More projects, more sewing, and two parties in May~by Beth

I can't actually believe all that we did this month.  We continued on with sewing lessons.  For Mother's Day I received some new pillows, but I also found some fabric I purchased for the girls to cover some pillows that we already have.  Jon also built a bookshelf for David for some his many books so they were off the two dressers in that room. I also was able to pick out my birthday gift of three crepe myrtle trees given to me from most of the family, which we planted.  You have to look hard for the one on the right.  Two are Sioux crepe myrtle which will look more like a tree, and the other is a smaller bush one that we planted in the front bed.

 Emma also was able to graduate.  The big church we were to have the service at was no longer available, so scrambling to find one, we were very blessed that The Cowboy Church and Pastor Frank Dana welcomed us in.  It was smaller than we hoped, but still was able to accommodate about 200 of our family and friends.  It was so great that these graduates could have their walk down to Pomp and Circumstance.

After graduation we also did a few more things at home to get ready for Emma's party next week.  Dave flew home from Texas and we got him going on pressure washing the driveway, paths and back steps.  We painted the dining room and the white bookshelf in there.  Jon built some corn hole boards and the girls painted them.  They did a fantastic job.  I bought some material for the bean bags and the children all sewed a few.  We filled them with the contents of our old bean bags (which are actually not beans but rubber pellets).  The whole thing turned out so great.

I have also been using my new Joanna Gaines cook book and making some of her marvelous recipes.  Last week I made her lemon pie again because it is sooooo good, only this time I put a meringue on the top.  It was excellent.  I want to make another one soon.

Katie hosted the birthday party for Christiana last weekend in Irving, Texas.  It was a 50's style party and they all looked so cute.

To close out the month we got together with some of our soccer families and had a little awards party.  The Grants hosted and Chuck pulled the tube behind his boat.  So fun.

May, and finishing up school with some projects~by Beth

We celebrated Charity's 20th birthday this month.  We now have 6 of our children in their 20s.

We have been trying out some activities for a character curriculum that is being produced.  We had some for creativity that involved using shapes or dots on a page and making pictures out of them.  My children so often amaze me with their abilities, especially when they draw.  The first three pictures the children had a triangle, a circle and three lines to draw from.

Emma's.  She had just finished biology and it shows in what she drew.

Johanna's. So creative.

Abigail's.  Such talent.

Stephen's hourglass using random dots he drew.

Johanna's dot picture

Abigail's dot picture

Emma's dot picture

We also tried our hand at sewing.  I wanted the girls to learn to sew but the tension on my machine is not working properly.  So, I ordered one from Joann Fabric.  It arrived only a few days later.  I spent some time showing them all the workings of the sewing machine.  Then we tried sewing on scrap.  Our first project was to sew masks.  Here are some photos of their progress.

Stevie is also learning to sew.

Johanna learning to use the cutting wheel, mat and acrylic ruler.

scraps we used to learn to cut on the grain and sew a seam.

Our first day's work

Johanna made several more masks with her own pattern

Johanna finished first.  She spent 4-5 hours sewing after we quit for the day.

They all made their own masks (though Stephen had help and Johanna finished it for him)

end

April, Easter, my birthday and Dad~by Beth

Lots going on this month.  We, like the rest of the country, were in stay at home mode.  It helped us to get a few things done that have been low on the list, and just continue with our schooling as usual.  Things didn't feel too abnormal, until one event overshadowed everything else.

Easter

Easter baskets

Finally getting avocados this year

 For my birthday Joel and Kelsey gave me a Joanna Gaines cookbook and I have been trying out a bunch of recipes.  Here are a few that we tried.  I have several I am making this weekend.

Orange Walnut Sweet Rolls

Lemon Pie, oh YUM!

Chicken Pot Pie, before the crust on top

Cream Corn Spoon Bread

The day after my birthday we received a call that my Dad had passed on to glory.  The following day we traveled to Ohio with the 5 children still at home.  David, who is still in Ohio, and Katie flew up from Texas.  Because of the virus the rest of the family did not come.

These two took a walk with me and Jon.

No trip to Grandma's would be complete without a game of four square.

My brother Mark, and his three sons, Andrew, Michael, and Patrick

I love the front of this church.

The funeral was beautiful.  Jon preached, two of my brothers and I spoke, and everyone heard about Jesus, who Dad loved, and the great man who was my father.  Thank you God, for such a great example of a godly man and father.  I miss you Dad.
After the funeral we went to the cemetery where an honor guard was present.  They played taps and folded the flag that was draped on my Dad's casket and presented it to my Mom.  We walked around the cemetery to find my grand parent's and great grand parent's graves.  Afterward we assembled at Mom's for a buffet lunch and hung out.  It was a great time to take some group photos.

Mom and six of her seven children.  Our brother in England could not come due to covid.

Dad's grand children and 3 great grand children

We visited Dad's grave site 2 days after his funeral.  His flowers still looked nice.  The cool temperatures helped.

We said our goodbyes and left for home.  The trees were in bloom due to Spring coming late.  So lovely.

It was a long trip but we made it safely and really enjoyed being in our own beds again.