Strawberries!

One of our favorite spring and summer time traditions is heading up to the U-Pick farms and gathering our own produce. This week's pick: strawberries!

It's so much fun as sisters to hunt for the biggest, ripest berries and to watch your flats fill up all too quickly!

Of course, friends never hurt anything either! Neither does the strawberry yogurt our local farm serves. Oh my word. It's just heavenly!

And hours later, all the strawberries are washed and frozen for smoothies and such. Definitely worth it!

Now She is Six.

As one of my favorite children's literature author saids, "But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever. So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever." With much anticipation, Emmy Xiang has looked forward to her sixth birthday. Sunday, it finally came!

Saturday night, just before bed, we told Emmy Xiang that after church, in honor of her birthday, we were going to China Eat. However, she quickly informed us that she did not want to go to China Eat... What? Are you sick? Do you need the doctor?

No, she didn't want China Eat; she wanted friends! So, around 9:00PM Saturday night, Daddy called Olivia, Vanessa, and Kinsey to see if they were available for an impromptu birthday picnic at the park.

That was settled. Sunday morning came. We woke up Emmy Xiang singing "Happy Birthday" and shouting, "You're six now!" We were mistaken, however. "No, I not," she said. "I don't got no cake!" She doesn't even like cake! Apparently, she's catching on to these American customs...

Uh huh. Luckily, we had a box cake on hand that we whipped up before church. Needless to say, after church we rushed through Publix, drove to the park, and celebrated the birthday the right way: with a par-tay!

It was super fun! A beautiful spring day + a yummy cake + and a playground = a perfect six year old birthday celebration! And, what can I say. Throw in four amazingly cute stars you've got icing on the cake!

Thanks for coming, ya'll!

Presenting...

... Emmy Xiang's new favorite song:
Song of the South by Alabama

(I think she just likes it because she can say "shut my mouth," something she usually can't, when she sings it)

Holy Week

One of our family's favorite holidays is Easter, the day dedicated by Christians to celebrate Christ's resurrection and our hope of salvation because of it. Slowly our family has established traditions to commemorate all that Christ accomplished in that momentous week called Holy Week.

Readers might remember the debut our Easter banner made two years ago. This year we pulled it out again, and it served as a constant reminder of the grace we've received. Along with the Easter banner, we followed our beloved friends' lead and gathered symbolic items to grace our mantle.

Additionally, on Saturday night of this year, we hosted our very first Passover meal within our home! For our first meal (with fourteen guests!), it flowed wonderfully and proved to be a beneficial event!

Mama spent countless hours preparing a personalized Haggadah (the Passover "script"), gathering all the various supplies, and planning the extensive menu. All her work payed off, for it was such a joyful and thought-provoking experience filled with food, song, and fellowship.

And Sunday morning, Resurrection Sunday, we enjoyed the marvelous blessing of rejoicing with our church family for the blessing of salvation. What a great, merciful, mighty God we serve!

Here's to traditions, new and old. Here's to fellowship with family and friends. And here's to the gospel, that beloved story. May we remember to celebrate it everyday with our every word and deed!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Suprise Party!

For Katie's thirteenth birthday party, the family collaborated to hold a surprise party. 

Everything was planned: Bee, Katrina, Mariah and Chloe were all planning on coming over Friday afternoon.

We were watching Anne of Green Gables Friday night and shopping for room decorations Saturday morning. 

Then, Katie decided to plan a party for herself: a slumber party for the very next weekend! Suffice it to say, she was a little confused when all the girls showed up a week early! :)

We had a lovely night, enjoying a cool walk and the lovely wit of Anne Shirley. Of course, Katie had to photograph the whole time!

The next morning, we headed out to locate some fun accessories to decorate our newly made over room.

What a fun birthday to share with such great friends!