APRIL! It didn't disappoint. Not only did we have longer days of sunshine & more time outdoors, but we finally got to attend our first termers retreat with GEM and we had our first family visitors!!! What a month full of emotions, but was it ever good.
Enjoy the snip bits ...
and again, it's posted backwards, so you may to scroll to the bottom and roll up to get it in order.
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| for some ... others just slept on their travel buddy on last time. <3 |
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| our ride to the airport drop was sobering and hard |
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| final picnic ... choking back tears. |
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| i think it suits them well ... |
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| We're home!!! |
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Final stop ... Sizergh Castle
After some ancestry studying, they traced our family back to this place!
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Peter Rabbit was created from this garden and that home!
SO COOL! |
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| def coming back soon! |
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| such peace and serenity in these gardens! |
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Beatrix Potter's Home!
Hands down, probably my favorite spot we went with them! |
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Final trip ...
The Lake District |
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They even joined in our school trips and nature studies.
Poppy found tadpoles ... millions of them! |
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I guess April was the month for dates ...
We snuck another in while my folks watched the kids.
So we got to be kids again and went bowling!
Tim crushed me each game, but we still had a blast! |
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And we did every day life with them as well ...
This is probably one of the moments I miss seeing most.
After school walks with Pop. |
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| THE WALL! |
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| Anciently old relics and statues of Roman Gods ... |
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and what an epic spot to eat!
Corbridge Roman Fort |
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| M wanted to share Hadrian's Wall |
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| N wanted to take them to the butterfly garden. |
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| These guys got Poppy reading to them ... |
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Of course, we baked!
Loads. |
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We did dinner in Staithes, on the sea.
We fought of sea gulls to eat fresh fish and chips. |
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| Not to mention the sights around Whitby are stunning! |
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| The Abbey is one of our favorite Heritage sights that we have been to! |
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| We also shared Whitby with them as well! |
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| I'm pretty sure each kid got some shopping time with Nan! |
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| and the best travel companion |
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| the funniest street name in York! |
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| I couldn't believe she was HERE! |
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| We took them to York and enjoyed the Viking museum, archeology museum, shopping, and cathedral views. |
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| Schafer was exhausted from all the travel and visits! |
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| spring yellow is the best sight next to baby lambs! |
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| we took them to Lordstone's for a picnic dinner with an awesome view! |
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| and did a manicure! |
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we had 2 weeks with them and wanted to fill the time with ALL the things.
So we didn't waste any time...
N shared her reading progress. |
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| AND NANNY! |
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| BEST time at Ropner yet ... with POPPY! |
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friends forever! There's nothing like friends who have gone through what you've gone through
and "GET" you. So thankful for encouragement and support not just for us, but for our kids as well! |
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Another prayer walk ... and lambing season!
Could this be better?!?!?!?! |
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GEM gave us all a night out!
So we went to a pub with a few others! |
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Chatsworth's gardens are insanely amazing!!!
Rock gardens. Mazes. Flowers upon flowers.
A creek. A few ponds. and LOADS of green grass! |
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| with my Mr. Darcy |
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| the famous courtyard in the back! |
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Mr. Darcy!!!
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| the art gallery was our favorite! |
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this piece of art had us all stunned...
Such beauty! |
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King Henry the 8th - the original painting!
We couldn't believe our eyes! |
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| the courtyard |
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As a group, we were taken on a field trip...
to Mr. Darcy's house!!!
AKA - Chatsworth House
{insert teenage girl screams here...} |
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Hot cocoa never ran out at the retreat center ...
can you tell who was thrilled about that? |
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| love roaming the fields and lands with this guy |
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| Time together was much appreciated |
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The team even covered childcare during the day and
gave us parents time to spend as husband and wife -
Tim & I took to the trails |
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LOVE that I finally got to meet, chat and get to know my GEM folks better!!
This girl ROCKS! |
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| Look at that view! |
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A special trip a handful of us gals took while in the Peak District ...
the Pride & Prejudice cliffs ...
In the new movie, this is where Lizzy is seen looking over the lands.
And it definately did not disappoint! |
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And other mornings... I take to the morning skies alone to chat with God.
This time was SO precious and SO needed.
Nature speaks to me and I hear my Father so clearly when surrounded by His creation. |
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Earlier risers get the best views and hear the best birdies.
So glad to spend this special time with him! |
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| GEM really knows how to pick their retreat spots ... |
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On our way to First Termers Retreat in a newish, bigger van.
ROAD TRIP! |
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A school project that was just too fun!
We interviewed friends and family to see how many cups of coffee they drink a day,
then we took the results and turned it into a graph for math! |
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Do you need a reason for chocolate cake?
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E has been cruising through his school work
and has not graduated out of Level A
and is onto bigger and longer words and work. |
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One of the cool things about these old English towns is the history on every turn.
This is an old, old wall that still encircles the city and you can walk!
We didn't make it all the way around, but we did walk quit a bit of it. It's a great way to see the city from a height. |
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| a spontaneous trip to the York art museum while in town |
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we began the month with a BIG family adventure to York.
What a awesome day of exploration. We didn't "go in" many places, but we just enjoyed the city and the sights. |
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