Sunday, April 27, 2014

What We Are Reading

We just finished reading Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards. I think Bethany and Jordan liked this book best as they were constantly asking me to read it. It is the story of a 10 year old English girl that lives in an orphanage. One day she climbs the wall around the orphanage and discovers a tiny deserted cottage in the woods. She falls in love with this cottage and wants to make it her own. She buys plants with the small salary she makes on Saturdays working at a local shop and plants a garden. She begins a fantasy life where the cottage is hers and she begins working and cleaning and spending more and more time there -- whenever she can sneak away from the orphanage. 

Because of the many things she wants for her cottage (soap flakes, garden tools, spoons, forks, cups, etc.) she finds herself living a life of half truths in her desperation to make her fantasy a reality. Her life becomes more complicated as she tries to keep her cottage a secret and spend more and more time there. 

This book deals with the longing an orphan has for family, a home and something of their very own. It does have a few things I changed as I read it -- for example, the doctor used the Lord's name in vain a couple of times and I simply changed it. Also, it brought out a lot of discussion for us about lying and "borrowing" things without permission. But, my girls loved hearing about the cottage in the woods and the magical time Mandy spends there. The book is one that almost all of my kids have enjoyed at some point in their lives. 


Jordan, Caroline and Sarah






















































Since the weather is so nice, Zola decided to play the harp on the front porch.







































































































Sophia does like to sit on the porch and watch the kids play -- Claire likes to rock and play with Sophia. 


Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Carnival In The Mall Parking Lot

We noticed there was a small carnival in a mall parking lot near our home and decided to walk around for a few minutes.







































































































Saturday, April 12, 2014

Have a Nice Weekend

I think spring is finally here to stay! So happy!



























My granddaughter's first pigtails -- not much of a pigtail, but really cute. 






























Have a nice weekend. 

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Fresh Air

I think the cold weather is over for us -- at least I hope so. Everybody is excited to get outside and play or take a walk, etc. I bought a jump rope and the kids are having a blast with such a simple thing. They have had so much fun that I have ordered two more. 



Andrew and Bethany went to inspect the outdoor kitchen they made last summer. It doesn't look good -- leaves everywhere, everything dirty, sticks all over the place, etc. 




So, they decided to clean. But, with so many leaves and branches and everything being so dirty, it will take a while. They spent the afternoon getting leaves and sticks out of the kitchen and organizing a little, and washing a few things. 




Andrew even broke up some wood and stacked it. He said it was so they could build a fire in their kitchen -- not really -- just pretend.


Even Bethany's fairy house is a mess, but she didn't get around to cleaning that yet. She said she would do that another day -- after the kitchen is finished.


Zola and Jordan took a little time to rest on the hammock. We left it up all winter long and it still looks good. I am surprised. 



I love this time of year when everything blooms and I know that summer is near. When the kids can run and play outside with no coats or boots. 


Oh, I almost forgot. Bethany, as usual, found a worm. If it crawls or flies or swims, she will find it and want to make it her pet.