Spring 2017!!!!!!

It's about time for a spring blog post!! The beginning of April was the Home-School Tournament! Here JoAnna is doing a speech which she got first place with.

Me (Marie) doing my speech!I got second in Senior speech. The speech competition this year was a little different than most years. This year you had to memorize a speech from history or a passage of Scripture(which is part of history:). JoAnna recited the Gettysburg address and I recited part of the Sermon on the Mount. "...Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God..."

Two concentrated players competing in a chess game! Caleb got first place in chess which is quite an accomplishment considering all the competition there is in chess! 

Caleb with all the other guys!

Receiving some awards!

Every year sometime in April our family heads down to the Ronald McDonald House which is located in Minneapolis. We make two meals for the people with sick children or relatives in the Gillette Childrens hospital. We also make blankets for the kids in the hospital. Here Mom is working on making one!

Esther with one of the blankets we made!

Playing some games together. Those 14+ are the only ones allowed to work in the kitchen so Esther and JoAnna were not able to work in the kitchen. Dad's leg was bothering him during this time so he wasn't able to help as much as he would've liked to.

At work in the kitchen.

Ready to serve supper!

JoAnna served the drinks! Notice the pans of apple crunch on the counter! That stuff is AMAZING!!!! I am so glad that God decided to create apples.

Kneading bread. This is what happens when you forget to bring your bread machine !!! :)

Conversations back at the hotel.

On Sunday, after church we enjoyed a meal with a friend of ours in Minneapolis! Thanks for having us Ian!

This school year us four kids that are still in school went to a Home-School Co-op! We had a program at the end of the year and here we are singing a song!

Me sharing one of my favorite memories!

JoAnna sharing her favorite memory!

At a Mothers Day Tea hosted by Margaret M. So thankful for sweet fellowship.

Esther with a bunch of rhubarb!

This is one way to spread manure on the garden!! :)

The five oldest kids in our family, along with our cousin Priscilla headed down to South Dakota for our cousin Josh and a friends graduation! Rachel, and I with one of the graduates, Alexa H.

Cousins!!

Dutch Blitz! A family favorite!!

Was super fun watching some of the older cousins play, who haven't done so for q

Getting a tour of Ben+Emily's new house!

Cedric!!

Matt and Caleb having some fun with our nephew. {Who is growing up way too fast!!}

Josh and Caleb flying Josh's new drone!

This tree is so beautiful!!

The boys having some fun! (For those of you who have watched the most recent episode of the Bible Bee Game Show, you'll be able to guess where the boys got this idea from!)