World's Largest Virtual #Hallelujah Chorus

Have you ever wanted to sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? Recently, they invited people to join them in singing the Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah. With some specific instructions about how to submit a video of yourself singing your chosen vocal part, they put all the videos together and came up with this virtual choir. {I wish we had participated!}

King of Kings and Lord of Lords. #Hallelujah  :)

The Lake House

We're just wrapping up our Spring Break. It was a much needed week off of school! I love how the local school district and EIU take the same week off so we're able to do fun stuff as a family.

The Lake House

This year we spent three days at a friend's lake house about 4 1/2 hours away near Canton, Missouri. It was perfect! No cell reception. No internet. It was nice to be completely disconnected and to spend time together, distraction free.

Our view from the lake house - I love the sun streams!

Not long after our arrival there was a hail storm with golf ball sized hail. Literally. I have never seen or heard anything like it! The water was shooting up off the lake as the hail pelted down. It was really something to see! It was fast and furious. Fortunately it didn't cause any noticeable damage except maybe the outer pane of a neighbor's window.

The hail was so pretty with various designs and formations.

The kids had a great time collecting the largest chunks of hail after the storm and lining them all up on the lid of the turtle sandbox.

Despite its size, the hail melted fairly quickly and the kids enjoyed playing and fishing outside until they ran out of daylight.

Spencer, our fisherman.

Our days were filled with tourist excursions (details to come) and our evenings were filled with family games (Pictionary and Fazes were our favorites), and earlier bedtimes. It was just what we needed to help us gear up for our last quarter of school.

Bring it on! ;)

Random Acts

Back in September, I posted about a show on BYUtv called Random Acts. For a while it looked like the idea had been abandoned, but we've just learned that it's happening and the first episode airs on April 4th!

At first we had the impression that the show focused on setting up situations to catch other people doing something good. Now it looks like the focus is on providing random acts of kindness for unsuspecting strangers. Either way, it sounds like a feel-good show that we're excited to watch! Here's a trailer --



If you were really paying attention (Sadie was the only one that caught it here), you might have seen Savannah near the end. It's super quick, but she makes a brief appearance right at :48.

We can't wait!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Welcome to St. Patrick, Missouri

We didn't do this on purpose. We didn't even know there was such a thing as St. Patrick, Missouri. But it just so happened that we were staying in a little community right next door and had to drive through St. Patrick to get where we were going. And it just happened to be St. Patrick's day. :) These pictures were taken yesterday (3/16) as we were heading in from Nauvoo for the evening. But we drove through again this morning as we headed to Carthage.

Kind of a fun coincidence. Happy St. Patrick's Day! :)

St. Patrick statue in the background.

Happy Pi Day

Hands down, this is my favorite pie. It's the apple pie I grew up with, the one I'd sneak into the kitchen for to steal loose bits of the yummy top crust when no one was looking. It's so yummy served warm with vanilla ice cream or cold out of the fridge for breakfast the next day.

It's the perfect pie for our Pi Day (3.14) celebration. It's super easy to make which makes it even better!

Mom's Apple Pie
1 bottom pie crust (not deep dish)
4+ large Granny Smith apples (or 7-8 smaller apples)
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Combine sugar and cinnamon. Peel, core, and slice apples. Place them in unbaked pie shell and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar after each layer or so. Continue until apples are heaping in pie shell.

Topping:
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1/3 c. butter or margarine
With a pastry blender, combine until crumbly. Spoon over apples and pat down with hands to form the top "crust." Bake on a foil lined cookie sheet at 400° for 40-50 minutes. (My oven is on the warm side so 40 minutes is plenty. I gently place a piece of foil on top for the last 10 minutes to keep the top crust from getting too dark.)

Enjoy!

Don't Turn Your Back

My brother sent me this picture a month or so ago with the caption, "This is what happens when I leave my kids alone for 2 seconds." I saw it again today and it made me laugh all over again.

In case you're wondering if Bowen was awake for days after this incident, Jeffrey assured me that the can was pretty much empty. Still, it's pretty funny. I guess this isn't the first time Hank has tried to "help" with the baby.

Never a dull moment! :)

You Reap What You Sow

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.”  --C. S. Lewis (from The Great Divorce)

I teach an online youth religion class (Seminary) for church. For the past couple of days, the discussion has focused a lot on the consequences of our choices, pointing out that you reap what you sow. In today's Seminary lesson, the questions was asked: Why do you think Satan succeeds in luring some people to his side, even though he will ultimately lose?

In response, one of my students pointed out that Satan succeeds because his path is easier. You don't have to make a commitment. But as a result, you lose the happiness and joy that come from living righteously. 

It's true. While Satan's side is easier and there are no rules to follow, there is also no reward. What a disappointment it will be to find that the lures and "promises" were all a big lie and there is nothing for you in the end. Like C. S. Lewis pointed out, God will say to us, "Thy will be done," and we'll get exactly what we chose. Satan is cleverly deceptive and only when he has you in his chains will you realize that your freedom has been taken away.

Happiness comes when we choose to say to God, "Thy will be done," and His blessings are poured out upon us as we make ourselves eligible for an eternal reward. Rules and guidelines (commandments) are there for our peace and safety. It may initially feel like they are limiting our freedom, but we will soon find that true freedom is possible only through obedience. 

Christ's Atonement made it possible for us to return to our Father in Heaven. It's up to us to choose to make that possibility our reality!

Rebel Chicken

My mother-in-law gathered eggs for Jeff's brother's family while they were on vacation. Apparently one chicken did not like this new arrangement...

Isn't it cute? :) I believe the family has returned so all is right in the chicken world once more. 

Before and After: A Bathroom Makeover

Last spring, we purchased a cute little two bedroom rental home. It's just down the street from us and didn't need too much fixing up. But the bathroom -- Ugh! It was so weird! It was just a really bizarre set up.

This is where I'd insert the before pictures...if we had any. Somehow we can't seem to locate the pictures we thought we took before Jeff started on this project, so let me try to explain what it looked like. (I'll add pictures if/when they turn up.)

The main part of the bathroom had a 1970's green tub and shower. The sink was okay, but was way too big for the space which put it too close to the gross toilet. There was a weird step to access the tub/sink/toilet area. The flooring was a hodgepodge of various types. The walls were a horrible yellow paneling below with something rather forgettable above. At most, the whole room is only about 8'x10', so it's pretty small. That includes three doorways. Two of them lead straight through from one bedroom to the bathroom to the other bedroom. The other leads into a closet.

Jeff tore everything out and started over. Here it is after he worked his magic...

This doorway leads into one of the bedrooms. Closet access is on the right.

This door leads to the other bedroom. The same closet access is on the left.

Doesn't it look great? It is SO much better than before and just right for the space. It feels open and spacious and bright and that funky step is gone. Jeff does great work!

The above pictures make me happy which is why this is on my blog. :) Yesterday the above "after" pictures became the "before" pictures...

Sadly, there was a fire yesterday. Here is the latest shot of the bathroom:

We've got our work cut out for us. The bathroom ceiling has a huge hole where the firefighters axed it open to cool off a hot spot. The fire burned in one of the bedrooms, but most of the home has smoke damage. Not to mention the 6 windows busted out to let the smoke escape.

The good news in all of this? No one was hurt. No one was home when the fire was discovered. Stuff can be replaced. It'll take some time, but we're still counting our blessings!

Hi, Ho, Robin Hood

We LOVED the middle school play of Hi, Ho, Robin Hood tonight. Sterling and Soren did so well in their roles of Robin Hood and Little John. Their friend above played King Richard. Everyone did such a great job! The play has several fun musical numbers and plenty of witty dialogue.

We can't wait to go again tomorrow night. :)