hands

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Shanda

I snapped these frosty photos the other day. Down at the edge of the pond the grass and leaves had beautiful long lashes of frost.

Guess what our little artist, Sarah, has been doing these days?

The first time she tried tracing her own hand I told her it looked like the hand of a monster. I did most of the tracing but eventually I became reluctant about stopping my own projects to trace *yet another hand* for her, so she decided it was more time-efficient to do it herself.

‘Mom! I did it! And it doesn’t look like a Monster-hand!”

(it doesn’t?)

I taught her how to draw pretty jewelry, and fingernails, too.

This one doesn’t have fingernails. But it does have a ring on each finger.

All that is required is paper and colored pens/crayons. It kept Sarah busy for a long time and it gave her lots of practice with tracing, drawing, and designing.

lady-bugs

I traced two sets of hands on some of the pages, trying to save time and paper.

As you may have noticed, Billy-Cat came over to see what I was photographing.

He communicated to me that it was a much nicer idea to photograph a handsome cat.

*lick-lick making myself ready for my portrait*

*wait, let me pose first*

*this is my best pose*

*how’d it turn out?*

I have happy cats because Sarah and I went to the grocery store to buy them food. They ran out yesterday and had to gag down dog food. All four of them have full tummies and are in various places in the house, sleeping it off.

This is what our mantel looks like right now. Jacob did the painting. I love how the red in it matches the mushrooms. Grace and Dave went for a walk and brought me the piece of wood (to the left of the painting, it’s the same color as the rocks so hard to see), they called it an octopus and plan painting it purple (I admit it would be easier to see). My felt mushrooms are from the Masonville General Store in NY. I pulled up some greenery from the woods and added artificial flowers along the mantel, too. The “give thanks” banner is from Pottery Barn (last year). I love how if you take the “e” off the end of “give” and then next four letters from “thanks”, it spells my son Ethan’s name. Sometimes I move those letters to the middle just for fun.

fiestaware in the sunshine

Tonight, I’m making meatloaf for dinner, with spinach and mashed potatoes.

I’ve shared Sarah’s hands and now I will share her song:

Won’t you give her a hand?

villainous

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Shanda

(David, photo by Joanna)

About a year ago Caleb, who loves to read, was reading the book Super over and over. He even took it upon himself to read the first chapter out loud to me, firmly believing his mom would like it as much as he did. He was so cute with his book that I took his picture with it.

Last week I came across that old picture and I thought, “Hmmmm, I wonder if the author has come out with a new book in this series?” I went on amazon and sure enough, there was a new book. Imagining Caleb’s delight, I promptly ordered it and waited to surprise him.

It arrived a few days later, and because we got the mail late in the evening, everyone was home and in the room watching as I asked Caleb to open the cardboard shipping box containing the new book. He was absolutely thrilled when he realized what it was.

But, someone else in the room was squinting his eyes in irritation. “MOM! Why did you give it to HIM? I was the one who read those books FIRST! HE only read them because of MEEEEEEEE!” The irritated person was David.

I assured him that the book was for him, too, but that it just so happened that I gave it to Caleb to read first. He stomped around, totally unsatisfied with my answer and convinced that life was unfair. “No one liked him.”

That night we sent the children to bed at the typical time.

But the next morning David had to be awakened by his sister from a sound, snoring sleep, at 12:45pm.

He stumbled with swollen eyes into the living room where Caleb was curled up on the couch with the wonderful new book.

“DAVE! What happened to you?” I asked, “Why did you sleep so long this morning? Are you sick?”

“I stayed up reading Caleb’s book. He told me I could read the first chapter but I read the entire thing.”

Now it was Caleb’s turn to cry. His heart was broken because he had given permission to David to read ONE chapter and he “read the whole thing”(320 pages!)……and HE himself “wanted to read it FIRST!”

It was one of those moments when I wasn’t sure if I should have a heart to heart talk with David about respecting not only your brother’s personal possessions but also his *personal privileges*, OR laugh and tell Caleb to never mind, it was all his now.

The name of the book was Villainous.

{this moment}

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Shanda

{this moment} ~ 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. CSC_2096 admiring the first snow of the winter
6:30 am

quotes about love with pictures of the kids

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Shanda

“Our days are happier when we give people a piece of our heart instead of a piece of our mind.” anonymous

Sarah is outside. She saw the frost on the grass and asked for boots. I keep looking out the door to check on her, in fact I just sat down after leaning outside and calling her name. “I’m right here,” she answered in her little girl voice. “Okay! What are you doing?” “I’m tasting frozen stuff,” she replied while taking long licks from a bark-less stick. “Tastes like sugar! Wanna taste?”

We are thankful that we don’t have to go anywhere today. On Monday, we took Caleb to his Doctor’s check up. On Tuesday, I took David to an orthodontist appointment. He will be getting braces soon. Yesterday, we went to Community Bible Study for the day. Tomorrow we are serving Rich’s team a lunch here at home and going to the hair salon. But today? Today is gloriously free. I like being busy, but I like having mornings in my pj’s, too, tip tapping on the old keyboard, saying hello to anyone who may stop by here today……..

Veteren’s Day was Tuesday and the children were home from school. In the afternoon, I took my camera outside.

I recently read a wonderful book titled, The Greatest Thing in the World, by Henry Drummond. It was a book from our bookshelf, but it’s also a free book on the kindle. I underlined quite a lot of quotes that I wanted to share with pretty pictures. (pretty pictures that capture moments, not an entire day, we were not without a few ugly moments, too, but all in all the day was a wonderful one…..I love having all the children home).

“Have you ever noticed how much of Christ’s life was spent
in doing kind things–in merely doing kind things? Run over it with
that in view and you will find that He spent a great proportion of His time simply in making
people happy, in doing good turns to people.”

****

“Where Love is, God is. He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth
in God. God is love. Therefore love. Without distinction,
without calculation, without procrastination, love.”

“The most obvious lesson in Christ’s teaching is that
there is not happiness in having and getting anything,
but only in giving.”

“It is better not to live
than not to love.”
(Luke 17:2)

Do not grudge the hand that is moulding the still too shapeless image
within you. It is growing more beautiful though you see it not, and
every touch of temptation may add to its perfection.
Therefore keep in the midst of life.
Do not isolate yourself.
Be among men, and among things, and among troubles,
and difficulties, and obstacles.”

“Talent develops itself in solitude, character in the stream of life.”

“We love Him; we love all men. We cannot help it. Because
He loved us, we love; we love everybody.
Contemplate the love of Christ, and you will love.
Stand before that mirror, reflect Christ’s character,
and you will be changed into the same image from tenderness to tenderness.”

“Now abideth faith, hope, love, but the greatest of these is love.”

“You will give yourselves to many things, give yourselves first to love.”

“You will find as you look back upon your life
that the moments that stand out,
the moments when you have really lived,
are the moments when you have done things
in a spirit of love.”

“The test of religion, the final test of religion,
is not religiousness, but Love….not what I have done,
not what I have believed, not what I have achieved,
but how I have discharged the common charities of life.”
(yes!)

***

It’s taken me hours to write this. Sarah came inside and we read some library books together. Now she is in the bath. I’m sitting cross legged on the closed toilet watching her play. Grace’s rabbit is in the bathroom with us enjoying some time out of her cage. She keeps trying to arrange a towel into a nest with her front paws and teeth.

The sun is shining and soon Sarah’s frost will be melted away.

and they also went to Brussels

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Shanda

(The Atomium)

(The Grand-Place)

(Manneke Pis)

The World is a book,
and those who do not travel
read only a page.
~St. Augustine

Dave and Maria went on a high speed train from France to Brussels, Belgium. They spent the day wandering about, and exploring. They ate waffles and chocolate. In the evening, the buildings lit up and glowed like stars.

*****

dave and maria went to paris

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Shanda

(music for listening!)

Hello, dear friends! It’s about 55 degrees here with sunshine….I should be outside, but after a busy weekend and busy morning I am perfectly content to be in comfy clothes (baggy sweater, yoga pants, socks), inside my cozy living room, with curled up sleeping cats on the couch with me. It’s quiet! Sarah is napping.

I had a nice chat with my brother Dave this afternoon. He and his wife Maria recently returned from two weeks in Paris. He had promised to share pictures with me and he’s already sent me over one hundred digital photos….I looked at them all several times….feeling sort of, envious, but mostly heart-happy to have world travelers in the family. Can a mom of seven be a world traveler at this point? No. But I can live vicariously through Dave and Maria. They had such a good time, I love the photos, and Dave said I could share them here with you. Enjoy!

*****

Notre Dame Cathedral

The Louvre Palace and the Pyramid

He said the Mona Lisa is still attracting people like a rock star. They got up to it, took a couple quick pictures and then continued on…….

so fun

Catacombs of Paris, very sad place indeed.

the majestic Versailles::

Marie Antoinette’s bedroom:

my personal favorite picture of Dave:

and favorite picture of Maria:

The Sarcophagus of Napoleon Bonaparte::

Rodin Museum; The Thinker Statue

The Thinker statue

more wonderful art

onion soup! Dave said he had it (his favorite) about 6 times…..delicious, outside by the street, with a bottle of wine in an ice bucket and his beautiful wife, how can life get better in a moment like this?

black cat in a cemetery

Thanks to all the miles and miles of walking he said he didn’t gain any weight even with so many Paris treats.

(this is where I was envious)…..fabulous bookstore “Shakespeare and Company” !!!!! ^^

Tomorrow I will share their pictures from Belgium. xo

PLEASE FORGIVE any errors in this post, I am not a *City of Paris expert* and I quickly googled information to go with Dave’s fabulous photography.

Have you been to Paris?

PS. Thia, I wrote you back (and mailed) today!

and, Joanne, I received your letter! thank you!

how I go to the woods, by Mary Oliver

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Shanda

Ordinarily I go to the woods alone, with not a single friend,
for they are all smilers and talkers and therefore unsuitable.

I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds
or hugging the old black oak tree.
I have my way of praying, as you no doubt have yours.

Besides, when I am alone I can become invisible.
I can sit on the top of a dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds,
until the foxes run by unconcerned.

I can hear the almost unbearable sound of the roses singing.

If you have ever gone to the woods with me,
I must love you very much.

fifteen

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Shanda

Grace had a birthday yesterday. She turned 15 and woke up early to hug her Dad before he went to work. None of the children had school yesterday which was a treat for her….to have the day to celebrate. Just after 9a.m. her big brothers finally woke up and she could open her stack of gifts that Seth and Sarah had helped me wrap.

She received a candle, three fabric mesh bags for treasures, a book on nail polish styles, socks, a sketch pad, an art book, and a necklace.

Then we sat around trying to figure out what to do. She wanted me to take her shopping so we decided Jacob and Ethan would stay home with Seth, David, and Caleb. Grace and I took Sarah and picked up Aunt Cassandra on the way to the mall. It was a beautiful day. After our day of ice we had a day of 65 degrees. Grace sketched in her new sketch pad and played tunes for us, as we drove along.

We ate a nice lunch at California Pizza Kitchen.

Sarah needed to use the bathroom and I surprised Grace by asking her (even though it was her birthday) to take her little sister to the restroom. While she was gone I took the opportunity to flag down our waiter (whom Grace was in love with) and order her a piece of chocolate cake for her birthday. The girlies came back and after a while, Grace was surprised with a piece of heavenly cake with ice cream on top, placed in front of her by the charming waiter.

When it was just the four of us again she asked, “How did he know it was my birthday? Did you tell him or did he overhear something?”

There were four long handled spoons so we could share and it was DIVINE. Cassandra only had one bite because she has been overindulging in leftover Halloween candy.

Grace bought herself a new ring and a belt with her birthday money and Aunt Cassandra bought her some thick comfy socks from GAP (Grace has a thing for nice socks).

We left the mall way too soon because the boys needed to be taken to practice and Grace needed to go to Drama rehearsal. Before we left the house for practices, I took a few “Look Who’s Fifteen Now” pictures to document her special day.

Aunt Cassandra helped me with the children at the playground so I could get my Bible study lesson done and then we headed home so I could start dinner and make some phone calls. I picked up the boys at 5:30 while the rest of the family watched Tangled with Aunt Cassandra. Back home again (busy day), I finished Grace’s special requested dinner, chicken Alfredo. Uncle Isaac arrived and Rich picked up Grace at 7:30. We were all singing a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday by 8pm.

It was a Reese’s peanut butter ice cream cake.

*****

A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer. ~Author Unknown

Grace is an adorable, well adjusted 15 year old teenager who loves school, family & friends, sign language, reading, her pets, Jesus, singing & drama. She is a responsible and capable teacher’s assistant to her beloved chorus and drama teacher. She is in Honors English. She knows what she believes and she is not afraid to share her beliefs in a loving, respectful way. She has her tough days but has good friends to talk to. She is very loving and likes to give out hugs. She hates to see people she loves hurting and would do anything to help them. She likes texting, pinterest, and instagram (at home on the iPad). She is a jeans and cute/casual top, with sneakers or UGGS kind of girl. She has lovely long hair and pretty brown eyes.

I am thankful to have a daughter GRACE LILLIAN, watching her grow is a blessing and a joy.

She said when her Dad hugged her the morning of her birthday he called her a little girl about five times. She understood what he didn’t say, “I don’t want you to grow up too soon.”

three days in

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Shanda

It’s November 3rd and on my way back from the chicken coop I saw the first ice. It was on the patio in a plastic slide and I sighed because they were in school and would miss it. The first ice (and first snow) has always been so exciting for them. I made my way back into the house, ran Sarah her bath, cleaned her all up, dressed her, did some laundry and cleaning, and …… Sarah went outside to get a cat and discovered the ice all on her own. She giggled with joy and promptly ran inside to get socks, boots, coat, scarf, and mittens so she could COMPLETELY and THOROUGHLY enjoy it. She ate it, skated on it, insisted on sharing some with me (to eat), and because it was melting and her siblings were not at home, we bagged them each a piece. It’s waiting in the “white frozen refrigerator” (her words) for them as a surprise for later.

Despite freezing temperatures, there is still plenty of beautiful green parsley in the garden.

Seth is learning how to read and write by leaps and bounds in Kindergarten.

We just wish he would restrict himself to paper to practice on. He’s getting better about it now.

This artwork was done by Sarah Joy.

PUMPKIN COOKIES

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup nuts (I didn’t add nuts)
1 cup chocolate chip (I used peanut butter chips)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, shortening and egg. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together; add to pumpkin mixture alternately with baking powder, dissolved in milk. (I did not do this, I just mixed the wets and then added all the dry and mixed with the KitchenAid). Add vanilla and chocolate chips. Drop on greased cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.

This recipe is from a 1972 Pennsylvania State Grange cookbook. If you happen to have the same one, it’s on page 239. The cookies are a moist cake-like texture. I made them on Saturday and they are still fresh in a big ziplock bag on the counter. Unfortunately, the children don’t seem to like them……..I have to walk around and hand them out to get them consumed.

{this moment}

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Shanda

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.