Cubs win...

  Since we know Josh has won the NCAA basketball brackets at this point...we're on to baseball.

Opening day is a big day in our house...

the pillow covers get changed to Cubs ones
breakfast pancakes have something to do with baseball shapes or Cubs
ballpark food is made for a meal
Cubs shirts are worn
and...we hope the Cubs win their first game!


Today...was good...they won...even though they almost blew it in the 9th!  One win...161 to go!

Maps

 Here are a couple views of the large map we made tracking the Israelites through the wilderness...

Finally got some work done...

You can see some of the trim work we got done last week.

Driving the Digger

   We rented a digger to trench some tiling and electrical lines.  And we moved some dirt around...moved the huge middle part of the tree we had to cut down...and moved the concrete steps around to the front porch. 
     So, the boys (all of them) enjoyed playing with the toy!

So...really...the yard doesn't look better...it looks worse, in fact.  But...we got a few things done!!!!

Who is that...

...on the guitar?

Jake's been getting lessons from Dad.

A lesson in Bracketology

I don't think they really need lessons, though.

Joe won last year.

And Jake won the year before.

So...what will happen this year?

"I pray that..."

 Let's just say there's been some disappointments lately.

1. We all had the flu...which has consumed nearly 2 weeks of our lives.  (Josh is on his final stretch...during his "break".)

2. The weather has been FREEZING.  So, we haven't been able to be outside either.  (Snow flurries this morning...followed by a beautiful sunshine.  Yet a mere 23 out...oh yeah...feels like 13!!!!!)

3. Urlacher has been traded from the Bears.  And Joe prayed this morning that he would be a Bear again soon.


And, since I am trying to find SOMETHING positive among all the dreary feelings lately...here are a few positives...

We made "shepherd's bags" so we could pack them with figs, pomegrantes, goat cheese and crackers, etc (studying David...) and go on a hike with a snack. It's been too cold...so that will have to wait a bit longer.

We've been doing some Christmas gift crafts and artwork...

A package came from Grammie and Grandpa...

Jake felt badly for Joe and how sick Joe was.  So, Jake wanted to buy Joe a little something he could do while he was sick.  Jake wrapped it (after asking Joe what color paper he wanted...to which Joe said, "Whatever color you'd like to use" politely!)  Jake and I found a paint book that has the paint at the bottom of each page.  And he can paint all kinds of vehicles.