As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world. ~Terri Guillemets

It’s 7:30pm and dark outside.  I can hear water running off the roof and this evening before the sun went down there was a thick, white fog.  They say this rain will turn to snow later on toward morning.

The time change has been throwing me a bit of kilter……sleeping a little bit too late into the mornings and a general feeling of being “off” with the clock.

Yesterday the temperature reached the mid 50’s.  We spent as much time outside as possible and I even fell–right into the stream.

Today has been full and busy with Community Bible Study and then a trip to Costco.  When I got home Ethan, David, and Caleb were already home so they helped put away the groceries.  I put a chicken pot pie in the oven and then I went right back out to pick up Jacob from track, and go to the elementary school to meet with 2 teachers.

The parent teacher meetings went well.  Generally speaking, I have two smart boys capable of making A+ grades but lacking the drive to achieve them.  We all wish we could find a way to “turn them on” to doing their very best all the time.

Since I have some extra time tonight, only because I told my husband I was going to bed and left him alone with the kids, I thought I would post some pictures of the last few days………

On Monday, the little ones went outside to enjoy the snow.

On Tuesday, Ethan and David shot their bows (into a target set up in front of a snowbank).

It’s always fun to be outside in “warm” enough weather for no coat, yet still have snow on the ground

During the children’s nap time yesterday, I went for a little walk on our property, into the woods.  I noticed a lot of deer tracks and droppings.  There was an actual deer path to the stream.

I followed the path (like a deer) but didn’t drink any water.  I walked next to the stream back toward home.  It breaks off into different directions and was frozen over with snow on top so I unknowingly walked right over the ice.

I fell right in.  I fell in and said out loud, “I just fell in!”  No one was around to hear me but I laughed, “I can’t believe I just did that!”  I scratched my way back up to solid ground and looked back.  Would you believe an egg had fallen out of my pocket!  I wanted it so bad but there was no way to reach it without falling back in, and my boots were already so filled with water.  I knew I had to just go home.

I had been having a rather dull and blah day mentally (darn time change!) but this little experience perked me right up.  I took a dip into a frozen stream and survived, with pride.  Like a wild adventurer.

My boots are still upside down on the porch, drying.

Me and my Caleb, or “club” as I sometimes call him, or “clubby”.  I love this boy.so.so.much.

I noticed Sarah reading a book to our cat through the window and grabbed the camera……so cute!

making friends

Seth looks so tiny on his Dad’s lap, listening to Little Pilgrim’s Progress.  My baby boy (five years old).

Seth requested spaghetti with meatballs for dinner.

After they were cooked through, I put them in the crock pot with this 6 pound can of tomato sauce, to simmer until it was time to cook the pasta.

I also made a big tossed salad with real greens not from a bag.  Washing lettuce is such a pain but OH so much better than the (very convenient) bagged stuff.  I also added tomatoes, onion, cubed mozzarella, grated carrot, and a shaking of dried oregano.

It was a youth group night so the older kids didn’t eat nearly as much as they usually do and there was a ton of leftovers.  *sigh*

But everything was delicious.  I love cooking for my family.

When I told Seth to smile he thought I was video-recording him.  He leaned forward and said to the phone, “My mom won’t let me have a soda.”

I bought myself some beautiful wild looking flowers, on tall stalks.  Little purple flowers, just the prettiest things.

I didn’t get a chance to put them in a vase until I got home from the school and I was rushing, trying to do many things at once.  You know how the flowers come with a packet of powdered preservative?  Well, I opened the packet up, sprinkled half of it in a vase, and put half the flowers in the vase.  I put them in the bathroom.  Then, I got a glass pitcher to put the rest of the flowers in and added what I thought was the rest of the packet of powdered preservative.  I dumped it all in, used the flower stems to stir it up…..it looked strange…..I grabbed the packet to discover:

I had used the rest of a package of Emergen-C.  (the first vase was correct, the second was a completely different packet, I tell you I am going nutso)  I burst out laughing and Jacob wanted to know what was funny so I told him.  “Well, those are gonna die,” he remarked.  “They might live longer!” I replied.  I’ll let you know.

Pretty flowers in a pitcher of Emergen-C.   I’ll never get over it.

Catnap

All together, all but Grace (who got home at 6).  This was taken tonight.

I have to put Grace in this post so here is an old picture of her from December:

She’s wearing make up.  She just came in my room a minute ago and asked me to start pinning to her board on pinterest.  She and I want to redecorate her bedroom next month, we are collecting ideas.  Yes, she is on pinterest and I can’t believe how she’s taken to it.  (((I love having a teenage daughter!!)))

I bought this book at Costco today.  I love Susan Branch and the inside of this book is all handwritten with illustrations.  It’s pretty and fun, like reading her real journal.  I always forget that she has a blog, I need to go check it out.  I’ve liked her for years– ever since I got married, and someone gave me one of her cookbooks.  I also have a Country Living magazine still in it’s bag that I need to read.  I got it last week, but in this full and busy season of life there is hardly time to focus on my magazines.

Before I go to sleep at night I read a few pages of War and Peace.

I wanted so much to tell you about Thelma and her eyes but I guess I’ll have to save that for another day.