes Park and we had dinner at Hans', now favorite Estes Park restaurant, Cheesy Lee's.

For as long as I can remember we've constantly been searching the MLS or Zillow for houses. My husband has flipped a few, and we've always been interested in a home with a bigger lot. Back in March we saw a home that we were interested in buying. By the end of April we decided to put our home on the market and start wheelin' and dealin' on the home we looked at back in March, thus begins the crazy that has become our life recently. Stay tuned for how it all went down. 

Holy Week

Holy week began with Palm Sunday, which our children love. The children were looking forward to Palm Sunday this year, but it totally crept up on us too. How does that happen?

Can you picture Jesus, in your mind, entering Jerusalem when you see all of these palms? Thinking about it kind of gives me anxiety, but for good reasons, right? Catch the Palm Sunday sermon here.

Of course the anxiety disappeared on Easter morning and everyone was pretty excited!

Many children were were giddy with anticipation of the Easter egg hunt. Personally, I think there were too many eggs. ;) With 9 children in our home. . . well, you can only imagine.

   

The little girls are growing up too fast. I don't think I can call them babies anymore. :(

Thomas is a professional egg hunter by now. He fills his bag in record time.

Eggs were hidden in our overgrown garden that we aren't planting this year. The overgrown grass and weeds made things a little more challenging.

The adults watched from the windows wishing they were young again and longed to join the hunt.

My Lutheran Stud was in charge of the pancakes, and was outfitted by his grandmother's John Deere apron.

Church began with the procession of the cross and the choir singing in the background. It could not have been more lovely.

Our sins were forgiven, a lovely sermon was preached, and the body and blood of Christ were received.What a glorious morning. Christ has risen!

Easter afternoon was a different story. If y'all know us, you know that we usually feed a big crew at our home on the holidays. This Easter was no exception, except that at church I couldn't resist inviting more people over. (I have a soft spot for people who have no family or friends around to share the holidays.) I decided to make two 10lb hams for the occasion-one smoked on the grill and one in the oven. Well, the grill decided to smoke a little more than normal and then let out a big explosion. Of course it would be too uneventful for something not to go wrong, so naturally, we had to expect something to happen. ;) Thankfully, no one was hurt and the ham was still amazing!

The food was fantastic and the company was even better! They were so fun and intriguing that I forgot to take pics? Can you believe it?

I did get a photo of the lovely desserts. That's all that matters right? Happy Easter, y'all!

Easter

Easter evening we had friends over and we feasted!

There was defimitely no shortage on food. This was just appetizers and desserts. Dinner was wonderful with smoked ham and a generous array of sides.

The weather was gorgeous, so all of the children were outside for most of the day.

Even the littlest enjoyed a some time outdoors. Can you tell how dry it is in Colorado. Nothing can keep that hair down.

Since we're pretty tradtional around here, as with every year, there was cigar smoking and poker playing.

As the night wore on there was even some snuggling time.

Easter Morning

I'm not really sure why, but the anticipation of Easter morning had me anxiously excited. I just couldn't wait. I waited as long as I could before waking up my children and making them pose for an Easter photo at 6:30 am when it was just 34 degrees outside. I don't think they were as excited as I was, but as we drove to church I could tell that their excitement was brewing.

We arrived just in time for breakfast. I don't know about you, but at our church green chile and tortillas is a staple along with the usual pancakes, eggs, and sausage.

This year we were even treated to water infused with fruit and mimosas. . . minus the alcohol. Had I known. . . well, I'll just let you think on that one.

After the sunrise service my Lutheran Stud was quickly in the kitchen whipping up some pancakes and personally delivering them to everyone.

After filling our bellies with an incredible meal my little baby started off the Easter egg hunt. Being the youngest participant in the hunt she got a head start, though she did't really need it. Anna filled her bag to the brim within minutes.

David even had a little time to decorate his bag before the hunt started.

Dainty, little Elizabeth got a little head start too, but had to wait until Anna got her start.

There were so many eggs that I had to cut my children off. Seriously.

Christ is risen! What a glorious day.

It could not have been a more wonderful service with my Lutheran Stud telling everyone to celebrate better than the Germans. He said we should celebrate like the Irish. I'm pretty sure we did that evening.

Happy Easter

Christ is risen. Hallelujah! I hope you all had a blessed Easter. I know we did.

Maundy Thursday

Why Have You Forsaken Me?

22 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,

and by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

4 In you our fathers trusted;

they trusted, and you delivered them.

5 To you they cried and were rescued;

in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,

scorned by mankind and despised by the people.

7 All who see me mock me;

they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;

let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb;

you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.

10 On you was I cast from my birth,

and from my mother's womb you have been my God.

11 Be not far from me,

for trouble is near,

and there is none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me;

strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

13 they open wide their mouths at me,

like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax;

it is melted within my breast;

15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to my jaws;

you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs encompass me;

a company of evildoers encircles me;

they have pierced my hands and feet—

17 I can count all my bones—

they stare and gloat over me;

18 they divide my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off!

O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

20 Deliver my soul from the sword,

my precious life from the power of the dog!

21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!

You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

22 I will tell of your name to my brothers;

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!

All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,

and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

24 For he has not despised or abhorred

the affliction of the afflicted,

and he has not hidden his face from him,

but has heard, when he cried to him.

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;

my vows I will perform before those who fear him.

26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek him shall praise the Lord!

May your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the Lord,

and all the families of the nations

shall worship before you.

28 For kingship belongs to the Lord,

and he rules over the nations.

29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;

before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,

even the one who could not keep himself alive.

30 Posterity shall serve him;

it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;

31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yetunborn,

that he has done it.

Snow and Eggs

Another big storm was predicted for this past weekend. Since the last storm was a dud we didn't think this storm was going to be too big either, so we made plans with friends. This storm ended up being as big as they said it would be. We ended up with a foot of snow by the end of the day. Our plans with our friends were canceled. It was a good thing too because they would have been sitting in this and probably never would have made it to our house.

Our children were pretty disappointed that their friends couldn't come over, but they soon got over it when they got to go outside.

How can you not have fun when the snow comes up to your knees?

This is table in which all of my snow measurements get taken. The children call it the "cake table."

I have no idea why, but my children always feel the need to swim in the snow. Nothing makes me feel more cold than seeing them laying and swimming in the snow. It's like they're at the pool or something.

After their fun in the snow we decided it would be the perfect day to dye Easter eggs, since that was our orignal plan anyway.

Waiting is so hard when you're 3 years old.

We added some glitter to a few eggs too!