Frozen ...

When Mike went out the back door this morning to start his truck (yes, to warm it up because that's how we do when it's freezing cold outside!), the door sounded terrible.  When he came back inside I said, "Boy, it sounds like everything is frozen outside."  He smiled and said, "Because it is!!!" 

Seriously, it's been years since we had such a freezing cold winter!  We've had snow on the ground for weeks.  It seems that when it does finally get all melted away, we get another fresh coat!  I'm not complaining here!!!  I'm just thinking that Spring will bring a new appreciation in my life!!!  When we start thinking that 30 degrees outside is warmer ... you know the tempts have been below normal!

Going with the "frozen" theme ... I decided to do a fun little craft with my Sunday School class this past Sunday.  It ended up just being one girl in class, but we still had a good time!  I found the idea online and it's so easy that you can do it with your kids!  We made our craft and talked about the uniqueness of each person.  Everyone being different and special in God's eye!!!  Just like each snowflake is different.

"Borax Crystal Snowflakes" ...

Take a 12 inch pipe cleaner and cut it into three 4 inch pieces.  Make a six-pointed snowflake and twist the center to keep it from coming apart.  Make a small lope at the end on one point on the snowflake.  Stick a small piece of wire through the lope and secure the wire so that the snowflake hangs on it.  Then twist the other end of the wire around a pencil/popsicle stick.  Add 9 TB. of Borax Laundry Soup to 1 Qt. container and dissolve completely in 3 cups of very hot water!  Submerge the pipe cleaner snowflake in the borax solution, resting the pencil across the mouth of the container.  You want the whole snowflake to be completely covered in the solution but not touching the sides or bottom of the container.  (You may need to trim the edges to keep it from touching.)  Cover the top of your container with a napkin to keep dust out of it and let it set, undisturbed, for 8 hours.  As it soaks, the Borax solution will 'grow' on your pipe cleaner and make a pretty snowflake crystal!  After eight hours, pull out the snowflake and dry it on a paper towel.  I cut the wire off and added some white thread to hang my cool snowflake!!!  Have fun!!!

The final project looks like rock candy.  Don't eat it though!  It's not safe for mouths!

You can try colored pipe cleaners too.  I did a blue one and it turned out pretty too!!!

The frozen things outside will be cold for a few more months.  Then Spring will come and the ground will begin to warm up!!!  I can't wait!!!

Stay warm!  Stay indoors!  Don't get frozen!

It's a celebration of 13 years!!!!

I have been married for 13 years to the man of my dreams.  That doesn't mean we are perfect ... but we do make the perfect fit together.  That doesn't mean we never have disagreements ... it just means we talk and solve things out together.  It also doesn't mean that we've never had rough, tough or times of hardships ... no, it means that through the years we got to know each other better.  Keep giving each other space to grow.  Grow more and more in love with each other. 

God gets all the glory for this match up between us.  Mike grew up an Amish boy.  A boy that went to a one room school house.  One that broke so many windows from throwing balls against his parents barn.  One that loved his family and still does very much!!!  He grew up working for his parents at market and then at the shed business that he is still involved with today.  He played lots of baseball and hockey.  Mike spent some of his teenage years with the Amish youth crowds and then at age 19 he started to be with the youth group that I happened to be with!!!!  That's when the X's and O's all began!!!

I grew up not far from Mike's house yet in two different people groups.  I went to a Christian Private school.  Grew up in a great church.  I have a family that grew up strong in Christ.  From 8th grade I moved on to high school.  That was one great decision I made and never regretted!!!  The spiritual challenges and teachings during those years really made a big impact with being young and free!  My friends were from God fearing families.  Not because I always searched for that kind, but because God put them in my life.  That was also huge!!!  Our youth group was filled with kids that wanted to have a good time and yet keep Christ in everything we did!  The youth leaders were outstanding too!  When Mike started to come to youth gatherings, I immediately was drawn to him.  To his looks.  To his blue eyes.  And later to his heart!!!  :)

Mike was the first and ever man to ask me out on a date!  That was always a dream of mine and again ... I know it was God putting things together in my life.  We dated for a few years.  I graduated from high school and that Fall we got engaged!!!  We were both young and in love.  We married the following January and have been happily married for now 13 years!!!  When God puts things together ... it's heavenly!!!

God started our family only a few months of being married!  We now have three healthy children and between Hadassah and Matthew we went through a hard time of losing a baby through a miscarriage.  We asked why and wondered why us?  But we have learned that it's OK to ask the questions but never question "who" God is.  He is Lord of All.  He cares for us.  He loves us more than we can ever imagine.  He looks out for His children and when we stand and believe in His promises, all seems much better!!!  Because it is better!!!  Our faith has grown over the years.  We have been taught a whole lot and we are still learning!  More about God.  More about following His will.  More about His forever love.  More about being refined and chastised.  Being in love with Jesus has brought Mike and I more in love with each other!!!  It's a journey!  That journey can make us weary at times but God gives strength every day!!!

I am so blessed to be married to Mike!  I am thankful that we pray together every single day.  That we kiss each other before closing our eyes and when we wake, we are happy to have another day together!  Happy Anniversary HUN!!!  I love you so MUCH!!! 

We have a short anniversary trip coming up and it will be fun to be together ... just him and I!  For today though, I hope to at least find us some good dessert.  Something that we can enjoy tonight together.  After work.  After Hadassah's basketball game.  Then we will sit together and eat dessert and drink coffee!!!

I hope to have many, many, many, many, mannnnny more years with this man!!!

To God be all the glory!!! 

12 years old!!!

Hadassah's birthday was yesterday!!!  She turned twelve.  It's hard to believe that our first baby, first daughter, first child going to school and now our first child entered middle school ... already!!!  It's a true delight that God gave her to us and our family is so much more fun, more active, much louder and much more lovely with her!

She planned a fun birthday date weeks ago for this Friday.  She's been counting down the days!!!  She talked, planned, wrote down all her favorite stores to shop, and even persistently asked about the small details of this date!!!  She invited her best friend in school, Courtney, to join the fun.  (Her mom was invited for the fun night of shopping too!  It feels so good to still be on the top of these girls friend list.) 

I picked the girls up at school and then we met up with Sherry.  We shopped the mall.  We ate Chinese foods because we like that.  :)  We got to shop a few new stores that the girls wanted to go to.  It was a night of lots of walking and hanging out with the girls! 

We left the mall with all our feet being tired.  We dropped off Sherry and brought Courtney along home with us.  The girls grabbed their winter clothes and we headed right back into the Yukon.  Dave's invited us over for an Acquire party.  Mike and the other two kids went awhile and we got there with a bunch of children ready to go ice skating.  The fun seemed to start all over again.  The girls joined in and by the time they were all back inside, everyone was so cold.  I was a bit concerned about Matthew because he just goes outside and enjoys it so much, that even when he gets cold, he stays out still longer.  We he got inside, he started to cry.  The warm house was making his hands and feet sting!  Poor guy was chilled to the bone.  He only had on his feet ... socks, his school sneakers and then on the pond ... his skates.  Don't ask me why he didn't grab his snow boots???  I feel like I preach to the kids about dressing warm, but when I'm not right there to help them get dressed for the cold, they only grab the bare necessities.  It was a long, late night.  We didn't get to bed until 1 AM!  Thanks Dave's for the fun night!

Everyone slept in the next morning.  The girls spent most of their time in the basement talking, dressing up and acting girly.  Matthew was a bit annoyed that Hadassah didn't let him join in on the girl fun.  Hadassah and Courtney both love "puppy chow" and so they mixed up a batch together.  After lunch, Courtney went home.  Thanks for coming Courtney!!!  You are a great friend!!!

Matthew wasn't feeling the best on and off all day Saturday.  I gave him some meds and he laid a lot.  Headache and dizzy.  We tucked him in bed hoping that by morning he would feel well. 

Yesterday was Hadassah's birthday!!!  She turned 12 and at 8:45 this morning, I remembered back to when she was born.  I was new at being a mom.  My heart with filled with such gratitude and I loved and adored her so much.  And still do!!!  :)  Becoming a mom was the neatest thing ever.  She taught me so much of giving up of myself.  About staying home and raising her.  Being her friend.  Being there through the thick and thin times.  Laughing and then sometimes crying.  She has changed so much of who I was and I thank her for that!  My life changed forever when she entered, but it's the best change I could ever dream of!!!  Thank you Hadassah for making me a better person.  You are inspiring to me and your love for life is contagious!!!  I love you!!!  SO MUCH!!!

Sunday morning, Matthew was still not feeling the best.  Still headache and dizzy.  Mike stayed home from church with him while the girls and I enjoyed Sunday School.  (Well, Ashlyn cried to stay in her class but before leaving this morning, she said she was going to go to class.  After some tears, she went to class.)  Hadassah got invited to an after church sledding party with some church girls.  She was all into that!  I was a bit hesitant with letting her go because I wanted to spend her birthday day with her!  But I also wanted her to have a blast on such a special day!!!  Ashlyn and I came home to get the guys some lunch.  Matthew slept all morning but was into eating some lunch.  That's a good sign of getting well.  He's been up most of the afternoon and I think he's on his way to good health once again!!!  PTL!

I baked some 'from scratch' chocolate cupcakes for Hadassah.  With planning her shopping night out, we didn't focus a whole lot of extras for today.  I still wanted some kind of cake or dessert that she would enjoy!  I hope they will taste good.  I got the recipe online.

1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 ounces chocolate
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 + 1 T. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup room temperature water

*  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the butter and sugar until fully combined.  Melt the chocolate and add it to the sugar mixture.  Mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until just combined.  Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour cream.  Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder into a separate bowl.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three additions, mixing until just combined.  Mix in water.  Fill 18 cupcake liners 2/3 full and put in the oven.  Bake for 18 minutes or until centers are done.  Immediately remove cupcakes from the pans and cool on a rack.  Cool and decorate.  Enjoy!

Mike picked up Hadassah at the sledding party and brought her home.  We decorated the cupcakes and tested them.  I got Mike and Hadassah's approval.  Matthew and I gave them a five.  :/  I didn't have all purpose flour on hand and I think if I make these again, using the correct flour is going to make these even better!

Here's the birthday girl!!!  She thought the cupcakes were tasty!

Happy Birthday Hadassah and I hope this year of 2014 is super cool for you.  I hope you enjoy every moment possible!!!  You are beautiful inside and out!!!

Love you girl!!!  ~ Mom

Freezing cold!!!

It is so, so, so, so cold here!  This winter sure is proof that we have four seasons in a year and winter is one of them.  Winter this year spells out S-N-O-W!  Even though I'm not a fan of cold weather, I am content with snow and cold.  I think winters are so much more fun, more relaxing and more prettier than just the famous color of brown.

We got another big dose of fresh snow yesterday.  It was early, when we got a call from school saying that school will be closed.  At 6 AM, it wasn't even snowing yet, but it was soon after the phone call, that the weather forecast proved itself right again!  Big, white flurries were soon dancing in the cold winter air.  It snowed all day long.  Inches of snow covered the ground.  Another no school snow day was exciting but we are now at the point of realizing that all these days will need to be made up sometime and we are really hoping that that time isn't what we call 'summer'.  :/  To say the least though, the kids were excited to be home.  Off of school ... again.  I journaled in my newly done scrap booking pages.  The kids did some art.  We visited Hunter (just going out the road was possible but staying off the roads is a great idea!!!).  Then later, we all went to my parents for a "Snow Party!"  It's not real often we get one snow storm after the next, so we make use of the ones we do get.  :)  Mom came up with the idea to all go to their house and make homemade pretzels and homemade ice cream.  Yum!!!  It was like a Christmas gathering again!  All my siblings and families were there!  The twins opened up birthday gifts!  (Happy birthday girls!  5 already is amazing!!!  Love you so much!!!)  It seemed like a circus of action there for a moment.  There was winter boots, gloves, beanies and scarves laying all over the laundry room to dry.  The kids were going from the basement to outside to ride the golf cart in the snow.  Ryan was being a big helper to John Mike with trying to get the ice cream machine going.  Hadassah and Morgan wanted to help roll out the pretzel dough.  We finally got all the food prepared and ready and then we all sat around mom's pulled out kitchen table and chumped down.   The soup, warm pretzels, crisp veggies and dip, and then homemade creamy ice cream and brownies tasted so good.  We all left the table with filled belly's and big smiles!  It was all delicious!

We got the food mess cleaned up and then played some "Dice".  It was still snowing!!!  It was still so cold.  Warming up the vehicles was a must on this night before heading slowly back to our warm homes!!!

The phone rang early this morning again saying "no school today".  The roads are still a mess and it being only 1 degree this morning, it's not going to be melting very fast.  It's so cold that my garage laundry water pipes started to freeze.  We quickly got a heater running nearby and now I am able to wash my last load for today!  The kids are enjoying the snow.  They are enjoying their home time.  Honestly though, they were both hoping for only a two hour delay because they know going later in the summer is no fun either. 

Winter is here.  The snow is here.  We may as well enjoy it all and not get the blues!  Drink some hot coffee or tea.  Tackle one of your winter projects today or your housebound kids. :)  Scrapbook.  Put a puzzle together.  Love on your kids with lots of extra healthy kisses and hugs!  The wet, tracked up carpets and floors only last for a season.  Thankfully.  The extra clothing all sprawled out to dry is just a sign that you have healthy ones that can play outside.  The warm house is such a blessing!

Making the homemade ice cream ... and watching it snow more inches! 

This morning, everyone was into having some pancakes.  I am out of the box type of mix, so I mixed some from scratch.  They all said it was "way better"!  It makes a lot but I stuck the ones we didn't eat in the freezer.  I hope they will warm up nice for future use.

 

Mike was out scrapping snow!  Tons of it to be scrapped.  Then he helped Ashlyn get bundled up for her little, short outing.  She doesn't last real long outside when it's this cold.

Mike burrowed Matt's snowmobile for a few spins.  Matthew loved the ride!!!

Ashlyn begged for a ride too.  We bundled up again and out she went for a spin.

A blog book ...

I ordered a book of my blog the other day and when it arrived, we all went a bit crazy! The two oldest kids were just heading out the door for school and noticed the package between the door.  I immediately said, "Maybe it's my blog book!!!?"  I ripped open the box as fast as I could.  Everyone wanted a quick look!!! 

I was a bit skeptical about ordering a book like this and spending $$$ when I haven't ever seen a book done by this company before.  Or any blog book for that matter.  I wasn't sure how the book would look?  I wasn't sure if I would be pleased with the print coloring for the pictures?  I wasn't sure if I made a good decision.  BUT ... it didn't take me long to smile with approval! 

My blog book is a beefy, black, hard cover book.  I have a picture of our family on the front cover and a picture of the kids on the back cover.  I chose to print all my blog post starting from January of 2013 - Christmas of 2013.  The book is complete with all my writings and all the pictures I posted.  It was simple to download (well, after I had the updated version of Adobe).  I am pleased.

I still want to scrapbook actual pictures, but having a fast printed out book like this, will be tempting to go this route in the future!  It's much more personal because I write a lot more on a blog post than I do on a scrap booking page.  I call it a "family archive"!  I know it will be precious for many, many years to come!!!

I blogged for three years now and so having the other two years printed out in a book is on my "wish list".  It does get costly but the memories are so packed full in a book!  I haven't introduced it to other family and friends just yet, but I know it will be interesting to them as well.  I also know that when I actually crop these pictures in a photo album (someday I wish to get caught up!!!), the journaling will be a breeze.  I now already like to look back at my previous posts for scrap booking journaling.

If anyone else ever printed out a blog in the form of a book, please let yourself be heard!!! 

Well, I am off for a night of scrap booking fun with some of my dearest girlfriends!  I hope to really get a lot done!!!  Yeah for cute photo's and scrap booking fun!!!

A weekend with great friends!

Today winter is mild!!!  The kind of weather that makes me want to go outside, organize the garage (again), and go for a run/walk!  All of the above is still on my list to do today ... so blogging will have to be brief!

The snow is melted.  It's in the forty's today and going from zero to this seems 'not so cold'.  I am liking the change of weather!!!

We had such a fun weekend being with some good friends!  Life seems to take us on different paths at times and having a good group of close friends scatter to different churches within the past year is tough.  We miss everyone so much and so when we do actually see them (or at least some of them), it's a real treat!!! 

On Friday afternoon, Mike texted me and said that we are meeting Matt Lapp's for pizza at a nearby pizza shop!  I was all into that!!!  We bundled up the kiddoes and us two families filled a big table on our own.  Our families are growing since we first started being friends!  The kids had just as much fun as us adults.  Trying to carry much of a good conversation though in a crowded pizza shop wasn't the most ideal ... but it was being with friends that made it still meaningful!  We ate pizza, wings and fries and then we both went to our warm homes.  The short night out was a tease!

Saturday was a day of cleaning and doing odds and ends here at home.  Mike wasn't feeling the best.  He has this soreness in his legs.  I think a cold settled in his muscles and when he rests, his legs get achy.  We babysat Sierra and Dylan in the evening and being inside from the rain outdoors was good!

Sunday morning we woke up just a little earlier because we decided to surprise Matt Lapp's and visit the church they attend.  We walked into the church service trying to find them in the rows of people.  When we spotted them, there were a few empty chairs right next to them so we nicely just filled the row!  When they saw us, we hugged and smiled!  Friends are so awesome and surprising them was fun!!!  Again, our children and their girls smirked at each other and sat through the praise and worship.  Our three children didn't go to Sunday School but sat in on the message.  Here are some notes I jotted down during the message:  The message was encouraging the younger generation to rise up.  Every generation needs a fresh move from God.  The message was titled "Experiencing an Encounter with God".  The minister talked about Jacob and how when crisis hit Jacob ... he went alone before God.  God will use a crisis to get our attention.  When we are willing and go before God alone, He meets us there.  Jacob had an encounter with God that day.  God loves those who are desperate for Him!  Jacob was honest about his weaknesses and that's what God wants from us.  Sharing with Him all our faults and mistakes is what God loves from us!  Sometimes we can't get free until we start confessing our weaknesses and ask for God's help!  God answered Jacob's plea and even changed his name.  His name went from Jacob to Israel.  God wants to see us in our 'new name'.  He wants to change the way we see ourselves.  We are children of God and being a daughter of the KING ... does for sure change my name!  Maybe not literally, but when we are born again and put off the old man and put on the new, we become different.  Then the minister said that even though God takes us through things in life that we don't always understand, He is still God.  Jacob made a memorial so he would never forget his encounter with God.  Sometimes we just need to make a memorial too and remember the things that God has done in our lives!!!  (We've heard a message about this at our church the other week too.  I think being reminded and reflecting on the good that God has done for me is so healing and refreshing!!!  It's exciting!!!)  From that encounter on, Jacob walked with a limp.  The minister encouraged us that all true servants of God should walk with a limp.  A spiritual limp.  A walk through life that reflects God!  People should be able to notice Jesus in our daily walk with Him!  We are called Christian's if we are followers of Jesus!!! 

The service was over and we sat and chatted for a while before heading back home.  Then after some naps, a visit out to Matt and Lena and watch some football with their football fans :), Matt Lapp's met up with us ... again!!!  We both grabbed some cereal from our cupboards and both a gallon of milk.  We followed each other over to JR & Ruthie's!!!  We haven't seen them or hung out together in such a long while and we hoped that they were home!!!  We pulled in and things looked dark.  We went to the front door, carrying our cereal goodies!  :)  We were delighted to see that they were home and they welcomed our cereal party!!!  The evening was spent together eating cereal, catching up, and enjoying each other's company!  Again, the kids played together so nice!  Ashlyn enjoyed seeing Ava and Colson again!  Hadassah and Matthew always have a good time with the twin boys and the Lapp girls!  Thanks JR and Ruthie for letting us come and spend the evening together!  Thanks Matt Lapp's for the fun weekend together!!! 

It's a Monday today and that means laundry, grocery shopping, getting the kids back into school, Mike went off to work and Ladies Bible Study for me!  Bible study was also encouraging and reflecting on all the "good" that God has done for us/me and believing in His promises, makes me feel free!  God really does want "good" for us and He looks out for His children!!!

Well, it's time to get to my list of chores!  I hope you were blessed this past weekend too and look forward to having a good week!  Blessings to you as you serve Him more!!!

Winter ...

I love mornings like this!  I have nothing on my calendar that demands my time!  I have the lunches packed.  The kids ate their breakfast and are off to school.  And Mike walked out the back door off to work holding his V8 juice.  (It seems to be our winter immune booster.  :)  )  Now, the washer and dryer are running and Ashlyn and I plan on having a day together inside! 

We woke up this morning with a lite snow falling again!  It looks so pretty and being blessed with a warm house is .... well, a blessing!!!  We are so grateful for the small heater that Dad Lapps gave us for Christmas.  It is the ticket on these chilly mornings for the kids while they eat breakfast.  The kitchen area is chilly mornings and with that little extra heat blowing on Matthew while he eats his eggs ... makes him smile!!!  It's so cute!  Thanks Dads!

I took the kids out in the Yukon this morning to wait for the bus.  Matthew was reviewing his spelling words and bible memory while we waited.  Hadassah did a quick run down of her memory too.  Ashlyn was still snuggled under her bed covers.  Ginger was so glad to be in the vehicle with us.  (Ginger just loves to go away.  Even if it's just out the lane and back.)  I came back inside and made a cup of coffee.  I combed my hair and decided that staying in my pj's for a bit longer was OK.  :)  It just feels so good being in pj's and watching the snow fall outside.  Ashlyn woke up and went right to her favorite boxes.  She is so into puzzles right now.  And me too!!!  She has her favorite ones and we have put these same puzzles together almost every morning for weeks now.  She still needs my help a little but is really getting good!  She demanded that I eat my yogurt and granola and sip on my coffee while we do the puzzles.  I was glad to do that because I too am so into a puzzle right now.  Mom Lapp gave a 1000 piece to Hadassah for Christmas and I decided the other week to start on it.  It's a winter fun project and it's taking up all my spare time.  I love to put puzzle together and winter is the only really good time to do them.  This one being a hard puzzle, it's taking lots of time.  I find myself going to my table a lot during the day.  The past few evenings have been spent bending over the pieces trying to piece just one more!  I cheered the other night when I was one a roll!!!  I might be able to finish it today if I let myself get deeply involved!?!?!  :) 

Winter is still not my favorite season but I am really enjoying the slower pace.  There's no other time of the year when I can sit on my chair and put puzzle together.  There's no other time of the year when I love to chill out with the kids on the floor and do their puzzles or read more than one Bible Story devotional.  We are so into our Uncle Arthur Bedtime Story books right now.  Both Mike and I had these same books when we were little and Mike remembers a lot of them!  We pick out a story each night before bed and often times end up reading more than one.  The children are really enjoying these stories and often take a book to bed and read some more.  Only winter seems to allow nights of good reading for our family.  There's no other time of the year when I make some hot tea and sip till my hearts content.  Especially when I have delicious tea from Linda that she gave me for Christmas!  I feel like the queen of England when I drink from my cup with those nylon netted tea bags!  I never saw such pretty tea bags.  They by far beat those regular cotton type of bags.  Thanks again Linda!!!  I also love that I get to enjoy my early mornings with Mike reading devotions!  The winter hours allow Mike to not be rushed out the door so early.  Our winter evenings at home together have also been a blessing!  Winter can be enjoyable!  I wish that my urge to scrapbook would come back!  I know cropping next weekend will help!!!  And when my puzzle is completed I will be able to catch up in my journal and cropping.  I have so much to write and crop!  I can't wait!

Winter is also the time of year where my mom and sister seem to do more things together.  On Tuesday, mom was into getting together and doing something, so they came here and we did puzzle a bit and then played some "dice".  Then the next day we went for fabric and then to the mall.  I love shopping in the winter because I go right to the clearance racks, and because we love the south for a winter vacation, I must times can still find some summer clothes for a good price!  The day out with them was such fun!  Thanks ladies!!!

I hope that you find winter to be a time to relax, read, maybe do a puzzle or two also!  ;)  Winter seems to last longer than any other season.  (I know that's a head thing for me and I am trying to get over that thought.)  I just get Spring fever way too soon!!!  But, today is winter and I am going to try to enjoy every bit of it!!!  It's a season to be indoors, organize the house and relax!

"Let it snow ... it's winter". 

No School again ...

This winter is really showing us a hard start!  The wind is howling outside.  Our house is drafty and so on windy days you don't want to be relaxing on the North side but rather right in front of the picture window.  There the sun always is loving and kind and so warm!!! 

Hadassah came home yesterday and said that they have a two hour delay tomorrow because of "cold weather".  What?  I never heard the likes.  I asked her if school sent home a notice to confirm that?  No. But only a few minutes went by when my phone rang.  It was school announcing the two hour delay.  The kids cheered knowing that they could sleep in yet another winter morning!

We went to Hadassah's first basketball game last night.  She is excited to play again this winter!  I asked her to get Ashlyn a jacket on and head on out to the Yukon while I finished up the supper dishes.  They strapped Ashlyn in her car seat and were all out waiting for me by the time I grabbed my coffee and camera headed out the door.  When we arrived at school, Ashlyn got unstrapped and jumped out the door right behind the other two kids.  I got out my door and gasped!  Little Ashlyn was in short sleeves with only a thick vest on!!!  She ran in towards the door.  I was right behind her but you should have seen the heads turn when people saw her outside!  I was a bit embarrassed and explained that I did not know she was only in a vest!  It's freezing outside!  It requires layers and warm layers!  Not just a vest!  I mean that is the reason for our two hour delay in the morning right???  She didn't seem to mind and when I offered her my gloves and held her tight, she squirmed out of my arms and was ready to watch the game!!!  :)

Hadassah is on the girls blue team and they played well!  The blue team won!!!  Yes!!!

I got to sleep in a little this morning knowing about the two hour delay.  My phone again showed "0" degrees!  My phone rang at 7 AM and it was another message from school.  "No school today."  Too cold!!!  I can't ever remember not going to school or even having a delay because of cold weather!?!  It's fun and OK now but I'm afraid in June, when everyone is ready for summer vacation, we will still be packing lunches and making up for these missed days!

It's winter here!!!  It's sooooo cold!  Like frost bite cold!  I am really hoping that ALL the flu germs, the cold germs, any virus bug gets frozen solid and killed!!! 

It will be another day inside with the three kids!  I'm into putting more pieces together on our puzzle and listening to yet more Adventures in Odyssey episodes!!!  :)  Hot chocolate, soup and anything warm will be tasty on such a cold day!!!

Brrrrrr ... it's cold outside!  Stay warm wherever you are today!!!

Winter can be "snow" much fun!!!

The winter has been so, so cold thus far!  We've been having one snow bluster after the next.  I always say, "If it's going to be cold ... it may as well snow."  I'm still sticking to that thought.  It's been a tad crazy with the roads being snow covered, the weather in the single digits and the kids off school.  I took a picture of my phone the other morning because it said, "0" degrees!  So cold!

Friday the kids had no school again because of the 5 plus inches of snow that fell during the night.  They didn't mind a bit and were so excited to be home again.  I love it when they are home to, I am so ready to have their minds in their school studies again because after two weeks ... well, it's just time to get those brains thinking some more.  :)  Mike went to work a bit later and then came home with the skid loader.  The kids were hoping that he makes them a big pile because that spelled out F-O-R-T (IGLOO) to them!  They shoveled a hole for the entrance and now we have ourselves a snow igloo in the side lawn.  As Mike walked out the door to take the skid loader back to the shop, I said, "I am tired of cooking.  We are going out tonight or something."  I don't do this very often so I didn't feel guilty.  He got back home and I was fighting off my second cold for the season.  I rarely get colds but I am fighting off my second one already this winter.?.  The kids asked to order some Chinese.  I opted for soup.  We ordered the food, Mike and the two oldest picked it up and we snuggled in the basement to watch a movie.  My can of soup never got opened because the rice and chicken hit the spot for me too!!!

These two love the snow!!!  The minute Matthew wakes up in the morning and sees fresh snow on the ground ... he is getting dressed warm and heading outside.  I had to stop him the other morning and asked if eating breakfast at 9:30 isn't a better idea and then head outside?.  He ate his two over light eggs and two pieces of toast and headed out in the cold!  Also, that same night, at 5:30, I remembered that Matthew went out again and I didn't remember hearing or seeing him come back inside.  It was dark outside and so I quickly went to the back door and hollered for him.  He hollered back and when I asked him what he was doing, he said, "Waiting on daddy."  :)  He loves his new winter clothes and does stay warm. 

 She was trying her best to walk through the snow.  She fell and Matthew helped her right up.  Then he walked beside her and helped her to the barn for a shovel.

 Licking the snow!  Hadassah joined the cold fun too.

 Here's Mike with the skid loader!

 And ... look who got a ride!!!  She loved it!!!  She said, "This is fun!"

 I'm telling you ... it's cold!!!

 Making their fort!  I love these adorable faces!!!

 All are welcome!!!  :)  Come on in!!!

 Cold fun!  Drinking hot chocolate is a must after this play time!!!

Saturday, I woke up feeling better.  My cold is leaving as fast as it came ... thankfully!!!  Winter is my least favorite season by far.  I just don't like to be cold and Ugg boats are really pricey!  I know my feet would thank me over and over again if they could feel that special sheep wool, but for now it's going to be a new pair of snow boats from Ross.  :)  Hadassah and I went to an auction.  Yes, it was outside in a barely heated tent but my family was there and we don't miss out.  :)  Milly, an elderly lady that lives right next door to my dads business, sold lots of her personal belongings.  We wanted to be there to see the house and the stuff for sale.  I came home with a narrow, white cabinet for $2 and a few small items for $1.  We weren't there real long until we were both ready to move along.  We decided to make a quick shopping spree with just the two of us.  I needed another pair of winter boats (since Hadassah keeps claiming mine).  We decided to check Ross and we were both happy to find some!  Love that store!!!  :)  We drove slow on the back roads because they are still a mess and the little snow on them is frozen solid.

That night, Mike was all into the football games but we had also planned a night of pizza and settlers with his parents.  We bundled up and arrived with Mike having his phone beside him all night.  We played three games and he was checking his phone constantly.  I think he would have even won a game if he was more focused!  :)  It was still fun and we always enjoy nights like these!

Sunday, we went to church and the temperature outside is still freezing.  The heat wasn't working right at church, no not the best timing, but we still had a good message and great fellowship!  It was soup for our lunch and being inside, out of the rain, is such a blessing!  I left the house after lunch to go give the youth girls some manicures and have some spa fun!!!  It was a busy night of painting nails.  I got back home to the kids having fun with their wonderful daddy!  Thanks Hun for being here with them!

Now today the kids are back to school and I am having one of those days where every turn I make ... there's something to be put away.  I have some Christmas decorations that I put up in the attic once again.  I washed out some containers that held our chocolate covered sweets and are now empty.  The laundry is waiting to be folded.  I threw out the last of the fresh holly that I had in the kitchen as decorations.  The kids and I started a 1000 piece puzzle over the weekend and that's sprawled out on the dining room table.  I love putting puzzle together when it's freezing cold outside!  I am still fighting off my cold that I thought was leaving so fast.?.  Sigh. 

Getting back into a routine and better bed times is a great way to start off the New Year for us!  I also restocked the cupboards with fresh groceries and I know packing the lunches tomorrow will be more exciting!  :)  Most of the snow melted from the rain last night and I am grateful that the sun is shining!!!

I have no New Year Resolutions ... yet.  I just didn't really take the time to think much about this.  I usually don't have many and the ones I do jot down are more like goals.  Have a great week AND stay warm!!! 

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Happy New Year!!!

It's a new year!!!  2014 is really upon us!  Good bye to the past year and hello to the next!  That's exciting!

New Years Eve was spent here at home with some friends!  We were very last minute at planning the party but sometimes those are the funnest!  Matt & Lena and John & Ruth came over.  Mike fried us some Bang Bang Shrimp and Pickles.  I added to the menu some sandwiches with different toppings.  I got my inspiring idea from The Pioneer Woman Cooks Blog.  :)  Ruth made brownies and brought ice cream.  Lena brought other flavors of pickles!  Everything was quick and fairly easy and yummy! 

 

We sat down to eat and the kids popped in a fun movie from Red Box.  "Planes".  We got all into the movie and watched it with the children.  Then we moved upstairs to play some games of six handed
Rook.  It was guys vs. girls and even though us ladies tried ... the men beat us.  Mike stuck to his usual bid of 265 most times. 

At 11:45 PM, we got the news turned on and Matthew was being our timer boy.  He kept yelling upstairs ... 7 more minutes.  6 more minutes.  He was starting to panic and wanted us to come down so we don't miss the ball drop.  We stopped our game and quickly went downstairs to count the new year in!  I don't think Matthew remembers watching the ball drop in NY because he was all into it.  :)  We all loudly did the count down and then us couples kissed in the new year.  Matthew grossed out when the news was showing all the couples kissing too.  :)  We went back to our game and finally at 1:45 we quite.  Too tired ......

It was 2 AM before getting to bed.  We did get to sleep in the next morning, so that was a blessing!!!  The house was silent till 9:45 AM!  We cleaned up the house and ate a late breakfast.  Mike went for a run and helped with some house work.

At 3:00, we were getting ready to host again.  I put some canned turkey in a pan, topped it with fresh sauerkraut and a little brown sugar.  Baked it at 350 for 1 1/2 hours.  I whipped some mashed potatoes together and put some deer sausage in the oven too.  Add some fresh veggies and dip and we had a good "New Years Day Meal".  Ben's boys and our kids have been begging to get together before Christmas vacation is over, so we invited them over.  We ate.  Watched some American History a bit and then Matt's came too.  We played some hot games of Dice.  Because our children had school today, the night didn't get late.  We cleaned up the house again ... washed more dishes ... blew out the candles ... and put the kids to bed.  Both Hadassah and Matthew were all bummed to know that today they had to go back to school.  I'm not sure why because normally they do like school.  I guess they had a really fun vacation and just hated to see it come to an end.  We were all in bed.  Hadassah was looking at a book in her bed.  Matthew was making shadow shapes with his hands while laying in his bed.  Ashlyn feel right to sleep because a long day without a nap is a lot for a little toddler.  Soon Matthew comes into our room and asks if we are doing something tomorrow night?  Even though he would have like to hear me say "yes", I think getting back into our regular routine and not being so busy will be a good thing!  :)

Waking the kids up this morning for school went well.  They seemed to fine with having school again.  I hope they have a fun day getting back into their lessons.  Ashlyn and I will be having a day of cleaning and enjoying the day at home.  Mike was very excited about starting work in a new year!!! 

God has been so good to us this past year and we all are excited about 2014!  Cheers!!!

PS ... Bring on the snow fore cast!!!  Winter is so much more fun with snow!!!