Snow...everywhere.....

Snow and winter seems to have enveloped my home. The temperature today will not even reach 0 degrees. It has been a cold, January week in Minnesota. And for us who live here, enough said. This is the season we are in and for my own personal sanity, I am hoping to welcome an early Spring. More than likely though, we won't. Since the snow and cold temperatures consume everything outside, I decided that it might as well also flood our library book basket as well.

Our current basket is filled with:

Snow Day Stories and Poems edited by Caroline Feller Bauer
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
It's Snowing! It's Snowing! by Jack Prelutsky
A to Z Winter
Thomas' Snowsuit by Robert Munsch
Just a Snowy Vacation by Gina & Mercer Mayer
The Jacket I Wear In The Snow by Shirley Neitzel
Now It Is Winter by Eileen Spinelli
Snow Is Falling by Franklyn M. Branley
White Snow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt
When Winter Comes by Nancy Van Laan
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Snowflakes and Ice Skates: A Winter Counting book by Rebecca Fjelland Davis


We're even reading winter poetry as part of our school lessons these days. Here's one we found today:

Snow (by Mary Ann Hoberman)

Snow
Snow
Lots of snow
Everywhere we look and everywhere we go
Snow in the sandbox
Snow on the slide
Snow on the bicycle
Left outside
Snow on the steps
And snow on my feet
Snow on the sidewalk
Snow on the sidewalk
Snow on the sidewalk
Down the street.


That is pretty much exactly what it looks like out my window. If you are reading this and are graced with a warmer climate, please sit outside and bask in the sun for me today! I know, this too shall pass. It's just gonna be a while.

We're just like the squirrels

A kitchen conversation in my house this morning, while I was preparing a few freezer meals.

Lily: You're kind of like the squirrels.

Me: How's that?

Lily: You're making food and putting it away for another day. You're just like the squirrels. I bet when they come home on a cold winter day and don't want to make anything for supper, they remember their acorns that they hid and just go get some of those to eat. That's just like you when you don't feel like making supper or you don't know what to make, you just go to the freezer and take one of these out. And boom, just like that you put it in the oven and supper's all ready.

Me: You're right. We are just like the squirrels.


Smart little girl. Sometimes I am still amazed at the childhood musings in my home.

I am also thankful that the conversation didn't go in the direction I was anticipating, which was her making some mention of weight and storing things away in my belly area! I'm not sure why that came to mind when she mentioned squirrels and storing things away.....

Faith & Family Live! : The Inventor’s Repentance

I was reading my daily dose of Faith & Family Live! and found this article on the inventor of The Pill. I found it interesting. If only a few others would admit their wrongs, especially when what they did/invented ended up changing so many lives. I'd love to know what changed his heart.
Faith & Family Live! : The Inventor’s Repentance

Posted using ShareThis

7 Quick Takes

1. What's on my mind the most this morning is my 89 year old grandpa, Eddie. He fell yesterday at home and broke his hip. Thankfully, my parents live next door and my dad was home. He was able to go over there to help when my grandma called and he called 911. He was also able to ride in the ambulance with Papa. I have only heard briefly the story, but my dad stayed with both grandpa and grandma while they waited for the ambulance. While grandpa lay on the floor awaiting help, grandma sat in a chair by him and held his hand. After 64 years, she didn't leave his side. I'm still awaiting news on how his surgery went late last night. Offering prayers.

2. I am glad for routine. We are back into it this week after our Christmas break and I am so grateful!!

3. Today my heart is again thankful for my wonderful husband. When I called him with news of grandpa, he was quick to offer compassion and to come home if I needed. He's also offered to leave work today and drive me to the hospital (an hour away) if I need him to. He's supportive of whatever I may need in the event that the surgery outcome was not what we hoped. As always, he's given me a shoulder to lean on.

4. We're looking forward to our local Catholic home school (belated) Epiphany party on Sunday. Since we're new to homeschooling, it's nice to get to know more of the families and interact with them.

5. The last couple of nights we've been having 'bedtime issues' with both kids. We follow the same routine, but sleep seems to be coming much later and after much shouting from the kids. Not to mention the many last minute 'I want's'. I hope this phase doesn't last long. It's always difficult in our house when we go through these phases. Hard on mommy. Frustrating for daddy.

6. I am amazed what a little bit of paint can do for one's mood. We painted our bedroom last weekend and I can't believe how much more warmer and inviting it is to me. I have been consistent in my morning prayer time this week because of it. I feel all cozy in the morning and look forward to sitting in the rocking chair and spending time in prayer. I just feel so much better throughout the day too knowing that I started off right and gave my day to God. Somehow the early morning doesn't seem so bad when I am in my chair and in my newly painted bedroom!

7. This week has been filled with a lot of searching online. I'm looking for a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Somehow it seems, that in the midst of 2.5 years of dealing with infertility and all of the doctors and others that we've talked to and received advise from, no one has bothered to suggest the concept of consulting a RE. While reading a book recently, they point out that it is one of the first things to do. Oh really? And no one has told me that!? So, I am a bit upset that I have not been privy to this information sooner and somewhat frantically trying to find an RE that is qualified/certified. So far, the closest I've found is an hour and a half away and in all my searching I'm not able to find out if he's certified or not. Ugh. More work ahead!


Visit Jen for more Quick Takes Today!

A Pansy in my Home

Just this morning, Lily and I were reading a few short stories in Everyday Graces: A Child's Book of Good Manners and the one titled Pansies, seemed to touch my heart and strike a chord. The story talks about a king who had a beautiful garden and how one day the plants were drooping and fading. Each was finding fault with itself because they were not something else. The pansy was bright and beautiful and as sweet as ever because it knew that "when you planted the seed out of which I grew, you didn't want a pine, or an apple tree, or a vine, or a rose. You just wanted a little pansy. So to please you, I am going to be the best little pansy that I can be."

At the end of the story, the lesson stated is:

"Like the pansy, you must make up your mind to be content, and to grow into the person that you were created to be. If you want to be like a pansy, and make everybody in your home brighter and happier, you must learn to be kind and cheerful."

I'd like to get better at being a pansy in my home. Unfortunately, sometimes I am more of a dandelion stifling it. I desire my home to be a more peaceful and happy place. Don't get me wrong, not that it isn't. I just think we could do a little bit better.

Back to Routine

Yesterday we got back into the swing of things and back to routine. I like routine. I like order. I am content. I also think that it does wonders for my home and for the kids. They know what to expect and when each day they are home with mommy. We decided that perhaps getting back into the swing of things may be a bit tough after almost two weeks off of a schedule, so we held a Family Meeting the night before. At first, the kids were inquisitive as to why we were having a meeting since "we only have those when we have to talk about a problem with us". We used the meeting forum to explain the blessing of vacations and time spent away from routine and that at Christmas time it was a good thing to have so we could celebrate and spend time with family. Then we went on to explain that while that was wonderful, we need routine in order to get back to school and learning, as well as back into our good habits. I was still a bit concerned about how yesterday would actually go and how much resistance I may encounter. Thankfully, we had a wonderful day and it was almost completely free from flaw!
I know not every household holds fast to routine as much as we do, but I have tried hard to keep it in our home since the kids were young. That way they know what to expect when and also know what times during the day are more of a 'free time' for them. It has also helped immensely since we started homeschooling last fall. Since the routine was already established, it was easy to just rearrange a bit to allow for school time.

7 Quick Takes

A number of the blogging mom's I follow have started doing 7 Quick Takes on Fridays. I'd like to start it too, however, I missed out yesterday. So, here's mine..a day late.

1. Winter and it's wrath of snow and cold are overwhelming me. I guess this is perhaps what is referred to as a 'real' winter that we haven't seen in a number of years, but it's already getting the best of me. Not to mention that we are waiting on another snowstorm today that is suppose to bring 6-8 inches AGAIN!!

2. Because I am overwhelmed with winter, I have decided to take on a painting project this weekend. I think our bedroom could us a little warmth, so I picked up paint yesterday. I'm hoping to make it a peaceful, inviting haven for myself and my husband.

3. We decided to allow the kids to watch the movie in the Chronicles of Narnia the other week. Now Lily has become a bit obsessed. And she keeps mentioning that Peter is her favorite character 'because she's never seen a blonde boy before.' Hmm...or is it that she's never really noticed a blonde, TEENAGE boy before..Yikes.

4. I had acupuncture again yesterday to help with my infertility issues (hopefully). I am now only going every few weeks, which is much different from the twice a week schedule I was on 3 cycles ago and then the weekly appointments that followed. I think my body recognizes this and is a bit less willing to have needles stuck in it. When my visits were more frequent I found it less difficult to 'psych' myself out about the needles.

5. Another season of The Biggest Loser starts on Tuesday. Why I thrive on that show I'm not sure. I guess it just leaves me inspired and I love to watch the transformations that follow.

6. I'm hoping to get back to my workout regimen. I need to in order to stay healthy, especially since the winter leaves me a bit less active. And because I just need it for my overall health and wellness. I know I feel better when I do exercise...but why is it so hard to stay consistent?

7. I received a couple of good books that I had requested for Christmas. I am in the midst of two of them and eager to finish. When the Cradle is Empty, is a good book that helps deal with infertility and is Christian based as well. The other is Haystack Full of Needles, which is a wonderful book talking about homeschooling and socialization. I'm finding it enlightening even as it talks about the mom's socialization as well. Glad I got these as gifts!!