March with our family

Grace had her last week of indoor soccer league the first Saturday of the month.  Her team ended up winning their division.  She really enjoyed this experience and I appreciated the Christian atmosphere!

Spring arrived early here in Northwest PA which was a welcome sight

after the winter we had.  We spent a beautiful spring afternoon

hiking 8 miles along the Erie Canal Tow Path Extension as a family.

On our hike we saw beavers, their lodges and dams, bald eagles,

swans, buffleheads, our first bluebirds of the year and more ...

To celebrate Nathan's 14th birthday on March 10th, 

we enjoyed the special treat of brunch at IHOP in Erie

then went LEGO shopping.

When we got home, we spent the afternoon doing a 

make over of their LEGO table giving them more

building space.  Then they quickly got started building

with the new sets they picked out.

Nathan still loves creating with LEGOS

and had a great birthday.

And then life started looking different ...for everyone.

Nathan's youth archery league completed 8/10 weeks

before "stay at home orders" were put in place.

He was disappointed to miss these last two weeks because he 

was really enjoying the league but is happy that

Matt has extra time to shoot here at home with him.

Staying at home doesn't look too different for me and the kids.

We are doing virtual piano lessons and can't go to the library

or soup kitchen.  But we are continuing as normal with homeschooling!

The big difference for us is that Matt is home teaching online.

He has made himself comfy in our guest room

which allows him to spread out and have quiet while 

we go about our homeschooling day downstairs.

I wasn't sure how the kids would do with Matt home and us

still doing school because we follow Matt's schedule ... normally

when he's home, we have family time.  But we've all adjusted well.

And we like having lunch together.  Plus Matt not having to commute

is saving us gas money, mileage on his car, and gives him a couple

extra hours at home.  He's been using this time to work out more,

spend time with the kids and get a head start on spring outside work.

My week days are still full.  But I've had extra time on the 

weekends to work on my "someday" to do list.

I've made new curtains for a couple rooms, did a make over

on two shirts, made a skirt from an old pair of jeans, 

made new cloth napkins, painted our family pot for Matt's

dad's grave for this year, and ....I hope to cross a few

more things off my list!

I've also started some deep cleaning and we've all

been working on spring outside work.

It sure feels good to get things done

and I like having Matt home!

This time for us is easy compared to many right now.  We are striving

to be careful, trusting God and not freak out.  I loved the following

that I heard on the radio last week.  May it encourage you to follow

the recommended guidelines while trusting God.

Remember God is NOT surprised by any of this and He is in control!

 Geography Highlight:

I told Matt the other day that I think this is my favorite year

of homeschooling ... I have loved how everything fits together!

We have enjoyed poems and teas from around the world 

for our poetry tea time.