Yay for Digging!!

After many, many, many days of dreary rain in which we more than doubled our rain average for the entire month of March we have a break!!!!!

In spite of the mud I just could not resist the lure of the dirt!!

 Out came my pitch fork and grubby shoes and into the garden I went.  Oh, how good the earth smelled!!  How wonderful the crumbly soil felt under my fingers!!  Bliss!!

I got most of my veggie garden turned over until big belly syndrome took over and I just could not do any more - then I made my big boys go out and finish for me while I tried to soak away the aches and pains of digging while pregnant :0)!!  But truly, all the achiness was worth it!!!

So now that the turning part is over we will add some compost and hopefully get some early spring veggies planted very soon!!  I can hardly wait - my mouth is watering for my own homegrown veggies!!!  Happy Spring!!!!

Blessings,
Christine

Mischief Maker

Sometimes even the littlest ones get into mischief!!!

A few minutes in the corner is just the ticket to remember why it's important to obey mommy!!!

I have to confess, I thought she looked stinkin' cute sitting there so seriously - thinking about her naughty behavior.  An "I'm sorry, Mommy" and a hug and she was back on her merry way!  Hopefully with a lesson learned (I kinda think not though - she is one busy, busy two year old!!!  She keeps me hoppin').

Blessings,

Christine

P.S.  Thank you all for your encouraging comments about being over 40 and pregnant!!  They all were soooo encouraging!!  I really felt uplifted when I read them all!!!

A Tidy Corner

Somehow with the snow and other fun weather we've had around here I lost control of the entryway in our home (well, I wish it was only the entryway - but we'll talk about that later, lol!!)  But the entry was getting to be a terrible disaster - then the shoe rack broke - and with 10 people leaving their shoes there...well, you get the idea.

Ugh...not a good impression when you walk in the house!!!!

So after looking at this mess for a while I put my thinking cap on and came up with a solution:

Better - don't ya think?

I have four baskets - one for hats, mittens and scarves, one for Sunday School shoes, one for Tennis shoes, and one for Boots.  I am hoping the winter gear and boots basket won't be needed for too much longer - I will turn the boots basket around and the tag will say flip flops and sandals (I can't hardly wait!!!)

It was so nice to come out to the living room this morning and see that nice tidy area!!  I do want to come up with some other ways to make that place look pretty but for now the tidiness makes me very happy!!!  Tidy corners and non-mussed places in my home bring me peace!!  Sorta like when my heart is not mussed with ungodly thoughts there is calm in my life!!  You know what I mean?!!!

We are into our fourth week of germs making their presence known in our house!!  Yuck!!  We are kinda going in slow motion - every week another person or two comes down with a fever and a bad cold.  Funny bug that only wants to infect one or two at a time instead of the whole clan at once!!  Oh well, if we have to do this slow motion thing - now is the best time - while the weather is still grey and before wee one has arrived!!!

Blessings,

Christine

Projects and Babies

A few weeks ago I started a new project - a scarf that I was super excited about:

Remember this picture?

Well here it is all finished - I am very pleased with the results - the scarf is soft and comfy (and will be longer next winter - when the baby bump is gone :0)!!)

 I really loved this design - I was kinda sad when I finished the yarn off 'cause it was just fun to do!!

Two new projects are in the works - both for Christmas - getting a head start because I know there probably will be a spell where crocheting is the last thing on my mind - snuggling wee one will take over!!!

Working with these bright colors has been fun these last days of winter!!

On the baby front my friend Cinnamon (who just had a super sweet little girl a couple of weeks ago) has reminded me that I have not mentioned my due date.  Well, our little one is due to arrive June 3!!  All is going well and I am feeling pretty good.  I am tired in the evenings and being that I am vertically challenged (very short) baby is already starting to crowd my breathing space so that is sometimes uncomfortable - but all in all we're doing well!!

I have to say that the one thing I am not liking so well is that even with seeing a midwife people seem to be acting like this is a higher risk pregnancy - seems funny to me that when I had Esther just 2 years ago I was also over 40 and no one blinked - but now...

I know everyone is suggesting all these tests etc. because they believe it is best but on top of making me feel more stressed and anxious than I want - I believe that God planned and created this tiny babe and He will take care of things!!  Time is going fast and we are really looking forward to meeting little one face to face!!!

Blessings,

Christine

Procrastination

After one more blast of snow last night that dropped about 4 inches in about an hour we woke up to this:

And since the kids snuffles were so much better we spent most of the morning getting dressed like this as it was a toasty 19* outside:

  The day has turned out beautiful - with amazingly blue skies and bitingly cold breezes.

The kiddos are thoroughly enjoying the day of sledding!!  Even though I said today was the day to get back to laundry and housekeeping I have not yet begun.  Mainly since it is so cold, little ones come in to warm up frequently (and have the necessary hot cocoa and marshmallows) and then want to go back outside. Which means Mama is spending a good portion of the day yanking boots on and off, zipping and unzipping jackets, opening and shutting doors for mittened hands.  All fun stuff for sure - but I did decide to just give up on the housekeeping - the pile of snow gear is just too big and the mud brought in with snow-covered boots is never ending :0)!!  So once again I say - tomorrow - the laundry and housekeeping will resume.  Is all this a good excuse for procrastination?!!

On a side note - I am praying my blueberry bush and clematis vines that were all ready for Spring make it through this cold snap!!!  They really thought warmer weather was here to stay even if it is only February!!

Blessings,
Christine

Winter is Still Here

Well, winter is still here!!

 This is what we have been having the last couple of days!

Along with feverish, snuffly kids (and a husband) for the last two weeks!

While it is beautiful outside I have a bad case of the winter blues (or more likely, hormones - ugh) that have made me feel tearful and anxious the last few days - blah!!

So today - I got tired of worrying about all the right foods to put into my body and made some comfort food - warm, yummy rice pudding (of which I plan on having more than my share!!!).  And I plan on snuggling warm, sticky babies on the couch and watching silly cartoons with the kids!!!  Sometimes you just gotta go with it!!!  Tomorrow back to the laundry and housekeeping!!!

Blessings,
Christine

My Favorite Cookie

A long time ago when I was a little girl my mom would have me make cookies for the family - a job I loved!!

But she finally banned me from making chocolate chip cookies (my favorite to make!) because I ate way too much dough (which is still the best part!!!)

She had me make a different kind because she thought I would not like the taste of the dough quite so much - she was right.

I didn't like the dough so much - but they turned out to be my favorite baked cookie ever!!!

Snickerdoodles!!!!  Mmmmmm golden crunchy on the edges and chew yummy in the center!!!  Oh my!!  Thank you mom for teaching me to bake such yummy stuff!!!

Hope your day is filled with yummy blessings!!

Christine