Spring Fever?

Wow!!  I can't believe it's been so long since I've visited!!!  We had house guests for almost a week and we had a lovely time - but with all the visiting I think I ran out of words!!

That mixed with the general dreariness that seems to afflict me this time of year - writing anything down seemed like a big task!!

But - I'm back!!  I decided to come up with some activities that will help combat the awful greyness that covers this part of the world this time of year.

Here's what I came up with - some ideas so simple that I can't believe I had to think about it  - but with the dreariness comes a foggy grey brain at times too :0)!!!

We (the kids and I) made a fairy garden in a big jar!  Tons of fun - made a big mess on the floor - got to plant things - which did my gardening heart such good - and ended up with something pretty!!



See the pretty sparkly rocks we put in there?

 

A view from the top



 And then - feeling on a roll - I found some other jars I could plant things in - some vintage canning jars - with glass tops - so cool - I went down to the woods - found some neat rocks and peeled up some moss and made moss gardens!!  The bright green makes my heart happy!!

Another view from the top

 Then - I did the simplest thing of all - I went outside and hunted around until I found some hopeful signs that the grey days won't be around forever!!  I found several clumps of my mini daffs making their way through the damp soil - so pretty!!

And of course - one thing that always helps is chocolate!!  But this.... this chocolate is special!!  When I saw the display of these spheres (well - almost spheres) of delight - I confess - my heart did a little dance!!  Seeing these in the store made me sing a tiny little song in my head, "Spring is coming!!  Spring is coming!!!  Yahoo!!!"  It's a good thing I didn't sing it out loud - people wouldn't want to hear that - but my heart was singing - and I have since enjoyed some yummy chocolate treats!!

Blessings,

Christine

Pride Goeth Before a Fall

Yesterday at church a friend commented on how smart my children are.  I modestly thanked her - but- inside I was as proud as can be!!

Fast forward to today...

I spent the day...

shining a flashlight up my five year old's nose looking for a toy he stuffed up there...

patting my seven year old on the back because she tried to drink a glass of water upside down and nearly drowned...

telling a group of older teens to stop far..ahem...passing gas in my kitchen while I was preparing dinner  (gotta love teenage boys!!)

having my children look at me blankly when I said it was time for school...or time to pick up...or anything else that didn't involve Mario bouncing around on a screen.

Sigh...

Pride goeth before a fall - not sure if that phrase is exactly Biblical - but I know Proverbs covers it quite well!!!

P.S. Don't tell the kids but I'm hiding the Wii controllers for a while - I've had just about all the Mario music I can handle!!

P.S.S.  I still am crazy about all of them - and wouldn't trade this job for the world  :0)!!!



Where I would have sent the kids to spend a lot of time today - if it wasn't pouring so hard!!



Blessings,

Christine

A Recipe and More

Our day of being (pretend) snowbound is over and we are back in the swing of things - meaning school is going full force and Mama is attempting some clutter control (except that my yummy new yarn and pattern that I LOVE keeps calling me to add a row - or 2 or 3!!)

I've been asked for the recipe for these delicious treats!!  You won't believe how easy they are - or how very naughty they are if you are counting calories - ugh!!!

Saltine Cracker Treats

Line a cookie sheet with saltine crackers (I like to line my pan with parchment paper - way easier clean-up - more time to eat sweets hehehe!!!). 

In a sauce pan melt:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
bring to a boil and and boil for 3 minutes - pour over crackers and spread

Bake at 400* for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with 2 cups of chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes.  Spread melted chocolate.  You can top with chopped nuts, sprinkles or crushed candy canes (I like mine just plain!!)  I find that I need to put the pan in the fridge to get the chocolate to harden enough to break into pieces - but that may be because I am too impatient to wait!!

If you are like me and LOVE salty, sweet treats these will most certainly satisfy!!  In fact these cookies were calling my name all afternoon yesterday (and to think I made them for the kids!!!) - and I think I hear them faintly from the closed pantry right now!!! 

Oh dear, with my super cool new yarn and these treats I have shown a distinct lack of self control - I wish I could blame it on my pregnant state but I don't think that would be quite truthful!!!

Blessings,
Christine

The Snowstorm...

that didn't happen!!

For days the weather man has been predicting a once in a generation snowstorm...you know...the kind you tell your grandkids about..."I remember when there was 20 inches in one day!!".  That kind of storm.  And yes, they were thinking around 20 inches!!!  That's huge around here!!!

Well, the snow started last evening...beautiful, sparkly snowflakes whirling out of the sky!!  The kids were giddy with excitement at bedtime.  Sweet hubby and I took a lovely walk and enjoyed a chat with the neighbors (everyone seems to come out in weather like that!!).

But when I awoke this morning the first thing that registered in my brain was the gurgling in the rain gutters :0( !!!  Our epic snowstorm had turned into a yucky, slushy mess of rain and wind.  And the rain is scheduled to last for days...the kind of rain that makes Seattlites have to take Vitamin D in tablet form to survive!!!

So in the mourning our loss of sledding and snowman building we decided to pretend we were snowbound:

We built a fire and got out all the Lego's:

We turned saltine crackers into:

these yummy delights (these go a LONG ways in comforting sad kids!!!):

I got out my new yarn and started a fun new project:

And we did NOT go outside since every step in the snow turned into a muddy puddle right under foot (last night before we turned out the lights we had 6 lovely, fluffy inches of snow on everything - the roads were covered and every tree branch had a beautiful sparkly coating):

So many people around here get so upset at the predictions of snow.  They go crazy thinking that they might not be able to make it to work or out to run their errands.  I keep thinking that maybe snow is God's plan to slow us down - to make us step back and enjoy His creation, to enjoy the family that He blessed us with, to connect with and serve our neighbors and just to take a deep breath every now and again!!!  I can't help but wonder why so many people don't like it - 'cause really, when we get snow around here - we are pretty much guaranteed that our weather will turn back to our normal rain in just a few days :0)!!!

So all the grown-ups and kids in this house are praying for another chance at an epic snowstorm.   I would love a great snow story to tell my grand kids!!!!

Blessings,
Christine

A Fun Chore

There is a chore that I just love to do!!  Can you guess?  Yep - washing windows!!

Crazy - I know, but there is something so nice about the light streaming in sparkling clean windows!!  Now, I don't get to this job very often - especially the outside part - but it seems like I am overcome by the urge for clean windows about this time every year.  I think it has to do with taking down the Christmas tree and needing as much light as possible for the rest of winter. 

This last week we were blessed with snow and then bright sunshine - which made every bit of dust and every fingerprint show up!!  That urge to shine my windows was overpowering!!  So I got out my handy window cleaner and paper towels and went to work!!

I did decide that given my pregnant condition teetering on a stepstool in freezing temps outside was not for me - no matter how much I love the job - so I handed it off to my big 18 year old.  He did a mighty fine job!!  Now I can enjoy the light so much better!!

Just in time for the snow to melt and the very dark and dreary rain to return (it's really, really dark and grey here now!!!)  But my windows are clean and shiny and I am enjoying them!!!!

(I am thinking that this is a really weird post - window washing?!!!  Really?!!!  Oh well - I just gonna go with it - it's raining and I haven't had any coffee yet :0)!!

Blessings,
Christine

The Box

A delivery man came to the door with a box just for me yesterday!!!  Why did I get a special package?  Well, a few weeks ago my friend Becky over at Junk to Joy had a give away and to my huge surprise my name was drawn.  The funny thing is - I had not meant to enter the contest - I meant to leave Becky a note on another post.  Silly me!!  But anyway my name came up and Becky sent me a delightful box full of goodies.  What came in this box of sparkly paper?

A beautiful card with such an encouraging note - it cheered my soul!!  (The darling detachable tag will be on my Christmas tree next year!!)

This adorable felted pear has made itself right at home on my mantle - so sweet!!!

This beautiful wall hanging - a reminder of one of my goals for this new year - JOY - is now hanging in my bedroom where I can see it every morning!!

This darling mug (that I am using this very minute) makes me think of lovely Becky in her warm and sunny Florida - and the yummy chocolates are an added bonus!!

And at the bottom of this fun box were these beautiful decorations - I know just where they are going to stay in my living room - I am just looking for the perfect bowl to display them in - aren't they lovely!!

What a wonderful surprise to open my door and have that delivery man hand me this box filled with charming gifts. 

If you get a chance go visit Becky!  She is such an encouragement to me.  She meets life with such joy in the Lord and is a reminder every time she writes to see the world through eyes of blessing!!!  (Becky also has a darling etsy shop!!)

Thank you Becky for your lovely box - I had such fun opening it and ooooing and ahhhing over every gift!!!  You bless me every time I visit you!!!

Blessings,
Christine

A New Normal - In a New Year

Time to get back to normal in a New Year

Time to get back to work :0)!!

This holiday season was very different than I had imagined or planned.  A heart-wrenching tragedy within our church family and a sudden change in plans that I didn't understand made Christmas look far different than the ideas dancing in my head.  I had to work hard to maintain the joy of the season.

But - those things happen.  Both were out of my control - both were difficult to fathom - actually I still don't understand.  The wonderful thing is...this celebration we just engaged in is about the fact that God is in control!!  He has a plan - I don't have to understand - He's still with me - even when joy is elusive!!  Oh, what a comfort!!!  In reality - our holidays ended up being beautiful - just different than what I had hoped.

And now...it's time to start fresh.  Normal life begins again - in a New Year.  I have been thinking about what I'd like to do different this year - what I'd like to change - along with the calender.  A NEW normal - in a New Year!!

Our pastor said something that grabbed my heart and this is what I'd like to see in my life...He said "Jesus always acted with Eternal Intent".  I'd like to act with "eternal intent"  If I did, anxiety would not be such a big part of my life, having a servant's heart would not be so difficult and time robbers would not be so hard to put aside!!!  Well, I'm not making it a resolution (I don't really do resolutions) but I am keeping those words close to my heart and I have purposed to make prayer and Bible time a bigger priority so that I can more easily "act with eternal intent". 

A Challenge for sure!!  It's already been hard - hehehehe - I'm not surprised!!  With some relaxation under my belt (homeschool holiday) it was difficult to wake up this morning - earlier!!  Wow - kinda like lifting extra heavy weights to get my eyelids open - just to be honest :0)!!!  And the sweet kiddos didn't wake up so sweet this morning!!  Somehow - getting back into regular routine isn't easy for anyone.  Ears filled with whining sorta makes it hard to act with eternal intent - makes me really want to climb back into bed and pull the covers over my ears!!  Oh well, God will be my companion and He will help me - the wonder is....I don't have to do this all by myself!!!  Praise Him and Amen!!!  What a joy to know!!!!

Blessings this first week 2011!!!
Christine