Bright Side of Broken by MercyMe [Lyric Video]

I don't think Mercy Me has every done a song that isn't just great.  This one is just another example of their great music!  Enjoy! 

Our weekly snapshot

 Here’s a Quick Look back at our week: 

We celebrated my moms birthday on Sunday. 

I took some photos of our sweet animals. 

This was the last week of youth group 😊

Nate shared devotions at TKD on Thursday. 

Weekly Menu

 Welcome to another week!  We are creeping into June and that is blowing my mind just a bit.  My brother and sister-in-law arrive this weekend for a few weeks so we will end up eating at my mom's a few more days than normal and it isn't always planned.  So, while I am planning meals it doesn't mean they will get made :-)  

Friday - Darryl, Josh and Nate are to a Father/Son retreat.  I'm "heading" to a Scrapbook Retreat (I don't have to travel far HA!)  So I'll keep dinner simple.  

Saturday - My guys will all get home later today so we will just plan dinner around that. 

Sunday -  My brother and sister-in-law arrive this weekend so we are having dinner at my mom's after church with them. 

Monday -   Beef tips and noodles. We go in different directions tonight (TKD, Choir).  

Tuesday - Amish baked chicken and butter noodles

Wednesday - There is no more youth group so now I have to actually plan dinner HA!  BBQ cups and fries

Thursday - Tonight is my guys piano recital so dinner will need to be fast and easy. I always like to do Tacos on nights like this because we can eat in shifts and eat quickly as needed. 

Summer Plans

 The past few years I've shared our Summer Plans and then do weekly posts on what we did (or didn't do HA!)  Since I already have my weekly snapshot post on Saturday I will just use that to post about our summer.  I planned a lot more when the kids were little and we had our friends here all summer.  I felt like I needed to plan learning fun, game fun, water fun, and just plain fun. Now that they are teenagers they prefer to plan their own things, sleep in, play video games with friends, and only do a few things I have planned.  That's ok.  I tend to plan my summer more than theirs now and that's ok too.  I also work to find very inexpensive (or free) things to do together for fun because, quite honestly, summer can get expensive.  Zoos, Museums, and other outings always come with a price tag!   Plus, my guys have multiple weeks of camps - Worship Camp, Summer Camp (x2 for Nate), Nana Camp, and hopefully a trip to Darryl's mom's for at least a few days.  Throw in visits from two of my brothers and well, summer kinda plans itself.  

Something unique this year is that Josh and Nate will both be gone for an entire week together at camp which gives me two options.  Plan a full week of projects or a full week of doing absolutely nothing.  Ok, maybe it will be more a mix of the two ideas - but it will be good no matter what.  

I have been working on my list of plans . . .goals. . .hopes.  Here's a few items on that list:

1. Go to the next town over with my guys and take photos at all of the fun murals and such around town. 

2. Finish cleaning out the basement (I've been working on it as you know so it is time to wrap it up!) 

3. Go to the Grand Rapids Museum with my guys. 

4. Deep clean the bathroom - I had started it but then got side tracked.  This is a good project for when my guys are gone at camp.  

5. Go to the Sunday Night Worship on the Waterfront concerts. 

6. Completely plan my fall Joyful class (I say this every year - lets see if I can make it happen this time!) 

7. Go to a fun cow and sunflower event in August (I already have tickets)

8. Scrapbook a whole lot. Like tons. 

9. Attend the Andrew Peterson Concert at Maranatha in June. 

10. Finish Ordering/planning Josh's 11th grade year; Also wrap up anything related to 10th grade as far as grades and organization. 

11. Attend a wedding, open houses, and my choir concerts.  

So, as you can see, I have fun and "work" thrown in the plans.  I also want to really dig into my own personal devotions/prayer time while I have more "free time" as well as read as much as possibly can because that is something I love!   

It's About the Cross (The Ball Brothers)

This is my mom's favorite song and, since it is her Birthday today I thought I'd share it just for her :-) 

Our weekly snapshot

 Last Saturday Nate went with a group of some of his close friends to a homeschool “prom”.  One of the girls is graduating and she asked for this - a group of friends to go together.  Her parents took care of everything - dinner, transportation etc.  the teens just had fun!  (Josh was invited but he prefers casual game nights to semi-formal events) 

On Tuesday my Mom and I attended a funeral for a long time family friend and were able to catch up with the rest of the family as well. 

That’s all the photos this week! 

Weekly Menu

 It is the unofficial start of summer - Memorial Day Weekend!  Wow!  I felt like January-March were long and a little trying at times with sickness and broken things but as summer approaches I'm enjoying beautiful spring days and lots of sunshine (and I also love the rainy days too!)  

Friday - Stuffed Crust Alfredo Pizza and Salad.  I just love this recipe.  I don't make it often but every time I do make it I wonder why I don't make it more often! 

Saturday - Ham and Cheese Quiche, Sausage Balls, and Overnight Cinnamon Rolls  

Sunday - Today is my Mom's birthday!  She picked Paremsan crusted pork chops, Cheesy Potatoes, and Sweet Potato Casserole for dinner :-) 

Monday - Memorial Day - we will be heading to my mom's today for a nice Memorial Day meal. 

Tuesday -  Pork Loin Stuffed with Spinach , potatoes and carrots.  This is an old favorite - I think Darryl made it first years ago for Valentine's Day or some sort of Holiday.  I made something similar for Christmas a few years ago but without the spinach.  (This was schedule for last week but I had a funeral to attend so I left chicken tacos for the guys to make) 

Wednesday - This is the last week of Youth Group.  Darryl and I will enjoy a "date night" before I have to start cooking on Wednesdays again LOL 

Thursday - Beef Tips and Noodles and Crescent Rolls.  A Family favorite for YEARS!  

So now, on to summer!!  :-)