The Texas freeze 2026. This was such a better experience then 2021. We had power the entire time which made it amazing. It was so nice to have so much time to just be home with my family and not only not needing to go anywhere but really not being able to go anywhere. Maebryn was still sick for the first part of the freeze. As it got towards the evening she would get a little fever and be tired but seemed mostly okay throughout the day.
One morning I went out to find Roslyn reading stories to Maebryn. I love seeing and hearing my children reading to each other. Below Maebryn enjoyed dressing up in different outfits. I love how she takes simple everyday things to make her fancy outfits. She is a fun little cutie pie.
Robyn a lady from our church made these dish clothes for our family. I love them both the quality and the color. They are beautiful. So much fun to have them, makes me feel like I got a whole kitchen make over.
We enjoyed lots of sledding over the course of the week.
I don't know if you can tell but the trampoline was weighed down quite a bit because of all of the ice/ snow. It was more ice then snow. Below the kids got to play a bunch of board games with Michael.
I hadn't seen these kids for a bit so went to go check on them, they had been coloring pictures up in their room. I love finding them doing art especially doing art together.
We haven't had this opportunity for quite some time but we got to have home church this week because of the cold. Benson gave the youth talk, Alden played the piano, Calvin led the music, Michael gave the adult talk, Roslyn did the musical number playing a baptism song on her violin.
This was all of us at church. We put cushions in the windows to help keep the cold out. When we took them down a day later their was ice on them.
There was one and two foot humps that I thought would fall in when I walked on them. I jumped on them we tried to poke them but they were solid ice. There was a good 2-4 inches of ice everywhere but 1-3 foot piles by the house. It was a beautiful white wonderland. I walked through the forest one day and was able to see foot prints of rabbits, deer, coyotes, birds, and by our house raccoon and ducks.
Girls still recovering from being sick. It was nice that we had time to be home with them and that they could really rest up to get all the way better. I would go check on the school most of the days, it was beautiful to see the snow everywhere.
We enjoyed watching all of the birds. I am not totally sure why but the cold seems to bring out the birds more then normal. We say blue birds, cardinals, chickadees, and so much more.
Sunday dresses. Maebryn got this dress and a number of others from one of the families that comes for piano lessons. Roslyn is wearing a Sunday dress that I wore growing up.
Alden's robotics competition. His team really is doing well this year and it was good that our whole family was able to go and watch for a little bit during this competition which was the last one close to home. He is doing great out there.
This was a day that Evan stayed home because of sickness, during his time home he did a number of cleaning projects but this one in the school room he cleaned out drawers and organized them, cleaned off shelves, cleaned out everything that was on the floor even the things under the cart or under the piano. This boy really knows how to clean well.
Watching a movie together. It is always fun to go up together as a family and watch a movie on our big projector screen.
Seminary lesson on the creation. This was actually a big blessing as things had gotten really busy. I was helping Frances with her cats and doing a number of other things and hadn't gotten around to preparing a lesson. I reached out to Shelly who gave me everything I needed so I didn't even have to think about it but my lesson was ready and done well. So many miracles this year. I need to start counting and keeping track of them all. I have been in awe. We should plan and expect miracles.
I love seeing my kids learn all of the different music that they are learning. One of the blessings of having everyone do the ukulele is that they are singing lots of songs especially the hymns and the primary. It has been neat to sit in primary and see how well my children know those songs. Roslyn has also been doing a kids worship book which has been fun to lean a number of the fun churchy songs that are more camp like songs that we don't sing usually at church.
I love that the girls love their stories at night. There are some nights that are simply too late and we aren't able to read but we get stories in most evenings. It is something that I love and think is important. I have loved these stories that we have been reading it is a group of books given to us by a good friend from church named Linda.
We cleaned out the girls room and realized that we can't keep everything even though some of the things were done so well but I took some pictures to remember. Above is art done by Roslyn which says "Spread Kindness" and then has a happy girl with hearts all around her. This is so like Roslyn that I had to take a picture, she is one that spreads kindness all around her with the little things she does. I often find little cards from her, she is often trying to help others, is willing to give up things for others to be happy, she loves art, nature, music, and really all things good. I don't know when she made this but I do love it, it is so like her.
This is a book from the Human Body class Roslyn did at co-op. It is full of lots of fun things and good information but she said she was ready to part with it...I think I decided to keep it just a little longer though, because if I have to do some science thing or if she does more with the Human Body in science it will be helpful for her to have to look at.
Above I honestly can't remember exactly what was happening but I remember taking the picture because it seemed like Maebryn was doing some sort of imagination as she made movements and seemed to be talking and dancing outside.
Below is a tea party with friends. This is almost a given each time they come over, I don't even help with it very much any more they just get out and make their tea party happen.
Above Maebryn doing her homework. She was so excited to have homework just like her big siblings. I was amazed at how well they had made homework for someone her age.
Below, the boys have gotten the birds to land on their hands and do some flying around the house. They have done a very good job at taking care of their birds.
Above is Come Follow Me in the morning before church. We now have later church but not as late as it has been at times. We meet at noon. Below is when Michael and I went to pick up Calvin from encampment. It was hard for him but I think a good experience.
This is a New Years tradition in England...or maybe a Christmas one...I can't quite remember but it was so fun that Sondra included us in it and let us all have a cracker. We have loved our art classes with her and have learned sooo much. I know the kids all love it but I especially have loved learning from her.
