11/8

Last Saturday, I took some time to put away the Halloween decorations and bring out a few things for Thanksgiving.

When I do this each season, I like to change the words on our piano too. It's a fun routine and I enjoy choosing new words to match my heart at the time. I have a lot of "Give thanks" and "Gratitude" going on right now, so I chose different words for this spot.

When we got to church on Sunday, "Grace Upon Grace" was the topic of our music and message for the service. This happens so often,  when our devotions, our thoughts, and our prayers all come together beautifully as the spirit leads us.

So this month I remind myself over and over, it is by my faith and His grace that I continue to go about my day to days. Each time I feel myself getting overwhelmed or negative, I just say it to myself "by faith and by grace".

It is all any of us need.

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9/22

Fall '07

Some Nature

The kids and I enjoyed a nature walk at a park outside of town earlier in the month. The weather has been so warm this fall and Buddy wanted to go rock hunting! We wandered the trails and did find some rocks [gravel]. They walked through the swim pond, all emptied out for winter.

I need to remember to take more opportunities like that. To take an hour and unplug. There is beauty to be found, year round. I don't have to wait for spring or summer. It's there waiting whenever we need a break...
 

Carving

Bee and I spent a bit of time this year on our jack-o-lanterns. We cruised pinterest, looking for what we thought would be best. Then discussed how to put the plans into action. And finally did the carving. She helped with the eyes and the tiny one, I handled the teeth on both - one of which required a figuring out a new skill!

Buddy and the Hubs went for a more classic looking one and a scary-faced guy, the result was a very diverse population on the front steps this year!

I'm mostly just excited to roast the seeds and eat them. The jack-o-lanterns are second to that for me.

Busy and crazy or not, we are coming up on my favorite time of year. Halloween ~ Thanksgiving ~ Christmas...so much to look forward to!!

I can't seem to help myself. I'm a bit addicted to Instagram.

Rather than write, I just snap a photo and instantly upload it.

Facebook is sort of my new blog.

But those Instagram pictures are just so LOVELY.

I am smitten.

on a walk near our house

This Phase

July 2012 ~ Bee's birthday

No, Bee did not get glasses this summer. She sure likes to wear pretend ones though! She is a fourth grader with her own distinct sense of style.

Buddy is in first grade this year. He now takes spelling tests and tells us about lines of symmetry.

We are definitely getting used to being parents of school-aged kids. There is a new found independence, but also a new sense of busy-ness. Balance is something I am still seeking.

These days it's piano and flag football on Monday. Church on Wednesday. Volleyball on Thursday. Youth sports games on Saturdays. Mixed in with the work and recreational things we try to accomplish as well.

I looked at the calendar today and said out loud, "What??!". Can't believe we are halfway through this month. And that I do that every month.

Savoring each day for the day that it is.

And trying to capture the moments in a photograph, if I can, for when it is all a big blur later!

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spring baby

Please excuse me while I get a little nostalgic...

I remember how much fun it was to dress her up and take her outside. I'm trying to remember what those long stretches of one on one time felt like. How wide-eyed she was about every little discovery.

She's still much the same. She still gets excited about new adventures and makes sure that there is joy in each day. She still likes to get all dressed up to go out. And she still likes it when we get some 1:1 time.

Tomorrow she'll be nine. Today, I'm just trying as hard as I can to remember that day. March 14, 2004. She was almost eight months old and I was as happy as I'd ever been.

And it just keeps getting better.
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It is a wonderful feeling to stand on a bridge, watching the river flow beneath you.

We hosted some friends from Omaha this weekend and took them crane watching. Now, bird watching may sound like something that only nerds would do. But don't you know me at all? I'm a card-carrying nerd! Love nerds! Let's learn about science and nature everyone, come on!!

My heart really does belong to Nebraska. The prairie is beautiful to me and leaves me in awe of the beauty of this earth.

The kids went with us Friday night and yes, I spent a good chunk of my time shooshing my children, trying to keep them out of the mud and telling them the birdwatchers were going to CALL THE COPS IF WE DIDN'T PIPE DOWN! But it was a really great experience and they did enjoy the time we spent by the river.

The next morning, my friend and I went out at sunrise to watch them again and it was wonderful. The birds come in to the river at night to sleep and then head out to feed again when the sun comes up. Listening to the sound of them waking up and watching them take flight was beautiful.

It's only about 20 minutes from our house, but we had never taken the time to do this. I have a feeling that now I'll have to go every year, whether anyone joins me or not!

 

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Wanting a little winter

It had been so warm, all through December and January. We loved being able to be outside all the time, but it didn't feel like winter...

We felt very lucky when we got snowed in a few weeks ago. It gave the kids huge piles of snow to play on and the grown ups an excuse to stay in their jammies for two days straight. Or maybe that was just ME.

Now if the warm weather would like to return, that would be just fine by us. We just needed a little winter.

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CARROTS

We decided on Monday to dig up the remainder of carrots in our garden. Bee is always wanting "Bugs Bunny" carrots, so we left a few to see if they would get nice and big for her to chomp on.

It worked! How fun to dig up a huge batch of fresh veggies in winter. Luckily, the weather has been so nice, we didn't have to dig through snow and ice to get to them.

Now I've got a big batch of carrots in the fridge, minus the ones the kids ate, and am pondering carrot soup. I've never made it before, but this batch is just begging to be cooked up into a nice big pot of soup.

Does anyone else get that song stuck in their heads when I type that?!

           Carrot stew, carrot stew! It's our favorite thing to do.
           Get a pot and a carrot to two, and cook up a carrot stew.
           Nothing makes our tummies so full and keeps us happy too.

I had an orange Disney tape when I was a child and this song was one of my favorites.

I may just make the soup so that I can sing the song all day. 

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January 5th, 2012: We had this carrot soup last night and it was delicious. I chose ginger for my spice, but then ended up adding some thyme because I'm impulsive like that. I went the heavy cream route for my first try, knowing that would make any soup tasty. I like that you could make a different variation each time. It was not hard to make and I love any excuse to use my newly purchased immersion blender. That's just good fun.

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Happy News Year

My mom said yesterday that she's calling this happy news year, as in we will have happy news all year long. I like that.

I don't write as much here as I used to, but still enjoy the reflections that it provides. Moments in time, saved here for me to read.







2011 ~ in reverse
December: Saying goodbye to my dear grandfather. What a mighty good man. Goodbye.

November: One post. ONE. But a good one all the same. Gratitude.

October: My kids' school is a really great place to learn. The plant feast was a lot of fun. Science in Action.

September: Again with the one post. Working outside of the home again has cut into my blogging. A Good Reminder to Obey the Law.

August: First day of school! I love the first day of school. Time Flies.

July: My B turned eight. Birthday posts continue to be a favorite for me. Eight.

June: Father's Day. Sniff. Dear Old Dad.

May: A start to our summer, what a terrific weekend we had. Memorial Day.

April: My Buddy turned five. Five.

March: Pondering what this blog is...what I write...and still haven't really figured that one out. The thing is, I am okay with it. I like my comfy little blog. No Niche.

February: While I do enjoy reading about Valentine's Day very much, the big news was finally selling our home in Omaha and making ourselves permanent residents of Kearney. What an exciting time! What's Up.

January: Though I'd like to forget, I never will. My friends endured the worst and I was only able to watch from 3 hours away. What a tragedy, I hope that they can enjoy a new year filled only with good news. It is happy news year, after all. I'm Fine.

On to 2012. Our happy news year. Happy News Year to you!

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Pumpkins

We spent yesterday at a huge pumpkin patch outside of Omaha and what a perfect day!

I had to work really hard not to let the fact that I had left my camera at my sister-in-law's ruin the perfect day. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and warm. The kids were happy and so excited. Hubs gave us a whole day, when he could have filled it with work to do's.

I wanted to take pictures of all of the beauty, but only had the Hubs phone. So we have a photo of the day, to remember the fun and excitement and warm fall weather.

Because really, the memories of that day are more important than the photos. We can make do with the phone pictures because we will hold that memory in our hearts - of how great a day spent together as a family can be!


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Happy soup

The chili that I made this weekend was a little odd, made from random ingredients I already had. V8 instead of tomato juice, navy beans instead of chili beans, corn (?) for no reason other than I thought it sounded good.

What made the chili special were the tomatoes. The last from my garden. Beautiful red tomatoes, my last harvest. Diced and sauteed with onions and garlic.

There are some delicious left overs are in the fridge and waiting for my lunch today. Now that is a reason to be happy.

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Things that are always in short supply at my house: scotch tape, markers, printer paper, glue sticks.

But hey - we are all decked out for Halloween!

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Peonies

pe·o·ny  [pee-uh-nee] –noun, plural -nies.

any of various plants or shrubs of the genus Paeonia, having large, showy flowers, as the widely cultivated species P. lactiflora: the state flower of Indiana.

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Peonies are one of my favorite flowers. Growing up, we had lots of them all over the acres we lived on (and where my parents still live). They make me feel nostalgic and happy and hopeful. That's a lot to ask for in a flower!

Imagine my joy when I found a long row of them on the south side of the house we purchased last summer. I've had such a good time watching them grow this spring. Now that they are blooming, I just like to sit out there and look at them. The smell is so flowery, the blooms so pretty.

It's one of my favorite parts of our yard.

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Memorial Day

On Memorial Day - we honor those Americans who have fought bravely for our freedom. My own children boast three great-grandfathers who are WWII veterans. One of whom is still with us, class of '38 (blows my mind!).

Those people, those amazing members of our military, have enabled me to have the all-American weekend.

Including, but not limited to:

• pitching a tent in the yard, watching the kids play "camping" all day on Saturday
• strawberry rhubarb pie ala mode (with rhubarb grown and delivered by a sweet neighbor!)
• a fire in the pit, used to roast hot dogs and marshmallows (s'mores, yes please)
• a movie in an air-conditioned theater, with bottomless buttered popcorn and sodas
• planning and dreaming of a family trip to K.C. this summer
• an endless supply of popsicles in the freezer
• church on Sunday and a bucket o' chicken for lunch
• rootbeer floats
• washing cars in the driveway with daddy
• watering, weeding, and growing lettuce, radishes, onions, spinach, and carrots
• a movie at home (with more pie, popsicles, etc) as a family

It's officially summer and we are happy. The kids are obsessed with campers and want to OWN an RV. Talks are in progress about renting one next year and taking a big family road trip.

It's the freedom we have that lets us dream big and enjoy this life. Thank you to each and every person who has given their own time, or their life, for the freedom that allows us all of this.

We will never take this for granted.

THANK YOU.

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May Flowers

March rolled around and we had a few beautiful days. I got SO excited, we cleared flower beds, prepared soil, got everything ready so that we could plant. I took pictures of the buds on trees and coming out of the ground. I watched things sprouting up, wondering what our yard would look like in the spring. There's something so fun about your first spring in a new house. We had no idea how many plants the previous owners had and we have a ton of landscaping around our yard.

 I watched and I waited. Waited. And waited.

April was COLD. And rainy. Dreary. Cloudy. Snowy.

Where was spring?

FINALLY, this past week, it warmed up. We planted lettuce and carrot seeds in our future veggie garden . We mulched elsewhere and put in some perennials.

I'm happier here than I've ever been. I love being outside and enjoy gardening. I'm weeding, I'm planting...I'm playing in the dirt. It's so great! For the first time in a few years, I put in the effort to get some annuals and enjoy their color, even if it's just for this year.

So this summer there will hopefully be lots of fresh veggies, flowers to arrange and put inside. Butterflies visiting. And birds singing.

Yesterday M and I watched a bright red male bird singing a song that soon attracted a dull colored female. We watched her come to visit and then fly away. We laughed when he quickly followed. "Wait!" We imagined him saying, "Wait for me!". It was one of our favorite episodes of Life, come to life in our own yard.

Spring has sprung and it was so worth the wait!

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