This morning I got up at about 6:30 to find Ethan just about to make waffles, Jacob getting ready to go see Emily and take her to school, Grace and Dave ready & waiting for the bus, Michael’s rooster-crowing alarm going off so he could go jogging, and Sarah already awake and playing with toys.

I thought I had to take Gentleman Gray to the vet and got 10 minutes down the road before I got to thinking and realized his appointment was for the following week……sooooooo, I came back home, washed the syrup off Seth’s pants….as he told me it was “wear red and white to school” day, I hugged him because he was so dang cute, I got their snacks ready, waved to them as they rode away on the bus, then cleaned the kitchen and living room even though I didn’t want to.  And now here I am on the couch ready to type up a blog post and then continue on with my day.

These are just some photos taken over the weekend.  This one because I was walking around the (melted!) “long pond” and noticed I had one single friendly hen following me.  All the rest of the flock was back at the coop where I had just stopped to give them treats and gather eggs.

We walked all the way around but didn’t see any signs of life in the pond, it was only wishful thinking.

See the dirt?  she went barefoot!

Our other pond still has ice on it and Ethan was hitting golfballs.  One of them landed on the ice and he went after it.  The ice held but he stayed by the dock just in case.

I learned a new crochet pattern and made a dishcloth.  Next one will be the basket weave, as suggested by my fabulous aunt.

David practiced shooting his bow.

I took the kids to church.  Sarah said to me, “Don’t take a picture of my dress.”  “Well, what should I take a picture of then?”  “My shoes.”

She didn’t like wearing her dress, whenever she sat down it choked her so she would have to pull on the neck of it frantically to get herself breathing again.  (slight exaggeration)

Rich was away with Caleb and Seth all day long for Caleb’s wrestling tournament.  He ended up getting 6th place at States.  Rich texted me the news with this picture.  I was like, “awesome!  when are you coming home?”   🙂

Yesterday I had a doctor’s appointment and some errands to run and as I was putting on my make up in the bathroom I looked down to see I had company.

During these extremely busy years of being a housewife/mama to a large family, one of the ways I give myself a *small pick me up* is by buying jewelry at Tiffany’s every chance I get going to Goodwill and/or the Thrift stores to see what treasures I can find.  You never know!  (I’m always looking for fiestware but only find a piece .001 % of the time)  Yesterday I bought three framed pieces.  One is Lady-slippers, one is Trilliums, and one is Violets.  Two of them are signed and numbered prints and the other is a painting on velvet.  I loved them because they are wild flowers that grow in our woods.  Last week I bought the “Thank you for Not Smoking” sign which NO ONE understands but I think is funny because no one in my life smokes or would smoke at my house~  LOL.  I bought it because of it’s irony, but also because it’s handmade embroidery in colors that i like and, only 50 cents.

This picture is for my parents because they hadn’t seen this gift and asked for a photo.  It is a little felted bird within a little felted egg that their church mailed to Sarah as a “get well soon, we are praying for you” gift.  Isn’t it so sweet?

This morning Jacob practiced the electric guitar.

Ethan drove himself to his dentist appointment and to school, looking very handsome indeed.   His 18th birthday is SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t stand it.

nice clean eggs from my darlin’s

Isn’t it a wonder that God created birds that lay all different sizes, colors, and patterns of the humble egg?  He loves variety!  That’s why YOU need to be YOU!

View from the porch this morning.

(32 degrees)

lit candle, part of a hornet/bees nest I found on the ground in the woods, a Scarlet fiesta vase filled with branches of fragrant white flowers from Costco (which I keep sinking my face into and drinking in) and ………plain unromantic bananas.  🙂

And oh! I’ve had such a lovely walk in the May twilight; I stopped by the barrens and picked these Mayflowers; I came through Violet-Vale; it’s just a big bowlful of violets now — the dear, sky-tinted things. Smell them, Marilla — drink them in.”

Marilla sniffed obligingly, but she was more interested in Anne than in drinking violets.

~Anne of the Island

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Ethan’s Waffle Recipe

2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tablespoon sugar

In a large bowl beat the eggs.  Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.  Do not stir the batter between bakings.  Makes 6 round waffles.

He doubled the recipe so we could freeze the leftovers.  They can be popped in the toaster for a quick breakfast or after school snack.  We eat them with butter and Grandpa’s homemade maple syrup.