sweet family christmas

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Shanda

The morning of Christmas Eve, I woke up at 5 and was unable to fall back to sleep. I slipped out of bed, put on my robe, and tiptoed out of the room to spend some quiet time in the house before the family woke up. I imagined a nice cup of coffee to be drunk in leisure while gazing at the Christmas tree all aglow.

However, when I opened the door I discovered a sleeping teenage boy on the couch, along with my six year old son Seth who was wide awake and watching Garfield on TV.

And he was full of energy. Nothing I tried would get him to stop moving from one activity to the next. I wondered if he had perhaps eaten sugar or candies for breakfast.

Therefore, it was quite surprising that the next day -Christmas Day- Seth was the last child to wake up!

We sat as the dark morning turned into light and waited for the youngest sleepy head brother to appear. And he finally did at 7:30 am.

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. Roy Smith

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~Burton Hillis

I wonder if I’ll ever be as happy as I am right now with my own children to please with gifts, while they are all still mine, at home. They are a joy to watch as they open their presents. The smiles, the exclamations, the gratitude, all make the busy days leading up to Christmas worth every moment.

Jacob opened the much wanted PS4.

Jacob and Ethan don’t spend as much time together as they did when they were little boys, so it was a sweet sight to see them side by side, sharing another Christmas day.

Watching Seth’s face as he opened a gift. And Caleb as he read through the titles of some new books.

Grace sat in a nest in the corner of the couch and opened her new iPod.

This was the first year that we had a child buy presents for his family members out of his own paycheck! Jacob was very excited to shop, wrap, and give out gifts.

This was his face as he watched his Dad open new sneakers that he bought for him.

He gave David a Ninja star, with very sharp points.

He gave Grace throwing knives and she was thrilled and touched by his thoughtfulness.

He gave Ethan a pair of “sick” sneakers. (same kind that he and Emily wear).

Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. ~Author unknown

Parker received a new toy and several bones.

“One of the most glorious messes in the world

is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day.

Don’t clean it up too quickly.” Andy Rooney

Once the gifts were opened, the playing began.

Lego sets

big cats

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.

~Laura Ingalls Wilder

little cats

books/new robe

new clothes

fire in the fire place

headphones and iTunes giftcard

He bought this album.

(by the way I loved the cone shaped tree things that I found from Target for Christmas decorating…they are covered in cherries! (I collect cherry things.) )

The rabbit hopped around in the wrapping paper and nibbled on cardboard and the Christmas tree.

Gentleman Gray got wrestled by Seth.

And he was pinned!!

We put our “old” TV downstairs in the basement and set the kids up with their own entertainment area with the old sectional couch. The PS3 and PS4 are hooked up. For many years I resisted video games for the kids but over the last year (our first) the boys have enjoyed themselves so much with the games. They have friends over often and it will be nice to have the living room cleared up for our own use now.

(In fact, Michael and Jacob are currently at Savers trying to find a coffee table).

Seth got a real bow and arrow set and he couldn’t get over it. He was in awe. He came to me and wondered who had picked it out. “It was I”, I said. “Thank you, Mom” he replied, and my heart melted because it was probably his most sincere thank you in all his six years of living.

His Dad took him outdoors for his first lesson in bow shooting.

Sarah told me I should not have gotten it for him because it was real and “not a toy”. (you should only get toys for christmas, she thinks) But Seth wants it anyway.

My handsome firstborn son, Jacob, who is turning 19 in two days. Emily gave him a new jacket for Christmas and her Dad gave him the hat which is a very lightweight hat so he keeps having people hold it to admire how light it is.

Grace came out of the woods after throwing her new knives and shooting her bow.

We passed by each other as I was on my way to find David.

He was busy practicing with his new tomahawk in a world of browns and greens.

He made the target himself.

Isn’t it beautiful in the woods? He has already spent hours in this spot.

He’s amazing.

I stood and watched him for a while, and he took my picture.

This was as cozy as I could be for the day. I was sick with a cold…..so a long warm skirt was just the thing to wear (sort of blanket-like) and a new sweatshirt from my husband. Hair pulled back, bangs bobby pinned back out of my face. No make up. Cozy, cozy, cozy. I was even wearing my slippers. LOL (not pictured)

The last pictures I took on Christmas day were of the chickens enjoying their christmas gift from dear Emily….which was MEALWORMS. Yum, yum. They love mealworms.

And, so, Christmas comes to bless us!
Comes to teach us how to find
The joy of giving happiness
And the joy of being kind.
~Gertrude Tooley Buckingham

on the eve of Christmas day

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Shanda

Ah, sweet Christmas.

I will allow nothing to discourage me about the reality of saving grace in Jesus Christ. There is no condemnation for those who love Him. Condemnation happens when we or someone we hold in high esteem convince us that we are unworthy to be called a child of God because “we don’t dress right” “we don’t go to church often enough” “we drink a glass of wine now and then” “we listen to the wrong kinds of music”…..things that are NONE OF ANYONE’S BUSINESS…you see, as a lover of Christ I AM FREE. I am free to be the unique individual He made me to be. Salvation changes a hard, stone cold heart into a tender heart. Salvation means that Christ has made my soul properly clean before God, because of Him, I have a secure hope that when the time comes for Heaven, He will stand with me and advocate for my standing as a beloved daughter, a person chosen and precious before God. I am welcomed into everlasting life. Therefore I have new life, I have hope as I live my days here as a wife and mother, as a friend and a sister. By the amazing grace of God.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8

I AM NOT FREE TO be habitually judgmental, jealous, bitter, mean, unkind, fake, cold, abusive, unforgiving, prideful, angry or selfish. People who call themselves christians and still continue year after year in these behaviors are scary. I will run away from them……..I’ve had experience with “christians” who are like this and I myself was somewhat legalistic years ago for a time because of the leaders in a former church’s example and teachings…..(I have a story—I understand if you have one, too) but God is ever faithful and grew me away from those behaviors which caused so many problems in my life. I still struggle at times because of that experience. So flee from any legalist people in your life. Don’t allow yourself to be tainted by their judgmental ways. Keep yourself childlike, trusting, open, loving, and gracious. Reading the Bible (God’s love letter to you) is the medicine our soul needs so that our hearts stay open and loving. “His law is love, and his gospel is peace.”

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Romans 13:12

I will still make mistakes. AND IT’S OKAY BECAUSE I AM HUMAN, a beautiful humanly human. We all are. I love myself the way God made me, and the way he made my friends just the way they are, I don’t focus on their “faults”, I understand them and appreciate them. My friends love me the way I am. Are we perfect? No. But we are perfect for each other. (Good Will Hunting)

This is what I’m thinking about this Christmas season. …. Jesus Christ came from Heaven to earth to save sinners. AND HE DID IT, HE DOES IT. He ushered in an age of Amazing Grace. He swept away the doctrines of the Pharisee which held to an impossible standard of perfection and looked down on everyone else, and gathered up for his own the outcasts, the lowly, the lost causes, and turned them into children of God. He loves us so much. He always has, he always will.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17

******

We made the Christmas cookies. Every year there are two kinds that we simply must have: Russian teacakes and gingerbread men. My children helped me and they were very cute. (both the cookies and the kids)

Our neighbors came for a quick visit the morning of Christmas Eve and gave David a present (and the rest of us, too). One of the things I am most thankful for this last year is getting to know them better. We can visit and share laughs…and later on today we are going to see the new Star Wars movie together.

In the afternoon my sister and her family came. We had planned on a brunch but then found out that Jason had to work half day and Rich had to coach a wrestling practice. But we still had breakfast food….which we ate at lunch time.

We had pancakes, cinnamon rolls, hash brown casserole, cherry topping, whipped cream and maple syrup for the pancakes, mimosas, bacon, and sausage.

wonderfully active, silly boys

Michael came for brunch before he had to leave for work. This young man is like family to us, he is Jacob’s best friend and we all love him.

Naomi is my little niece and one of Sarah’s favorite friends. These two girls spent the day together playing.

They played with Naomi’s bitty baby, Grace’s old bitty baby, and Sarah’s bitty baby. 🙂

I thought it was so great that Naomi wore her Christmas dress to my house. She looked like a princess all day long.

Grace’s boyfriend Caleb was able to spend time with us as well.

In large family gatherings you just never know what will happen. David decided it was a good time to roller blade throughout the house.

We watched a movie (ELF).

And exchanged gifts…..so fun. I love my family…my one and only sister, her husband who is like a brother to me and Rich, their children. We are so thankful for each other.

Caleb videoed Grace opening one of her presents so his mom could watch it later on.

Determination and belief that there is room for him.

We played Pictionary. Amanda and I were a team, Jason and Rich were another team. At first they were winning……(we had to use make-shift game pieces)

But then we pulled ahead and won.

The losers didn’t want to be seen. 🙂

My beautiful niece Abigail with her cousin Ethan.

Then Jacob’s girlfriend Emily showed up bearing gifts.

She had a gift for everyone, even the chickens.

Jacob gave her a Willowtree figurine which she loved so much that she….

gave him a smooch.

aren’t they so cute???????

Jacob works at the shoe department in Dick’s sporting goods so she also got two pairs of sneakers.

And that was that. Everyone went home, we put the children to bed, and it was just Rich and I doing what we always do on Christmas Eve. Finish wrapping presents and arrange them all under the tree. I was getting sick with a terrible head cold that has lasted for days but we got the job done with a feeling of anticipation for the morning to come.

what family means to me

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Shanda

Once again, never to be taken for granted, Rich and I and all seven of the children were together in our warm and cozy living room — to decorate our Christmas tree, purchased in town at the Fire Department for 30 dollars.

It was delightful chaos. Talking, bossing, laughing, non stop movement to and from the tree to the ornament boxes which were all along the couch.

Seven times we experienced the miracle of birth, births of our own flesh and blood, baby girls and boys from a man and woman whom God joined together as one. As the children grow and develop into their own individual selves, we are all the more thankful for each and every moment with them. They teach us so much, they remind us of what we have forgotten–that life is an adventure from sun up to sun down. Very little worries, seldom any cares, only exciting things to look forward to and absolute trust that Mom and Dad will love and nurture them.

From the oldest to the youngest, we are their Parents until death do us part. To support, guide, enjoy, and yes…even step away (but never too far away) in order to give space for them to make their own decisions in life. They will become stronger and independent, knowing that we are there to cheer them on their journey of living.

Firstborn Jacob’s 19th birthday is the last day of the month.

While the youngest, Sarah, is only five and a half.

Each child is a gift, so unique, so amazingly precious to me and to their Dad.

They have brought so much gladness and light into our lives.

As their Mother, their pains are my pains, their joys are my joys. Their love is my love. One of the most romantic things I have witnessed occurred last night and oh, last week at this time I would have never dreamed that my darling daughter would very soon have a loving, Christian boy humbly ask and receive the blessing of her very protective Dad to get to know her……….and my heart gives grateful praise even as I sneak upstairs to read their text messages after she goes to school. *sigh* soooooo sweet

taking off the hats

discussing the hat with Ethan the 17 year old.

still discussing the hat

I gave the hat back.

MERRY MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS

happenings

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Shanda

LOVE

JOY

PEACE

forbearance

kindness

goodness

faithfulness

gentleness

self control

against such things there is no law.

Good evening, my friends.

Today is a wonderful day. I am finally feeling more like myself. Thank the Lord for doctors and modern medicine. After I got the kids out the door for school, my oldest son Jacob got up and showered. When he came downstairs he told me that he didn’t have to go to college today so I mentioned that I was going to go shopping in about an hour. I had some photos to pick up and some things I needed to get. He right away showed his willingness to go along with me without even being asked…he said, “Oh, than I can show you those legos at the mall that I wanted to get the boys for Christmas.” It made me smile that he wanted to go with me.

He drove me after I said I would give him gas money. Gas money is very important to 18 year old young men. He talked to me the whole time we were together. And if he wasn’t talking, he was singing along to his music. He and his girlfriend share a spotify music account now, isn’t that romantic? They also did community service together yesterday by picking up litter along some of the main roads in our area.

Jacob LOVES music. He has quite a varied collection, from classical to Christian metal.

We went to several stores, including Starbucks and Five Guys (burgers) for lunch. Then he drove us to his school so that we could pay for his next semester. He walked me around and showed me the library. He loves his classes, his professors, and the campus. I’m so thankful for the way he is adjusting and becoming independent. The place he works for originally hired him for the Holidays, but recently asked him to stay on full-time. He loves his job and the people he has met.

The chickens get bowls of old leftovers and they love it. It looks sickening to us humans, though. I always have to laugh when I hand a bowl over to a child and say “run this down to the chickens” and they do, while gagging.

Just beyond the hens, in that spot that looks like briars, is a small little pond nestled down a bank. I love that little pond, and so do the chickens. They make their way down and drink from it. Beyond that (the building you see) is our garage.

Holiday FIESTAWARE display!

precious children coming home off the bus

Dear teachers, your students notice everything you do. The other day I told Sarah she would make a good teacher someday and after sitting there thinking about it she said, “No I don’t think so. It’s such hard work! And I don’t know how to make a star!”

Tis the season for gingerbread men. She brought another one home today. It’s a paper plate painted brown, with a circle at the top of it for a head and oval arms and legs decorated with glitter. Only it looks more like a brown turtle then a gingerbread man.

Saturday morning these guys went to a wrestling practice.

Grace brought her rabbit inside for a little while and we had such a time watching funny Gentleman Gray visit with him from the top of the cage.

I put a small box inside of her cage yesterday and she had a great time chewing it up into a bed.

beauty in an apple core

beauty outside the door

Going back to the aloe vera plant. Just a few months ago the planter contained one big “mama” plant that was so big that it was tipping the whole planter over unless I balanced it against the wall. The appearance was beginning to bother me so I cut it right off and threw it away. It has been a delight to see so many baby plants grow up in it’s place. I hope to divide it soon and share with friends. I’m sure there is a parable in there somewhere.

Tonight I am picking my dear friend Hannah up from the airport and I cannot wait.

awesome recipe (macaroni and cheese with tomatoes)

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Shanda

(setting the table)

Last night’s dinner was exceptionally miraculous so I thought I better share. I use the word miraculous because even though the dish had tomatoes in it, all seven children still ate it with vigor and healthy appetites. They had nothing but good things to say.

Homemade macaroni and cheese is rather like a circus performance. You have the macaroni that needs to be boiled in salted water for exactly 6 minutes, then you need to find your colander and drain it, all the while stirring the butter, flour, and milk base for the cheese sauce so it doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pan. Cheese must be found in the fridge and grated, six cups. Canned diced tomatoes from the pantry, a can opener, whisk, rubber spatula, wooden spoons, measuring cups and so on…. it’s non stop action until the oven door slams shut, your arms go up in victory, and the baking begins.

IT WAS UTTERLY WORTH IT.

(This is Shanda’s blog so do I have to mention all seven kids running back and forth throughout the kitchen during the juggling act? Every time Dave came near me to tell me something I said, “stir the sauce!”, he was honestly offended by it.)

YUM YUM YUM

I made peas and broccoli as side dishes and the kids gobbled up their veggies, too!

My first of three helpings.

It’s truly satisfying to see your loved ones diving into a good plate of food that you made yourself.

Jacob and Ethan talked nonstop, it was so good to see and hear them together since Jacob has been so busy with college and work and girlfriend.

Caleb and Seth both gave me a thumbs up!

(I don’t have photos of David or Grace. Dave was grumpy because he had his braces tightened yesterday and his teeth were sore, and Grace was grumpy I think because she was exhausted and had a lot of homework to get done. However, this was the perfect comfort meal for both of them, I must say.)

Scarlet fiesta vase with berries from outdoors, and paprika vegetable bowl (now empty!)

Ethan’s eating off a rose plate and drinking ice water from an ivory tumbler.

Sarah ate like a horsey, with multiple servings of macaroni and cheese and her veggies.

recipe here!

the always important little things……

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Shanda

Good morning and happy Monday, friends!

I made this wreath! About a month ago I went for a walk in the woods and came across a convenient grape vine to pull down. It was thin and pliable, not like the ones that grow so thick that the only part I can reach is as big around as a small tree with the rest of the vine grown far up into the tree tops. I pulled the little grapevine down and wound it up into a circle the best I could. And there it hang, back at home, outside on a nail for a month until I got ” a round tuit”, which was Saturday afternoon. I went outside with scissors and cut some evergreens (some still had tiny pinecones on them) and wild berries. I already had the dry grass (the tops look and feel as soft as down) in the house –I picked it from the side of the beaver pond. I used forest green yarn to tie everything together and a brown ribbon on the bottom, tied in a bow. I’m way too proud of it.

I also made a jello cake from my new favorite cookbook. It was amazing. In fact……

As soon as it was done, we ate it all. (after I took the picture, Ethan ate the last piece).

It wasn’t hard to eat it all in one go because we had a house FULL. In this picture there are 10 teenagers, 2 big dogs, and a small gray cat. There are two kids not in the picture, plus Rich and I.

Allie

Zak, Parker-the-dog, and Ethan

David made a Harry Potter wand all by himself out of a small tree he cut down in the woods. Then he carved it up and shellacked it. Sarah made turkeys out of her handprints. The Cook’s County cookbook is the one I got the jello cake from. Today I’m making a raspberry chiffon pie!

But mainly this post is about the love of my life-Richard Charles-who was gone all last week but is now home again and the part of my heart that needs *my husband around all the time* is at peace. From Monday-Wednesday he was in TX for work and then Thurs-through Saturday afternoon he was finishing up his coaching medical class that he was able to take so he can be the head coach for wrestling at our local HS this year. He was the assistant last year. He is going to LOVE coaching….he can’t wait to get started.

Well, I made him a nice “honey-do” list yesterday afternoon when he started hinting at going out for a run (which takes hours)…and he got right to work. So I thought I would show you some of the other little things we have done around the house lately……..

He put fresh lightbulbs in the ceiling fan on our cathedral ceiling.

While the ladder was out, Seth and Sarah decided to climb it.

(by the way, Seth trimmed his own bangs…he’s such a helpful child!)

Turns out Sarah is afraid of heights. I say this because she was only about two feet off the ground and beginning to shake like a leaf.

He changed out this outlet. It used to be a plain old outlet but it was loose in the wall and nothing would stay plugged into it, the cords would just fall out. It’s an important outlet because it’s on the wall at the end of the couch and we like to plug in the electric blanket and phones there. Consequently, while he was at it, he bought an outlet that has two slots for phone chargers, too. Very convenient. It’s amazing how such a small change can lift one’s spirits.

I bought this plastic bag holder a few months ago. It came with sticky strips on the top and bottom but the thing would NOT stay on the wall using just the strips. So it had to be put away until yesterday when I got Rich to hang it back up, using screws. (in the pantry)

This is our toilet paper dispenser. Rich actually hung these up a few weeks ago. We bought one for each the downstairs and upstairs bathrooms because the bathrooms are used so much that we were going through rolls and rolls of toilet paper and the rolls were all over the place. I love this dispenser because it’s clean, it’s locked, and it holds a large roll of paper. Half the kids thought it looked too “public bathroom” but I just don’t care…..I can’t tell you how many toilet paper holders have fallen off the walls, it’s nice to know this is here to stay. Michael says they were hung too low but he’s over 6 feet tall and we were thinking of our small kids at the time……

I love my new garbage can. We needed one for our dining room and this one is beautiful. It also has an open top (flip lids are an extra step) to “make baskets” into. Sarah can look right inside the top and see her papers from school that I throw away. Then she can get them right back out again.

Well, that’s about it as far as small home improvements. Rich also rehung the towel rack in our bathroom but I didn’t take a picture of that……(small mercies, right?)

These two little boys were stuck to their dad like glue yesterday watching everything he did and talking to him about football. It was precious to see.

“The small things of life were often so much bigger than the great things . . . the trivial pleasures like cooking, one’s home, little poems especially sad ones, solitary walks, funny things seen and overheard.” Barbara Pym

today, I will be grateful

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Shanda

Reading to the kids…always and forever because maybe by the time my own children don’t want a story read, I’ll be a grandma.

Ethan sick and snuggling with his dog.

Thankfully this was taken by my husband last week and no one is sick anymore.

I found Sarah measuring her doll just like I measure her.

She loved playing with the new Madeline dollhouse….for hours.

We finished up with football season this weekend. Our boys are superstars.

Rich made me leave the house and go on a date. 😉

I found perfect fitting flare jeans at GAP.

I read this book and recommended it on the blog years ago. I just picked it up and read it again. It’s called The Light on the Island, by Helene Gliddon and was just as good the second time around. Helene was the seventh born of 13 children and spent the majority of her growing up years with her family on an island. Her parents were the lighthouse keepers.

She wrote about the trees and animals that the children loved and visited, and I took a picture of the description of Puffy the toad to send to my friend Joanna.

I want a pet toad, too. But in the meantime, I’m going to adopt a tree for my very own. We have a lot of trees. Did you know it’s very comforting to hug a nice solid tree? There’s life inside of it that seems to refresh a person….trees are such nice plant-companions. With all the appeal of electronics inside, I never want to forsake good old nature, or have my children miss out on the wonders that are outdoors.

Grace’s embroidery.

Right before I got off my butt and cleaned off the coffee table.

Oh, wait, I think it was Ethan who got off his butt because I told him to.

This evening I am making pasta for dinner and taking 13 year old David for a check up at 5:30. I was supposed to take him at 10 this morning but somehow missed the reminder call. They had to call me to tell me I missed it. Thankfully, the Doc allowed me to bring him later and not have to pay the missed-appointment fee.

Tomorrow Caleb has an appointment at 8:30 in the morning and then Sarah at 3:45.

The appointment for Sarah is in regards to a surgery she has to have soon.

I had some anxiety this morning but after praying and working on cleaning, writing snail mail and watching TV with Michael, I took a 2 hour nap which helped a great deal.

Happy Monday, friends! tell me all your happenings.

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” Ashley Smith

an old house….covered in vines

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Shanda

Grace and Ethan are home sick today and Jacob doesn’t have school.

I woke up feeling optimistic and cheerful for the first time in a long time, praise the Lord!

We watched a little bit of the movie “Newsies” and a little bit of a Harry Potter movie.

I love seeing all the books within the Harry Potter movies….today it made me want to go to the library.

So I did! After I made my three oldest (who are now 16, 17, and 18 years old) a batch of pancakes and fried eggs, that is.

I paid a typical five dollar fine at the library and left with a nice heavy bag of books.

Then I hopped in my car and drove to the thrifty thrift shop downtown.

It’s gorgeous weather this week, by the way. Today is balmy.

(Ethan just told me he wanted meat. Jacob is starting a hamburger for him. Grace is sleeping.)

I found a dollhouse!

Take a look:

This was where it was discovered. I took a picture so I could text Mom and ask her if I should buy it.

“Yes” was her reply.

The best part of all is that it’s a Madeline house. “In an old house in Paris, covered in vines…..”

weekend reading.

I’ve been getting walnuts in the shell for the family, I pour them into a big fiesta bowl, so when I saw this giant walnut dish while out thrifting, I snatched it up. It opens. The kids will love it.

Isn’t it marvelous?

*******

random photos

***

I’ve been amused by a couple of Kingfishers. They’ve been so noisy that I wonder if they’re battling over territory?

***

And this tiny bird’s nest.

There is typically a sense of expectation during every walk outdoors. But the other evening it was almost completely dark so I wasn’t too expectant about seeing anything (at all). I went outside to shut in the chickens and the night was so warm and soothing that I took a short walk around. I stood down by the stream to listen to it and happened to look UP….right at this bird’s nest, which I could barely make out. I turned on my flashlight to see it and the next day I took my camera down. So small and sweet that I laughed. Even in the dark God can show us things.

(It’s quite high up, I’m hoping one of my climbers will be able to collect it for me)

***

This is where I sit when it’s time for the afternoon bus to come with my young ones.

Happy Friday!

go easy

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Shanda

David’s little kitty, whose name is Gentleman Gray, isn’t allowed to go outside very often.

But when he does, he returns as soon as possible with an old dead mouse.

The mouse was caught by one of Gentleman Gray’s housemates….he himself hasn’t caught any of them, he doesn’t have the opportunity, so he just enjoys playing with them.

Typically, I take the mouse by the ice cold tip of it’s tail and fling it right back outside into the bushes as far as I can fling. But the other day I let him have it for a few minutes because his antics were making me laugh.

He has several very nice fabric mice filled with catnip, but there’s just nothing like sinking your teeth into a real live dead one.

The poor thing had such adorable ears.

If the children or I find one of our cats in the act of killing a mouse we ALWAYS save the mouse’s life.

My husband on the other hand……..is thrilled with every dead mouse he sees.

There have been a few times when I threw a dead mouse outside (without him seeing me do it) only to have him bring it right back in! What an amazing sense of smell cats must have.

*****

Sarah was so so sick last night. She must have thrown up seven times in the matter of just a few hours. She was distraught, pale, crying…it was terrible. What a mercy that her body finally settled down and she was able to eat some animal crackers and keep them down at around 9:30-10. But then Caleb got sick, and then David. Pepto- Bismol was the key to helping their tummies. They all made it through the night quietly so we had some sleep. Today they have been on the couches all day long but able to eat more and more, starting with crackers in the morning and ending at 5:00pm with all three eating bowls of cooked broccoli! If you can crave broccoli at a time like this I would say things aren’t so bad.

God has surprised me several times today with unexpected blessings. One was a phone call from the kid’s doctor, wanting to apologize to me for being very distracted at the last appointment I went to, he even mentioned CHRISTIANITY, LOVE, CHRIST, and the HOLY SPIRIT in the conversation (!!) and other blessing was having Michael come to visit Jacob just in time to go pick up Ethan from school after practice.

Yet another time was much earlier in the day, when I went to drop off lunch money at the school. The office lady asked how I was and as I spoke to her she could tell I was stressed out. As I left she encouraged me by simply saying, “go easy.” Those two little words became my mantra of the day. Go easy on myself, go easy on my day, go easy with my family, go easy on the housework, etc……..

I visited my hens. I gave them fresh water and food.

And then some of them followed me. I was about to take a very easy and short walk, close to home.

I saw a chipmunk on a rock in the stream. It froze when it saw me and then as quick as lightening, vanished under some old sticks and leaves.

I wasn’t going anywhere in particular….so I wandered down to Ethan’s fort that he made this summer.

It’s an interesting feeling to be all alone, looking at your son’s hard work. Imagining him building it, seeing his thoughts and ideas on how to make it work. I stood under the roof. I saw the clippers and a garden tool.

I admired the way he put together the low walls.

And when I turned around, I saw that one of my hens had crossed the stream to follow me to the fort! It was an unexpected laugh.

We talked for a few minutes and then she went back home. It was a good thing because I really don’t want a lonely lost hen in the forest.

I would love to know what this shrub or sapling is. The stem is green but there is brown stiff paper-like bark sticking out around it. It’s so pretty and orderly.

The best part of my walk was discovering witch hazel in bloom.

This is the very same plant that witch hazel astringent is made from, which has many uses and has been around for a very long time.

It comes into flower just as everything else around us is dying from frosts.

Such a cheerful yellow.

In the upper left you can see the brown seed pods. The seeds within them open up on a sunny day and shoot out for a great distance. Fun!

I broke a branch off one of the bushes to carry it back to the house so I could admire it. I’m hoping the seed pods open up and shoot.

I did all my walking and came back home with my pockets looking like this. Guess what’s in them?

trust me :: you’re lovely

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Shanda

It was a long weekend and this will be a long post full of photos!

First of all, the colors this weekend were stunning. We had plenty of sunshine, which made them seem even brighter.

We went to Target.

And the next morning Sarah was on a leash….

My Mom and Dad said “you have to watch the Great British Baking show” so I finally turned it on Saturday morning–we ended up watching four episodes throughout the day. It’s included on amazon prime. The first episode was “cake” and my little ones got VERY inspired.

They came up with this on their own after watching it with me.

Seth got points for rolling his up, just like the people did with their swiss rolls on the show. After I took the pictures they got out the whipped cream, too.

They spilled so many bright white sprinkle balls on the floor that the kitten started chasing them around.

Rich and I took four of the children to a corn maze. I think it was the first time that we took 2 boys and 2 girls with us anywhere, an even match-up.

Two girls

There was a playground in a deep bed of feed corn.

two boys

There was a hay bale maze for little ones to run through (or over the top which is what our kids did).

And fun places to take goofy picture of your kids.

We went through the corn maze but didn’t complete it 100% of the way…it got too confusing. I don’t think we stopped laughing though.

There was a “pillow” to bounce on.

Before we left, we each picked out a pumpkin.

After a while he asked someone else to pull the wagon because his “legs were too tired.”

We got to the car and he said that I forgot his jacket so Rich had to go find it. Then, while we were waiting he said he had to go to the bathroom so Grace had to go take him. It’s amazing what you remember when you have to sit still.

On Sunday Rich went to church and I took the little boys to their game. Caleb is number 54. Both teams won. It was a great morning to spend outside. Rich and Grace were able to join me after a while. Ethan dropped them off after church and went on home by himself (he drives now and it was great when I ran out of creamer for my coffee the other day and I could just throw him the car keys).

I could sit and stare at this picture forever:

My man and my girl.

As soon as we got home I didn’t go inside…..I wandered around in the gorgeous outdoors.

I love the faded pinkish red leaves in the background in this picture of glowing yellow.

And how the fall colors blend and mix and stand out. I see the brown and gray of tree bark, plus several different shades of red, orange, yellow, and green.

I call Sam my halloween cat. She followed me around, begging to get her fur stroked.

The Osprey was in our dead tree again and this time it had a fish. I was able to lay down in the grass under the branch it sat upon, which was way up high above me. The bird held the fish in its feet and lowered its head down to twist pieces off it to eat. The twisting action was a quick back and forth motion, similar to a person testing a doorknob to see if the door is locked. It was fascinating to watch this interesting bird.

But Rich wasn’t very pleased with it eating HIS fish from HIS pond.

But luckily, David ran over to look with us, and the two of them used my camera to zoom in on the fish. They decided that it wasn’t from our pond, it was a trout.

(I found Dave’s “life is good” t shirt at the thrift store for 25 cents!)

Kids played football together on Sunday afternoon, until Emily had to go to work.

On Monday, Seth put clips all over his face!

Rich had to work but everyone else had no school or work, so a trip to Salem, MA was planned.

Michael, Jacob, Zak, Grace, and Emily went for the day. This picture was taken before they left to go get Emily.

Ethan stayed home because he wanted to visit with his friend Tessa, also he had soccer practice.

The funniest thing happened while I was taking the picture of Tessa and Ethan. We were at the bottom of the hill and our house sits at the top. Sarah was playing with the pumpkins on the front steps and let one go….all we heard was her little voice “Here comes a pumpkin” and it rolled all the way down, off the dock, into kersplash! into the pond!

Caleb waded into the cold water to get it after it floated close enough to the edge.

Thank you Caleb!

Caleb pointed out these mushrooms to me.

I’m going to dig up this little pink-leaved bush to put in my flower garden. It’s growing at the edge of the woods. I love how the leaves turned dark pink for fall. It’s beautiful!

Last but not least, I took a this photo this morning while Seth read me his assigned 1st grade reading. It was a variation of “Jack and Jill” that made me die of laughter…,,,,