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first friday picnic, baptism, and bible study at our place

Mat 18:20 “For wherever two or three people have come together in my name, I am there, right among them!”

We had about fifty people from our church family, and neighbors, come to our house on Friday for a church cook out, baptism, and Bible study. As the hostess, I was happily busy trying to make sure the little details of the night came together (with lots of help from friends), but still made sure to take some pictures. Rich and I hope to continue these “First Friday” (of the month) bible studies as much as we are able. This was our very first one.

(The picture up there ^^ was when Rich was giving general information and the prayer from the front porch)

We put the food on the kitchen island. My plan was to keep the meal simple, making sure that we had a good amount for the crowd. I made hamburgers (meat from Costco, mixed with plenty of salt and pepper, onion and garlic powder, finely chopped onion and red pepper). Rich grilled them on our new charcoal grill. We put hotdogs down at the fire pit for people to roast. We also served tossed salad and chips, a bowl of olives, and whatever else people brought to share (potato salad, quinoa salad, coleslaw, fruit, etc). Our guests provided the drink and dessert.

PICTURES:

Our son Jacob, with his “second parents” Chris and Caroline who live just a few miles from us. They have two teenagers who have grown up with my older kids.

Anna and her friend.

Anna’s (family) dog

Six children on the plane; there were kids swarming everywhere. These church gatherings are great for them, because they can run wild.

Boys on trampoline.

dear sweet Shannon ~

David’s best friend from school came with his parents. Dave thought he would be funny and photobomb this one.

Ryan spent the night.

Alex and Jacob

Alex and his wife Sara

We were all down at the pond getting ready for the baptism when I took these.

crazy teenage boys (except Michael; not a teenage boy, still crazy though)

Allie, with my daughter Grace, Alysha, and baby Asher

Shannon, Sue, Naomi (whose daughter was baptized), and Bev

Lydia, Barb, Tina, and Fran

Hope and her baby girl

They set up the sound system on the dock and we sang hymns along with John’s fabulous guitar playing.

During one hymn I ran up to the house to get Vanessa a juice box and took this picture on the way back.

Gary in the pond, with Stacia, who gave a lovely testimony of her salvation.

We were all so happy to share in Stacia’s special night.

Rich gave a bible study down on the patio (I was on the porch looking down)….

I stayed in the house to help watch babies and after the study was over the house filled back up again. People ate dessert and visited while the children (and some of us adults, too) tried their best to hear The Lego Movie playing on TV. The night ended about about 10. Rich and I were wide awake from the excitement of the night so we buzzed around cleaning up the house together, and Jacob took this picture of us.

It ended up being one of those nights that we stayed up talking until after midnight. It was a great.

Thank you to all who came out, and hope to see you (and more) next time!

at home, outdoors

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In him
we live
and move
and have our being.

Acts 17:28

Good morning friends, a beautiful day has dawned bright and fair. I am putting my feet up after cleaning the kitchen. This morning I made a pancake breakfast for David, Caleb, Seth, and Sarah Joy. David said, as he ate his second big ‘cake, that I made The Best Pancakes and I said, “I used your Grandma’s recipe, you know”.

(Thanks, mama.)

There are candles flickering yellow, and the dishwasher is humming.

Little Seth is climbing up into the recliner to snuggle up close.

Today Grace has a follow up appointment for her fractured finger, and this afternoon the boys have dentist appointments, so I thought I would use some time this morning to post some pictures from the weekend (and yesterday)….these early summer days are utterly inspiring with their beauty. It’s so good to be outdoors with the trees, flowers, and grasses turning brilliant green.

I draped the camera with a kitchen towel to take a picture of the children’s melting chalk drawings, in a pouring rain, the colors swirled and Sarah was sad.

joys of childhood (watching with a mama’s heart, content)

playing jacks (with fresh, new chalk drawings)

an old wooden crate planted to bachelor buttons~

David was silently mouthing “help” to me. He is at the age when any display of affection toward himself is embarrassing.

Jacob and Ethan

muffin lunch

under the pine trees

I was thrilled to discover this pink flowering bush hiding behind the other trees down at the pond. It is about 10 feet tall and must have bloomed every summer since we moved here without me ever noticing…….(how?)…..a happy surprise.

I recognized the blossoms from Grandma’s garden but looked it up in a flower book just to be sure; it’s a PINXTER FLOWER; pink azalea

“This much-branched shrub is especially showy in flower. It is relatively tolerant of dry sites and can be transplanted into wild shrub gardens.”

Jack-in-the-pulpit, or Indian Turnip

These aremgrowing in the forest. I’ve always been amused by them, probably because they have such a personality as preacher-men.

See? Here is “Jack” in his pulpit. Is anyone listening? All the other flowers in the forest, perhaps?

“Because of needle-like calcium oxalate crystals and perhaps other acrid substances in the swollen, underground stem, it is peppery to the taste and causes a strong burning reaction if eaten raw; this unpleasant property can be eliminated by cooking. Native Americans gathered the fleshy corms for food.”

This was growing up straight and tall in the middle of a group of ferns. When I touched it I was surprised by how dry and “scrubby” it felt.

Seth has been spending a lot of time silently walking around and around the ponds, trying to catch bull frogs. When he caught this one he brought it to show us, holding it high over his head with a grin and yelling, “Praise the Lord!”

God smiles.

Millions of toad tadpoles in our pond.

My beautiful son all tired out from the very best of activities; running wild in the great outdoors.

Our window-shelf of nature books.

“I wonder if anything will be–can be–any more beautiful than this,” murmured Anne, looking around her with the loving, enraptured eyes of those to whom “home” must always be the loveliest spot in the world, no matter what fairer lands may lie under alien stars.” Anne of the Island, LM Montgomery

Have a wonderful day, my friends. Look around you at all the interesting things in this world, there is much to see.

You are loved.

{this moment} snake

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A friday ritual….a single photo…..no words…..capturing a moment of the week….

{this moment} two cats & a girlie

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{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.

{this moment} new driver

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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. ~inspired by soulemama

…….

The look on his face right after he passed his (2nd) permit test. *photo by his Dad

{this moment}

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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.

{this moment}

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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.

inspired by soulemama

good to be home

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A Simply Lovely Life

Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. 1 Corinthians 7;17

***

It’s easy to be losing patience with the end of winter here in the North, where the ground is frozen and the snow is rock-hard. The little ones are finding even more creative things to do around the house, for example, squirreling into the drop ceiling downstairs (!) like common mice.

The desire of my heart is to settle in, and content myself with my HOME, and what it means to me, to all of us, to be here day after day, my purpose, my life, my all, my joy.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

We are in the world, but not of it, because everything we do is sacred, with Jesus in our heart and soul. It’s not about me, it’s about God.

Flipping pancakes with blueberries, serving them up with real butter and Grandpa’s maple syrup from New York (place of my childhood).

Listening to Seth say, “You should make pancakes on every tomorrow.”

Satisfaction in trying to make them the very best I can, even if one tears in half when I go to flip it. The children love them, and the dog gets a leftover *if there are any*.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15, 16

Sunshine through a ready bowl of apples. Nurturing the family with crisp and juicy fruit. I’ll even peel it or slice it for you.

Thankful for the fresh eggs of our flock of hens, who are beginning to lay as they should (a sign of spring). Brown and sage.

My Mom taught me to keep my roses even after they dried, to use in simple rose garlands.

It only takes about five minutes to snip the pretty flowers off their stems and string them on a piece of thread with a needle, for a garland.

Homekeeping can seem like such a solitary life but He is always with us.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

The comfort of His daily bread.

The beauty of a daughter.

The silliness of a daughter.

My friend Barb makes her own baskets but ours are from Target. Wouldn’t it be fun to make one?

I adore gray and pink together, and I still remember my Grandma telling me that she did, too.

Saying “yes” to fancy dress because life is short and little girls grow too fast.

Legos all over the house.

Snickerdoodles, a cookie I’ve made my whole life beginning with Aunt Colleen in Grandma’s kitchen, and just lately, in my own kitchen.

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

2 3/4 cups flour

****

mix in small bowl:

1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs together till smooth. Mix in dry ingredients. From into 1 inch balls. Dip into sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place onto ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Oh they are so good. So good.

Sarah said, “Can I have a kitty? I mean, a cookie?”

Be on the look out for end of season sales. I bought two Valentine placemats from Pottery Barn kids for next to nothing.

(Surrounding them with beautiful things.) Feathering the nest.

A sweet place to play.

A little glass pig on the kitchen windowsill.

My little rose garland (they can be extended easily with future rose bouquets) and the Dottie Angel wire heart decoration that I made myself this year for Valentine’s day.

I used things from my own stash of pretty (scroll down if you click) and I love how it turned out. All starting with a wire hanger, don’t you know. LOL

These are the Chocolate Crinkle cookies I made yesterday for the children as they watched Frozen together on the couch. The recipe is from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion cookbook that I got for my birthday. They turned out great, in fact, there are only 2 left.

Sarah! Is writing her name now! I just can’t stand it.

And my Seth. They learned about Blind Bartimaeus yesterday in Community Bible Study.

Look:

Isn’t that the dearest thing? You lift his “blind face” to see his new one, with healed eyes. There is no doubt that THOSE eyes can see! 🙂

Praise God.

Last night, small Sarah fell asleep so softly with her head on my arm as her Dad read to us all from our #1 family favorite book:

Last night we read about the Wanton woman, and Mr. Talkative.

We never heard about Mrs. Wanton in “Little Pilgrims Progress” so we were kinda like, bug eyed, but Rich said “Apparently someone in this room needs to hear this.” All boys do, right? Look out for Mrs. Wanton! Don’t follow her enticing ways.

And Mr. Talkative does the talking but not the actual living a life of grace. “I have heard that you are a man whose religion consists only in words and that your everyday life contradicts what you say.” Oh, there is a lesson in that as well.

*****

Thankful for:

Grace brushing my hair last night.
Seth’s hug that was more like a tackle around the legs. (He almost took me down with it!)
Sunshine pouring through the windows as I type.
The beautiful mess of a busy household.
The laughter of teen age boys.

sisters at the spa

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“Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other.” Carol Saline

“And I felt closer to you. Because you knew me so much better than I’d realized – and still loved me.” Rosamund Lupton

***

Amanda has had a challenging winter season this year. She and her husband have three children and all five of them have been getting sick on and off, together and/or separately for months. They just got over the latest stomach bug and Amanda was feeling very anxious from the stress of it all. She decided to go to the spa but she didn’t want to go alone. Who did she call? Her awesome sister, of course, and her awesome sister said “yes” right away.

We are all pretty awesome so don’t you think it’s time to take a trip to the nearest spa for some TLC?

When you get there, they will give you a cozy robe and some rubber slippers. They will give you a locker, and you can immediately change into your bathing suit and put on your robe. Then, you will sit in a relaxation room and sip water or juice while you wait for your name to be called. When your name is called, you take a quick trip to the bathroom and then follow your lady to the salt treatment room. It’s dark and peaceful in there. You take off your suit and slide between warm towels and the lady rubs your skin with delicious salts. A ceiling shower is moved over you and all the salt is rinsed away under a drenching shower while you think, “I could stay under here for hours……..” You are gently dried and left to rest and then put your robe back on. It feels so good to be pampered and cared for.

Next, you are taken to another dimly lit room, for a one hour massage. And even if you think that a massage is just not your thing, you will enjoy it. The tension is worked out of every muscle as the pretty music plays softly and a waterfall trickles nearby. The lady won’t talk to you, except to give simple instructions. You don’t have to talk, you don’t even have to open your eyes. Most of the time they are covered with a warm towel, anyway. You turn your mind off and rest and breathe.

When the massage is over, you are warm and feel as if every limb is heavy. You look as relaxed as if you just woke up from a 10 hour deep sleep. Your skin is completely moisturized. You forget that your family was sick this winter and that you spent way too much time cleaning up those messes while trying to be a most excellent mama, and wife, and also work full time for the Eye Doctor.

You feel like yourself again.

You have time to eat lunch and read by the pool while you wait for your pedicure. You have fast conversations with your sister in whispers. You close your eyes for a little cat nap.

You go in the whirlpool, and the steam room. You take a hot shower (with multiple heads) and dry off with a warm towel. Oh, it’s bliss.

After your pedicure, you sit and wait for the toes to dry.

While admiring the sunset.

You are relaxed for the first time in a while, and are ready to face your responsibilities again.

Isn’t a day at the spa worth a little time and money?

We think so!

frozen

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I took these photographs last weekend, in the early morning. The sun was on it’s way up and shining through the woods. I glanced out the window, and glanced again. Everything was sparkling and glitter, from the tree tops to the snow on the ground. I had to get out–I put my snow stuff on and tromped into the bitter air, carrying my camera. Branches were covered with an icy frost and as I got closer, the details were stunning. The stream was beautifully ice-covered, and then I saw tracks and someone’s house. Are you a rabbit? It’s nice to know we have animal neighbors.

“All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived; and still, as he lived, he wondered.” The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame