Caroline and Ava's Piano Recitals

This was so much fun!  Both of the girls got to play with a professional band.  The drummer, guitarist and bass player that played along with them had never rehearsed together before the performance.  This was truly a "jam session"... and it was a blast!  Ms. Kristin Yost at Centre for Musical Minds is their piano instructor.


*Scroll down and pause my "Playlist" music on the right side of the screen before playing the You Tube videos

Ava plays "Wind Beneath My Wings" with Caroline playing accompaniment. So sweet to have both of them performing together.  :)




Caroline plays "South Side Stomp" by Eric Baumgartner.  The band had so much fun "jamming" with her!

Caroline's Speech and Debate Tournament

Here is Caroline's Speech from her first NCFCA Speech and Debate Tournament.  (You'll  have to turn up your speakers, because the sound is very low)

*Don't forget to scroll down and pause the music on the right side before watching the video*



Caroline placed 1st in Round 1, 1st in Round 2, and 7th in the Finals!  We are so proud of her hard work and dedication.  We pray that this is a stepping stone for Caroline to learn how to speak in front of others and ultimately, articulate the gospel and her faith and be used for His Kingdom!

We joined Club 19:14 in the Fall, and it has been such a blessing to be a part of!  The students are amazing representives of Christ and glorify God through their word and deed.  What an amazing group of peers... true Godly influences. 

We were truly blessed this weekend by seeing Christ shine through the lives of these youth during the tournament.  Can't wait for the next one in January!

Belated Birthdays

I have been remiss about posting our family's birthday pictures.  From most recent on backwards, here is a snapshot of them all:

Erich's 40th Birthday!

Caroline and Ava are matchy-matchy as they look over Erich reading his card they made him

The shirt that Ava bought for Daddy... he loved it so much!

The Raiders shirt that Caroline bought for Daddy... he was so excited about it!

(Not pictured is the shirt and shoes that I bought him... I'll have to get a picture of him wearing his new duds)

Caroline's 12th Birthday!

The girls had fun making and baking their own pizzas!

The girls enjoy their homemade creation.

Here's the whole gang returning from the super competitive scavenger hunt.

It wouldn't be a good group shot without the silly faces.  ;)-

Popi met us at IHOP for Caroline's b-day breakfast.  She LOVED her Lego set and of course built it that day with Ava and Daddy.

Caroline and I made a Chocolate Bundt cake for her birthday... it was delicious!  :)-

Daddy and I bought her American Girl doll a Colonial dress.

Her favorite gift of all was from Ava... Caroline walks around with that baking book like it's her bible.  She's made some fantastic desserts with it!

Ava's 7th Birthday!

Do they look like Ma and Pa, or what?!  Ava asked for a bible and legos for her birthday... and a prairie birthday party!

Ava and Rachel pose for the camera.  They won the 3-legged race and had fun playing duck-duck-goose and egg toss... lots of old-fashioned games.  It was a blast and the weather was gorgeous!

Ivey, Caroline and Allie really look the part.

Lauren and Ava are ready to bob for apples.

Sam is really into this competition!

What would a party be without a Diet Coke and Mentos explosion?!

The whole prairie gang!

My dad looked too cute in my cowboy hat!

Caroline and I baked Ava's cake using the Little House on the Prairie Cookbook.  It was Laura Ingalls' wedding cake recipe.  The cake was a lot of work... but it was delicious!

Our last few months have been fun with our birthday celebrations!  We have been blessed!

Quotable Moments

Ava was doing her morning bible reading and found an index of "The Miracles of Jesus".  As she was scanning the list of His miracles, she says, "Mom, they forgot to put one of Jesus' miracles on this list... the miracle of Him raising Himself from the dead!!!"

Extra-Curricular Activities

Well, I've definitely over-done it this year. In my attempt to make sure the girls are "socialized" (not like that was really the motive, but I have to make up some excuse)... I have over-socialized our calendar. But, we're sure having fun in the process. Hang on... it's gonna be a bumpy ride of extra-curricular activities:



Monday: Ava has soccer practice (aka P.E.)
Caroline is in Club 19:14 Speech and Debate
Caroline has Youth Bible Study (Erich has fun teaching)
(whew, I'm already tired... and Caroline's basketball season is coming up)

Erich coaching sweet Ava

Tuesday: Caroline and Ava are in Sonflower Literature Club (Caroline studying Shakespeare's "MacBeth" and Ava studying Myths and Legends)

Olivia and Caroline are matchy-matchy at Lit. Club

On the opposite Tuesdays, a few of us get together to study Apologia's Zoology. We have a blast!

Bug pinning... gross (only to me, not to them)

Of course, Caroline (the deprived child whose mother didn't bring a bug collection) had to add to the Donnelly’s. She caught a HUGE bumblebee, doused it in alcohol and performed acupuncture the pinning.

Wednesday: Piano lessons with Ms. Kristin Yost (she is an exellent teacher and the girls just love her)!

Since I don't have pics of the girls at lessons, how about pics of the girls in front of the piano?  :)

Ava is beaming with joy!

Thursday: FREE DAY!  (thank goodness... although we usually find "something" to do to fill it up)

We fill it with fun field trips (this one at the Dallas World Aquarium)...

...  or swingin' on the Donnelly's front porch

... or something real fun like going to the dentist to get a tooth pulled! 

Friday: Ava is in a Word of Mouth Drama class and then goes to Art Class
Caroline is usually working on her speech or baking some yummy treats while Ava is gone.  :)

Showing off her "whoopi pies"... notice that one is already missing (I think in Erich's tummy)

Oh, and I forgot to mention our monthly American Girl Bookclub.  Last quarter we read all the Kaya books and had fun making tee-pees, corn husk dolls and going to the Wycliffe Bible Translators Museum.

Olivia and Ava getting ready to make their corn-husk dolls

Caroline and Jade show off their dolls

Don't know which is creepier: the snake skin or the red eyes?!

This quarter they are studying Felicity and they got off to a good start today sewing potpourri sachets and writing with quill pens and ink.  Looking forward to the girls making samplers and their tea party.  Colonial days seem so elegant (nevermind the fact that there was no indoor plumbing or deodorant)!

Do they look like homeschoolers Colonial girls or what?!

Olivia and Ava concentrating on their backstitch

Yep... those are our extra-curricular activities in a nut-shell.  We don't get out of the house much, do we?!  :)


Have a blessed day!

Fall Piano Recitals

Caroline and Ava performed their Fall Piano Recitals yesterday. Their instructor is Ms. Kristin Yost, Director of Centre for Musical Minds. 

*Scroll down and pause the "Playlist" music on the right tool bar so that you can enjoy Caroline and Ava's music!  :)

The Truth

Pastors Mark Driscoll, Voddie Baucham, John Piper, Matt Chandler, and of course, Barry Keldie all have something in common: Unabashedly preaching the truth.

When any of these men get the opportunity to talk about Jesus, no matter if it's on CNN, Nightline, etc., they don't "water down" the truth. They know that there are no careless words, but that every word will be accountable to God. They know that the Bible is God-breathed, useful for training in righteousness. They know that God's Word will not return void and that only by preaching the truth may people be saved.

Time and time again they preach the truth of God's Word... and time and time again they honor God and proclaim the wondrous grace of Salvation through Jesus Christ.

This month, Mark Driscoll gets an opportunity to have a column in the Washington Post, and he makes sure it is NOT "chicken soup for the soul" advice. It is biblical truth... simple, honest, God-honoring biblical truth. What an encouragement in this day in age when "whatever you believe" is the most popular religion.

I'm in awe of these gentlemen. I thank God that He has given us wise, responsible pastors who love Jesus and have a heart for the lost sheep. May we love God and His Word enough to proclaim His truth no matter our audience! :)

Here's the article: Mark Driscoll Washington Post

Have a blessed, truth-filled day!