Violins and Hearts

Our Ella girl started violin this month! We are so proud of her. She is such a great listener and has caught on quickly. Today we practiced her first little song (plucking the D and A string) and how to properly hold the bow. It's tough! She got pretty tired after 15 minutes or so but I admire her for trying. I pray that I will continue to encourage our girl and have patience with her as I am her "teacher" during the week as she practices. We love Ella's teacher Lindsay! She has such a calming spirit and is so sweet and positive with Ella. Ella feels very comfortable with Lindsay and it shows.

Lindsay plays as Ella watches while in playing position

Our Violinist

We continue to marvel at the way Gabriella and Jude LOVE each other. There has never been one mean words or one ounce of jealousy on Gabriella's part. She just adores her little brother. Thank you God! It's truly beautiful to watch their relationship grow.

Reading together

Jude after waking up from a nap. I had to shoot him right then. His cheeks were rosy and his eyes were sparkly!

We made this craft for Valentine's Day. I found the idea on a crafty blog I love.... http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com

Gabriella loves to do arts and crafts!! She lives for her glue stick and scissors! She and I had a lot of fun creating this one for our home.

JM is in the process of getting our garden up and running. In the mean time we have signed up for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). One Tuesday mornings I pick up my box of fruits and veggies from a Fullerton site. Tanaka Farms in Irvine picked the produce that morning and it is in my fridge a few hours later. You've never seen so many beautiful veggies in your life!

I decide to go vegetarian once again. JM is....interested.:) I've been a veggie on and off for 20 years and am becoming more passionate about eating a well balanced plant based diet and to feed our family that way! CSA will foster that. Tomorrow nights dinner....lentil soup, brown rice with swiss chard and green onions and a big salad with sunflower seeds!! Yum!