Within the Lines

It's beginning to look a lot like....

Woke up to a winter wonderland this morning.  All of the trees are covered in white and are just beautiful.  It promises to be a warm day, 30 degrees later on. 

Farm update:  My honey and my son went early this morning to look at a batch of Angus heifers.  We're thinking of buying about six to go with the others we have.  We picked up an Alpine buck, just to borrow, to breed our Alpine does.  We'll have milk this spring!  I'm going to try to clean out more of the barn today and put up a new feeder for the goats.  Dh put in a frost free waterer so now I'll just make a few fence repairs and bring the animals around to it so we don't have to water cattle or horses anymore.

Crafting:  I'm almost done with a pair of mittens, then I have socks to knit and dresses to sew.  I have quite a list of homemade presents to get done.  I really like this kind of "work" though.

House:  My honey put in a new window on Thanksgiving.  It faces south in the new kitchen and brings the sun right to me as I'm doing dishes.  I really like it.  We have three more windows to put in the new addtition before we can side it.  No hurry.

Our Thanksgiving was truly blessed.  I hope yours was too.  A grateful heart is the secret to joy with God.

Fire!

This Thanksgiving, we are so thankful....

A Lot of Changes

Happy and Content...

On Thanksgiving I was blessed not to have to cook.  It was a nice meal that my MIL had prepared.  My husband's nephew and his (nephew's) girlfriend came up to visit from Colorade.  It was really nice to see them.  They are nice kids... can I say that???  LOL... they are younger than me!  LOL. 

Last night I picked up my nephew and he spent the night with us, wanting to share in the Friday morning sales.  This has been a tradition for us, although it is becoming apparent that a NEW tradition may need to be started.  We only needed "two" things this year and so we got up early (3:30 am) and went to get the items.  We had to hit 4 stores to try to get the best price, so we split up... my daughter taking another daughter and I took my nephew and another daughter.  By 9 am we were done shopping... really didn't have anything we wanted... so we went out for breakfast... the funnest part of the tradition, I guess... the kids enjoy getting together and when we eat out, somehow we can eat what we like and my nephew what he likes and everyone is happy.  (and I don't have to do dishes or cook!) 

Since we were done with early bird sales, I went to Menards to get some room paint for my kids' rooms.  After the rebate we'll pay about $3.50 per gallon of paint.  I got 4 gallons of paint and that is enough to do 3 bedrooms!  They needed painting so the paint rebate sale was a blessing for us!  That wasn't an early bird special... just a sale that we happened to want to hit.  I also hit a Friday sale at JoAnn Fabrics.  Our family tradition is to get new pajamas each year.  Looking at the prices, I just sighed... I opted instead to buy some fabric on sale and make our own.  Flannel was on sale for $1.49 a yard and I figured I could make a pair of pajamas for  between $3 and $6 each. 

My girls happened to be tired of shopping and opted to go home while I ran some needed errands.  I stopped by the  bank, filled up the car with gas and that is then when I stopped at the fabric store and enjoyed a peaceful time of looking at material and patterns without a little one trying to steal my attention.  I arrived home to a clean house.. the girls cleaned the house and even mopped the floors. 

I am tired tonight.  From being up so early, I imagine.  That is Okay.  After watching so many people today... I have been pondering much about my interactions, our traditions, etc.  I long for the quiet and some time to think.  After each store we retreated to our car which played softly playing Christmas music.  It was soothing.   Our favorite part of the day was simply just eating and talking together.  My kids have enjoyed this 5AM tradition of shopping (I got up at 3:30 simply because that's when I woke up).  I realized they just enjoy getting together with their cousin and spending time together.  They don't have much in common with him, so the "Shopping" was a way to connect.  But today they found they connected by just eating together and making conversation.   Perhaps God is leading our hearts to change!  Perhaps it is time for traditions to change. I saw my nephew open up today.  My youngest, Paige, cried when I picked her up at 7:45 am so Dad could go to work.  She wanted to be with Daddy.  My nephew quietly watched her cry (and I noticed a sympathetic expression in his manners) ...I simply kissed her and said... I like being with Daddy, too.  It was enough... Enough to have someone understand her little heartache.  That heartache, however is a longing with my nephew that he just doesn't talk about at all to us.  His Dad has never been around for him since birth.  He talked to him a couple times on the phone, but to my knowledge has never met his Dad.  When my sister came to pick him up, they talked a bit and she shared that her other son was visiting his Dad and she was upset that he wasn't a good role model and my nephew just simply said... at least he has a Dad, I'd give anything to spend time with my Dad.  My sister just pushed that aside and changed the conversation.   I just was amazed that my nephew said that outloud.  He has often shut down, cried but would never open up...(not even to his Mom and especially not us) and to have him open up today... was quite amazing.  It had to be God working in his heart!  So tradition is good in the sense that it got us getting my nephew comfortable with going shopping together for 3 -4 years now... and I'm hoping that with him feeling able to open up a bit, that perhaps we can connect on a different level than "shopping".    Much to think about and ponder!

For now, I am content and happy.  

Warmly, ~Melissa

The Post-Thanksgiving Lull...

Thanksgiving is over and not only was it a day to be thankful, but I am thankful for how it went.  In this cold but sunny day, I am so grateful with how the Lord answered my prayers and calmed some odd family dynamics.

I awoke between 7-7:30a.m. and got a batch of fresh herb bread dough going and then prepared and set the turkey to baking.  As my family woke and after they had quick breakfasts of cereal, I set them to working!  lol  All the last-minute dusting, sweeping and toilet cleaning for my mom's inspection - er, uh - I mean, everyone's comfort and enjoyment!    

But we had a great day.  Some friends of ours who have to drive past our home to have their Thanksgiving at some relative's who live 1/2 hour past us came and visited us for about an hour.  I enjoy talking to friends while I cook, it makes the time go faster and more pleasant.  Just after they left, the first of our guests for the rest of the day arrived - a friend of our 2 dd's who has a new baby and our family (and another family from our church) are ministering/mentoring her, and other friend came, too.  Just after they arrived, my family - mom, brother and his girlfriend - came.  I have to say that - THANKFULLY - my brother was on very good behavior and only one quick little attempt at an opposing politcal comment was made but I told him that I didn't want to have those conversations today and (wow!) that was it.  PTL!! 

We had so much wonderful food - truly a feast:  I made the turkey, the obligatory green bean casserole, salad, homemade herb bread, cheesecake, veggies w/my homemade dill dip (better then store-bought, if I do say so myself!  lol), cheese tray and homemade punch.  My mom brought the stuffing, cornbread, mashed potatoes w/sour cream, chives and cheese (!), red velvet cake (homemade!), home-grown corn and sweet potatoes, while my brother brought shrimp and cocktail sauce.  It seems like I'm missing something, but believe me, we DID NOT lack anything good! 

I would also like to tell you all that I am thankful for all of you who take the time to read, to comment and to leave messages and/or e-mail me.  I praise the Lord for the miracle of the internet and the fun of blogs that have brought us together and the friendships made.  You have made such a precious, comforable nest in my heart.

Blessings to you all...

Kim Wolf<><

What to do with Turkey Leftovers

No baby yet....

I say that with a bit of bitterness...and yet at the same time, I'm okay with him not being here yet. My ticker still reads 9 days to go, but for the past week, I have been having awful contractions keeping me up all hours of the night. And when morning comes, it's as if nothing happened. My body aches all over, and yet I want to relish so much in this joyous time that only lasts but a short while. I know he will be here soon, before Christmas even, but my impatience overtakes me some days, and then on other days, I am happy, and enjoying the moment that I am in.

I haven't updated my last nesting mission yet, but you'll be happy to know that I did get the girl's room done. That's where my discouragement over the dreaded playroom got to me, and as I was just about to finish full circle cleaning through my house, I quit. I'm still working daily on maintaining the rooms that I worked so hard to clean, and I'm thankful that my house with the exception of one closed door that's contents remain uncleaned for now. I'm sure I will get to it...eventually, but for now, I just do what I have to and will worry about it more later.

Our Thanksgiving was a blessed one, and for the first time in many years, I had to do absolutely nothing, except for stuff my face. I'm usually the main meal preparer for holidays, but everyone agreed that this year I would get a break, for which I am most thankful. I was so babied yestereday, even being made to lay down when my feet began to look too swollen. We're heading back over to my folk's house in a bit for lunchtime leftovers. YUM!

Black Friday...I don't know if I even want to get started on this ridiculous tradition, but my husband chose to partake of the shopping events this morning. I told him he was nuts. At 4 am, he went to walmart, and wrestled 30 people for a trampoline, a big gift we decided to get for our children. It was a good deal, really, but I just can't imagine it being worth that kind of anxiety. He nearly gave himself a hernia lifting the nearly 200lb box into his shopping cart. He is now on the couch recovering from his exciting morning.

Today we are going to be putting up our Christmas decorations, and relaxing. I intend to spend the next week, or until the baby decides to make his arrival working on some Christmas gifts, maintaining my clean home, and just spending some time with my 3 precious children before they number 4.

I'm not sure how much time right now, I'll have to post, but I will work on giving an update on the baby as I have time. I pray your Thanksgiving was a blessed one, and that your weekend promises to be filled with joy.

Blessings, sara