Camp Kern weekend with Dad

 Most moms look forward to a weekend of Mother's Day Brunches and being showered with family for the day.  I, on the other hand, look forward to an empty, quiet house with no one there but me.  It may sound harsh, but with me homeschooling my girls and a husband that travels, I truly am ecstatic to make a to-do list a mile long that I want to accomplish~ the whole time wearing my jammies!  They are home Mother's Day morning, by 10 am, so then we have the whole day together, it couldn't be more perfect!  For a few years, Ellie wasn't old enough, so we had the weekend together.  Next year, Erika will be too old for Indian Princess so I will be with her.  This year, all three were with their daddy.  You can imagine how long my to-do list was having a house to myself!

 Indian Princess is a Father/Daughter group that has functions/activities once a month from anything like University of Dayton Basketball Games to Ice Skating to Camp outs.  "One of the greatest gifts a father can give a daughter is quality time spent together."  With Rob having three girls, it has been perfect memories together.

 The slogan for Indian Princess is Friends Always."  They have specific aims they focus on for the year that each of the girls memorize:

Aims of the Indian Princesses

1. To be clean in body and pure in heart.
2. To be friends always with my father/daughter.
3. To love the sacred circle of my family.
4. To listen while others speak.
5. To love my neighbor as myself.
6. To seek and preserve the beauty of the Great Spirit's work in forest, field and stream.

 These pictures are from Camp Kern's Camp out this year.  Rob was the "chief" of all the tribes in Montgomery and Warren County.  The thrill for the girls is to see their Daddy jump the fire.  Good times!

 They have a different theme each year and decorate their cabins~ this year it was red, white and blue in honor of our soldiers.

 Rob gets to come across the lake in the dark and everyone chants as he comes running in... Em got to ride with him this year!

Archery, horseback, zip lining, canoeing (where Erika's phone and camera are at the bottom of the lake- another blog post) and all kinds of fun activities are planned for the weekend.  They have rituals at the campfire with goofy songs they sing for weeks afterward...  it's all about the memories!

This month could not get any busier... or fun, for that matter.  The weather has been amazing and we just can't get enough of it after last year with so much gray that consumed our days.  We were able to get tickets for The Cincinnati Ballet to see The Princess and the Pea.  It was beautiful and the first experience they remember appreciating the orchestra playing while they witnessed beautiful dancing. 

                                        Volleyball has been big in our neighborhood- there's always someone up for a game. 

                                     Lots of birthdays--- Ellie turned 8, Erika turned the BIG 13, and I turned 40.  (Yes, I typed it... and had to write it at 8 in the morning of my birthday, and sign in under a poster board for a 5K race under the age group of 40-49!  ReALlY???!!!  That was just cruel... especially before a race, where it was freezing cold and rainy...

 Easter Egg Dying is still a hit with my girls...  guess who's dozen this is...

Couldn't get enough of my sister's ducks at Nana and Papaw's house for Easter

 She really can't be 13... pretty sure she was just 3 and crying that her shoes had to match her outfit that had to match her coat!  My sweet Teen Angel, as Papaw calls her.

Erika's Eye

Erika is becoming quite the photographer~ here are some of my favorite shots she's taken lately.

French Braids- Finally!

3 girls later,  I finally learned how to french braid!

Where do the Days Go?

 I have a confession to make.  I exposed my child to The Pioneer Woman.  I started reading her blog three or four years ago and couldn't get enough of her recipes.  She includes pictures every step along the way and as you read, it's as if she is actually speaking to her.  Her writing is very natural, and her pictures are gorgeous. As the couple years went by that I read her blog, I ventured to homeschool my girls, and my friend, Nicki, that had originally pointed her out to me, mentioned that she homeschooled her children as well. I've loved reading her posts, and since then, she has grown HUGELY!  She now has a tv show on food network and we faithfully watch it each week.  She now has her second cookbook out.  Emily adores her, rightfully so.  Her Nana bought her a whole cupboard and drawerful of cooking supplies and tools.  Besides reading, cooking is an outlet for her.  It brings her joy to bake for others.   Granny would be so proud.  (Above, Emily is following and making something from her blog, and below she made cinnamon rolls from her cookbook.  

 With only a couple coverings of snow this winter, Ellie made the most of it by playing in the snow and then drinking hot chocolate outside.

 I had a blast gathering all these creative ideas for Ellie to make these beautiful homemade Valentines, yet she insists on the premade Barbie Valentines. 

 Cincinnati Children's Theatre offers four shows throughout the year, and we've had the opportunity to see 3 of the 4.  Each show is better than the next.  Believe it or not, Pinocchio was one of our favorites, although the girls didn't really know the story before-hand, sadly.  The music and acting was beautiful!  Pinocchio was a boy from our church, which was pretty neat!

 The girls had to bring school work to the last show, because I helped a friend get the kids off the buses.  The girls enjoyed passing out programs as well.

 One of our favorite field trips was tapping maple trees to make syrup.  The girls learned so much!  This experiment focused on density.

New Year, New Experiences

We love Manna Cupcakes in Downtown Lebanon. Took a break from our school day and surprised the girls with a trip to enjoy a sweet cupcake. I wish I would have taken their picture of their faces when I told them I was taking them here... priceless.

Daily Grammar in the car while taking turns for piano.

One of our favorite traditions of the Christmas Season- we go to Christ's Church in Mason, where our neighbors attend.  We look forward to this musical/play production every year!

Incorporating art with our Bible story

Could my neice be any sweeter?! Addison Jean.  God does amazing things.  (And Katie and Brian make beautiful babies!)

This is just what swimmers do... drives me crazy.

Testing solar cars at Cincinnati Museum

Learning about Animal Adaptations

Creating music through symbiosis

A real elephant's foot....

Our January in a wrap!