Little Miss Hannah

Look who's 9 months old today!
She's not a fan of strange people or places, so she was a little stingy with her smiles while having her pictures taken...

Big sister Mary came along, and she was full of smiles!

Mary will be 4 years old in just a couple of weeks!

Hannah scoots around the house in her little walker, and keeps us on our toes as she explores!
Here she is getting into the snack cupboard when it was left open.

Checking out the spinning part of the dishwasher...

Sister snuggles

Uh oh... she got a hold of the toilet paper, and was pretty happy about it!

Here's our studious home school crew, who have been working hard over the past few days!

Miss Hannah is army crawling all over the place!

She sometimes makes it a little difficult for the kids to focus on their school work! ;)

All School Program 2020

This past Friday night was our school's annual spring program.
The students & teachers put a great deal of work into memorizing, reciting, and singing songs of praise to our Savior. This year's theme was "The Goodly Tree." Enjoy! :)

Opening Songs - https://youtu.be/rxNn7w3QLPY

Psalter #250, "Tree Song"

Lower Room - https://youtu.be/9oitikQRlog

Genesis 1:11, Psalter #286, Genesis 1:12, Psalter #258, Psalm 33:6-9, Psalter #404, Psalm 139:14, Psalter #383

Middle Room - https://youtu.be/ADzhA08Jtnw

Psalm 1:2, Jeremiah 12:2a, Psalter #2, I Peter 2:2, Jeremiah 17:8, I Timothy 4:6, II Timothy 4:2, Psalter #336, Psalm 119:10, 40-41,64-65,73, Psalter #225

Upper Room - https://youtu.be/z6i_ESZChAo

Psalter #25, Psalm 1:3, Psalm 92:12-15, Ephesians 2:8-10, "Blessed is the Man", Matthew 7:17-20, Luke 6:45, Galatians 5:22-25, II Peter 1:5-8, Psalter #26, Ephesians 4:1-3, 14-15, Colossians 1:10-11a, "Walk Worthy"

Closing Songs - https://youtu.be/GM0Qe49ac6w

Psalter #1, "Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah"

Piano Festival February 2020

Ryan, Kara, & Evan recently participated in a Piano Festival at Dordt College. They each had to memorize two songs & play them for a judge. They practiced their songs many times over the past few months and were a little nervous, but it went well! We are thankful for the musical talents God has given them, and hope that they will always use them for His glory.

(There is no photography or recording allowed at the festival, but they were kind enough to play their songs one more time for Mom. ;)

Ryan playing "Airplane Ticket" and "Dancing Shoes"

https://youtu.be/pzZ3DrCWn5A

Kara playing a Clementi "Sonatina" and "Knights of the Castle"

https://youtu.be/Crji3Gi80GI

Evan playing "Waltz" and "Robotics"

https://youtu.be/zxrOi2jtZrc

January & February Photo Recap

Tea party time with Mary

Hannah's ready for some sunshine

She loves to play in her exersaucer

Just rolling around

Smiley girl

Mary likes to sort buttons while Mom is sewing

Doing her best to enjoy a basketball game

(with the help of noise-cancelling headphones ;)

Helping Mom make strawberry jam

Here she comes!

Sweet sisters

Happy Valentine's Day!

Our annual family Valentine's supper 💗

Mary loves to hold Hannah

Making stromboli for supper

Zoo animal day at Trinity

(In case you can't tell, Jenna is a koala :)

Mom & Hannah in the van waiting patiently for one of the kids to finish lessons

President's Day at Great Bear

Moriah, Kara, Kate, Levi, Jacob, Evan Luke, & Grandma

Tyler, Ryan, & Jesse

Luke & Evan headed up to tame the mountain

Licking the brownie batter bowl clean... yum!

Cowgirl Mary

That's it for our January/February round-up! :)

Luke's Honors Orchestra Concert

Luke played cello in the Northwest Iowa Honor Orchestra last night at Northwestern College in Orange City. It was a beautiful concert!

You can pick him out easily, as he's in the back row toward the right-hand side in a white shirt and black bow tie. (He was actually supposed to be sitting in the second row from the front toward the middle, but the high school orchestra played first, and there weren't enough chairs set up in the cello section for Luke's group! So Luke & his stand partner had to scramble for chairs & a stand til the last second! ;) 

Enjoy!

Colors of Home - https://youtu.be/pxf1Xz4lHq4

Danza de mi Corazon - https://youtu.be/n0YAAJbWwWQ

Tam Lyn - https://youtu.be/NMCDJtxcF2c

Dakota "Molly" Mae

Tonight we said goodbye to our sweet golden retriever, Molly, who died unexpectedly in her sleep. We're thankful for nearly 10 years of memories we've made with her. She's grown up with our kids, and has always been so patient with them. She was smart, obedient, kind and loyal. We're going to miss her!

Evan & Jenna with Molly soon after we got her in the summer of 2010

Learning how to go for a walk... the first of many walks she took with Paul over the years

Evan & Molly

Luke & Evan & Molly

Molly & Kara

Luke & Molly

Paul & Molly

She was a beautiful dog!

She made it on our Christmas card that year, although we couldn't get her to sit still enough to take the picture with us. :)

Molly with her new friend, Honey

Ryan & Molly

 Silly puppy dog

She always sat on the bench just like she was one of us.

Molly & Kara

Molly & Mary