The Eagle's Nest: April 2013

4.19.2013

April...so far...

I cannot believe that April is more than halfway past...summer is just around the corner, y'all. I can smell that chlorinated water...

I've been wanting to blog for awhile but just haven't made the time to do it. The forced down-time (due to sickness) in March was really great (looking back) and I'm thankful for the reminder to step away from the computer and smartphone for awhile and enjoy real relationships with real people. Everything in moderation. Also, as tends to be the case when the weather gets warm, we spend a large percentage of our days outside, so when we are inside, we are tending to necessities. Today is rainy and chilly, but spring weather returns tomorrow.

I want to keep this short, so I'm just hoping to hit some highlights of what's been going on around here and include a fair amount of links to help explain.

So far in April, we have....

cleaned out all 3 bedroom closets and consigned many things
thoroughly cleaned most of the kitchen appliances
thoroughly cleaned all the light fixtures and ceiling fans
made these reusable swiffer dusters (still deciding if i like them - super easy to make though!)
washed our shower curtain liners so they look like new (this really does work!)
made cinnamon rolls mostly in the bread machine (easiest recipe EV.ER.)
doubled my T-shirt collection by tapering all of the XL freebies (SO EASY TOO!)
made greek yogurt in the crock pot (THIS WAS SO waitforit EASY TOO!!!)
I had the opportunity to hear Karen Angela Ellis speak at a women's event (life. changing.)
Greg ran a 5K, his first color run!
because of above, I was inspired to begin the Couch to 5K program (finishing up week 2)
Miss C has learned to dress herself almost completely on her own. (styles are most interesting these days!)
started keeping track of the different varieties of birds we see in our yard
been dreaming and dreaming of gardening and raised beds, but have yet to plant the first thing
attended the first baseball game of the season, with hopes of attending a few more
caught a mouse and a skink in our house and waged war on carpenter bees on the deck
discovered a new park and visited our old favorites
been on trips to the library, children's museum, and pet store
enjoyed Ben & Jerry's free cone day with friends
attended the (hopefully first of many) do-it-herself-workshop at home depot and learned to make a flower-tower
been blessed by countless other opportunities for fellowship and experiencing this world in which God has placed us.

We have been saddened this week to hear of national events like Boston and Texas, and we struggle to rest in God's sovereignty and goodness. As I attended a women's retreat last weekend where we focused on Psalm 46, I had no idea just how many times God would bring that passage to my mind in the following week. I am thankful for the comfort that comes with knowing and believing God's Word. He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Here's the latest family picture -- though not very good, it IS still a family picture (taken Easter morning).