My cat, Spot, is driving me nuts. He is lost without Patches (Patches is our little cat that got hit and killed in the road a few weeks ago) and meows forlornly at night. Last night was the third night in a row that I have been awakened by him crying out on the porch under my window. So sadly. I get up, let him in, and then he meows around the house. . . .oh, what to do??? I lost hours of sleep last night because of my poor CAT. Poor ME, I should say!
So, it was a difficult morning for me, waking up. I ate my bowl of cereal while Rich worked on his laptop and Caleb (the first one up) watched Kipper the dog on TV.
After eating, I walked over to my small vegetable garden, and harvested a handful of radishes.
Then, I meandered into the woods. . .how refreshing it was. So cool and dark, with just a hint of morning sunshine coming through the trees. “Why don’t I walk in here every morning?”, I thought to myself.
This is what we call the “dam trail”, no cars drive on this road, it leads to a watershed area. It’s just below our house.
The words from Spurgeon that I shared here yesterday encouraged me a great deal, and I see that they encouraged many of you as well. My heart was so stirred that I began really reading chunks of the Bible to my children. I read to them all, including 2 year old Caleb, who got a dose of Genesis (the first chapter) while he ate his cheerios. I didn’t talk or try to explain verses, I just read the words. I read the first 4 chapters of Psalms to Grace, and about 5 chapters of 1 Samuel to the boys. In all, yesterday I read about a total of 10 chapters out loud.
This morning I read the 2nd chapter of Genesis to Caleb and David, and the first 3 chapters of James to Jacob and Ethan, all while they were eating their morning cereal. I haven’t read anything to Grace yet, but I will.
I hope and pray that God will continue to keep this desire in my heart, to read the pure Word to my children. I feel I must be faithful in this.
*******
Well, it’s been the hottest week of spring/summer for us here so far. Yesterday I took the children to Barnes and Noble and on our way home, we passed the bank and saw that the temperature was 104 degrees (thankfully, it won’t be that hot today). The children have been swimming in the pond a lot.
Today, I encouraged them (hee hee) to go out into the woods “for the day”. Caleb, being too young, has to stay home with me. They haven’t been gone long and I’ve already seen Grace two times. The first time she came back to give me matches. She had taken them away from David, who was trying to light them in the woods. The second time she came back she said, “We forgot one thing. A bathroom.” I hope they get settled now. They took a lot of stuff with them and I am going to make them a picnic. I just boiled some eggs for deviled eggs, and after I am done here I am going to make no-bake cookies.
Here they are, walking by our long pond (they don’t swim in this one, they catch big bullfrogs out of it). It’s a perfect day for them to play in the woods. And yes, they are all coated generously with OFF! Be gone, ticks!
(picture added later on in day, during naptime)
No-Bake Cookies for Mamas who have run out of cocoa:
3 cups of sugar
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups oats
Bring sugar, butter, and milk to a rapid boil–boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and peanut butter. Mix in oats and drop on waxed paper to cool.
The eggs (perfect lunch for a hot day) Jacob had 4, Ethan had 4, Grace had 3 1/2 (why half? Because Caleb started eating one and said, “I not like that” so Grace finished it), and I had. . . .one.
(picture added later on in day)
I really love my egg plate, It makes me happy to use it. An antique store find, less than $5
(By the time I was done writing this and proof-reading it, David was back home for no good reason, and Ethan came home crying because he fell into the stream and hurt his toes). . . . . . .ugh. . . . . . .
So much for the day in the woods.
Good to be Home 
I think CAT needs a new buddy……. 🙂
I’m impressed! What a morning! Soon I’ll be off for a day of shopping. Jeremy’s mothers birthday was yesterday, Fathers day, a wedding, and Katies baby shower is this weekend, Jeremy’s sisters birthday in a couple weeks . . . so I’m taking Jeremy to work, going shopping and visiting with a friend, picking him up from work and coming home late. Tomorrow, some guys are coming to our house for a bible study–we’ve had it at our house for a month or so now. One really cool blessing since Jeremy has been on 2nd shift! I miss you and love you! Lish
I think Spot needs a friend. I bet Grace would love to get a kitten.
It is so green!!!!! NM is so brown right now. My yard is crispy. I was looking out the window at the yard this morning and thinking how desperately it needs water. Maybe today would be a good day for the children to play in the sprinklers. Trees. I miss trees. We have pine trees here in the mountians, but their not the same as your trees. I have one maple tree in my yard. It turns golden in the fall. We do have aspens higher up in the mountains. Ooo, I need to post more pictures from my brothers visit. We did a hike in the mountians and it was goregeous. I’m off to work on that! Stay cool!
Oh, and reading the Bible. I feel the same need as you! I can’t get enough of it for myself and I just want my children to hear every word of it. I was doing that for a while also, reading to them. Than I went to Ohio and had an allergy attack and I haven’t read since. I need to get back to that. Will work on that today. Thank you for reminding me!
Your woods are lovely. I can imagine the woods a world full of imagination for the children and young at heart as well.Blessings
I am so glad my parents read the word to me. I have a “scripture bank” in my head of verses, and the Holy Spirit can pull them out when I need them. Remember the verse from Psalms— “How shall a young man keep his way pure? By taking heed according to your word.” If you put it in, the Holy Spirit will be faithful to bring it to mind when they need it. What a good momma you are! I am thinking for this “Go spend the whole day in the woods thing” to really work, you may have to drive them to a section of woods twnry or so miles from the house!
Oh wow, it looks lovely and green there, very nice. I’m glad the kids are enjoying themselves today. I’ve been wanting to make no bake cookies, I’m glad you posted this. What’s the measurement on the cocoa, when you DO have it? 🙂
@tessitura – that would be an entirely different recipe. I usually make the chocolate no-bakes but w/no cocoa I searched on allrecipes.com until I found one that was just plain peanut butter. I have them all made now, and they are SO SO SO SO good. I’ll enjoy eating them today. 😉
I think we shall have no-bake cookies today as well. :)Lovely photos!! (as always!) The picture of you and your kitty is really nice. My kiddos have been outside ALL DAY for about four days in a row now. They even eat all their meals outside.
Good Morning Shanda!!
What a beautiful place to relax. You have such a beautiful view from your porch. I had to laugh at the pic with all the “stuff” your children took to the woods. I remember playing with my cousins. We were always making “houses” among the trees. I remember it was moving day one day. We had what seemed like tons of wood, and furniture and stuff to move to make a new house elsewhere.
I remember reading the Bible to my oldest daughter when she was just a wee baby. She would be cooing and making soft noises and kicking hard. I knew she could feel the presence of the Lord.
You are a wonderful Mother!!
Have a beautiful day…God Bless You!
Your landscape looks so beautiful and lush right now. I love it! I’m glad you’re MAKING the kids enjoy it. :)I guess Spot needs a new friend. The dog probably doesn’t cut it.
My little guy- Jakey was just looking at your pictures and said, “I WANNA GO TO THAT PLACE!!!” He saw the Thomas tracks on your front porch. 🙂
You’ve inspired me to make a batch of no bake cookies also…. my children thank you! I definitely think Spot needs a friend how about a friend named Dot? Enjoy your day!
Poor Spot! Our dog, Sampson, quit barking after Jesse-boy (our cat) died in February. I think he’s only barked three times since February 15th. We moved his bedding into our bathroom so he wouldn’t feel so alone. He has Stormy (our young cat) but sorely misses Jesse-boy.
I’m not sure if camping in the woods with 104 degree temps would make me feel better!
I’m not making cookies today, I’m making my triple fudge cake for Stephanie’s b-day tomorrow. She’s my oldest daughter and is turning 30!!!! I don’t feel old enough to have a daughter who is 30yo!!!
Our high yesterday was 51 degrees. Could you send me some of your heat?
You have such beautiful views at you home. I love your front porch……..that’s the kind I have always wanted. Sorry to hear about the struggles with you cat……..sounds like he needs a buddy. Thanks for the recipe…..I love no-bake cookies. Be Blessed
Spot needs a new friend!Thank you for encouraging us mothers to read our bibles to our children daily!Blessings,Angie
A poor kitty and poor you too. I wondered if you were getting baked in those hot temps. Today we are glad for sunshine…we have had coastal overcast skys all week. Maybe will hit the beach a few hours this afternoon.
So glad the kids get to have the time in the woods…even if they do come back and forth. Grace is a good little mommy Great to read the Bible. I so believe in the pure word….it has power. Hope you get a nap in today when little guy does!
such a perfect walking path…I would be walking on that all the time…to clear my head…
Aww, poor kitty & you:) I hope you can sleep better tonight. I think a kitten might be coming?:) I love your walking path & fresh veggies sounds so good. I like how the kids had all that stuff packed up for their day in the woods. Thanks for sharing your recipe, I love those cookies, but haven’t had a recipe to make them that I have liked.
I see you used the same Fiesta plate I used yesterday! I feel like we passed the plate back and forth, sharing bites. Yum!
I’m going to go call you now!
Oh Shanda! I love the picture of you with Spot on your porch! You have such a lovely porch. Good for you- making the kids spend the day in the woods. The part about Grace bringing matches in that David was using to try to start a fire made me laugh! I have already read the Bible to my kids today, too. We sang some more Scripture songs as well. I love the songs- the tune is such a help in memorization. They are memorizing Scripture when they learn the songs! I love your egg plate. I make deviled eggs quite frequently, and it would be such fun to have a pretty plate to put them on. I agree with those who think you should get a new kitten. I have been wanting a kitten, but Tiger does not like other cats. I should have gotten him a playmate when he was little. Be looking for my letters. The first one should be there any day!
When my in laws lost one of two dogs, it took the other dog a couple of months to really recover. We don’t expect them to miss their companions so much, but they do.
Ticks…pulled another one off ds this morning, thankfully before it got it’s nasty little teeth in him.
Thanks for sharing about reading from the Bible to the kids. I was doing it for a while, but stopped with the craziness and just haven’t started up again. It’s important though and I need to regroup and get going again!
Yep ~ the best of times ~
enjoyed your post….and wow, on the Bible reading….what a neat idea!
the “happy campers” picture with the containers brimming full, made me smile…. =)
104!!! That is hot!!
I love no bake cookies!!
I love all the pictures of the woods. It looks so beautiful!
I want your yard.
Oh how FUN to spend the day in the woods, sorry it was short lived, maybe tomorrow. I LOVE all the green you are surrounded with. I always say God’s favorite colors must be blue and green because there is SO much of it here on earth.
I so enjoyed reading about both yours and your children’s day, Shanda, and I love the photos. I’m going to make a point to get over here every day! You are a wonderful mother … if only I had known you when my son was younger … we didn’t have a computer then, and I had no idea what a ‘blog’ even was! We did read the pure Word to Ian every day as he was growing up … that is a good thing. ~ Those cookies look yummy … I think I’ll whip up a batch tomorrow … although I do need to get some more real butter in the house … do you use any particular brand of peanut butter for those? It’s nice to make something sweet that doesn’t require the heat of an oven on a warm day! We love deviled eggs, but when my son was younger he didn’t quite feel that the name was appropriate … so he renamed them … they’re now known as ‘angeled eggs’ around here! :o) Blessings ~ Deborah <><
A day in the woods sounds divine, away from all the hustle and bustle.
times that will go too fast… so I am told… and so I am finding ~ ! I like the 1st pic — so serene. You’d never guess there was 5 little ones about!
hard to imagine 104 degree heat, your pictures look so cool and inviting
Early morning in the woods — how peaceful! Radishes from the garden — how delicious! Great pictures!
They took so much stuff that is hilarious! I am so glad you got those matches back, it could have been serious!
Did you sleep better last night? It would drive me crazy to have a cat doing that in the middle of the night..would really try my sanctification! LOL!
Your porch looks sunny and cheerful and the walk dark and cool, would love to be at both places!
wow you do a lot, and haha the egg plate is wicked
Honey do you have any idea how many people long for your life? What lovely woods, what lovely kids, what a lovely place to be. What a sweet place to sit with you kitty and ponder all of God’s goodness. I have my great grandmother’s egg dish. It looks very much like yours except it broke in half during one of our moves and had to be glued back together.. I use it anyway, knowing it was hers.
Can relate to you kitty… pets are affected when their buddy is no longer there! You are very blessed with such scenery!!
What beautiful pictures! Your children look like they should belong in a magazine. That picnic sounds like funSorry about the cat
i love that egg plate too!
i am gonna try that recipe today. thanx for sharing.
Shanda! I love that top picture! Poor kitty! Poor Mommy! :o( I love the train out on the porch…it looks so peaceful! Oh, and I am going to make those cookies today! I love no-bake cookies! I use to head off to the woods for whole day adventures when I was little! I wish I could do that with my kids and not worry! Do you all have bear or anything? We see bear and bobcats in the woods right behind our house…a bit scary for me!!! :o( Adorable though! I love what Grace said about the bathroom! :o) Cute! OH, have to run tea whistling at me!…
Yum! Yum! Yum!!! I made the no-bake-cookies last night…I did have some cocoa though so I threw a bit in and YUMMY! Thanks for sharing!