The Reynolds Nation

Had to post this picture of my juju bean. He was out with us last night with the elijah task group. Judah had a case of the croup the night before, so we kept him with us. So, here he is...looking incredibly cute as always with all of his curls! Midway through the night, a friend put Judah in a black shirt for the black team (we are the orange team)...so Judah was a traitor for the evening...all for a cookie!

I thought I would post a picture of Will yesterday morning...he was hanging out with me while I made breakfast. It's amazing how it takes little time and effort to spend quality time with our kids. He was just sitting there chatting with me while I cooked eggs and biscuits. It is those little moments...the quiet conversations...the small questions that add up. We have such a short time with our kids...let's take every moment and opportunity to give!

I think around this time of the year you must compete with the daily life and the need for summer. After experiencing spring break, I have had a hard time getting back to the flow of life. Oh well, on with the show, right? Had a wicked storm last night. It started a bit after dinner and it lasted until 4 this morning. Rolling thunder, lightning and heavy rain. I had two kids scared by two in the morning. So Matt and I had the two of them sleeping with us and the rest of them didn't make a peep. Thankfully, because there wasn't any more room in the bed. I have had a couple things happen in my life in the past week where I really felt a word from the Lord. Nothing specific, or audible. But a time with other people where I needed not to fret, think about or be anxious about...I really needed to release them to the Lord and totally trust Him with them. Sounds simple, right? Very difficult, but very needed for my own sanity and walk with the Lord. I think it is that idea...

Just wanted to post a picture of William today in the now finished mother-in-law room. Floors are done and baseboards in. Matt spent the whole weekend finishing it off. It looks so great. A long time coming! We still have to finish off the mudroom, but that is simple compared to this. All week we will be moving my mom's stuff in from storage. Give God the Glory!

4 Leeks (white parts chopped) 6 potatoes cut into pieces 3 tablespoons of olive oil 1 onion chopped 2-3 cloves of garlic chopped 1 cup of broth (veggie or chicken) Saute onion, leeks, garlic in pot for 3-4 minutes. Add potatoes and cover with broth and water. Cook until potatoes are soft. Then take hand held mini-mixer and mix until creamy. My husband would prefer to have chunks, so make it the consistency that you like. I made this vegan recipe the other day for a friend...and it was so good, I made it for the whole family and it was a hit!!! Try it...incredibly healthy, inexpensive to make and tasted fabulous!!!

I had to write something today about the special joy in our life, Esther! Today she is turning 7 years old...unbelievable! We can not believe that she has been in our life this long. She has been such a joy since she was born. She has one of the sweetest personalities and she never gives anyone a problem. And she gets the prize for the quietest of all of our children. You have to draw out the conversation from her. Even so, she is incredibly gifted when it comes to art...she is a whiz all together-it amazes me sometimes how her mind works. And she is the best snuggler. She will still come up and sit on my lap. So, on her birthday weekend we had a little cake for her with the family and then we took her to Disney as a present. It was a wonderful day...just the three of us. Special time for the girl who has brought so much joy into our lives! Here she is at her favorite spot...in Minnie's house. She thought it was so fun to see where Minnie lived! Daddy and Esther about t...

This has been a weird week. My body is not quite adjusting to the back to school mentality. After having a wonderful, relaxing spring break...it has been difficult to get back to the normal life. It is Friday morning and the weather is beautiful outside...59 degrees when I woke up this morning. The kids are outside playing..we decided to take the day off from school. They are so far ahead in their schoolwork, they deserve it! We want to enjoy the weather as long as it lasts. The water on the property (from the weeks of heavy rain) is finally drying up. The county sprayed for mosquitoes two times...they were getting really bad. The animals are all doing good...except Cary and Dary are out of the pen all the time and they have messed with our Mexican petunias...I am hoping they will get bigger so they can stop sliding through the fence. Valentino is huge...2/3 the size of his mother at least. The grass is growing like crazy...Matt is back to mowing once a week. There is plenty of grass i...

Haven't done a gratitude Friday in a long time. It is nice to take a moment and realize what God has done in your life. 1. Thankful for Matt's new car. When the enemy tried to turn something good into bad, the Lord's provision overrides. 2. Thankful for all of Judah's curls. 3. Thankful for the good report at the neurosurgeon's office on Monday. We are believing for a easy repair of the malformed artery. 4. Thankful for the rain that just came down...so cleansing. 5. Thankful for His presence and His voice. 6. Thankful for my boy turning five. Oh, who knows what adventures we have before us in the future. I can't wait.

I thought I would post some pictures from last night at church. Our church started the Elijah Task...a ministry to continue bring the parents back in with the kids. The program has run before and has been such a success...and with all the awesome things going on inside the church with the men and the marriages...this is the perfect time for this to start. Matt and I are heading up a group...the kids had a great time stripping apart the bikes with us and some of the dads. Even the girls got involved and worked hard. It is going to be a fun six weeks...I am looking forward to see what God is going to do. I know he has made some major changes in this household, so I am expecting so much more for the other families!

Well, we are finally on spring break. And, I needed it. It seems like an eternity between Christmas break and spring break. I must admit that this is one of the best years that we have had with homeschooling. We are ahead of ourselves with most subjects, and I really loved my curriculum this year. I made some changes this past year and I am so glad. I changed to a more literature based approach with history ( my favorite subject) and that has been so fun. And of course, to see the changes within the kids is great too...to see their world opening up to them is an experience I never would want taken away. But, put all that aside...and lets talk about spring break.....aaaaahhhhhh! It's so lovely. I love not having a schedule to stick to...not jumping out of bed when it's still dark outside. Not that we have any great plans. I have weeded my garden...did the second coat of paint on the front of the house...today I think I am going to do some raking. Like I said, nothing too excitin...

I had to post this picture. Judah was eating lunch and he was wearing this hat...and all of his curls were out of the sides of the hat...and it made us chuckle a bit at the lunch table. I ask...how can you love someone so much? My heart almost aches with the overflow of love that I have for my boy. How does this compare to the love that Jesus has for us...it doesn't even compare. I think it is just a glimpse of the love that He has for us. Take a moment this week to think of the love that Jesus has for us...what he did for us. It is beyond our comprehension of LOVE. Happy Easter!

Today is William's fifth birthday. I absolutely can not believe it! He came up to our bed this morning and we tickled him, loved on him and just played. And at the same time I cried the whole time. Five years ago, his birth brought a lot of healing to my life. I made major changes within me that early morning when he made his entrance. After my last birth (Esther), I had some wounds from the unexpected c-section and having my birth plan go screwy. So, with William's birth...it went so smoothly and beautifully. And I didn't want him born on April fool's day...so I believe God honored that and had him born at 1:03 in the morning on the 2nd! God is so awesome. As for my boy-He is the most amazing child. As a baby, he was the fussiest of all my kids and he was very demanding. I thought that it would lessen as he got older...but that hasn't changed. He is just as demanding...loud...rough...tough...he is all boy!!! He talks continuously...he climbs everything...he jumps o...