Our free favorite spring break ideas

Make something! I love to "put away" some of our big, messy(you know the ones with 300 pieces )toys for a special day.
Or something like that crazy magic sand stuff.
Set up a tent inside or out, don't have one, make one out blankets.
Make up a creative adventure for your kids like a pirate adventure with bandanas and swords. Mom of boys, here!
We also love to cook special things this week, since we have a little bit more time. I love to let everyone help!
Kids are so cute and creative I love to see how different things turn out when they all have the same supplies.
My friend Tiffany , put random craft supplies in an old jar and told the kids to make something. They all did it and loved it!
One year, we had kids make a video with some friends, so cute and such a great memory.
Have kids write a short story and illustrate it, let them work together.





We have forest preserves around here ! Great to take kids out into Gods amazing creation and let them explore. Boys love it! Take a bag, make a collection. Scavenger hunt or I spy with little ones. A picnic lunch is always a hit around here. Make a craft with the treasures you found.



Park fun is underrated !

Help with Safe Families

I know I passed on the info about our the great ministry we are working with called Safe Families. Go here safefamilies.org and find out about what we do.

After being in the foster system for many years we have seen so much, sometimes too much. Anyway, enough to know there are many problems with the "system".

Please if you live in Illinois or know someone who does, this ministry is making a difference and Christian families are stepping up to help families in crisis, usually single moms in crisis.

Our number of placements have almost doubled since last year.

A great way to serve as my friend Tammy says,"set another place at the table". Opening your home and family to those in need!

New Year!

I am starting the new year with a well known confession!

I am not a good blogger!

I want to be a better blogger!

In the spirit of fresh starts! Here is what I am thinking about this year.

First of all, for about the past 5 years January has played a significant "role" in the life of my family.

Each year we would anticipate what the Lord was going to do in the coming year. Through our foster to adopt journey it has been amazing and fun to see how the Lord has changed our family. Not just by bringing more children to us, but by watching the Lord change us and our hearts and the hearts of all our children in the process.

I could not have imagined my Safe Family placement would become my daughter a few months later.

So here we are a family of 8 in 2012. We have told the Lord we are open to what you would do in and through our family!

I cannot wait to sit here this time next year and see what He has done.

I was talking with a good friend the other day about the Lord and how good He is and we decided it would be a boring life to limit what God wants to do in your family by setting up your own parameters about what you will allow.

I love being on this journey!

Forest Preserves

There are many Forest Preserves close to where we live. Matt and the kids and the dog go and hike these on the weekends. He is an amazing father who realizes the value of quality time with our kids. They want that time with him and he makes a huge effort! I feel so blessed that our children get to have him for a father.

I think it can be a "trap" that we get ourselves into, as parents, we think because we are running our kids to all their activities that we are getting personal, quality time with them. 10 minutes in the car, is not enough!

Plus it is so great for our kids enjoy and appreciate God's amazing creation!

Here are some pictures of some of the places we have been. These Forest Preserves are beautiful!