We are waiting for the snow to fall….it must be coming, right? After all, school was canceled already and so Davy and I were cheering and yelling, “SNOW DAY” at 7:15 this morning.
But, it’s still not snowing yet!
After breakfast, I put dinner in the crockpot and it smells SO good already. I’m not sure these crock pot dinners are a good idea, they make me long to eat all day. I made sausages and peppers. You brown sweet Italian sausage (or hot), about 2 pounds worth, in olive oil. As it gently browns, you chunk up three bell peppers. I used two red, and one green. Put the peppers in the crock pot along with three minced garlic cloves, about 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme, a big quartered yellow onion, and salt & pepper. Add the browned sausage on top (you don’t have to completely cook the sausage, just brown the outside). Oh I forgot to say, prick the sausage with a fork as you cook it…..then, after you remove the sausage to the crock pot drain off the fat and then return it to the stove. Pour in 1/3 cup red wine to deglaze pan, bring to boil and scrape up all the brown bits. Pour this into your crock pot and then cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
When I was done, we all went outside for a little bit. The children had lots of energy and I wanted to let Seth toddle around before more snow came.
As it was, he still needed lots of help to stay on his feet. The only real shoes (he’s been wearing slippers in the house) I have that fit him are church shoes. They worked fine for today, but I guess it’s time to buy him some sneakers, now that he’s walking.
He doesn’t need mittens because his coat is too big. He’s wearing two pairs of pants.
His smile was so dear, he just loved being able to get outside.
We all gravitated toward the swingset.
When we were all outside, Grace turned on the hose to get some water (she said she needed it to make something out of snow)….well, the hose is full of ice and the water backed up into the basement (the boy’s bedroom) and after we all came in I discovered a huge puddle of cold clear water in the corner of their room. It was too much to clean up with towels so Ethan had to go get Rich’s shop vac and vacuum it all up. I am proud that he knew what to do…and nothing was ruined by the water except two books.
We’ve all had lunch now and Seth is to bed for a nap. All that fresh air tired him right out.
I plan on doing some reading with the children and they need to finish up math and language for homeschooling today. (the homeschoolers had their “snow day” yesterday….
)
We should be getting movies in the mail from netflix today so we are looking forward to movie and popcorn time later after all our responsibilities are taken care of. I can’t wait to watch “Parent Trap” (with Haley Mills), it’s been years since I’ve seen it.
Have a great day!
Good to be Home 
Enjoy the snow when you get it. We got our snow last night. Snow day for all the school here. A lazy day at home for me.
We are south of you and have freezing rain and its very windy, it’s quite a mess actually. Snow is coming though. I bought my children the new play doh ice cream set so they are in their glory, right now. Enjoy your day!
Your day sounds great Shanda! So does your crockpot meal!! Be blessed today friend. We will be getting snow later tonight. Crazy!
we have at least 4 inches here…the girls have been out playing in the new snow for the last hour. And it is supposed to keep snowing until around 1 am – I hope and pray Rog has a safe trip home. I had to chuckle at the chickens on the swings with the kids. Looks like something we would have done when we were kids – only we used kittens instead of chickens
I think you all will be hit with more snow that this area. So exciting for the kids!!!We occasionally do the snow day cheer here….yes, even teachers (like my daughter) do the snow day cheer! You should hear her!Good that your son has paid attention to the home keeping details. He had to save you so much extra work. I’m not sure I would have thought of the vac solution to water.Enjoy the day off!Loved the Parent Trap movie, BTW. When I was a girl, my friends and I just adored Haley Mills!
Shanda~It’s just so fun and refreshing to read your daily posts! Thanks for sharing! :o)I have wondered for quite sometime and don’t intend to be nosy but was curious why Davy is not homeschooled as well… We’ve discussed the idea of homeschooling one of our daughters but not the other however we’ve never pursued it.Enjoy your cozy snow day!!Mendiwww.simpleandsurrendered.blogspot.com
I would be glad to share some of our 24 inches of snow… (and it is still falling)Enjoy your day!
The storm hit us yesterday…schools closed here yesterday and still today. I think I may make snow ice cream with the girls today. 🙂
I came to your blog to see it you had been hit with snow. Not yet I guess!! Cute pics of the kids. I really like the chicken pictures!
PS-You look so cute!
Swinging with the chickens!! LOVE it!I would send you some of our snow if I could… we have WAY TOO MUCH :-p
So that’s where winter is this year! LOLLooks like the kids had a great time. 🙂
Fun fun fun! I called Steve over to look at the funny chicken photos and the great shots you took of the kids! You look great! I love how the red on your shoes match the red shirt!Sorry to hear about the water, but glad nothing more was damaged. Were the books the new ones you just bought?I am off to make hot chocolate for my cozy family..
Oh that recipe sounds wonderful and i’m going to try it as soon as i have a chance to get out to buy some sausages! Thanks for sharing it!When the crock pot is used it sure frees us up to do other things doesn’t it? I love using mine too:)I love the swing set and the chickens acting like they are part of the family!
That poor chicken! I used to “play” with my chickens as a kid, too 🙂 Heehee…
That chicken shot is soooo cute! Love it ~
So glad you have your big boys to help! I was thinking that before the water incident, just seeing Jacob holding Seth, now that you are farther along with baby girl. So glad there wasn’t a lot of damage from the water. The chickens swinging are so funny. What do they think of that? Caleb and Davy continue to look like such cute brother/pals. Enjoy the movies. I loved Haley Mills growing up…she is cute and spunky, but when naughty she still had a sweetness. I liked the Parent Trap! I agree on the crock pot meals. Makes dinner easier, but the SMELL all day makes you hungry!
I love the picture of the chicken on the swing – too funny! Grace reminds me of me when I was her age; I always wanted to wear dresses, but I still wanted to be able to run around outside and play freely, so I wore pants underneath my skirts. Mom eventually made me pantaloons so I didn’t have to worry about finding pants that fit under my dresses. I remember having a friend over one winter day, and after we got dressed up in old-fashioned long dresses we decided we wanted to go sledding, so on went tights and pantaloons and leggings and boots under our skirts, and off we went. Amazingly enough, we never got cold!I didn’t get around early enough this morning to get supper going in the crock put, but I’m hoping to get a pot of soup simmering on the back of the stove soon, so I can smell it for what’s left of the afternoon before supper!
I hope you enjoy your snowstorm! We haven’t had nearly what you all have had, and I’m already tired of it! 🙂 It’s pretty until it gets walked on or driven on. I prefer to stay inside, all cozy, with my cup of ___________(insert name of any hot drink). Crock pot sounds good…next week, I’m on it!
I guess you will get snow pretty soon!
I love your pictures – children all smiles – do they ever complain about mom taking so many pictures? If not, your blessed. Love the one with the chicken in her arms & just a swinging! Too cute. Gotta try the recipe – sound very yummy, what side dish do you fix with it?
Once upon a time there was a girl who love to swing with her pet chicken…so many of your posts remind me of my favorite children’s books! I’m so glad you are saving all these posts, I expect you to be a author someday, but instead of writing about a little house on the prairie, it will be the house in the woods
@Omaloriann – I asked my husband what he thought sounded good to him and he picked rice. I bake my rice in the oven…you boil 3 cups of water and pour it over 1 1/2 cups of dry rice in a baking dish (put a pat of butter and some salt in w/the rice and water)….cover and bake in a 350 oven for 35 minutes….it is always a nice texture, no clumps or stickiness. (Serves 6)I think dry crusty bread would be good, too….there’s lots of nice juiciness after all the slow cooking.
@purpleamethyst76 – It certainly sounds delish!
I believe you must have some extremely TAME chickens to allow swinging and such. Mine would be squawking their featherbrained heads off. Speaking of which, have you ever given thought to how so many of our American colloquialisms derive from the barnyard…or chickenhouse? Anyway, back to the post at hand. Just have to say that Hayley Mills was my absolute idol when I was about 12 years old. I wanted to BE her and just knew that someone had made a big mistake by allowing me to be born American instead of British. The Parent Trap was my favorite of her movies, but a close second was The Moon-Spinners. I believe I’ll head over to Netflix right now and add it to my queue….I’d love a trip to Crete right now!
We just got snow!! We got 8 inches here in north TX.. crazy! We have had so much fun! We made “Snowy” our snowman. 🙂 We are planning to go back out soon and go sledding and have some snowball fights!
you look so pretty by the way! You always look adorable.