Just pictures I took this weekend...

that I like!



Will is learning to read!

He was literally trying to teach himself to read. 

Ah, lightbulb moment for me! 

We're almost done learning all his letters so I was just trying to get that finished.  But, the boy is ready to read!  So, I pulled out a little beginning reader that his big brothers had used...  and the magic began to happen! 

He read one page and I was ready to say "good job" and close the book, but he wanted to read another and another! 

Then he looked up at me and said,
"I'm a reading boy!"

He smiled and gave me a big hug then pumped his fist in the air and yelled "YAY!"

 

So, now he can't wait to tell everyone that he is learning to read.  He was so excited to show his Dad!

 

Now, he asks to read during school.  And he's super excited for the day he can read stories on his own!

Mother's Day 2013

Oh, how I love these boys!

They are the most delightful blessings the Lord has given to me and John!

My friend says "CHERISH" and I do... I really do!

 

What really stood out to me is that for the very first time in our pictures together, I have a son who is "noticeably" taller than me!  It's hard to believe that can already be happening, but it is also very fun!

I'm a triple proud mama!

Will and John

While I was taking pictures of the guys working with the new lambs, I snapped a pic of Will and another of John that I just love!

 

 

 

 



More Lamb News

More lamb adventures!  (Or misadventures??)  Well, we are definitely learning a lot!

 

Before we went looking for the new lambs in the woods, John called up the other sheep and they came running!  This is probably one of my favorite things to watch.

 

 

The little black sheep got stuck again and had to be rescued...  Shep was great at carrying it through the woods to get it back to its mama.

 

 

John was finally able to catch the little white spotted lamb so that he could dock her tail.  She's really a cute little lamb.

 

 

But now, the mama sheep has rejected "Blackie"...  and we are bottle feeding him.  It took a few tries, but little Blackie is drinking very well out of our bottle now.  (A converted Coke bottle.)  

Feeding Blackie is going to be Shepard's job and he's super excited about it!  Shepard is already getting very attached because he loves baby animals!

Here are pictures of John and Shep trying to teach Blackie how to drink from a bottle.

 

But, we're realizing that we are beginning to feel kinda stuck here at home now... the little lamb eats every four hours or so. :)

Shepard's Crafting Birds

He found a package of feathers at Wal-Mart this week and was excited to spend his own money to buy them.  Then he got creative...  and made several of these sweet white birds.

 

I really love his creativity!  (Wish I had it!) :)

Madie's Bday with the Duggars

I realized I can post some of these pictures now that the show has aired! :)

It was really fun to be at Madie's party (as the novice photographer) and see the "behind the scenes" of a tv show being filmed.  The party was BEAUTIFUL!!!  Absolutley LOVELY!!  Kim's beautiful touch was on everything.  And the Duggar girls were precious!

 

 

Michelle was sweet to let me get a picture of me with her... I admire her so much!



Twins! New Baby Lambs at the Farm

So, I was starting to wonder if that sheep was really pregnant...  but John was predicting twins in late spring.  He was right!  They were born today!

We found them a few hours after they were born.  The mom is really skittish so she wouldn't let us get very close...

It's hard to see, but one lamb is black and the other one white.

 

Then the little black lamb got stuck and John had to go get it...

we were excited to get to touch it and hold it!

 

 

So, while we were out in the field I took these pictures of Will... I just loved the light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Spring Stuff

John's new truck working on the farm!

 

Shep wanted to help plant some things in the garden...

 

Love how he looked when he drove up in the golf cart!

 

My favorite spring blooms...  the azaleas are blooming!

 



Branson with the Wasson Side

Last weekend we got to go to Branson with all of John's family!  The boys were SO excited!  We had to adjust our plans a few times due the rainy weather, but we had a great time!  We ended up hanging out quite a bit in the rental house...  and we celebrated some birthdays there.

(Love the photo bomb in this first pic!)

 

 

Then we took the kids to ride go-karts.  They loved this!

 

 

Look who stopped by!  I was so excited to see my parents who were also in Branson celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary!

 

Before we left the go-kart place, Matt and Madie decided to try the bungee drop thing...  and to my surprise, Shepard decided he'd like to do it with them!

Here he is signing the sheet before the big fall...

 

I cracked up when I saw what he signed:

a crossed out S, then "no way"! 

 

Here they go!

 

 

Finally, we made it to Silver Dollar City the next day...  and headed straight for the new roller coaster "Outlaw Run".  Josiah and Shepard rode that with the bigger kids while John and I took the younger kids to play somewhere else.  When we met back up with them, Shepard looked bad.. .sick.  We all thought the ride made him feel bad, but he couldn't get over it all day long.  He didn't want to do anything else all day.  Then we finally figured out that he was actually sick...  and learned that he hadn't been feeling well that morning and didn't even eat any of the Krispy Kreme donuts.  (That's UNHEARD of with our little hobbit!) 

Josiah, on the other hand, LOVED Outlaw Run and rode it several times!

 

Will loved riding everything he could!

 

After Shepard had his "magic pill"... ibuprofen... he perked up a little and thought it would be fun to win a monkey by playing darts.

 

He won two and enjoyed giving the other one to Will.

 

Then we met back up with the younger kids and found Will like this...

 

We thought he was just completely wiped out...  turns out he was sick, too.  On the way home Shepard and Will both had fever.  The next day Josiah got it too.  We've spent the whole week recovering!