“It doesn’t matter where you go~

what you do, or how much you have~

it’s who you have beside you.”

My friend Joanna came for a visit this weekend.  We’ve been friends since college but rarely get to see each other and it’s been almost 10 years since we had a visit this long.  She arrived on Sunday and left this morning.  What a treat it was!

We had a wonderful time, drinking tea and coffee on the porch, talking almost nonstop, working in the kitchen together, enjoying the children, watching a movie while snuggling up in blankets on the couch, walking outside, admiring the chickens, looking at books and magazines.

How I thank God for my friendship with this dear girl.  We love each other, trust each other, and enjoy each other’s company.

We had really nice weather, too, which was something we were hoping and praying for. 

We played Pictionary with the kids…..

And we went on a picnic.  Joanna and I packed a couple baskets of food but kept things as simple as possible.  We took two tablecloths, a pile of small china plates, a platter of deviled eggs, leftover pizza wrapped in foil, and a container of cupcakes.

Then we gathered up the kids and set off on a little walk, to find a good spot for a picnic.

We brought frosting in a ziploc baggie, and I brought a little pair of scissors.  When it was time for dessert, I snipped a corner off the baggie and piped a generous swirl of frosting on top.  I brought a mixture of candies in a small canning jar and the children had fun decorating the tops of their cupcakes with their choice of candy.

This is my cupcake.  Imagine about 10 or more candies and that’s what the children’s creations looked like.

When we got home, I asked Caleb what his favorite part of the picnic was and he said, “those muffins!”.

“Aunt Joanna” was so good to the children and gave them lots of loving attention.  Caleb, in all his honest little boy friendliness, joined her in bed both mornings she was here.  None of the kids wanted her to leave this morning.  Jacob said, “I hope she comes back soon.”

It’s really special to see how God can use relationships to encourage us and show us His love.  I’ve learned so much about myself and about friendship from Joanna and all the many ways she’s encouraged me through the years. 

Like anything worthwhile, friendships take time and sacrifice.  It’s all worth it.  The rewards are a delight.  A longtime, faithful friend is as comfortable as an old shoe.  cozy blanket?  broken-in jeans?  sweatpants?  a hammock?  warm soup? 

(Speaking of soup, Joanna and I made soup together last night, for dinner.  Rich took the three older kids to their music lessons.  Seth was crawling around on the floor, and the little boys were playing in the kitchen sink.  Joanna and I stood side by side, each with our own cutting boards, and made a nice big pot of ham and potato soup.  It’s so fun to work in the kitchen with another woman.  We chopped and mixed and kept the little boys out of mischief.)

Joanna and I have been involved in each other’s lives from the very beginning of adulthood, through early marriage, having babies, raising children, and all those other dear, sweet moments of family living.  Over 10 years of growth and change, Joanna’s been there every step of the way, through letters, visits, talks on the phone, and in my heart.  My life now would not be the same if she was never a part of it.  Not at all.  She’s helped to make and shape who I am.

This visit was a dream come true.  It was so fun to show her my home, and have her see and experience the places and people I hold so dear.  (we went no where and did nothing/we stayed home and did everything)

And I’m so thankful for Rich’s support.  He loved that Joanna came to visit me and was sad for me this morning, when he knew she would have to leave and go home.  He did everything he could to allow me to enjoy my time with my friend.

Friendship is something I need in my life, and am so thankful to God for that gift.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:  the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:  The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.  Numbers 6:24-26

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:  for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.  Psalms 4:8

The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.  Psalms 29:11

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:  because he trusteth in thee.  Isaiah 26:3

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Jeremiah 29:11

….and have peace one with another.  Mark 9:50

Finally, bretheren, farewell.  Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.  11 Corinthians 13:11

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Romans 5:1 (this verse means a lot to me, I’ve been studying justification lately, what an amazing gift that is!  We believers have peace with God through Jesus!!  There is no need to fear condemnation any longer!)

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.  Romans 14:19

But the fruit of the Spirit…is peace…  Galatians 5:22

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.  Colossians 3:15

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.  The Lord be with you all.  11 Thessalonians 3:16

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.  James 3:18

A blessed and peaceful Sunday to you all!  Half of my children are sick with colds, (including baby Seth, with his first cold *he hates it when mama pinches his nose*) , we are home from church today. 

We woke up this morning to a hard frost, and Seth woke up with cold little hands.  It was a content feeling, to get him from his crib, and take him back to bed with me to warm him up.  He fell asleep in my arms and I looked at him, admiring his baby face, sleeping so peacefully.  The pictures here on my blog today are from this summer.  Watching my children sleep is one of my favorite parts of motherhood.

The trees are still beautiful today in New England, and now that the sun is up and the sky is clear, it is a beautiful view from my windows.

My beloved friend, Joanna, is traveling to visit me today and is staying until Tuesday, so I look forward to getting outside with her later on, to enjoy God’s handiwork.

In the meantime, I better go work on my ham dinner. 

Much love and peace to you all…..Shanda

First came the chickens (this summer)…and now, their new coop has arrived!  Rich and I were so excited when the workmen left and we could walk down and look at it. 

We ordered it ourselves, and picked this nice brown color for the siding.  We decided to buy a shed to use as a coop, so that someday, if the chicken-thing doesn’t work out or we end up not having them after a while, we will still be left with this beautiful building to use.

It has the double front door, three windows on one side, and the big pretty window over the door.  It’s tucked away in a sheltered corner.

I’ll be having window boxes put under the windows.  It will look so pretty when I decorate the boxes for the seasons.

Next is a picture of the inside.  We’re going to get a ladder so we can get up into the loft.  I can imagine the children hiding up there.  I already told them, “no toys allowed, only thinking”.  The whole family is excited about the chicken coop.

Later on, I laughed when I heard little four year old Caleb call it, “the chicken’s house poop.”  (he meant “coop”, not “poop”). . . . .

I can’t wait to make this a nice spot for the chickens AND myself.  It’s going to be FUN.  (Yes, I’ll be using Mary Jane Butters as my inspiration, have you read her books?)  I’m a farm girl!  I’ve been clipping pictures of “out buildings” from Country Living magazine for years.  And now I have one!  I’ve been wanting to have chickens for years, and now I have a flock of them!  God is so good to give me these small, yet meaningful, desires of my heart.

“I started using the word ‘farmgirl’ several years ago when I needed a more appropriate way to describe myself.  Farmer didn’t seem to fit someone who would bring home a six-dollar box of garage sale vintage wallpaper and cover her chicken coop walls with it.  And if that wasn’t farmgirl enough, my ‘ladies’ room’ wasn’t complete until I installed buttermilk-colored wainscoting and hung framed photos of chickens posing on a stool.  Farmgirl just sounded more playful to me.”~Mary Jane Butters

I’m going to decorate, and the first thing I’m going to do is hang curtains.  I’ll take pictures again when I’ve gotten things underway.

The chicken’s living quarters are behind this half wall.  They have a little door that they can go in and out of.

I’m attaching the link to a music CD that I recently bought for my ipod.  The children and I listen to it almost daily.  My favorite song on it is “See What a Morning”, but the whole album is a blessing.

The children are downstairs, cleaning the kitchen up after a pizza dinner and listening to it, that’s how I thought to share the link with you all.  We have music playing all the time.  It’s a big part of our home life. 

As a matter of fact, you know what?  This is so spur of the moment for me, but I would love to send the cd to someone.  If you’re interested in it, let me know in a comment or message and I’ll do a random drawing on Monday.

Click here and here (you can listen to clips of the songs, too) for more information about the cd. 

Happy Friday!

Love, Shanda

Grace and I made this slide show together, just for you.

Enjoy! 

We woke up to a down pour of rain.  I walked David to the bus under an umbrella, it was coming down so hard. 

After a while, the skies cleared and then it became windy.  Ethan was able to fly his kite and he got it to stay up, way up, in the sky.  I was so happy for him!

As Ethan was busy with his kite, I decided to do a little photo shoot with Seth. 

He sat just long enough for me to take this one picture.  You can already tell he’s thinking about running away.

I told him to sit still but he did not obey. 

So then he fell.

Thank goodness he was okay!  He just couldn’t see.

We decided to go to a safer place.

Ethan’s kite fell down out of the sky, and into the pond.  After a while, he came over to ask me if I wanted to go see the dead snapper turtle that he found yesterday.

How in the world could I resist such an invitation?

Off  I went for a walk with just Ethan and Seth.  Caleb was napping and the others were playing.  It was nice to spend time with just these two.  Ethan is a wonderfully loving big brother and adores Seth.

I’m so sorry I did not take a picture of the turtle.  You’ll just have to take my word for it….it was an utterly mangled turtle with a cracked top shell, a solid bottom shell, no body or head because something ate it (I hear turtle is a delicacy) and just two front legs, and a tail.  Ethan has a section of the top shell in his room now, as a keepsake.

We also came across a snake skin.

Ethan helped me carry Seth back home.  It was just a short walk, short and sweet.  I don’t know if there is a better smell than the woods and fields, after a rainy and windy morning.  It was fresh and clean.

This was just a small part of my full and busy day and I want to remember it.  I’m always thankful to spend times like this with the ones I love the most.

Thank you for all your sweet comments, congratulating us on our new baby!  Yes, he (or she) was conceived in Colorado, hence the title of the post, “my colorado baby”…..Rich and I were not planning on another child quite so soon, but now that it has happened we both agree that it just feels right.  We’re happy.  I did a pregnancy test here at home on Thursday and it was positive…I haven’t been to the doctor’s yet.  The children are happy but it took them about ten minutes to realized that “mommy is going to have a baby” means “mommy is pregnant NOW”…but, after they figured that out, Ethan started cheering and saying, “now we have to figure out what to name it!” and Jacob just sat on the kitchen counter looking at my stomach and saying, “wow.”  Grace asks me questions about when the baby will be born and how old Seth will be and things like that.  David was surprised and laughed said, “oh NO!” like any 7-year old boy would do if he already had a baby brother in the house, and Caleb just kept playing with his Thomas trains.

I am feeling great.  I have started walking every morning.  I’ve walked 6 days already.  We have a treadmill down in the basement, with a TV, so I watch the Martha Stewart show or something while I walk.  I try to walk at least 3 miles.  Today I walked 4.  (Seth was sleeping.  If he’s awake I put him in his playpen, in the room with me) I want to exercise because I am heavier now that I’ve ever been, starting out in a pregnancy, and I want to take care of myself.  Physically, I feel great.  Emotionally, I also feel great.  I know life is and will be hard at times, but right now I have lots of energy and I’m in a happy place (don’t you love happy places?). 

I still plan on continuing to nurse Seth (I’m nursing him as I type, and he’s humming).  I figure that any way I can burn extra calories while sitting down in a comfortable position is a good thing.  And, he still has absolutely no teeth.

Yes, most of us are hoping for a girl, but of course we will also be happy with another baby boy.

For now, Seth is my precious baby in arms, and I continue to delight in him so very much.

On October 2, he turned 8 months old, so I took these pictures to mark the day.

Rich fixed his tuft of hair with a tiny bit of hair gel for him the other day.  (He flattened it to his head.)

I made his bib, by the way.  I found a pattern this summer and made 3 of them with my sewing machine.  It was fun.  I made this red one out of one of Rich’s old shirts.

Seth crawls fast like a pro now, and pulls himself up anywhere.  He can now stand and watch his brother take a bath and get splashed.  He sleeps all night long and eats all kinds of food.  I mash up meals for him in my baby food grinder (one of those white plastic ones with the handle that you crank).  He loves spaghetti and beef stew.  He smiles a lot, and he has a habit of crinkling his eyes shut and then opening them, as he smiles…it’s like he’s winking at us, only he’s shutting both eyes instead of one.

He also likes to wrinkle his nose and sniff in and out, for fun.

He laughs really hard when David gets down on the floor and they crawl together, side by side.  It’s soooo cute!

I still love to take the time once in a while, to hold and snuggle him as he takes a catnap.

There is a lot going on in my life,

(like, for instance we lost our keys in Costco on Saturday and never did find them…..Rich had to get a ride back home from our brother in law to get the spare set *a 20 minute trip to Costco took 2 hours*.   Also, David has an ear infection but stayed home from school yesterday w/pink eye and missed his school pictures.  Two guys came today to measure my window for new curtains, and they had to walk over chickens and toys to get the front door. Yesterday a guy came to repair a scratch in my new bookcase, and he had to step over a dead mouse on his way to the door.  And then let me know about it (like it was news)when he came in!  I have a loving cat, and I’m used to his “gifts”.  Also, the chicken coop comes tomorrow……. etc……etc……)

and I’m thankful to God for getting me through each and every day!

I’m going to do a blog about my life as a chicken person very soon!  I can’t wait to show you my new little barn when it comes.  I’ll have to have Grace help me with that blog entry, she’s my assistant chicken person. 

Oh, and I’m working on a new pantry, too!  I can’t wait to post pictures of the shelves of canned goods, with more labels!

Stay tuned!

((HUGS))  Shanda

“When a child is born, an immortal soul is born.”

“To have the charge of children, to form their minds in their tender years, to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and at last present them to Him, enables us to say, ‘Here am I, and the children Thou hast given me’—-oh, what a blessing!”  ~quotes from Golden Thoughts of Mother, Home, and Heaven.

I’m more happy and thankful than words can say…….

To God be the glory, we have a new baby due in June!

I brought some of the pinecones home from my walk today.  I could not resist, and I wanted to show Rich and the kids.  The pine pitch stickiness looks just like white paint!  I thought they were stunning, especially after soaking in so much vibrant color in the leaves of the trees.  On the way to church this morning I reminded the children to be looking out their windows, to enjoy the fall colors.  Jacob said, “I think it’s so neat that in the summer all the trees have green leaves, but in the fall, they all have different colors.”  Isn’t our creator God awesome?  It’s almost like a surprise for us….we see the trees in the summer and have to wait, what will they look like in the fall?

When I got home from my walk, I went inside and found my first born boy with my baby boy.  So, I also share this picture with you….because I think the look on Seth’s face is squeezably cute.

Jake’s playing with silly putty. 

I’m currently reading Desiring God, by John Piper.  Our Sunday school class is using the book for our teaching time each week.  I copied down this quote the other day, “May the living God, who is the portion and rest of the saints, make these our carnal minds so spiritual, and our earthly hearts so heavenly, that loving Him, and delighting in Him, may be the work of our lives.”  ~ Richard Baxter 

One of the ways I delight in God, is walking and admiring His lovely world!

Have a wonderful night, dear friends!

I can’t remember why I got so upset that day.  It was about a month ago.  I had bought myself a label maker and had been wanting to use it, in order to get more organized.  I didn’t use it right away, I was waiting for just the right mood to strike me.  And then, one day, it happened.  The perfect mood.  Only, it was ugly.  I snapped.  All of a sudden, (maybe I was searching for something and couldn’t find it?) I just got mad at my kitchen.  I took the contents of the drawers in the photo, and threw away 95% of them.  Then, I used my label maker and labeled–There isn’t a single thing in these drawers that isn’t on the label.  I have many more drawers and cupboards to work on “someday”, but it’s amazing what a relief I feel, just looking at the ones that I organized.

I did this one other drawer, on the opposite side of the kitchen:

It makes me so happy to look in this drawer now.  I can’t tell you how many times in the past that I needed nail clippers and couldn’t find them!  And matches!  And my keys!

All this to say.

Because of my cleaning fit a month ago, I had to put large candles on Davy-do’s birthday cake this weekend.  ‘Cause, apparently, I threw away all the birthday candles that used to be in the drawer that now holds just coffee.

Oh yes, it looked a little funny, Davy’s birthday cake with the big candles.  But, you gotta do what you gotta do.  At least they weren’t votives.  And at least I had the right number of them. 

Happy Birthday, David!  (he turned 7 on September 27).

Ethan damaged all of our hearing when he all of a sudden let off a string of loud capshots as Davy blew out the candles.

Random photos:

Enjoying the autumn reds on my window sill;

I went inside to get my camera and when I came back, I found Seth with a pumpkin blossom clamped in his gums, I had to dig it out of his mouth with my finger;

I love zinnias, they are so pretty at this time of year;

Ethan, eating soup in a big bowl;

Ethan had a big day today.  He had been complaining of a *really itchy* bug bite on his wrist for a couple of days and today I noticed that it was swollen, with pink streaks going up his arm.  I took him to the doctor’s and he was put on antibiotics for an infection.  He has a small scratch on his wrist, but he doesn’t remember anything happening to it.  He thought it was a bug bite all along. 

While we were at the doctor’s, Ethan was dismayed to also get a flu shot.  He will be happy, though, when he’s the only one of the children who doesn’t get one, on Saturday.

I was thankful that I had put beef stew in the crock pot first thing this morning, because it made my afternoon of running around much less stressful. 

Seth, in all his cuteness;

Caleb has been working on his coloring book for months now.  Every time he finishes a coloring page, we mount it on a piece of pretty paper and put it in a scrapbook.  He is very proud of it.

I did a little Fall decorating;

I made this wooden trellis thingy so that I could train morning glory vines up it this summer.  I am here to report that it did not go well.  They were growing fine, but one day I looked out my kitchen window to see David walking away with my wooden trellis thingy over his head, with all the plants ripped up by their roots.

It’s moments like that when a little phrase comes in handy, “Oh Well”.  Rich was home, so he had a talk with David about being careful not to destroy Mama’s things on accident.  Grace felt bad and tried to replant the morning glories, but it didn’t work, they still died.  Oh well.

I do think it looks pretty with these Japanese Lantern blossoms hanging from it now. 

I went for a walk today.  It was chilly outside, but such a lovely fall day.  I wore a tanktop and a sweatshirt and was alternately hot and cold all day long.  That’s fall weather for you.

The leaves are looking so pretty.  I love the bark on the white birch trees.

This trail is right below our property and we walk here all the time.  You can actually see the roof of our garage in the picture.  The trail leads through state forest.

I fed my chickens a piece of raw corn on the cob this afternoon.  It was fun to watch them gobble it down.  I really love having a flock of chickens.

Caleb likes them, too.  This is a chick from the younger group.  He said this one was named Maria.  The chickens all have names, but I don’t know which one is which.  I have to ask the children.  Caleb had Maria in a cat carrier for a while today.

Happiness is hanging laundry on a fall day.  I could even smell wild concord grapes in the air!

Lean in real close and look at Jake.  He has braces now.  He got them put on yesterday and the poor poor boy is so bothered by them.  He is being incredibly brave but they are cutting into his lips and cheeks.  Please pray that his mouth will “toughen” up soon and that he will have relief.

Coming up—tooth extractions (6) and then the wires will be put in.  It’s hard to see him go through the suffering, but he really needed the braces, his mouth was way too overcrowded with teeth.

I let Ethan and Jake play for a little bit, but then stopped the “sword fight” in fear of Jacob being hit in the mouth.

I started a new journal.  I bought the notebook at Barnes and Noble.  I love the plain green paper cover.

And, for a little while today, I had the pleasure of curling up on my couch and looking through magazines for pretty pictures.  I glued some on the first 5 or 6 pages to decorate the notebook.  Then, for today, I added little notes, and a recipe.  (The beef stew that I made for dinner, which turned out excellent).

Tomorrow’s blank page, waiting to be filled;

And the next day’s page. 

I am thinking about Grace as I write in them.  I want to give them to her someday.

I got the idea from “Eyes of Wonder’s” blog.  She wrote a post about her journals (several posts, actually) and I pretty much copied her exactly.  But, that was what she was hoping, I think, to inspire others to try it for themselves.  I can’t wait to fill up the pages of my pretty book.

My favorite moment of the day?

Eating a bowl of hot, beef stew perfection out on the porch.  It was soooooo cold out, that I had to cover up with a thick comforter.  Cold air vs. Hot stew.

Davy came out to join me.  He brought his own blanket and snuggled into my shoulder.  We watched the sky and saw the moon, and some dark smoky clouds blow slowly by.  He begged me for chunks of meat and I fed some to him with my spoon.  We laughed together.  We were sitting there when Rich got home from work, and discovered us. 

I hope all you dear ones have a lovely night. 

Much much love, 

~Shanda

Rich arrived home last night at about 8pm.  Oh, I’m so glad to have him back, I feel much calmer and relaxed now.  (downright sleepy) We celebrated his homecoming with a scrumptious Boston Creme Pie around the dinner table.  We bowed our heads and prayed before we ate it.  It was the best pie ever, filled with real whipped cream, and purchased with love from my favorite bakery in Sturbridge, MA, and eaten all together as a family.

This morning the weather was lovely, so we all got ready and went out for our annual apple picking adventure.  This is the third year in a row!

Last year, I was just growing a belly, pregnant with Seth.  I was tickled pink to have him along this year, in our arms, and I kept laughing at his cuteness.

We loaded up on a wagon and went for a tractor ride, to the apple orchard.

I don’t pick the apples.  The bags are too small, and as it is, the five children get them filled up too quickly.  I just have the pleasure (challange) of taking pictures of them as they run around, finding all those red round treasures.  They wanted the smallest apples (for Seth), the biggest, and the reddest. 

Miss Grace Lillian;

Jacob Richard;

Davy-do;

We picked Macoun and I plan on making some applesauce and freezing it, along with some apple pies, apple cake, apple bread, apple muffins, apple dumplin’s, apple ice cream,

(just kidding)……I doubt I’ll be baking ALL those things.

Aunt Mary’s marvelous apple crisp WILL be made, however.  I posted the recipe last year, if you’re interested.  It’s incredibly good.

Sethie loved sucking on his own little apple (that Papa took some small bites out of, so he could get some nice flavor)…..

So very happy with my children all around me!

It was quite sunny.

Seth jawed on that apple for quite a while.  Some ladies noticed him and thought he was the cutest thing.

Back at the apple farm store/shop, Rich and I got in line with apple cider and bought two bags of wonderful, crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, cinnamon cider donuts!

The children waited outside at a picnic table, and when I returned, I found that Grace had done a good job eating her apple.  She didn’t waste a bit, because after I took the picture she decided to go ahead and eat the whole thing. 

Then, we ate our donuts.  When I took my first bite, I was overcome with joy and said, “This is so good I think I’m going to cry”……it doesn’t take much to make me happy.

I made donuts the other evening.  It was really easy.  You take canned biscuit dough, poke a hole in the middle, and fry them in hot oil.  Then, I dipped them in a glaze.  The children and I ate them warm.

I only ate one today, but Ethan, Jacob, David, and Caleb all ate two.

Rich and I (this is so romantic) are wearing matching jackets!!!  They were given to us on our trip last week!

When we left, I met a little kitten that lived in the house next door.  I wanted to take him home with me.

He was pouncing around, chasing the leaves that were blowing in the wind.

After our apple adventure, we went to Walmart because Davy-do had no pants.  Really, he was down to like one pair of churchpants and nothing else.  How did that happen?  I just realized this week as I was picking out his clothes every morning for school, that he had just shorts available.  Now that it’s getting so cool, I was trying to find him pants to wear but wasn’t coming up with anything.  I think I bought him about 7 pairs today, so he’s all set and I feel much better.

The boys bought cap guns at the store, and as I type, I can hear through the open window a loud and active war going on outside.  Whoops, yells, hollers, laughter, and gunshots.It all comes from watching “The Lone Ranger” for the first time recently.  Now they’re all inspired to shoot ’em up.

It’s a great day to be alive, a perfectly lovely fall day.

Rich is downstairs, sound asleep on our new couch.  And I’m going to go putter in the kitchen.  Time to make dinner (macaroni and cheese with hotdogs)……..

Lotsa love~ Shanda