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I am not exactly sure where to begin. There's so much to tell and my brain isn't feeling very organized. I know if I don't blog now the week's events will get buried under next week's events. I am so pleased that we are getting the most out of the summer, hoping that the busyness will lead to a weariness that will make the winter feel cozy and necessarily restful. Friday night was DD's party. It was very low-key, just the four of us. She feasted on her requested birthday meal of homemade mac and cheese and a very yummy chocolate cake. She received a slew of birthday gifts; we played charades and watched movies. It was a fun night and she can't wait for winter when she can spend many hours putting her new sewing machine to good use. I would love to post pics of the big bash here, but hubby took the pictures and has been way to busy to get them to me. Maybe next week, maybe not. Saturday and Sunday were spent playing outdoors, mostly hiking. Sunday we hiked up to Goats Flats from the Storm Lake side, completing the length of the trail. You might remember that a few weeks ago we summited Goat Flats from the Upper Seymour Lake side. The trail from Storm Lake to Goats Flats is beautiful. The wildflowers were out in full bloom. There was one particular patch of lupine that I will not soon forget. I knew the flowers would be there long before I saw them; the fragrance that they gave off permeated the trail for a good 100 feet before the flowers themselves were in sight. The flowers were full, pristine, and bright. The hike itself wasn't too hard...only 3.5 miles and 1200 feet to the top. I personally enjoyed the views better from the Storm Lake side, either way you feel as if you are standing on top of the world. The week found us truly feeling the 'dog days of summer'. The temperature hit almost 100 degrees with zero wind. It was just plain hot. We tried to keep as cool as possible and just enjoy the heat as much as we could trick our minds into doing so. Bread still had to be made and dinners cooked...which meant heating up an already warm house. But, the heat wave has already passed and today it is a chilly 60 degrees. I can already see the beginning of fall around me. The wildflowers here at the house are gone. The lupine has given way to pods and the prickly rose is already wearing it’s rose hip winter outfit. Some of the underbrush is donning yellow leaves and I almost smelled fall this morning. Yesterday the children and I hitched a ride with a neighbor (the lady that owns the Soup Shack) to Salmon, Idaho. She does contract work for the hospital there and mentioned that there might be some good berry picking along the way. So, we rode along hoping to maybe find a few berries for a pie or two. We really made out like bandits and had a wonderful time doing so! We picked 10 quarts of chokecherries and 15 quarts of wild apples. The weather was perfect and the drive was so beautiful. The kids have really enjoyed spending time with this gal and her husband. They have been dubbed Montana Gram and Pa, although I am not sure who adopted whom. Today we will start the process of putting up our chokecherries and apples in the form of jelly. Like I said the weather is cool and stormy-perfect for such activities. This cold front is supposed to continue through the weekend so I am sure there will be lots of 'prelude to winter' activities going on. We will get together with some friends and prepare for our California vacation coming up. Have a fabulous weekend! |
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Thirteen years ago today, after a very long and hard pregnancy and 27 hours of never-ending labor this precious girl joined our family. I didn't know it at the time but I would look back on that day as one of the joyous moments of my life. All of the important people in my life were there that day-dh, my dad, my mom, my grandpa, and my grandma. They weren't just at the hospital-they were in the birthing room-they watched dd enter this world. Four generations of women in one place, at one time. My grandma is no longer with us, but I know she would be so proud of the young lady dd has become. The years steal away so fast. She is thrilled that today she is officially a teenager and I, well what would I give to go back 13 years and do it all over again! Today she will rejoice and celebrate her oh so very long 13 years. She will eat cake, open presents, and be on cloud nine. For me, I will hold onto this day knowing all too soon this blog will be writing about her 16th birthday, her 18th birthday, the day she goes off into the world, and the day she walks down the aisle. You are such a joy and I cherish every moment we spend together. You bring so many smiles and laughs to your family. You are incredibly loved by your dad and me, your brother, your grandparents, and all of your aunt and uncles. Happy Birthday! |
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When I was visiting my folks earlier this summer I discovered that my cousin and I shared a deadly vice: jelly beans. Jelly Bellies to be exact. You know, those soft little candies filled with all sorts of horrid food colorings and sugars and many other toxic chemicals that I will not list in fear that I may turn away from Jelly Bellies forever. Well, you can imagine our delight when we found that the local store carried these delectable treats in bulk. We spent at least a half an hour filling our bags with our favorite flavors. I was delighted to be able to get Creme Soda, Cherry, and Orange Creme all in one bag! After filling our bags and paying an obscene amount of money we headed home and ate away while vegging on the couch. We got horrible tummy aches and loved every minute of it! Back here in Montana it is nearly impossible to find Jelly Bellies and if you do find them, they won't be in bulk. So, thank heavens for this place: Bulk Jelly Beans . They have every flavor imaginable, you can buy in bulk, and they will deliver them to my door (or in town if you are me and live in the middle of nowhere Montana). So, if and when the irresistible hankering for Jelly Bellies comes again...I will still be able to indulge! |
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Both of my children have lived pretty privileged lives. Nothing too lavish, but they have always had much more than other children we have known. They have never wanted or needed for anything and recently it came to my attention that they may have become a bit spoiled. Now I am not going to share which child it was or the incident that pointed this out to me because I am not one to air my children's dirty laundry...but I will share what training techniques we are putting into place to change this mindset. From now on our teenage children will be buying their own clothing-all of it. Winter items, shoes, undergarments...they will be responsible for it all. Hubby and I will create jobs for them that are above and beyond their normal chores. They will get paid for these jobs. They will then have to plan ahead, set out a budget, and look for deals or secondhand clothing to meet their needs. This will do so many wonderful things-like teaching them responsibility. They will learn to plan and budget, how to recognize the difference between a need and a want, they will know first hand what it is like to be responsible for yourself in a very real world way. They will be more careful in caring for their things because they will have worked for them and will have limited resources to replace them. I don't want my children to not know how to manage themselves because everything as handed to them. I want them to know the benefit and sense of accomplishment that comes from working hard and providing a need. I want them to know that there is no shame in buying second hand. Even if someone has all of the money in the world it makes sense to buy from a second hand store or from eBay rather than eating away at resources we should all conserve. I am always looking for ways to stretch my children, to prepare them for the real world. I want them to be contributors to the community they live in and the world around them. |
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To a stay at home, homeschooling mom a good magazine can be like a breath of fresh air. Something that is just yours, in those few quiet moments when you manage to steal away. Over the years I have found a few magazines that held my attention. I would enjoy a few pages from them, but found that most of the magazine was packed full of bad theology, whining women, or just the same topics month after month. I would wait out the duration of the subscription and never renew. When I went to order my Bosch mixer several months back the website was promoting a new magazine called Seasons at Home. It looked interesting and had a beautiful cover. The price was right, so I thought that I would give it a try. Boy, have I been surprised and delighted! This magazine has far exceeded my expectations! It is a large publication that comes quarterly (hence the 'Seasons' part) and is jammed packed with user friendly recipes, crafts, and encouraging words. It is a fun, feminine magazine. Check it out: A Joyous Home Today DD and I are going to try out their focaccia bread recipe to go along with our homemade tomato soup. |