Life

The end of October brought my birthday round again...making me 31.  I remember when I thought the 30's were old.  Amazing how perspective changes.   It also brought an end to my 3 weeks of single-momming-it.   Caleb was working in a potato harvest 2 hours away.  He came home only for Sunday and left again early Monday morning.  It was a challenging time for all, but we made it through.  I am thankful for a husband who enjoys helping with the kids and daily life.  It's great to have him home again.

We had a harvest party at the church for the kids.  I use the word "church" loosely here.  It is really a Bible study...the pastor (who is unmarried) and us.  That is it at the moment.  The Bible study was started here 5 years ago and up until we moved here it was just the pastor and the occasional visitor.  I don't know why God moved us from Wales, but I do know that us moving here was an answer to the prayers of many many people over the last 5 years.  It is wonderful to know that God is still using us even though it is differently then what we had thought it would be.

The party was a huge success.  At the same time as planning a party we were preparing and moving into a 3 room store front (out of a one room city hall).  So while Caleb, the Pastor and a few men from a church in Jackson were working late hours getting the building ready.  The party was left to me.  The games, the decorating, the food...most everything.  Let me just say I am so grateful for modern technology.  Google is my very best friend!  A family from Jackson came over for the occasion.  They brought the numbers up with two parents, three kids, and two grandparents.  The only local person who came was our neighbor's son...an 8 year old boy.  My boys have invited him to church several times and it was so great to see him come even though he said he never would.  One of my boys was in tears over his friend not wanting to go to church with him.  He is learning that we need to be faithful even when we are the only ones and then it is just that much sweeter when we see people respond. 

Anyway, the very first thing we did in the new building was this harvest party and it was just incredible to be a part of it.

Caleb's dad is visiting over the Thanksgiving holiday.  Last time we saw him Paul was the baby...6 months old or so.  The kids are excited to visit and get to know him a little.  We have about a foot of snow and it's still coming down.  The boys and Elisa have been out everyday to play.  And tonight Caleb is bringing home sleds! They will be so happy tomorrow. 

Talking about...

Blogging...
The boys have discovered my blog.  They love looking through the archives at the pictures of them when they were small.  I read a bit to them the other day and they laughed and giggled and sometimes said "I remember that!"  or "No, I didn't do that!"  lol!  And really that is what my blogging is all about and why I returned to it.  So that years down the road we could enjoy remembering the little things that make up the story of our life...but I don't have to wait years because it is being enjoyed now.  It makes me happy.


Playing...
I enjoy watching the kids play and hearing their imaginations delightfully active.  Duplos are the toy of choice right now.  There are Chinese, Turkish, Indian and South African armies battling it out on my living room floor.  They get on these kicks where they play with one thing constantly.  Do anybody else's kids do this?  Last week it was drawing.  Their drawing is play, because as they draw these elaborate battle scenes (war, again.) there are sound effects and stories to go with each one.  Their drawings are acting out their play.  It is the coolest thing.  I've never seen any other kids draw that way...I know I never did.  I don't know how old kids are when they start to outgrow this kind of play, but I am cherishing it.  It makes me happy.


Breakfasting...
I've been doing a lot of baking recently.  After the kids had been "oatmealed to death" I needed to come up with other breakfast options that were A. Yummy and B. Still fit in the budget.  So besides the granola bar recipe I make I've come to rely on quick breads...corn bread, banana bread, pumpkin bread, apple bread, zuchinni bread... so many varieties nobody gets burnt out.  They're quick and easy to mix up, pop it in the oven and then I'm free to change diapers, nurse babies or check Facebook while waiting for the timer to ding.  No standing at the stove like with eggs or pancakes.  Whole wheat flour and halving the sugar make them more of a sweet bread and less of a desserty cake.  (Desserty is a word, right?) Although I did learn this morning to keep and eye on the oven temperature.  One of my sweet daughters turned the knob up to 550 degrees...successfully giving the zuchinni bread a nice crispy black top. *oops* Another benefit of early baking is the oven heats up the house nicely on these chilly fall mornings.  And that makes me happy too.


And because Morgan noticed his missing snow picture and said that it made him sad
here it is...

First Snow of October

The 7th of October to be exact.  I'm suppose to be posting pictures of pumpkin patches, apple picking, piles of crunchy leaves and corn mazes.  But, no...we had snow.  A little early for my liking, but on the other hand, the kids were thrilled.  We had smiles all around, except for Tesni... she wasn't quite as happy.

Paul, the boy who was making "dirt angels" not too long ago, got to make "snow angels" instead...

Jason made several new friends...

It took about an hour to get everyone bundled up.  The layers of clothes, hats, gloves, coats, boots...it seemed neverending.  And, of course, as I was getting the last one out the door the first ones were cold and wanting back in.  Being, the compassionate mother that I am, I told them..., Uh uh, you're going to stay out there at least as long as it took me to get everyone ready. 

Does this face look tramatized for being made to play in the snow a bit longer?

No, I'd say not. And it gave me enough time to get ready myself so I could join Caleb and the kids outside for a bit of fun.  We even have photographs of me which is truly a rare thing...even more rare than an October 7th snow.

ec·o·nom·i·cal

1. Giving good value or service in relation to the amount of money, time, or effort spent

With Caleb looking for work I tried to think of some good fun we could do as a family over the summer that did not include much money.  We've played a lot of games like Chess and Monopoly.  I've taught them Skipo and a couple other card games as well.  We visited the local park and library regularly.  So often that I even heard somebody refer to us as the "library and park people".  Haha.

We are also the "campfire people". 

Twice a week we sit around the firepit in our front yard and roast hotdogs and marshmallows.  Well, Caleb and I roast marshmallows...the kids burn them.

I love to see their excitement...how happy it makes them.
I love the good family time of feeling close and connected.
I love the memories we're making.

Economical indeed.

What about you?  What kind of economical fun does your family enjoy?

4 Buoys and 2 Gulls

Kids, as they currently are...
Left to Right.

Tesni 1
Seth 8
Elisa 2
Paul 5
Jason 7
Morgan 4

Good thing there is nothing wrong with this picture.  Like stuff hiding under the couch or legs that look like they haven't been washed in 3 days or imprints on the wall of an enthusiastic door knob...because those could all be slightly embarrassing.   Nope.  This picture is perfect.  Perfect real life.

You'll have to excuse me as I'm still trying to clear out 2 years worth of dust and cobwebs on my blog.  We've had a new paint job and title, but I haven't gotten to the sidebar pictures yet...seriously outdated and I'm missing a child.  Although looking at the picture of a 3 year old Paul makes me realize that Tesni and Paul really do resemble each other. 

You may notice in my archives that we go from 6 entries May 2009 to Wow! 49 entries October 2011.  I've entered blog posts I've written elsewhere (ie. Facebook and "my secret place") in an effort to update while avoiding the "Well, It's been a while.  Here's a recap..." post.  So read them, or don't,  but posts will continue on as if I didn't space out for 2 years. Haha.

*Disclaimer
This picture was in no way influenced by the professional photographer husband.  The credit for this beauty is %100 mine.

Planted

Well, we've ended up in Idaho.  The beautiful Teton Valley.  We have a new home.  A church to serve in.  School has started once again.  Tesni is walking.  Elisa is potty learning.  Laundry is on the line.  Meals to make. House to clean.  Kids to parent.  Everything and nothing is the same, but one thing is certain life does move on.  We desperately miss what was, but I am determined that we will have a home filled with happiness and contentment no matter where it is on the map.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011...As I was saying...

Flight into Dallas. We have friends near there with whom we will stay while we look for a vehicle. (This will be Tesni's first time in a car seat! Woo! Hoo!) Plans after that are kind of up in the air. Okay. Really there aren't any. See what I mean about things not turning out as planned. You have some direction and life is going merrily along and then "poof". You don't and it's not and you're left wondering what happened!!! I'm taking it one day at a time. Starting with the losing of all my stuff...again. It's amazing how much comfort and security a bit of familiar worldly possessions can give one. 7 suitcases, 7 carry-on...that is all. But then, of course, I see things like what just happened in Japan and I think...who really cares? Does it really matter? In the grand sceme of things my piddly problems are meaningless. It's just stuff. I get to take with me the most important "things" in my life...we bought them tickets. lol!

Everywhere we go we get counted. People are constantly counting my blessings. :) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...beautiful children, whom I adore and thank God for. What to see them? I know you do!

And this one. Just because I love it!

See how blessed I am!