Yesterday, Sarah (age 4) and I made a little yarn doll. First I took 4 arm lengths of yarn. Then I had Sarah wind up the yarn into a ball. This was good work for her little hands and arms. Next I took a piece of cardboard from an old cereal box and cut it to 3" x 5". I then asked Sarah to wind the yarn around the cardboard rectangle the long way. Once all of the yarn was used up, I cut a small piece of yarn from the original skein of yarn and tied a knot at the top of the rectangle and then Sarah cut the yarn across at the bottom. The part that you tied is now the top of the head. Next with another small piece of yarn tie at the "neck" area. Then separate about 1/4 of the yarn on each side and tie off for arms. Then cut some extra length of yarn off. Next tie for the waist and then divide for the legs and tie at the ankles.
I added some sewn on yarn and made braids. Have fun!
January 20th
While Barack Obama is being sworn in as the next president of our country, I am contemplating what I will make for dinner, what baked goods need to be baked, what projects should take priority, which child I will spend my next free moment with, how I can express my love to my husband, and thanking God for all he has given us. Yes, President Obama is offering our country hope and I am moved by the fact that we now have our first African American President. However, I am also reminded that our every action, our every word is what really matters. We must prayerfully consider how we live and realize that our choices, even the smallest choice matter.
I will continue to pray for President Obama that he may promote peace and love.
We are blessed to have a beautiful, small, shallow pond next at our neighbor's house. In addition, our neighbor is an 80 year old widow who loves to have the children around.
Although we live in a rural area, we do have neighbors. All are a bit of a distance away, but close enough that if we had an emergency they are just a call or a run across the field or woods away. We have wonderful neighbors.
Anyway, what a treat for the children to be able to head over and skate for exercise, fresh air and enjoyment. Today was a much more comfortable 16 degrees out and we were so excited to get outside.
Our oldest, Thomas, turned fifteen on the 15th. Wow... it is just amazing how the years, the months, the weeks, the days, the moments just go by much too quickly. We have to remember and keep remembering that it is the moments that make up life and to stop and enjoy them - to truly fill up with joy.
We had a nice birthday celebration on his birthday and my father came up from Massachusetts to visit as well. However, his birthday was a bit overshadowed by my running our Suburban off the road on my way to my library position. I was just about one mile from the library (I am the librarian for our rural library that is open just four hours per week), on a gravel snow covered road, when I went too close to the edge and slid and was pulled down the bank and found myself stuck - very stuck!
I proceeded to walk as quickly as possible the mile left to the library in 0 degree weather. I was so thankful I did not have the younger children with me. I knew, however, that my two oldest boys would be waiting for me outside the library. They volunteer at the senior meal twice a month. I was praying the entire walk for God to watch over me, the boys and that my husband would be able to get help to get the truck out.
All turned out fine. With much effort, my husband's employer (the landscape/plowing company) was able to pull the truck out. And, thank God that my father happened to be visiting (he had just arrived) and he was able to transport everyone where they needed to be. God is good!
So, Thomas' birthday was a bit hectic, but I hope ok for him.
Today, he had five friends over for a party. They arrived at 1:00 and went sledding for an hour, came inside for snacks - nacho chips and salsa, crackers, peanut butter chocolate chip bars and banana bread. Thomas does not like cake so I baked banana bread and we put the candles in that to sing happy birthday. The friends proceeded to play board games. It was wonderful to hear the laughter. Mike drove everyone home as some of the friends come from a bit of a distance. Thomas has met most of them through acting/theater.
Here is our fiteen year old, Thomas, with our baby, Abraham.
Warm wishes,
Tonya
The winter edition of our handwritten and hand copied at the local hardware store, newsletter is complete. I will be mailing it to subscribers tomorrow. The mission of Plain and Joyful Living is to celebrate simple living by finding joy in all that we do. Joy is not about money, consuming nor worldly pursuits. Joy is found in loving, living, and working with our hands.
Our family lives very simply on a yearly income of well below the poverty level for a family of eight. We work hard and love hard and do not feel as though we are sacrificing in order to maintain this lifestyle. We have lived in the world in the past with a new home, new car and high salary and we have found much more joy of the life we have deliberately chosen.
Here in northern Vermont it is absolutely frigid!! Maybe -20 below tonight. I am excited to read through a book ordered that arrived today - The Creative Family by Amanda Soule
I must attend to Abraham now.
Blessings,
Tonya
With another cold winter day upon us, our children created this fun game to play on our living room floor. Using regular wooden building blocks and a rubber ball, the object of the game is to hit the ball back and forth to one another using a block for your "paddle", but the ball has to go through the bridge in the middle of the floor on its way to the opposite side.
I just love to see the creative games and activities our children have come up with. I have a hunch that some of their creativity is due to the amount of free time they have and that we don't have television except for an occasional movie (no cable or satellite, etc.). Also, living off grid gives them fewer plugged in options.
Today, at Quaker meeting I was thinking about what an amazing gift God has given us with the beauty of the Earth. No matter our troubles, it is possible to look outside or go for a walk outside and to feel in awe and to feel so thankful.
We are getting ready for the week. We have my father visited from Massachusetts and our oldest son's fifteenth birthday on Thursday! Wow!
Blessings on your day,
Tonya