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Cordova Christian Camp and VBS!

Dear Snow Kids,
Last week, Sarah & Hannah and your cousin Tristan had so much fun at our church's version of Vacation Bible School- called Cordova Christian Camp. It sure was quiet at home without the older ones. You were there from 8:30-3:30. You were introduced to the robot Reflektor who helped you learn to reflect God's glory. You learned about being a transformer and going from bad to good. On Tuesday, you learned about being a redeemer and fixing things that are broken. Wednesday, the theme was truth-teller. Thursday police officers came and did a demonstration and you learned how to be helpers. Friday was a water day and you had so much fun! I wish I could have been a "staff" for your first week of camp. I know you were in good hands though and that you had a lot of fun. This week, you joined your friend, Marcelyn, that you know from your homeschool choir and attended her VBS from 6:30-8:30. Even Joshua and Julia were able to go! Their teachers said they were so good. They said, bye bye mommy when I dropped them off and didn't cry at all. I'm so glad you had a fun week learning about heroes and a bible story about a boy and a fish. Hannah and Sarah learned a memory verse and I have it on a little video clip that I will post. I am so blessed to have you four children. I pray you will grow up always loving God and serving him. I love you.
Love,
Mommy

Crib Basketball!

Dear Joshua,
Tonight Daddy was getting you and Julia ready for bed while I was reading books to your big sisters. I heard a lot of laughing and it did not sound like you were going to bed. We went to find out why you all were laughing so much and decided to capture it on video... playing a new sport: crib basketball! It was so cute. You love balls. You are already an athlete at 22 months old. Daddy lowered the side of your crib so you could climb back in to get your balls. It is truly amazing how different God created boys and girls. Julia, your twin sister, was not interested in throwing the balls in the crib and would not try to climb in the crib. She loved watching you play it though. You are loved by your family. We are so thankful God gave us you!
Love,
Mommy

Happy Kindergarten Graduation!

Dear Sarah and Hannah,
I can't believe it is already the end of your school year. It seems like yesterday I was nervous to start homeschooling you in kindergarten. We have had so much fun this year! You both are such a joy to teach. It is amazing how much you have progressed. Now you both know how to read! I am thankful for Visions Charter School where you were able to take classes on Wed. mornings. You said your favorite classes were: Art, Science Lab, Reading & Puppetry and Spanish. Every week for P.E. Visions paid for your gymnastics. Today was your gymnastics performance and you both did an excellent job! Daddy spoke at your graduation. Here is a brief summary of what he said:

"Kindergarten means "children's garden." Children attend kindergarten to learn to communicate, play, and interact with others. You've learned a little bit about lots of different things: all the subjects, electives and field trips. As you grow up in first grade and beyond I want you to have fun trying lots of different things. God created everybody different. Honor God, and Honor your parents. Obey, help out around the house, practice good manners, be kind and become the person God made you to be. You've started in a children's garden. Grow up to be the special plant God wants you to be by Having Fun trying different things, remember that everybody's different and Honor God and your parents."

After daddy's commencement speech, each parent blessed thier children. Here is what we said about you.

Sarah: You are a protector. You help to protect and take care of your baby brother and sister. You are joyful. Ever since you were a baby, everyone loved you big, jolly laugh. You are intuitive. You ask a lot of questions that starts with, "why?" You are an excellent singer. We often hear you and Hannah singing your heart out making up songs in the back of the van while driving places. Sarah, you like to make things with your hands. You like to help daddy with tools, draw, etc. We love you Sarah and thank God for the gifts he has given you.

Hannah: You are a leader. You also like to help lead your baby brother and sister. At the grocery store, if one of them goes the wrong way, you will say their name and tell them to come back or lead them back. Among your friends you are a good leader too. Hannah you are a very thoughtful person. If mommy gives you a special treat you will want extra for your sisters and brother. You often think of others. You are also humorous. You like to say jokes at the dinner table. Hannah, we are proud of you for learning how to read this year. You are able to read almost anything now. We appreciate you reading stories to your little brother and sister too. We love you Hannah and thank God for the gifts he has given you.

Then during the graduation we asked you a couple questions.
Sarah, What do you want to be when you grow up? Sarah's answer: A cook.

Sarah, you are a good little cook helping mommy bake and prepare dinners in the kitchen. You recently said you want to open a "cupcake shop" and have ponies and horses for the kids to ride while waiting for their cupcakes. I know you will be successful in whatever you decide to do when you grow up.

Hannah, What do you want to be when you grow up? Hannah's answer: A gymnastics teacher.

Hannah, you are a great gymnast. It has been a joy to watch you excel at this sport during your kindergarten year. I know you will make an excellent gymanstics teacher if you choose to do that when you grow up. You are great with kids and great at Gymnastics!

Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice- that's what Little Girls Are Made Of!

Dear Sweet Julia,
We made homemade scones for breakfast for the first time this week. You had a lot of fun helping your big sisters mix the batter. Afterwards, you climbed up on the kitchen chair, leaned on the counter to get the sugar. When I found you, your chubby little hand was in the sugar container and you were having the time of your life eating it! Sugar was everywhere. It was a mess but I was reminded of the poem- What Are Little Girls Made Of? Sugar and Spice and everything nice. You are a sweet girl and are completely different from your twin brother. Your favorite things are shoes, purses, lipstick, baby dolls and now sugar (although now I will be sure to put the sugar way up high in the cabinet and not leave it on the counter)! I love you sweet Julia. I can't believe you will be two years old in July. You are growing up fast and aren't my baby anymore- but my sweet toddler. You have a joyful, sweet, happy, fiesty personality. I thank God for blessing me with a sweet daughter like you.
Love,
Mommy

Saying GoodBye to Friends

Dearest Sarah, Hannah, Julia and Joshua,
Tonight you said goodbye to your best friends Emily and Abby Anderson because they are moving to New Mexico tomorrow. For the past year you have gotten really close because I babysat them every Monday and Friday. It is so cute watching you play (and sometimes fight) with your good friends. You will always have sweet memories to look back on of being 5 year olds and 1 year olds with Emily & Abby. Memories like, super girls, MOPS, playdates, playing in our backyard in the hammock at our Merribrook House and on the swingset at our new home, Oki park, swimming lessons at the YMCA, ballet when you were 4 years old, Joshua marrying "Babby" when he grows up, Emily wanting to change her last name to Snow, coloring, dress up, make up fashion shows, etc... the list can go on and on. Thank you for being such sweet children and sharing your toys. I am sad that our good friends are moving. It's hard to fathom because you are so little now that one day each of you will grow up and move away. I pray that you will put God first in all you do because friends will come and go but God is a constant best friend who will always be there for you to lean on and pray to. I love you. Always remember that Best Friends (like Emily and Abby Anderson) are truly a gift from God.
Love,
Mommy

Our Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day but Wonderful Evening

Dear Sweet Children, Our day Friday, May 7th started out bad when mommy went to the post office to mail Grammie's Mothers Day present and hit a parked suburban while trying to squeeze into a parking space. Luckily, nobody was with me and no one was hurt. Well, our van has a dent now... Then while I was trying to get everyone ready for Sarah & Hannah's Spring Choir Performance so many crazy things happened. I fed you all rigatoni and Hannah started crying because she did not like the "white dots" in it (cottage cheese). Joshua loved it so much that now he is covered head to toe with spaghetti sauce. While mommy is trying to clean Joshua up she made a mental note to herself not to get dressed first but last since my new brown skirt now had Joshua's little red handprint on it with spaghetti sauce and next time don't feed them spaghetti before a performance. While I stripped Joshua down to his diaper and was cleaning him up I hear Sarah crying very loudly in the bathroom. I quickly go to her and realize she has touched the curling iron I had plugged in to fix the girls hair pretty for their performance and realized she burned her hand pretty badly. So I told Sarah to put her hand under cold water while Hannah ran and got her an ice pack and I proceeded to fix her hair and still curl it. When it was Hannah's turn to get her hair fixed, Sarah sat down holding the ice pack. Next thing she says that blue is all over her dress. Sure enough, the ice pack leaked and her dress now has a huge blue stain on it. I took Sarah's dress off and didn't have time to wash it and dry it so I sprayed "Folex Carpet Cleaner" on the dress and wiped the stain right off! Folex is amazing! Maybe I'll start using that for stain remover instead hee hee! Daddy saved the day by coming home from work then and getting Joshua and Julia ready. Mommy made up a silly song about having a bad day but we were going to have a wonderful evening and all the kids laughed and laughed. Your cousin Michaela told me this quote when she was in 1st grade from her teacher and I try to remember it on crazy days: "When bad things happen, we can either laugh about it or cry about it and I choose to laugh". We made it to your choir performance on time and you did an amazing job. Sarah and Hannah you are both natural performers and God has given you both such a beautiful singing voice! Mommy is so proud of you!