Cute Baby Turtles

 Since our first discovery of baby turtles on Easter, we have found a couple more!  We just can't get enough of how adorable they are.  It's so cute to watch them move around.  We have started marking their shells with nail polish when we find them so we can try to keep track.  So far we have found four!

So cute!!

Misc. April Photos

I got to chaperone a field trip with Eden's social studies class to the Holocaust Museum.  I'm so glad she swill wants to hang out with me and doesn't consider this as "social suicide".

We got to have a fun movie day with tons of friends.  Look at Brad and I in the back row, feverishly preparing small bags of popcorn for the hoards of children.  We got to see the new "Super Mario" movie and everyone loved it.

Karly's Hike with Grandma and Murdoch Girls

While I was off to the early morning track meet, and dad was off with Bentley to his soccer game, Karly was lucky to get invited on a little hike with grandma and the Murdochs.  She wanted to get her chores out of the way before going though, and Lola graciously agreed to help her get them done.  They made a pretty good team!

Then off they went on their hike!  Karly was most definitely dressed perfectly for the occasion.

I'm not sure they really made it too far along the path, but they sure found a lot to explore and see!

Being out in nature, and letting your curiosity drive is the best kind of day!  Thanks grandma for taking Karly along on the adventure!

We later found this note in Karly's room, from Olive.  I'm not even sure the context for this, I'm assuming Karly must have been sad Olive didn't want to go to the mountains with them that day.  Olive wrote, "I am sorry! I just really wanted to go.  I did the track meet and I'm glad I went. I just love the mountains, (not as much as track though) but over all, I love you the most. Love Olive"

So sweet.

Olive's 1st Track Meet!

Magnolia and Harper talked Olive into joining track this season!  It was a big commitment, with her off to practice three times a week.  She has blown me away though with how positive her attitude is, and how excited she is about trying something new, and exploring this with friends!  She has been working hard the last few weeks at practice, and today is her first meet! She was feeling pretty nervous, but she had lots of friends giving her pep talks.  She chose to do sprinting, and the high jump.  Throughout the season, her sprint races will change, but each week she will do high jump, which she already claims is her favorite.

Today she ran in the 200 meter dash, which is halfway around the track, and the 400 meter dash, which is the full length of the track.  She ran her little heart out!  It was so awesome to watch her pushing hard, and flying over the finish line.  She was proud of herself, and that was the best part to see.

Go Olive, go!!  She is amazing!

I love that she even had a bit of a smile as she was approaching the finish line and hearing all the cheering and screaming.

Eden was there with me too, cheering Olive on, and also cheering for several of her friends who are on the same team.

Olive totally rocked the long jump today.  They each get three jumps, and then they take their best length.  She was awesome, and I could tell she felt confident here.

Olive ended up with some great results!

200 meter dash: 37.81, 11th of 23

400 meter dash: 1:30:00, 10th of 23

long jump: 3.30, 2nd of 23

I'm so proud of all your hard work Olive!  I hope you will learn so much more about yourself and all that you're capable of!!  Well done today.  We are excited to see what the rest of the season has in store!

Young Women Retreat

 Sadly, our spring retreat had to get shortened to just a late over on Friday night, instead of the overnight retreats we have done in the past.  Saturday schedule was so crazy for leaders and girls that we didn't have a lot who could make it.  So we made the best of it, and had an amazing Friday night together learning, and deepening friendships.  I sure love all these amazing girls.  We have so much fun together.

They were all very good helpers in the kitchen that night, working together and hanging out as we prepared our taco bar dinner.

Then we had a great devotional on character and faith, and then we swam, played games, did nails, and enjoyed one another's company.

Sitting out by the firepit after dark is always a favorite!

Meanwhile, inside, these three and dad were having their own "late-over" in my bed watching a movie.  They had fun too.

I'm so grateful for my time with the young women, and for a home that has plenty of space to welcome them all in.  It's always such a fun time of bonding and building unity and faith.  I love it!