October 31

Dressed to our toes we delivered bread to friends. Spent great time together playing crazy games. 

Wind In the Trees

Curls give grace and energy to a little girl, she becomes the wind in the trees, just as her name suggests.

Outdoor school

As part of a school at home week, my class ( 3 members) and I searched for a perfect quiet spot to feel apart of and record nature. One class member is sketching a beautiful landscape. Another has found a nursery log covered with moss and baby mushrooms. While the third sought the home of the creaking frog. We studied topsoil, erosion, maps, and orographic lifting.

A Time of Inspiration

As a relief society we are reading Jesus the Christ by early December. 

I have tried starting before but I always felt intimidated, losing motivation. 

This time, with the testimony and encouragement of friends, I have been surprised at how far I have gotten. I found it is easier than Isaiah, I love Isaiah. 

I have felt the spirit testify to me of Christ's life. I feel inspiration entering all parts of my life. I am thankful for friends who have encouraged me to take on this challenge to uplift my testimony. 

Stories! But Which One?

This boy has such a desire to do for himself. Dinner is served, but we cannot feed him with a spoon! A fork man, a fork is needed for the fine gentleman to stab at his grapes.
After dinner we did not push in the chairs fast enough. Papa's plate still had some good food on it and knowing it must not go to waste my little one climbed up to satiate his growing appetite. 

 

The vacuum is a wondrous tool that fascinates all children. Some to fear and others to fancy. Fancy is the leaning of this tale. Having watched his brothers countless times, he knew just what needed to be done to start the thing and when he could not budge it and the hose came off at his pulling he was afraid at first he had done wrong.  Finding the suction he merrily giggled and played at sucking his hands, face and clothes. So contagious was his laughter that I found I could not restrain myself and we both laughed heartily. He didn't suction air out of his lungs, but he did manage to clear his nose a bit. I doubt I will need to use the squeegee doohickey.  .

My Kitchen......Sigh

Harvest

Thankful for friends. Thankful for apples, pears, and nashi. Thankful for willing helpers. Thankful for bags. Thankful for sunsets.

The fair

Wade made us proud at fair this year. Blue ribbons. Good talent. Still have the Pygmy goats to judge. He put a lot of work into the goats.


His knot was judged excellent on everything but the frame.

4-H Service

He can tell you the 4-H pledge by heart.
He works each day to fulfill his scouting oath and 4-H pledge.
He joined others to serve by painting the pens at the fairgrounds.
He painted over 28 pens.
He is ready for fair this coming week.
Cookies made.
Photographs matted.
Garden vegetables grown( mostly grown).
Goats ready for show.

Talking to a duck

This duck came to seeking donations. She was alone, seemingly friendless. My little princess immediately befriends her and begins discussing the ducks needs and choices.
She asked her about her eggs and where her ducklings dad was. She told the duck the dad needed to watch the babies and that there was a nice pond down there where this mother duck could teach her babies to swim. She asked about her food sources and told her we didn't have anything.
The duck came very close hoping all of this talk would end in a handout, but despaired when Ellie finished, turning and waddling away. Ellie said, "she just waddles that's all!"

Looking to the Temple

I never thought that not being able to use babysitters to watch my kids while I attend the temple to be a blessing.
I do miss attending with my husband. I do feel it would be easier to just leave the children in another's care, but I have also found that my children have a greater love of the temple now then they have ever had before. Temple night is a time of happiness and all hurrying to dress in better clothes so they might feel the spirit better. They each look forward to the time we spend quiet in the temple atrium as well as visiting the new visitors center. Each fountain is to be visited, the cornerstone, and the baptistry entrance. There are flowers that need to be smelled. There are benches that need to be sat upon. There are brides and grooms to watch as they pose for pictures.
I am thankful for this opportunity to share my love of the temple with my children. I am thankful for the peace we feel with each other when we are there. I am thankful for a Father in Heaven who guides me and sends blessing I need but am not aware that I need.

Cows

My cows, she calls them. When we go out to care for the animals she loves to pick grass and feed them through the fence. She screams and jumps back if their rough tongues touch her fingers. Lately she has taken the precaution of dropping the grass as soon as they reach out for it. The cows don't seem to mind much.

Where does toe jam come from?

From a freshly uses lollipop stick of course. I guess getting his face, shirt and hands all sticky was not enough. He needed to feel it between the toes. Something deep going on in that brain of his.

Spy

What do parents do after they send their children to bed?
Eat chocolates, ice cream, and watch movies according to some.

Tonight I caught a spy, I'm afraid he was bitterly disappointed to find laundry, straightening house and rocking babies to be the only activities.

If only he would report how boring it all is to the rest of his cronies so I can at last get to eating chocolates and all the rest of the fun.

Ride a Cock-horse

Does he look like a happy boy? He is! The whole way to Bamberry Cross he was like this. No complaints of saddle sores or anything. Ladies were few, but he did not mind.
We had music a plenty in his laugh.

Firsts

His first corn on the cob. At first he was apprehensive but after a few tentative bites he really got into it, gnawing, chewing and sucking. He made good use of his four teeth, soon to be six teeth. He did not want to let go of it once it had become desirable.

Lilacs

After falling down again, going outside was the quickest way to distracting him. Right out of the door I could catch a lovely perfume in the air. We followed it to the lilac bushes covered in blossoms. The ground under the bushes is spongy and covered in soft green moss. We could not resist the pull and we each reached out to touch the delicate flowers. With tragedy long forgotten we picked a spray or two for big sister. We knew she would love them best. The two of us returned bearing gifts and a sunny, warm, peace to share with those we loved best.

Team Daddy Fit-it Crew

Mr fix-it has taken in a new apprentice, mr fix-it jr. There are lessons on circuits and resistors as well as static electricity and holding techniques. Mr Fix-it has an avid pupil in his new apprentice, who shows much promise. Any puzzle they can solve if they put their heads together.

Cleaning

Getting some change to jingle in your pocket might bring you to work.  Elowyn took Julie into the bathroom and gave her a tour of her deeds.  "I cleaned this, and I cleaned this, and I cleaned this, and I cleaned this.". We don't usually pay when people do work without our agreement before hand, but she's too cute.  Julie gave her seven cents, and she was happy as a clam.  She just had to put the towel away.

Three times around the post should hold it.

Taking a Break

Weeding can be very tiring, especially when you are three. Time passes much better when lying in the clover singing songs and watching the clouds roll by as the wind whips hair in your face. 

The lovely voice in song did help the work pass quickly.  Blueberry Hill has fewer weeds now. 

Drums

We didn't know we bought a drum. It was supposed to be for jumping exercises. Now it is a gathering place for drummers of all ages and creeds to play out their rhythms. Started by the youngest and most zealous, the others have happily joined. There is something about a drum beat and a marching song that is irresistible.

Feast upon the scriptures

This is Wade's Cub Scout cake. Yes, it is a cake. Ignore the background, that's just me being creative.

Work Is Fun

It was a sunny warmish day. I wanted to get some rocks moved and I had two excited workers.

Can you believe their luck they get to move rocks!

We shoveled and we hauled, uphill both ways, and we raked. We found time to sit and dump rocks out of our boots and time to run up and down the rock hill as well as hide in the rock canyon. The wind blew our hair, we burned calories and we worked on a little muscle.

Saturday is family work day and it is usually a really fun day for everyone. Today was just that.

Helping Hand

Dinner was a lovely Greek salad with sides of humus, naan and red grapes. I had some good helpers. One to watch the baby, one to chop the vegetables, one to tear the lettuce and one to finish his chores before dinner. It was a good dinner, but it was my helpers that made it extra good.

Midnight Snack

Someone woke from a slumber that should have lasted all night long. He spied Papa's bowl and all his attention rested there. He bounced up and down pleading for a taste of chocolate ice cream. Each bite came after an agonizingly long wait. When Papa was done, he still wanted more. Papa found yogurt to share. This was only disappointing. Each bite there was hope and each bite was bitter. Sadness came. We tried to add chocolate syrup but that too missed the mark. It was not the chocolate ice cream he dreamed of. Unable to satisfy his hunger we cleaned him up. Now how do we get him back to sleep?

Bucket of fun

Oh, the excitement and joy of new found toys, or of the loves long lost. My two little ones had such a day.
I was searching for new toys to exchange and I dumped out the bin of baby toys. One was trilled by all of the new toys, while the other found a way to squirrel away old lost friends in her room.
I was grateful for the hours it gave me to work on other projects. I can hardly believe it myself, hours!

Princess Power

Princess Power is a game, made up by Wade, to be played on the trampoline with his little sister. She loves the game and has taken the concept further than was originally intended.
I don't mind. There is often some item that could use a little extra "Princess Power".

Learning

He is learning more each day. He rolls all over the floor and is learning about how his hands and feet can help out. He is learning which foods he loves and which are just ok. Today he learned to open the drawer. He enjoyed taking a look and reaching for things inside.
I wonder what he will learn tomorrow.

Still Fixing

It may be a washer, a dryer, a computer with a virus, or an old VCR. It will be worked on and returned to the owner in the best possible condition.

A 3 year old who cares

A 3 yr old is possessive, not good at sharing, particular and definite in how the world should be run.
This 3yr old is just that way.....but she also cares.
This 3yr old found some favorite toys to play with. She enjoyed the thought of her brother playing too. When he reached in to play she struggled with him knocking them down and messing them up. The surprise for me as an observer was just moments after this shot, when her frown smoothed to a smile and she said, "it's ok, he is a baby. I will give him this one to play with" and she handed him her second favorite, the penguin. She continued to play with him enjoying his happiness and making sure to give him his penguin if he dropped it.
I guess a 3yr old is what a 3yr old is. Who made the rules on being 3 anyway.

Grabbing

He is not as quick as some, but he keeps us hopping. I put him on the counter and the next thing I know he has grabbed something. Sometimes while working I will sit him in his Bumbo. I find that his little hands stretch and reach farther than I think possible. I am continually widening the circle if objects around him. Such a nice boy and so happy.

Jobs done

If your job is well done and ready to be checked, then power sit nearby and I will be by soon.