thank you for letting mama take your pictures, I love you Sarah
just because (sarah portraits)
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Category Archives: a simply lovely life
good things
“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of your wonderful deeds.”
Tuesday morning
listening to music
staring out the window, the eaves are dripping, dripping, dripping (in time to the music)
lots of photos to share;
((for the people I love))
On Friday night we were watching the Incredibles 2
I was sitting weary but happy at my favorite spot at the table when Seth came by and said “I want to sit on you” and he sat on my lap. I couldn’t see the movie very well after that but I put my nose in the back of his hair now and then and breathed in this boy of mine. I gave that look across the room to Rich that he knows means, “Take a picture!”
The very next morning, he was 10 and opening his big bag of gifts with some of his best friends watching curiously.
He was given Dude Perfect things to play with, a new outfit, a stuffed animal dog that breathes thanks to a battery (he named it Oliver), and other little things.
I mixed up his requested birthday cake, which was Red Velvet, and then off we went to the wrestling tournament at our High School. Rich is the head coach and hadn’t slept a wink the night before in all the excitement……
Here he is, opening up the day of wrestling.
Meanwhile, the birthday boy had a good friend with him all day and they (along with other boys) had the greatest time in the gym and also in the wrestling room nearby, playing football and running around. They came to me now and then, mostly to get money so Seth could buy himself stuff in the cafeteria. Since it was his birthday I didn’t say things like, “Don’t get candy with this” like I normally would.
David with his friend Tristan. Best boys in the world (the whole team is awesome)
There is so much sitting around and waiting at these tournaments. David stayed bundled in his warm ups until it was time to wrestle.
I found myself a spot at the top of the bleachers so I could rest my back against the wall. Sarah stayed nearby and we played cards and she also had a book and her DS. I was able to chat with another wrestling mom which was fun, her name was Shannon.
Dave after a win, going to the center to take off his ankle strap and get his hand raised.
“Mom, can I have your phone?”
“Only if you sit over here and have your picture taken with me, birthday boy!”
David getting set up to pin.
My wonderful son.
Another wonderful son (Caleb)…..watching one of our guys wrestle.
Later on that night (what a long day, also Dave got 4th place in his bracket), Seth blew out his birthday candles and we ate the cake. I had been concerned that it wasn’t going to be perfect……..but it was. (in all humility)
Isn’t it just so pretty on a Shamrock fiesta plate? By the way, the newest color is another shade of green and they named it “Meadow” and I cannot wait to get a piece of it!!!!
(((Walter pictures))) This cat is adored! He’s sitting on the floor staring at me as I type, too, it’s quite funny.
Well, and then on Sunday we all know what day it was. Superbowl number 53 and my team was in the game. Every time my husband flies into L.A. he gets me merchandise so I was all set to wear Rams stuff from head to toe.
We cleaned and pushed furniture around, plowed the driveway, ordered pizza and wings, and prepared for a houseful of friends all day long!
I was tired out so around 4 I went to bed to rest. I was highly amused by the frequent visitors I had……
Seth even stole my hat!
Isaac was the first to arrive and pretty much the first thing he said after taking off his coat and hugging me was “is that a red velvet cake?” and he ate 2 pieces. 🙂
I sat right in between my sis and my bro and it was a delight. It was also a delight to see our girlies play and have fun. Naomi braided Sarah’s hair and then they made batch after batch of slime upstairs. They didn’t even make that big of a mess….I just had to vacuum the next morning what with all the glitter and foam beads everywhere.
This picture makes me so so so so happy! Rich invited his wrestlers to come watch the game and we had some parents stay, too. Our friends Chris and Carolyn came again this year (they have in the past as well) and it was great to see them and catch up. We had TON of food to enjoy. I’m just so thankful and happy to have good friends through our community. Look at Seth and John standing on the bookshelf behind the couch. And Sarah sitting with her Uncle Isaac. And sweet Naomi sitting between me and her mama. I really need to print this and put it on my fridge. I’ll smile all day.
Well, alas, I was disappointed in how the game turned out. My team lost to my son’s favorite team and Caleb has such a sweet heart that he felt bad and just stood next to me in silence as we watched the Patriots celebrate after the clock ticked down and the game was over. “You can be happy, Caleb!” said Rich, but Caleb didn’t have it in him. I had to go get groceries the next morning so I thought I would see if I could get Caleb a shirt to show him I was a good sport. 😉
I took this photo at 6:20 this morning!!!!
By the way, when you have wrestlers in the house they’re gonna wrestle. Caleb got a huge goose-egg on his forehead and another boy hurt his thumb (Rich even wonders if it’s broken). That shadowy spot on Caleb’s head is The Bruise.
I went for a nice walk yesterday again, the temps reached 60 which felt so nice after days and days of frigid temperatures. I even saw a Robin taking a bath in a stream in the woods. The birds were happy, too.
(after a long day) we were texting Michael and the kids and laughing on the couch.
Pictures from this morning. (see Walter?) Grace, David got the ink pot unstuck from the table finally.
I sang him a song about a Handsome Handsome Cat.
I praised the sunrise.
And a few minutes later, the morning golden glow.
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for all mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”
..the dark sacred night..
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Good morning, it’s -5 outside, ice coating everything, sunshine lighting up the trees so they look all-over silver. The most beautiful world outside, do the little wild animals in the woods enjoy it, too?
My heart is overflowing with joy.
I stayed up last night taking photos of the moon. This morning I woke up to the children being so charming; Sarah already outside with her hair yellow and glowing down her back, Caleb and Seth laughing and fooling around together downstairs, David trying to make a fire using foil and batteries (“it only made smoke”). Sports Center blaring on the TV, cats eager to be fed, and a movie playing on the small TV in the addition with no one around to watch it.
Good morning texts on the phone from my beloved sister and brother. Today is Weston’s birthday, I can’t believe my little nephew is eleven today.
I couldn’t wait to look at my moon photos.
Dear Joanna watched it with me, way way faraway in Pennslyvania. My family all fell asleep.
The magical moon.
It was so cold that I went out the front door, said hello, took a few photos, and then went back inside to warm up for another 10 minutes or so.
I didn’t bother with a tripod. I just tried my best to get the settings on my camera correct and then *didn’t fiddle around* simply because it was too cold and I had no mittens on my hands.
It really does look as if it’s hanging in the sky.
I have needs and hopes and wishes and wants and complaints. But last night when I was standing under an inky black sky, under a beautiful moon, in my slippers on top of a cold hard snow and my nose was freezing and my hands were freezing, and I was wearing a coat and a robe and a hoodie, I thought to myself………..
God is 1,000,000,000 bigger than any of my petty problems.
Vast, immeasurable, mighty, and……. and amazingly…….He loves & cares for you and me!
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us–none can compare to You–if I would proclaim and declare of them, they are more than could be numbered. Psalm 40:5
in my art journal
*just some slowly meditative pen scratchings in red ink of a beautiful Tozer quote
snowflakes (a sense of awe)
snowflake on a spiderweb
In the fading late afternoon, a light snow is falling. Caleb is giving Sarah a helping hand down to the pond because she’s teetering on ice skates.
She’s going to skate back and forth along the edge while he watches to make sure she’s safe.
snowflakes on dry leaves
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on Your wondrous works,
I will meditate. Psalm 145:5
snowflakes on ice
snowflakes on Ethan’s truck
and on a pine tree branch
Oh the loveliness of snowflakes!! So silent, so gentle.
The moments that I feel the most imbued with a sense of awe are always the moments when I am outdoors. I can’t help but feel a certain sense of wonder – I become almost filled with it. ~ Kathi Appelt
*****
recommended podcast episode that goes along with this post: 3 Ways to Feel Less Busy
(the first way is to “give yourself a shot of awe”)
wall of children
I look like such a big head in this photo but that’s selfie photography for you! Poor Sarah didn’t make it into the photo.
After all the planning and organizing and hosting of Thanksgiving, we were all ready to get out of the house on Black Friday and it was absolutely the best day because we were all together, Rich and I **without even one child missing**.
The line at Starbucks was a little long so I got silly with my camera and my mama-joy.
Rich and I both felt deep down meaningful gratitude over spending time with them, our biggest blessings of all. Each so different and yet, together, a special group of siblings. That’s how all families feel about their children, and rightfully so.
God is so good to us.
THE SONS
At the mall! I like to do things fairly so I said to Rich, “The girls go with me and the boys go with you!” (I’m sure the boys were utterly relieved)
Sarah insisted on getting this blanket for “someone” on our Christmas list!
I’m thinking if it were a fluffy sweater in Sarah’s size she would look dashing!
(Note to Self: Sarah looks good in mauve.)
She found her perfect dream dress. And thank goodness I liked it, too. It’s plain and simple but with the best twirling skirt ever.
AND THE DAUGHTERS
So. I had a secret mission for this mall outing. I wanted more than anything to get updated portraits taken of Jacob and Ethan. They are both Juniors in college this year and it’s been since High School that I had a nice professional portrait of them. Grace’s senior photo is still on the wall looking fabulous, along with the other school-age children who just brought home their updated school portraits.
I had five 8 by 10s hanging up in the livingroom, but was very much missing the two eldest boys.
I wasn’t sure if we could just walk into the portrait studio without appointments but we tried it and had SUCCESS! All I wanted was one 8 by 10 of each of them and we were in and out of the studio in no time at all, pictures in hand.
They turned out so nice!!!!! Here’s Jacob’s portrait. He will be turning 22 next month.
And here’s Ethan’s portrait! He’s 20 years old.
I love how they go together yet they aren’t matchy-matchy.
I find myself staring at their faces quite often. 🙂
This is exactly where I am right now, sitting in the chair draped by a white and blue blanket that Aunt Colleen crocheted for me in our local school colors so I could take it to cold outdoor games. In the mug I have hot spiced apple cider, and to the left of my laptop you can see the jar candle, and then my phone propped up, which is playing my friend’s video to me this morning. What a great way to start the day, with photos, conversation, laundry, and blogging.
To be honest, I have also been to the vet to drop off poor Walter. Today our kitty has to have his special operation that will help him grow up to be a nice, tame, good-smelling male cat who can’t make babies. We’ll go pick him up again later. 🙂
Also, Seth is home for the second day in a row. He’s feeling better but had a fever yesterday so has to be home one more day. I have to admit I really really like having him home with me.
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
CHARLES SPURGEON
BE BLESSED TODAY, FRIENDS
YOU ARE LOVED.
first sledding of the season
My brain woke up before the rest of me. I was so tired it took me a few minutes to reach for my phone to see if school was cancelled this morning. Nope, just a two-hour delay.
As soon as Sarah got up she went outside.
She couldn’t wait to go sledding.
It was 7 o’clock in the morning.
Our house sits on a hill so it’s been fun for the children all these years. They can just sled from the porch steps all the way down……beginning with the oldest Jacob and ending with the youngest, Sarah.
Alas, no one else wanted to sled with Sarah this morning. Seth got half ready and then changed his mind. “The snow isn’t good.” “It’s too cold out.”
I watched Sarah through the window. And then I went out on the cold wet porch in my socks.
I was charmed to see her attempt something her big sister Grace would have also done at age 8; she decided to scoop up kitty Walter and take him for a sled ride. After all, this is Walter’s first winter. He has a lot to learn.
He learned it really fast.
Sledding wasn’t for him.
Back inside, Caleb made himself bacon, cheese, and eggs. A nice proper breakfast, served on a white fiestaware plate, with a periwinkle mug of ice-cold juice on the side.
They can’t cook at the same time without squabbling (G, right?) so after his big brother was done, Seth made himself bacon and eggs, too.
Snowy outside, cozy inside. Look at Parker begging. LOLOLOLOLOL
PS, the first photo is of my garden gnome. He can’t see right now.
ambling
“Sarah, Sarah come back!” I cried.
But it was too late.
She was gone……..out the door and down the steps to celebrate the weather.
Seth wanted to know if there would be a snow day.
“NO” we said.
It was just the first snow and it was only in the air, with no accumulation on the ground.
Off to school they went, and off to run errands I went.
…….. back home with enough time to do housework, build a fire, and read.
P L A N T S
“We need, above all things, to slow down and get ourselves to amble through life instead of to rush through it.” ― Alan Watts
“A quiet and modest life brings more joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest.” — Einstein
“…..happiness and comfort do not depend on the wealth of this world. The things of the world will not satisfy the desires of a soul.” Matthew Henry
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive; to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” — Marcus Aurelius
A L I T T L E M U S I C
M O R E T H A N O N E C A T
O N E G O O D B O O K
C R A C K L E S & O W L S
Honey Cinnamon Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- GLAZE:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water
- Additional toasted chopped walnuts, optional
**RECIPE FROM TASTE OF HOME MAGAZINE
notes: next time I will use slightly less oil (maybe replace half with applesauce.)
I did not toast any nuts.
I did not toast any nuts.
slime and dough
I had to take Caleb to a doctor’s appointment 40 minutes away yesterday and when I came home a few hours later, I found these two making slime, unattended! As soon as I walked in the door they told me they needed shaving cream! They were sitting on the couch in the livingroom with all sorts of liquids!
I found the delinquent babysitters downstairs. David said, “I told them not to, but they wouldn’t listen.” Michael said, “I didn’t know!” To which I replied to both of them, “It’s a babysitter’s job to make children listen and to know what they’re doing at all times!”
I took the Rinse Aid away from Seth and Sarah and told them to make a list of things they needed and to put their shoes on. Michael was going to take them to the Dollar Store. Wasn’t that nice of him “to offer”?
They came back cheerfully supplied with multiple cans of shaving cream, dish soap, and more glue.
Then they made slime for the next 5 hours straight. They made lots and lots of slime.
David was highly annoyed as he walked through the room to the pantry. “SARAH, stop making slime! Mom, we have way too much slime, they need to stop.”
“They’ll run out of ingredients eventually,” I cooed from the couch with my book.
“They have a box of Borax and two gallons of glue! They won’t run out until slime is everywhere!”
In case you’re wondering about the paper fence taped to the table, that was Seth’s creation. He put it there so they could play ping-pong. This truly is the house of children.
Did I clean up this mess? Absolutely NOT! But I did re-wash the table this morning.
There were many times when I thought they were done, but no, they had to keep adding a squirt of this and a squirt of that. Seth’s wasn’t coming together properly so Sarah gave him advice on how to make it work. Caleb became the designated slime-finisher, the person who knead and squeezes the slime to make it come together smoothly. Basically, he was a Kitchen-Aid mixer. He would get done with Seth’s and then Sarah would approach and say, “Can you do mine now, Caleb?” Sadly, no matter how much he asked, they wouldn’t GIVE him any to keep.
Sarah was highly protective of her slime, and so was Seth. They rarely let each other touch their slimes. And of course each believed their own was the best.
Seth had so much in his bowl that he divided his into two manageable batches. When one half was “done”, he had to go back and work on the second half.
In order to make slime you have to use your mom’s beloved laptop to look up videos on YouTube.
You also have to use every bowl, spoon, scraper, and containers with lids in the house.
Sometimes your mom will let you use food coloring to make colorful slime but sometimes that is where she will draw the line and finally say, “no”.
When making slime, it is customary to invite your mom “to feel it” every time you see her walk by. Sometimes the thought will cross your mind that all her praise and obligatory enthusiastic handling of slime is just a big act, to make you feel good about your creation. But most of the time you believe her…….. your slime IS AWESOME.
Don’t know what to do with odds and ends of slime? Simply throw them into the kitchen sink and forget about it!
With ingredients like Borax, glue, soap, and shaving cream, at least it SMELLS clean! Maybe TOO clean?
Fluffy, cloudy slime. They made it themselves!
I found myself standing in the kitchen, scrubbing some of it off my shirt with a wet dishcloth. I also found lumps of it on every handle and knob in the house.
Eventually they had to change their clothes, too.
BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT.
It kept them constructively busy for hours.
Plus, for some reason, and I have to credit the slime-making all around me, I got the urge to make bread.
So while Walter and I mixed up bread dough……….
……….Sarah made her 35th batch of slime.
where’s David?
From what I understand, David and the rest of the mission’s team are keeping busy this week in Jamaica; preaching, teaching, doing VBS, talking to school children, and helping out with any work that needs to be done. I am sure that they’re doing even more, too.
Somehow, David is also catching lizards and crabs.
Staying up half the night goofing around with Michael.
Catching naps in odd places when he can.
And trying hard to climb to the tops of the coconut trees.
At first he could only get this high.
He spoke to small and large groups.
He sang songs with Ethan S and his Dad on top of a stone platform.
He took naps with a drum, a soccer ball, and in the crack of a bed against the wall, so long his feet hung off the end.
He finally made it to the top, and has marks on his arms to remember it.
Where’s David? In Jamaica.
Where’s David? I think he’s over there in that tree.
Where’s David? Catching a gecko.
Where’s David? Putting a crab in the sink.
Where’s David? Sleeping with a drum.
Where’s David? Up in the sky, at the top of a tree.
Where’s David? Over there, enjoying life to the fullest.
When’s he coming home? Tomorrow.
Good to be Home 
