A day for play

Yesterday the kids were playing so nice. I was torn between the joy of their happy laughter and the nag of responsibility as their teacher.

They must learn. But they must play. And play they were. Happily. No conflict. Just joy in exploring a toy we've had so long, recently rediscovered. Marbles and plastic chutes. Endless fun.

I let them, ignoring the nag. Not til the end of the day did I remember that the rest of the country was at play too. A holiday I had forgotten. No more nag, just gratefulness for children at play.

Today, we buckle down, begin again. Three pajama clad students wrestle crayons and pencils and books.

They create new schools and desks with blankets and couches. Private offices of learning.

The youngest joins in. She's reading now, sound by sound. So proud of herself and happy to learn. There's joy today too.

This post is a part of Tuesdays Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky.

Anyone out there?

Evidently it's de-lurking day. Or something. Anyway. Time for you to say hello! Sometimes it feels like I send this into midair. I guess I do. But I wonder if anyone is out there.

Do you hear me? Do you see me? Do you read me?

You know me. Do I know you?

I'd love to!

Leave a comment. And as my kids say:

Pretty pleeeaaassse.......with Jesus on top?

Sweet Cupcakes

Cupcake '10

A blogger retreat.

And I went, you ask?

Whatever for? you ask?

Good question!

As my facebook friends know by their newsfeed being clogged with links to my posts, and as my family members know because they religiously read my scribbles, I've been blogging for a couple years. I initially started with the purpose of sharing with family the silly things the kids did, the stupid things I forgot because I'm just that forgetful. I blogged to record our family stories. Because it's a better filing system than anything at my house. It morphed from there. I only recently made my blog public.

Recently, I met Carrie. Kinda through her blog. Kinda not. We can't make up our minds. Now I work with her.

We work with bloggers to turn all their hard work into books. Hard copies to display on a coffee table. Or to give as gifts to grandparents. Or a husband who needs something tangible from those hours his wife spent in front of a screen when she should have been doing the dishes.

Anyway, Carrie asked me to go to Cupcake '10 with her and I said sure! She was acquainted with some of the blog authors planning the get together, and wanted a traveling buddy. We had a bit of finagling to do with my sister's first baby due the week it was planned (She delivered a week early. Thanks sis!), and then Carrie had a complication the first day of the event. But we made it and am I ever glad!

In case you didn't notice, *wink* I'm not a big name blogger. I'm not even a little name blogger. More of a no name blogger. I went to this blogger retreat to grow my friendship with Carrie. And I went to spend time with women who happen to blog, most of them completely new to me.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I figured it would kinda be like a church ladies retreat. I was right!

Except we had wine!

Cupcake Wine!

I met wonderful ladies, who are so much more than their blogs. Each had a story to tell. Their authenticity and vulnerability were beautiful. Each seemed to struggle with their own feelings about blogging. Each added flare and texture and spice and style to the experience.

So, thank you, ladies! Thank you for being you. For sharing yourselves with the world and whoever wants to find you. For clicking publish when you were most afraid and letting your words reach out and touch others. For caring more about each other than the status of their blog.

Now as I  read your posts, I will hear your voices and understand a bit more, the depth of who you really are.

Photo credits: The multi-talented Carrie

i heart Megan's face

Farmer + Husband + Tractor > AAA

Yesterday I packed the kids up to head off to piano lessons. Wednesdays are busy: finishing schoolwork, making sure everyone is dressed and combed and somewhat presentable, grab a bite, make sure kids have piano books, lists for errands.

We head out of our driveway and I punch R to dial Robb.  I begin telling him of my morning. Of Mitchell's meltdown and how well I handled it.

Then he hears my voice say, without exclamation or changing tone,

"And we're going in the ditch."

And then the sound of snow flying.

We had done a 180 into the ditch.

He lets out a frustrated sigh and says, "I'm on my way."

The kids cheer, "That was fun!"

I open the windows to avoid asphyxiation. You know. In case the exhaust pipe is full of snow. Then I decide to check the damage and the exhaust pipe. It's clean so I shut the windows. It's cold here, ya know.

I text twitter that we're in the ditch, cause I'm sure that's more interesting than other things I've tweeted lately. Too bad I don't have internet on my phone or I could actually blog from the ditch....or answer the well wishes of friendly tweets.

But instead, I wait.

On his way to me, Robb picks up a tow rope at our repair shop. They're such nice small town guys.

I take a couple pictures:

Neighbors drive by offering help. One says he did the same thing this week. On this road. So at least I'm not the only one. Except he hit someone. He blames the county, of course. "If they'd just take care of the road!" Did I mention he's 22?  Does that mean I drive like a 22 year old?

Did I mention I used to teach driver's education? Ya, forget I just said that.

A girl from the nearest farm comes tearing down her driveway offering their tractor. I tell her my husband is on his way with our pickup, but we'll let her know if we need the assistance of the tractor. I have to give my husband the chance to be the hero, you know. He'd want that, I'm pretty sure.

Robb arrives, and I tell him how glad I am that he doesn't have a "real" job so he can come and rescue me. He's good at rescuing.

He hooks up a tow strap, and the truck doesn't budge the van. It fishtails on the ice packed road.

The guy with the tractor arrives.

They try the tow strap with the tractor and it promptly snaps. The strap, not the tractor.

They shovel around the van.

They shovel some more.

All the while with three kids and a grinning lady watching.

Poor guys.

Did you know we have lots of snow here? Yeah.

Robb's shovel breaks.

He drives the 1/2 mile home to retrieve another.

But he does not grab a coat. Or boots. Fleece vest it is. It's like his own strange uniform. Always.

They shovel some more.

Out comes the old frayed tow rope from the repair shop, and I take more pictures.

Of my knight's shining armor:

In no time About one hour after our slip up-  we are out.  I think that's still faster than AAA!

Tonight, I think I'll call my husband Robb Deere, Rescuer of the Ditched.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Oatmeal

What can you make with these ingredients? Huh? Give up? Oh. I already gave it away! You're right. If you even like oatmeal a little, or chocolate or cherries, this is a healthy breakfast for you! Yep it's healthy. Even with chocolate!

You'll need:

1/2 c quick oats
3/4 c water

Microwave above for 1 minute.

Now mix in:

2 Tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips (NOT milk chocolate chips or the health value goes down)
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla
1/8 Teaspoon pepper
pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon
2 Tablespoons chopped dried cherries

I tweaked this recipe from one I found in the Flat Belly Diet book, but it still fits in their menu plan with around 400 calories and a MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acid). That's the chocolate working for ya!

i heart faces photo challenge

My goals this year include learning more about photography, reading the entire tutorial of Photoshop Elements ( I think I have the original version!), and ultimately buying a new camera. (Maybe I should consider an updated version of Elements as well!)

Up til this past year, I've used a Canon Powershot (A430 to be exact...old clunky point and shoot), but more recently, I've been stealing my husband's Fji Finepix S9000 and playing around with it. These pictures were taken when I first brought it home from his office and had no idea what I was doing! It is not a DSLR, and does not have image stabilization, (grrrrr), but I'm hoping that what I learn playing with it will only help me later when I buy a step up.

I've been entering the i heart faces challenges because they spur me on to try new things and learn more. I have no grand visions of winning any contest. To be honest, I am often frustrated with my photos, and I'm not sure how much of it is my lack of knowledge and how much of it is the camera I'm working with, and how much of it is that it's the middle of winter and I'm taking a lot of inside shots with minimal light.  Oh, so many excuses! Bahh!  Pretty sure the problem is mostly operator error! And I'm so impatient when learning something new....

Sooooo, I try and try again, read up as much as I can and keep posting what I have. Please bear with me. *Grin*

And forgive me, dear friends at i heart faces, for wasting your time on my humble entry!

I am submitting this photo into the I Heart Faces logo photo contest. By entering, I am granting I Heart Faces LLC permission to consider my photo(ha) for use in the marketing and promotion of their website.

Tomato Soup Fiasco

My freezer if full of frozen summer produce, my old fashioned pantry lined with jars. And there it sits. My husband still buys canned tomatoes for his taco soup and I forget I made pickles and applesauce and fruit salsa. The freezer is clogged with zucchini from this year and last year and green beans galore. I'm not sure my family even appreciates beans, unless slathered in cream soup and topped with fried onions.

So yesterday I decided to used some of the overabundance. I'd heard a friend rave about homemade tomato soup with grilled cheese, and though that flavor of soup is not my favorite, I gave it a try. Frozen tomatoes went in the pot with an onion and carrot and garlic and basil. It simmered and simmered down. Smelled good. I had hope.

I poured the boiling, chunky liquid into my blender. I knew this was dangerous, but I started slow. It gurgled slowly out the top. I spooned a good cup off the top to allow room for fierce blenderizing. I turned it on.

Who was it that was so careful, calculating her blender approach only to be startled by tomato puree sprayed all over an entire corner of the kitchen? Ummm, that certainly could not be me. But it was me and there I stood covered in tomato soup. Also covered was the wall, the cupboard, the stove, the recipe box, the canisters, the mixer, and the grill that was awaiting grilled cheese.

I wiped up. The counter. Not me. My clothes could wait. Supper could not. I finished the soup, timidly blending, not as confidently as before. The sandwiches were made after the fried soup was wiped off the griddle, and the kids came to eat. They eyed the soup.

"Who wants to try my new soup?" I ask.

"Not me," they all reply.



To read more ridiculousness click here:




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Fences and Freedom

 "Look mommy, I put a fence around my plants."

What does this little one know of fences? Did she create this fence out of meanness of heart to restrict her plant's growth? To squelch it's freedom? Of course not! She's six. Surely not old enough to grasp the depth of her actions. She placed the fence in love. To guide the plant. To protect it. To support it.

The One who planted the universe does the same.

I whisper a prayer. Father, fence her round with grace, that she may grow upwards toward you, faithful, in the security of your mercy and love.

New Niece, New Year, New Mercies

 

Welcome Victoria Grace!

Daughter to my twin sister.

You make me an aunt,

and I couldn't be more thrilled!

 

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Today, we glance back, evaluate, and then look forward with expectation and resolve.

Today marks the beginning of a new year.

May we not, however, misconstrue this January first as the best time to begin afresh.

We may fail in our resolve.

In our goals.

Maybe even in our lack of faith.

But Christ's mercies are new every morning.

 

Lamentations 3:22-23

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
       for his compassions never fail.

     They are new every morning;
       great is your faithfulness."