Graceful Landing

Summertime!

2011-07-26T09:47:00.000-06:00

One of my posts from last summer that I felt deserved another visit:

Here, during the dog days of summer, are some reminders to get out and enjoy this wonderful season!
You'll be wishing you did come winter....

Photo by Catskills Grrl

"Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world."

~Ada Louise Huxtable

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. ~John Lubbock

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Today

So here hath been dawning
Another blue day:
Think, wilt thou let it
Slip useless away?

Out of Eternity
This new day is born:
In to Eternity
At night will return.

Behold it aforetime
No eye ever did:
So soon it forever
From all eyes is hid.

Here hath been dawning
Another blue day:
Think, wilt thou let it
Slip useless away?

—Thomas Carlyle

Count Your Blessings

2011-07-18T07:56:00.000-06:00

A great 1940's-esque rendition of this classic hymn by The Lower Lights.
Enjoy!

<p>&amp;lt;a href="http://thelowerlights.bandcamp.com/track/count-your-blessings"&amp;gt;Count Your Blessings by The Lower Lights&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</p>

Real Food Video

2011-07-09T17:13:00.001-06:00

Food for thought....

Moving

2011-06-24T07:57:00.000-06:00

When we were younger, moving was an adventure!
What would our next home look like, our new town have to offer?
Which restaurants or local stores would become our new favorites?
Who would we meet and then become our good friends?

Now I find that the older I get, the more I just want to stay put.
Because everywhere you live and then leave, you also leave behind a part of yourself.
That's the hardest.
My children also realize this and they, too, have mixed feelings.

Would I feel as sad if it were January, not June? Probably, but leaving my home when everything is blossoming , my peas are producing, butterflies are fluttering about and the fire pit is begging for marshmallows.....is just that much harder.

I remind myself daily of the reasons we wanted to move in the first place.
And when I'm packing box after box and wishing I was somewhere swimming instead, I think of family holidays to come, sunsets in farm country, the sound of irrigation sprinklers in summer and all of our old favorite places.

It helps.

Dads

2011-06-19T18:08:00.000-06:00

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
Then God combined these qualities,
There was nothing more to add,
His masterpiece was now complete,
He lovingly called it, Dad.
~Author Unknown

For Fathers Everywhere

2011-06-17T20:31:00.000-06:00

How grateful I am for the men in my life!

Be sure to pause the music player below in order to watch this video.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

2011-06-10T08:18:00.000-06:00

What is summer without dessert made from the delicious combination of strawberries and rhubarb?

If you love it like I do, then you'll love this recipe.

Go here and enjoy!

Multiple Choice

2011-06-02T21:56:00.001-06:00

May was a crazy month around here because:
A. We experienced heavy snowfall
B. We got a new puppy
C. My daughter turned twelve
D. We sold our house
E. All of the above!

Can you guess the answer?

                                Puppy love is very real.
                       It also breeds jealousy on occasion
                        but, all in all, it's a very good thing.

((Meet Finley June. ))

My little girl is a young lady now.

She and her friends are growing up.
(But they still know how to have fun!)

I mean, what's a birthday party without a friend being tied to a tree?

And finally, we sold our house.
Lots of mixed feelings here- I get a little vaklempt when I think about it too much. Lots of good memories here, great friends made and I will miss my backyard views.

Right after we made the deal, a powerful thunderstorm swept over the house. I waited for it to pass before heading to the store to pick up a few things. I was feeling a tangle of emotions and was even a little shaky.

As I started to leave the house, a brilliant rainbow appeared, then became a double rainbow.
This picture can't possibly do it justice.
As I slowly crept down our road, not wanting to miss a moment of it, I looked around the neighborhood. No one seemed to be out witnessing this event.

I suddenly felt that it was for me.

Okay, maybe there were others it was meant for as well...but I experienced an amazing feeling of exuberance and peace.
A knowledge that a new chapter is ahead and that everything will be alright.

Someday.
Someday....
Life will feel somewhat 'normal' again.
I will be able to truly focus on only one or two or five things at a time.
I will wish once more that I had something to do...because I'll be maybe just a little bit bored.
This intensely stressful period of my life will become nothing more than a distant memory; with good lessons learned.
I will look back on this time with wisdom and gratitude and a new outlook on the simple things of life.

But for now, there is work to do!
(Just a warning that my posts may be a bit sporadic over the summer.)
Thanks for bearing with me. : )

Great Music

2011-05-23T10:21:00.000-06:00

My new favorite music artist.

Meet Anna Sali.
She's from Boise, Idaho....and she's fabulous.

Check out her other songs here!

Raising Hens

2011-05-12T07:00:00.003-06:00

I love to let my hens out and hear them cackle in delight as they run free.

Maybe I'm weird, but I get great satisfaction when I know they're happily free ranging.
I also happen to think they're quite beautiful.

And comical....especially the rooster.

He's such a dork.

Those jungle birds don't have any dancing skills on him!

Hens are great.
They're always happy to see you.
They clean up the bugs around your place.
They alert you when a fox or hawk are nearby.
And they leave you wonderful gifts each morning in the form of eggs.

We've made our chicken coop fox-proof by trenching and burying the fence line. I've seen a fox or two contemplating the best way to get in...but without any luck thus far.
I keep an eye on the hens when they're out of their yard, but I let them out in the afternoon so as to avoid main fox hours- dusk and dawn.

One tip I heard, to keep free range hens safe, is to set out a radio or hang one from a tree limb and tune it in to a talk radio station. The human voices help deter any would-be predators.
I haven't tried it myself...mainly because the foxes in our area are rather brazen.
We once had a fox grab a hen in broad daylight, while my kids were jumping on the trampoline fifty yards away.
My quick-thinking (or not so smart?) eight year old jumped off and chased the fox; shouting at it to drop the hen in its mouth. She chased it through the pasture and at the fence line, the fox did indeed drop the hen and run for it.
The hen lived to tell the tale and my daughter was rather proud of her own bravery.

See how exciting raising your own hens can be?
I highly recommend it.

May 11th

2011-05-11T07:55:00.001-06:00

From this

to this

Only in Colorado.

Notes to Myself

2011-05-10T08:16:00.007-06:00

What I'd like my younger self to know:

Life's gonna be fine- you can let go and relax. Enjoy every little thing, soak it up. Time flies and you spend too much of it worrying!

You're gonna make mistakes....and learn a lot from them. You will also create an amazing family and it will be a masterpiece- not perfect- but a masterpiece, none-the-less.

You are loved in abundance and will feel the love of your family throughout your life. Don't be shy about returning it!

And about being shy: please, try to over come it.

Life will be a lot smoother and more enjoyable if you're not so self-conscious.

You'll save yourself a lot of worry and heartache if you realize now that you can't change anyone and you don't have to be perfect.

Simply do your best.

Don't look back with regrets- make the present and future what you want it to be.

Seriously, RELAX! There is so much to enjoy- don't over-analyze every choice you make. You're doing just fine.

Really.

Behold Thy Mother

2011-05-08T06:00:00.010-06:00

In honor of Mother's Day, I'd like to share excerpts from the talk, 'Behold Thy Mother' by Thomas S. Monson.
The talk, in its entirety, can be found here.
(Photos added)

"....One summer day I stood alone in the quiet of the American War Memorial Cemetery of the Philippines. A spirit of reverence filled the warm tropical air. Situated amidst the carefully mowed grass, acre upon acre, were markers identifying men, mostly young, who in battle gave their lives. As I let my eyes pass name by name along the many colonnades of honor, tears came easily and without embarrassment. As my eyes filled with tears, my heart swelled with pride. I contemplated the high price of liberty and the costly sacrifice many had been called upon to bear.

My thoughts turned from those who bravely served and gallantly died. There came to mind the grief-stricken mother of each fallen man as she held in her hand the news of her precious son’s supreme sacrifice. Who can measure a mother’s grief? Who can probe a mother’s love? Who can comprehend in its entirety the lofty role of a mother? With perfect trust in God, she walks, her hand in His, into the valley of the shadow of death, that you and I might come forth into light.

      The holiest words my tongue can frame,    
      The noblest thoughts my soul can claim,    
      Unworthy are to praise the name    
      More precious than all other.    

      An infant, when her love first came,    
      A man, I find it still the same,    
      Reverently I breathe her name,    
      The blessed name of mother. 
        

In this spirit, let us consider mother. Four mothers come to mind: first, mother forgotten; second, mother remembered; third, mother blessed....."

Mother Forgotten

Millais, 'Grandmother's Apology', 1859

"....“Mother forgotten” is observed all too frequently. The nursing homes are crowded, the hospital beds are full, the days come and go—often the weeks and months pass—but mother is not visited. Can we not appreciate the pangs of loneliness, the yearnings of mother’s heart when hour after hour, alone in her age, she gazes out the window for the loved one who does not visit, the letter the postman does not bring? She listens for the knock that does not sound, the telephone that does not ring, the voice she does not hear. How does such a mother feel when her neighbor welcomes gladly the smile of a son, the hug of a daughter, the glad exclamation of a child, “Hello, Grandmother!”

There are yet other ways we forget mother. Whenever we fall, whenever we do less than we ought, in a very real way we forget mother.

I recall talking to the proprietress of a nursing home. From the hallway where we stood, she pointed to several elderly women assembled in a peaceful living room. She observed, “There’s Mrs. Hansen. Her daughter visits her every week, right at 3:00 P.M. on Sunday. To her right is Mrs. Peek. Each Wednesday there is a letter in her hands from her son in New York. It is read, then reread, then saved as a precious piece of treasure. But see Mrs. Carroll: her family never telephones, never writes, never visits. Patiently she justifies this neglect with words that are heard but do not convince or excuse: ‘They are all so busy.’”

Shame on all who thus make of a noble woman “mother forgotten.”

“Hearken unto thy father that begat thee,” wrote Solomon, “and despise not thy mother when she is old.” Can we not make, of a mother forgotten, a mother remembered?"

Mother Remembered

"Men turn from evil and yield to their better natures when mother is remembered. A famed officer from the Civil War period, Colonel Higginson, when asked to name the incident of the Civil War that he considered the most remarkable for bravery, said that there was in his regiment a man whom everybody liked, a man who was brave and noble, who was pure in his daily life, absolutely free from dissipations in which most of the other men indulged.

One night at a champagne supper, when many were becoming intoxicated, someone in jest called for a toast from this young man. Colonel Higginson said that he arose, pale but with perfect self-control, and declared: “Gentlemen, I will give you a toast which you may drink as you will, but which I will drink in water. The toast that I have to give is, ‘Our mothers.’”

Instantly a strange spell seemed to come over all the tipsy men. They drank the toast in silence. There was no more laughter, no more song, and one by one they left the room. The lamp of memory had begun to burn, and the name of Mother touched every man’s heart.

As a boy, I well remember Sunday School on Mother’s Day. We would hand to each mother present a small potted plant and sit in silent reverie as Melvin Watson, a blind member, would stand by the piano and sing “That Wonderful Mother of Mine.” This was the first time I saw a blind man cry. Even today, in memory, I can see the moist tears move from those sightless eyes, then form tiny rivulets and course down his cheeks, falling finally upon the lapel of the suit he had never seen. In boyhood puzzlement I wondered why all the grown men were silent, why so many handkerchiefs came forth. Now I know: mother was remembered. Each boy, each girl, all fathers and husbands seemed to make a silent pledge, “I will remember that wonderful mother of mine.”

Some years ago I listened intently as a man well beyond middle age told me of an experience in his family history. The widowed mother who had given birth to him and his brothers and sisters had gone to her eternal and well-earned reward. The family assembled at the home and surrounded the large dining room table. The small metal box in which mother had kept her earthly treasures was opened reverently. One by one each keepsake was brought forth. There was the wedding certificate from the Salt Lake Temple. “Oh, now Mother can be with Dad.” Then there was the deed to the humble home where each child had in turn entered upon the stage of life. The appraised value of the house had little resemblance to the worth Mother had attached to it.

Then there was discovered a yellowed envelope that bore the marks of time. Carefully the flap was opened and from inside was taken a homemade valentine. Its simple message, in the handwriting of a child, read, “I love you, Mother.” Though she was gone, by what she held sacred mother taught yet another lesson. A silence permeated the room, and every member of the family made a pledge not only to remember, but also to honor mother."

Mother Blessed

"Now that we have considered “mother remembered,” let us turn to “mother blessed.” For one of the most beautiful and reverent examples, I refer to the holy scriptures.

In the New Testament of our Lord, perhaps we have no more moving account of “mother blessed” than the tender regard of the Master for the grieving widow at Nain.

“And it came to pass … that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

“Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

“And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

“And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

“And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.”

What power, what tenderness, what compassion did our Master and Exemplar thus demonstrate! We, too, can bless if we will but follow His noble example. Opportunities are everywhere. Needed are eyes to see the pitiable plight, ears to hear the silent pleadings of a broken heart, yes, and a soul filled with compassion, that we might communicate not only eye to eye or voice to ear, but in the majestic style of the Savior, even heart to heart. Then every mother everywhere will be “mother blessed.”....."

(From 'Behold Thy Mother' by Thomas S. Monson, Ensign April 1998)

Motherhood

2011-05-07T09:13:00.000-06:00

“There is no greater good in all the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation”
~James E. Faust

Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!

I am so weary of toil and of tears, …

Tired of the hollow, the base, the untrue,

Mother, O mother, my heart calls for you! …

Over my heart, in the days that are flown,

No love like mother-love ever has shone; …

             None like a mother can charm away pain           
             From the sick soul and the world-weary brain.           
             Slumber’s soft calms o’er my heavy lids creep;           
             Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep!
~Elizabeth Ackers Allen
 
"Perhaps the reason we respond so universally to our mothers’ love is because it typifies the love of our Savior."

~Bradley D. Foster


My grandmother, Virginia, with her little sister.

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh

My Grandmother, Virginia (center) with some of her family.

My great-great-great-grandmother, Charlotte

Thou art thy mother's glass, and she in thee
Calls back the lovely April of her prime.
~William Shakespeare


My great-great grandmother, Susan

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.
~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty


My great-grandmother, Florence (on right)

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. ~Terri Guillemets

My mother, on right

My mother, with me

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

My grandmother, Faye, next to her mother, Ruth

	I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. ~Abraham Lincoln


My grandmother Faye, with me.

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
~George Cooper

With my little sister, who is also a mother

Who fed me from her gentle breast
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother.
Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My mother.
~Ann Taylor


With my own children, who have all made me a mother many times over, including my daughter who has made me a grandmother!

The mother's heart is the child's school-room.
~Henry Ward Beecher

In this group, the following mothers: myself, my sister, our mother, our step-mother and my mother-in-law, as well as my daughter who was expecting her first child.

My daughter, now a mother.

      The holiest words my tongue can frame,    
      The noblest thoughts my soul can claim,    
      Unworthy are to praise the name    
      More precious than all other.    

An infant, when her love first came,

A man, I find it still the same,

Reverently I breathe her name,

The blessed name of mother.
~George Griffith Fether

Nothing in this life has brought me greater joy than being a mother. Nothing has taught me more patience and generosity, inspired me to learn and grow, and pushed me beyond my comfort levels. I am forever a different, much improved person. (And still learning)

I'm filled with gratitude for the mothers who came before; who shaped and cared for their families and paved the way for me.

Let us all cherish the mothers in our lives!

Ballad

2011-05-03T17:12:00.003-06:00

I saw this video today and felt it must be shared.
This adorable girl, Virginia, singing a sailor ballad.

Unassuming yet confident and sweet as can be, this lovely young lady embodies a true child-like quality that is rarely found in children now days.

Virginia Sings a Sailor Ballad from Douglas Phillips on Vimeo.

(Be sure to turn off my playlist player below so you can hear her song and let it buffer if needed.)
Or use the link below:

Virginia Sings a Sailor Ballad from Douglas Phillips on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

Go-Cart

2011-04-29T11:12:00.001-06:00

We've had a go-cart for many years- ten I think; but it's been pretty much out of commission for the last three.

The Man of the House decided that this spring it would be fixed.

(He had a lot of persuasive help from the kids)

Over the past two days, they've been working on it. Painting, welding, putting in a different engine...you name it,they fixed it.

They learned a lot, those kids.

While tweaking the throttle the first day, and before the brakes were fully done, the go-cart took off up the road...with my daughter on it.

At first she started laughing, looking back to see her dad and sister running after her. Then she began pumping the brakes, trying to stop it on her own.

Nothing worked and she was barreling up the road, beginning to panic.

Finally, The Man of the House caught up to her and was able to kill the engine.

She told him, "Dad, I was just getting ready to let go and say, "Jesus, take the wheel!"

(Like the Carrie Underwood song)

She laughed and said that song was going through her head and it sounded like a good idea.

The brakes were fixed.

Finally ready to go, each of the kids took turns on it last night and were thrilled to have their go-cart back.

Some a bit annoyed that their bodies had about outgrown it, others happy to be big enough to drive it at last.

I love the looks of trepidation as she tries it out for the first time:

She quickly realized that the brakes work great and the throttle is fully under control. Not to mention it's now covered in cool-looking flames!

The kids are thinking of the fun they'll have now that it's done.

The Man of the House is thinking of the fun they'll have now that it's done...and how cool it looks.

As their teacher, I'm thinking of the skills they learned while welding, painting and doing engine work on a school day.

As their mom, I'm just hoping that no injuries will occur.

Old-Fashioned Baked Custard

2011-04-28T14:25:00.001-06:00

When I was young, my mother often made old-fashioned baked custard in the fall and winter.

It still brings back fond memories.

Recently, I made some- even though it's spring-time.

On a rainy day, the smell of custard baking is absolute Heaven!

I use my mother's old recipe....from her tattered copy of the Fanny Farmer Cookbook.

It has become much more tattered since she gave it to me about 15 years ago.

I cherish the book; not only because it contains recipes from my childhood, but also because of the inscription:

It was a gift from my mother to my father the year before they divorced.
I'm just glad I have it in my possession. : )

The baked custard recipe within says this:

"This kindly old dessert still nourishes and comforts. Traditionally served in familiar brown custard cups, it can also be made in one large baking dish."
~The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, 1980

It's truly simple to make, although I've changed it slightly to my taste, increasing the sugar and vanilla:

Preheat oven to 325.
Grease a one quart baking dish or 8 ramekins. ( I use glass bread pans or ramekins)
Set a shallow cake pan large enough to hold the baking dish or ramekins in the oven. Fill with 1 inch of hot water.

Beat together:
2 egg yolks
3 eggs

Stir in:
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Add:
3 cups very hot milk. (Heat milk to hot, but not boiling.)

Stir til sugar is dissolved, add a sprinkling of cinnamon. (optional)

Poor into baking dish (es) and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Put baking dish into shallow water pan and bake for about 45 -60 minutes. (Less time for small ramekins)
Custard is set when a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

(I doubled the recipe)

Eat warm or cold- they're both divine!

Cock-a-doodle-doo

2011-04-27T16:54:00.000-06:00

This is Henry.

He's a Barred Rock Rooster.

Early this spring, he finally found his voice.

And his purpose in life.

To protect his ladies against all dangers: perceived or otherwise.

He's been fully trained in the rooster arts and is not afraid to demonstrate.

He is Henry.

He is one year old and he likes to peck, flap and crow!

(And then run when I come into the chicken yard. )

The Beauty and Wonder of Ordinary Life

2011-04-25T19:47:00.003-06:00

A wonderful play by Thornton Wilder, set in Grover's Corners, New Hampshire at the turn of the 20th century. It's a play set in three acts.

From Sydney Theatre Company's 'Our Town', 2010

Our Town is a love story about George Gibbs and Emily Webb. Childhood sweethearts, they grow up next door to each other amidst common, all-too average daily life. They marry right out of high school and begin their family, both learning to sacrifice for the good of the family. But during the birth of their second child, Emily dies.

The entire third act is about her adjustment with death – what she experiences on the other side. She watches her own funeral procession and burial. She sees the faces of her family, of those she loves.

“Live people don’t understand, do they?” she asks. “I never realized how troubled and how…in the dark live persons are…From morning till night, that’s all they are – troubled” (96-97). [1]

Then, despite those who have already died before her trying to persuade her otherwise, she chooses to go back and relive one day of her life- her twelfth birthday.

“Don’t do it Emily… It isn’t wise… It’s not what you think it’d be” (98) the dead advise her. But, she chooses to go.

She steps into her mother’s kitchen, circles the stove and table, watches her mother prepare breakfast. She sees the birthday gift George left on her doorstep early that morning. A post-card album she had forgotten about.

“I can’t bear it. They’re so young and beautiful. Why did they ever have to get old? Mama, I’m here. I’m grown up. I love you all, everything. — I can’t look at everything hard enough…Oh Mama, just look at me one minute as though you really see me…Mama, just for a moment we’re happy. Let’s look at one another” (107).

Finally, she begins to sob. Overcome with the grief and beauty of it all – the wonder of her ordinary life.

“I can’t go on. It goes so fast. We don’t have time to look at one another…Take me back – up the hill – to my grave” (108).

Before leaving, however, she wants one more look. Longingly, she says good-bye to clocks ticking, her Mama’s sunflowers, new-ironed dresses, hot baths, sleeping and waking. Then suddenly she throws her arms out wide and laments,

“Oh, earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you! Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it – ever, every minute?”

“No.” the stage manager (who acts as narrator) replies. “The saints and poets, maybe – they do some” (108).

Unfortunately, there is so much truth in that 'no'.

Just yesterday, I looked at The Man of the House....really looked at him. I noticed the silver creeping into his hair more, the tired lines around his eyes.

So often, we look at each other but in our busyness, we don't really see.

My children tell me about exciting moments in their lives- eyes shining, crooked grins forming , hands gesturing wildly. How many times have I listened half-heartedly, focusing more on tasks I'm working on or worries plaguing me?

How often do I really see the beauty in the daily activities that we sometimes call 'grind'?

Running a bath for my daughter- only occasionally now as she's likes to do it herself- and hearing her sing to herself; in her own water world that has transformed into whatever her imagination has fantasized. Then, later, waiting impatiently to blow dry her hair, she arrives in fresh PJs, with her towel wrapped turban-style with only her eyes and nose showing. She makes me smile.

Cooking dinner and trying to get things done before rushing off for soccer practice; my eleven year old daughter comes up behind me and gives me a hug. Not just a cursory hug- a real hug. She smiles, looks into my eyes, knows I'm about to wriggle out of her grasp in order to drain the pasta. She tells me, "We have a connection, Mom." I put down the pot, wrap my arms around her and press my forehead to hers. Yes, we do.

Taking a breather...really trying to relax after cleaning like crazy for a house showing (that was later canceled), my fourteen year old son walks by and just lifts my hand and holds it for a moment. He smiles at me and encourages me to relax.

Hearing my children chorus much like frogs in the night with their "thank yous" at dinner time. I sing out a long "Your Weeelllcome" with a smile on my face.

Taking a morning- really grasping hold of it and claiming it for my own- to stay in bed and snuggle with The Man of the House. To first absorb the deliciousness of a quiet house (kids not woken yet) and a warm, familiar body. To feel worries and tensions drain away. Then to talk softly about life: goals, children, etc. And, last of all, to put on an old movie and watch it, legs entwined, pillows a wonder of downy softness, the view out the window pale gray and foggy.

Later, the children waking on their own schedule and wondering why the house is so quiet on a school morning; coming up to find bacon and eggs cooking and Mom and Dad full of patience and serenity; waiting for warm hugs.

Even noticing the dog- who spends years of her life anticipating what we may want or need of her, greeting us with the same exuberant joy every. single. time. we arrive home. She gets ordered off the couch if we need more space or put outdoors if we have company over. Cheerfully, she complies. Never does she complain.

Just today, washing up some dishes by hand- those that couldn't fit in the dishwasher- I noticed how therapeutic it can be to immerse your hands in hot, soapy water. To think or dream while methodically washing the dishes.

These little things, little moments are the stuff of which a good life is made.

A few quotes to remember:

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; But by the moments that take our breath away….."

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about Learning to Dance in the Rain."

Of course, life is full of difficulties, too. Children argue, people get grumpy and things go wrong. But, I think if we make it a habit to really see the loveliness in an ordinary life, not only will we have so many less regrets later, but we'll be able to withstand the difficulties thrown our way with a greater patience and broader outlook.

Here's to looking for that which is lovely!

(And I highly recommend reading this play or, even better, watching it in person!)

Easter Fun

2011-04-24T08:37:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, we celebrated the Easter weekend with fun.

After a busy morning of soccer games and house showings, we all got together for an egg hunt and an early dinner.

The skies, which had previously been toying with the idea of snowing, gave us a break long enough to get out and do our thing.

It was cold out, so The Man of the House stayed inside to keep the baby warm.

I was the official picture-taker so I braved the chilling wind in order to fulfill my duty. And, as a mother, to admonish my teenage son for being out in shorts and flip flops!

(Not that the girls in their dresses were much warmer.)

Then, it was back inside to get warm and visit some more.

And for the kids to go through their baskets!

In other neat Easter news, we had baby chicks hatching yesterday.

A few weeks ago, we decided to hatch some of our own eggs to see the process.

Somehow, without trying, we timed it perfectly for this weekend.

As I showed our home to three couples yesterday, each had to take a peek at the chicks already hatched and those emerging from their eggs.

Pretty amazing stuff!

My favorite part was hearing them peep inside the egg, before even a crack had appeared.

All in all, it was a lovely day. How wonderful to experience our granddaughter's first Easter, and spend time with cousins and extended family.

Today, we are celebrating Easter with reverence

and abounding Gratitude.

May your Easter be filled with the same.

Another Spring Break

2011-04-21T12:52:00.000-06:00

This past week, The Man of the House took two of our children on a mini-vacation.
They went camping.
A little early for swimming and the fun of camping in summer weather, but they enjoyed themselves all the same.

They fished, played, ate and fished some more.

Who wouldn't appreciate a schedule like that?

They also explored and let out some of that pent up energy from a too-long winter.

This son and daughter were able to spend some quality time together.
Typically, she and her older sister tend to band together against their brother; turning down his offers of fun while they do their own 'thing'.
This trip allowed the two of them to rely on each other and reconnect.

Doritos, Mac n' Cheese and soda...while not on my list of nutritious foods, they can certainly bring kids together in junk food delight!

Fishing and later, counting and cleaning their catch of trout.

Trips like these- even over a weekend- do so much for the body and spirit.
Being immersed in nature is such an important part of a nutritious childhood.

Camping with Dad, roasting food over the fire and listening to the frogs croak at twilight before snuggling up in sleeping bags for the night....these are the things of which cherished memories are made!

Spring Sabbath

2011-04-17T10:55:00.000-06:00

What is it about certain Sunday mornings in April? The weather has been crazy all week, even up until Saturday evening.
Then suddenly, Sunday morning, the world is at peace.

It has let out a sigh, welcomed the sun and the birds are out rejoicing.
It feels as though all of nature is hushed in remembrance of another April, when Christ gave His life for us and broke the bonds of death.

In a recent address by C. Scott Grow, he spoke about Christ's atonement.
Below are excerpts from his address, which I invite you to read in full here.

"...The Messiah came to redeem men from the Fall of Adam. Everything in the gospel of Jesus Christ points toward the atoning sacrifice of the Messiah, the Son of God.

The plan of salvation could not be brought about without an atonement. “Therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also.”

The atoning sacrifice had to be carried out by the sinless Son of God, for fallen man could not atone for his own sins. The Atonement had to be infinite and eternal―to cover all men throughout all eternity.

...As the Only Begotten Son of God, He inherited power over physical death. That allowed Him to sustain His life as He suffered “even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great [was] his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.”

...Not only did He pay the price for the sins of all men, but He also took “upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.” And He took “upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, … that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.”

The Savior felt the weight of the anguish of all mankind―the anguish of sin and of sorrow. “Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.”

...Through His Atonement, He heals not only the transgressor, but He also heals the innocent who suffer because of those transgressions. As the innocent exercise faith in the Savior and in His Atonement and forgive the transgressor, they too can be healed.

...There are times when each of us needs “relief from feelings of guilt that come from mistakes and sins.” As we repent, the Savior removes the guilt from our souls.

Because of His infinite love, Jesus Christ invites us to repent so that we will not have to suffer the full weight of our own sins:

“Repent—repent, lest … your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.

“For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

“But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

“Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit.”

...When we sin, Satan tells us we are lost. In contrast, our Redeemer offers redemption to all—no matter what we have done wrong—even to you and to me.

As you consider your own life, are there things that you need to change? Have you made mistakes that still need to be corrected?

If you are suffering from feelings of guilt or remorse, bitterness or anger, or loss of faith, I invite you to seek relief. Repent and forsake your sins. Then, in prayer, ask God for forgiveness. Seek forgiveness from those you have wronged. Forgive those who have wronged you. Forgive yourself.

...Immerse yourself in prayer and scripture study. As you do so, you will feel the sanctifying influence of the Spirit. The Savior said, “Sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands … before me, that I may make you clean.”

...I testify that Jesus is the Christ—the Healer of our souls. I pray that each of us will choose to respond to the Savior’s invitation: “Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
From 'The Miracle of the Atonement' by C. Scott Grow

Gifts From the Farm

2011-04-12T10:41:00.000-06:00

Eggs.
Beautiful earthy shades, amazing little containers of nutrients.

It's still a quiet joy to collect these gifts from my gals each day.
(Especially now that they are all laying again!)

While they're busy with their daily laying service, downstairs I'm incubating a few of their babies.
Another amazing experience: turning the eggs several times each day, feeling their internal weights increase. Candling them at night with the girls excitedly learning about the different stages of development.
It's Biology at its finest.

We can't wait to see how the babies turn out!

A Week in Review

2011-04-07T13:17:00.000-06:00

We've been busy!
With the world around us on the cusp of spring, I've been enjoying a renewal of energy and activity.

Here are a few things we did this past week:

We held our annual birthday celebration for our little dog, Abby.
(She's five)
This party is faithfully held every April Fool's Day.
Faithfully held, because a certain little girl never forgets!

And, because by April we're getting anxious for spring weather; we're ready for a party of any kind.
The cupcakes were for the human folks, the specially prepared dog food 'cake' for the dogs.

Abbs, wearing her party dress, was more than willing to share her cake with Annabelle, who'd begun to feel left out.

Chuck was invited and had even sent an R.S.V.P.....but he decided to head to the farm next door and roll in cow manure instead. Thus, he was immediately UN-invited.
Sorry,Charlie!

Bread baking 101 with the girls on a relaxed morning

(Whole wheat!)

Sewing valances for the sunroom

(Before)

(after)

Creating a raised bed in the garden

following Mel Bartholomew's 'Square Foot Gardening' concepts.

I can't wait for the seeds to sprout- the soil is like butter!

And watching an adorable little blue-eyed girl for the afternoon.

Along with all the usual activities like school, home maintenance and soccer, it's been a rather productive week, I'd say!

Homestead Blessings Giveaway!

2011-04-05T14:02:00.001-06:00

Last year I wrote about the fabulous West ladies, here, who have created an amazing set of videos portraying the arts of homemaking.

As luck would have it, Homemaker By Choice is having a giveaway.
They're giving away three Homestead Blessings videos - you choose which three.
It all ends April 11th, so head over there for your chance to win!