I was surprised by how very cold it was.  Grace and I wanted to go for a walk in the freshly fallen snow on Sunday.  I had to send her back to the house to get more clothes on.  It was the wind that chilled us to the bone.

We had avoided the woods for over a month (during hunting season) because our woods are visited frequently by lots of hunters.  I had missed the woods, and it was satisfying to be out in them, again. 

There is nothing like leaning against a tree, solid and sure.  In fact, I sometimes hug them.

On this blustery day, the tops were swaying back and forth.  Trees do bend, more than I would think they could.  The wind was strong enough to make me wonder if I would get hit by fallen branches……

…..but the risk was well worth it, as the beauty of snow blowing through the air was deep-down lovely and good for the soul.

We came out into the open field.

And visited the half-frozen stream.

Snow was blown through my hair, which whipped and snapped around my face.  (I did so wish for a hat!)  The sun had NO warmth whatsoever.

There was so much beauty, my heart ached and I said, “Oh Grace, will YOU go for walks like this with your children when you’re grown?”

The words were just barely from my lips when she was saying “NO” quite emphatically.  “I will NOT take my children for walks in the winter.  In the summer, in the spring, in the fall, YES, but NOT the winter.  They will have to go for walks on their own.”

At home, we met up with Caleb, who was having fun in snow piles.

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I was weepy this morning.  Although all is well, I missed very much all the children and my husband.  Rich went back to work today and the children all left for school.  The house was missing them.  I was missing them.  I love to focus on Seth and Sarah, so I spent a little time re-evaluating our mornings and reminding myself of what we love to do; sing, dance, read books, clean, bath-times, and nature.

So I bundled them up after lunch for some fresh air.  I pulled them around in the yellow plastic sled.  I let Seth go sledding (he loved it), and we also played on the edge of the frozen pond.  Sarah was timid and needed encouragement to step onto the ice.  But Seth was ready for anything, and was soon slipping, sliding, spinning, and falling.

Bright, happy face.

Shadows

Sarah only fell once, very gently, onto her bottom.

It was enough to completely ruin her fun.  It was time for naps.

I asked Seth if he wanted hot chocolate and he said, NO, he wanted it warm.

Let me show you what I worked on last night at the table:

Paper stars!  I’m taping them on the windows and they are so pretty.

( PS.  I had a few friends ask about how to make the stars.  I bought a kit on sale at Barnes and Noble.

You use origami paper (cut it in fourths or eighths), fold, and glue.  You could probably find directions online, too. )

Today is the last lazy day of the Holiday season.  Jacob has his friend Erinn over today and we also had Kathy and the children visiting, too.  Despite a bout with the flu, we have still managed to have a fulfilling week of Christmasing.

Quite a bit of snow fell this weekend, and we bundled up Sarah this morning so she could experience it.  She had to wear an old pair of boots from her brother.

The ponds are almost frozen enough to walk on.  It is supposed to get as low as 12 degrees tonight, perhaps tomorrow we will skate.

Sarah played with Caleb, Seth, and the dog.  When they came in, she cried because her hands were cold.  I helped take off the snow clothes and then swept up the snow with the broom.

Jacob, Erinn, and Grace watched a show upstairs in Grace’s room.  There *may or may not* be a little love in the air.

Kathy’s children played outside with some of mine.  They had a snowball fight while we talked on the couch.

I love that Ethan called her to ask if they could come over….and she told him yes.  Kevin is getting tall, Emily is a beauty, Caitlyn had a short hair cut, and before they left, Tristan played me a beautiful piece on the piano, all memorized and just the most amazing song, perfectly played.  It was a gift to hear it.

Well, my friends, it is a New Year.  A fresh one, “with no mistakes in it, yet”.  (Anne Shirley)

There is so much to look forward to, so much learning and growing and enjoying. 

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.
~Martin Luther

“Family Happinesses”

so often the little unexpected moments are what make me reach for the camera…..funny, sweet, and all-good.  I love my family!

The flu made us all sleep twice as much as usual.  It made for some very cozy times.

Sarah sleeping on the couch.

Boys sleeping on the couch.

Handsome man sleeping in my bed.

One afternoon we could not find Caleb.  Rich finally found him….sleeping in the boy’s closet with the door shut!

Christmas Eve cinnamon rolls, before bed snack.

Caleb brought a slab of ice to the house so I could see it.

Seth looking through slab of ice.

David was so discusted by this bowl of chicken scraps.

I had cleaned out the fridge and gave the bowl of yuck to David to walk to the chicken coop.  I got a good chuckle out of it.

Caleb and Seth made Christmas pictures.

Caleb started making his own peanut butter and jelly sandwich and when he asked me to open the peanut butter jar I noticed all the JELLY he had used.  I scraped it off and measured it.  Apparently Caleb thinks 3/4 of a cup of strawberry jelly is the *just right* amount. 

I played with play dough with the little ones and made this dough man.

David staring at the tree and dreaming of Christmas.

Christmas day, 2012

When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses. 
~Joyce Brothers

Merry Merry Christmas!  What a wonderful day it is, to celebrate our amazing Savior’s birth!  Such a sweet baby boy, swaddled and placed gently in a manger lined with hay, tenderly cared for by His mother Mary.  How we love to imagine that moment when He entered our world.  He understands us, because in humanity He came as God, with so much love and compassion.

He understands that our human hearts can feel the love for Him now, but never fully, until that day when we are all gloriously changed and together with Him in Heaven.

Our lives are covered in His amazing grace, so that we can live fully, abundantly, in so much joy. 

Even in this yearly tradition, as families, we thoughtfully shower one another with GIFTS, we can never give anything so rich as the gift of God’s son, to us.

And our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude.

And oh, what joy to see freshly fallen snow on this sacred morning!

Each one of us was so happy to see it.   Our hearts longed to see snow on Christmas day.

 
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

I fed the chickens leftovers from our Christmas breakfast; blueberry pancakes and a couple of old bananas. 

I took Jacob a plate of food.  He was in the garage setting up the (newly gifted) cymbals to his (already owned) drum set.

I spent some time watching David demonstrate his new snowboard.

When I went inside, I was greeted by this warm scene;

We are all in various stages of the flu.  I am almost over it….still with a lingering cough and stuffy nose.  But Rich just started with it yesterday and Seth got worse, today.  Sarah got off the couch to play for the first time in days, today for Christmas.  And, dearest Grace, I believe she has only smiled once, and slept most of the day away in a feverish haze.

I drank tea from a yellow owl, thank you Hannah!~

Jacob completed his first architecture LEGO set; the White House.

David started his new book and said, “I can already tell this is going to be good.”

I snuggled a hot Seth on my lap and tasted my first-from-the-box truffle~

And Sarah played with a new puzzle.

Merry Christmas from me and my family, to you and yours!

I do so hope it is filled with joy and peace. 

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer
and more beautiful.  ~Norman Vincent Peale

 A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

(Doing a lot of snuggling as seven of us recover from THE FLU!!!)

(Seth and his friend Bethany, with some of the cookies we baked.)

It has been a busy morning.  Seth, Sarah, and I had to bundle up and go out in the drizzly rain to the store.  We had run out of both laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent.  While I was getting us ready, the phone rang and it was my friend Kathy.  We made quick plans for her to come over for a visit and bake cookies while our children played together.  I had enough time to go downtown to get my errands done. As soon as we got back, I put Seth in the bath to play (he had been begging me for a bath all morning).  After I got him settled, I listened to the answering machine and heard a message from the school nurse; Jacob was sick.  I ran into the bathroom and pulled a disappointed Seth right back out, made him get dressed, put coats back on everyone and out we went to get our sick boy from High School.

(There are police cars parked outside all the schools now.  It is for peace of mind and as a safety precaution.  Everyone’s nerves are on edge and I am sad to see the police there, I remind myself that they want to keep the children safe and that is a comfort.)

We got home from our dash to the school and a few minutes later our friends arrived.  Jacob got comfortable on the couch and I gave him blankets and medicines.

Kathy brought her favorite recipe for cherry dream cookies and we mixed up a quadruple batch, talking continually. 

After baking, we had time to sit, look at magazines, and talk some more.  We also exchanged Christmas gifts.  I gave her a sweater and she gave me a chunky (very cool) necklace with big green beads.  Kathy had to leave at one and I put Seth & Sarah down for naps.  They played hard all morning (including torturing the cat) so I know they are good and tired (and will maybe take a long one?).  I turned off the lights.  It’s a gloomy day outside; the glow of the Christmas tree, and the candle on the table are so pretty.  Jacob is sleeping on the couch after throwing up several times.   Yes, it appears the stomach bug has struck.    Soon Grace will be home from school and then, after another hour, David and Caleb will also be home.  Ethan has a basketball game today.  He sprained his ankle yesterday so we aren’t sure how much he will be able to play.

I smell like butter, flour, and almond extract.  I’m enjoying a cup of coffee.  Later on I’ll go downstairs and do my daily two miles on the treadmill.

I thought it would be fun to just sit and document the morning.  I’m in such a busy stage of life, with no idea of what each hour will bring. 

Happy Tuesday, friends!  ((((loves))))

Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening
to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.  ~Pooh’s Little
Instruction Book, inspired by A.A. Milne

My husband was in D.C. for three days last week.  Jacob and Grace had an all-nighter with youth group on Friday.  Saturday became a napping day for my tired family.  At one point, I counted four family members sleeping in the livingroom at the same time; three children on the couch and Rich on the floor. 

**************************

After a slow morning, we ate lunch, left Jacob and Grace sleeping, and went outside for a little fresh air.  It was cold and crisp.

David walked to the stream and found an Icicle Store where all the icicles were free.

Taking time out each day to relax and renew is essential to living well. ~Judith Hanson Lasater

Caleb went to icicle store, too.

Seth (three years old) wanted to take a picture of his mama.  It is a struggle for him to hold my camera and push the button at the same time.  This is the picture he took.

Sarah was in her crib, sleeping, Rich and Ethan were working on their four-wheeler trail, and I took the three little boys up to the field.  We were looking for pinecones and acorns to make into ornaments for the tree.

There was great joy from the boys when they discovered the “wheat”.  They wanted to make flour.  I told them it wasn’t wheat.  “What?  Not wheat? What is it then?”  David wouldn’t believe that it was ordinary grass, and finally decided that it was tobacco. 

They sat with me, we looked up at the sky.  I laughed when the tore off their shoes and socks and threw themselves down the hill to roll and roll.  My precious, happy children. 

We were still looking for nature treasures on our way home.  I found a frozen-solid puff mushroom.  When I pulled it up, I discovered diamonds underneath.  I tried it on and it fit! 

When we got home it was discovered that Caleb had left one sock behind in the field.

More and more of our hens are laying now.  Last night I counted 11 eggs on the kitchen counter, in the blue ceramic egg crate.

David wanted warm chocolate chip cookies so bad.  I take the cravings of a ten year old boy seriously.  Unfortunately, we had the eggs but no chocolate chips.  He had to make do with leftover fudge.

After our sugary snack, we slept. Everyone except Ethan.  Eight peacefully sleeping family members in the middle of the day, this, I believe, was a first. 

 On Sunday, our Pastor preached a comforting sermon, including some ideas on how to minister to the broken hearted.

1.  Accept the reality that life is not always easy, with many days of darkness.

2.  Accept the fact that there may not be any answers for whatever bad thing happened.   “The secret things belong to the Lord.”  Deut. 29:29

3.  Recognize our oneness with everybody.

“Show proper respect to everyone.”  1 Peter 2:17

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.”  Galatians 6:10

4.  Weep with those who weep.  Be sincere. 

5.  Love them.

Today my love is at work and the children are at school.  I am at home with Seth and Sarah.  I need to do some cleaning (I’ll make them help!) and during their naptime I’ll continue wrapping presents.  I also plan on finding the glitter and glue so we can make ornaments when the kids get home.

Have a wonderful day, friends.