Cold Weather Blast

The wind is blowing and the temperature is dropping. We might even get down this weekend to the 20s. We were thinking of going out of town this weekend, but we decided that maybe we should postpone our trip. So I won't be taking pictures of things like this.

It is okay, I really wouldn't want to be out of town when the weather will be totally lovely here. There is the slightest chance of snow.

I watched these guys yesterday. I also watched their two brothers. This was when they were little and the first time they got to dress up like pirates. They are still fans of being pirates. In fact, I read them pirate stories yesterday and they were quite happy. I had this conversation when it was nap time. They wanted me to stay and talk. The youngest was happily crawling around them so I sat down and we talked.

T." When I grow up, I am going to be a man, and my voice will change."
Me. " Yes, that is true, you will have a deeper voice than you do now."
T. " My Dad's voice isn't very deep, so he must not be grown up.You are his Mom."
Me. " Oh his voice changed a whole lot, in fact he used to sound a lot like you do now."
T. " He did?"
Me " Yep, in fact he was little just like you."
T. " When I grow up I am going to be a Daddy, with a wife like my Mom and I want lots of babies." *Smiling at baby brother crawling across his feet.*
Me " That's good I know you will be a good Daddy."
T. " I need to get a job though."
Me " I said I think you have a bit of time to work that out,( trying not to smile)."
T. My Daddy's voice and Grandpa's Ron's voice sound the same, will my voice be like that? "
Me. Yes, I bet your voice will be like that. "

T. is very musical. My husband as well as our son's all have these ears that can hear perfect pitch. I of course am sadly challenged in this area. I think our grandson's might have this gift as well from this conversion yesterday. I also found out that if I sing songs to the baby while rocking him he fell right to sleep, I don't think it's  from it being peaceful, but to escape the noise. I was very glad no one walked in while I was singing. The baby isn't old enough like the others to pat my mouth and say, " Don't sing Mom," Like mine did. 

I am out of shape. Mom's work harder than anyone I know. By the time I got in bed last night, I was so sore and tired. I can chop weeds all day clean my house and mop floors and never be as tired as taking care of babies. My girls are incredible because they do it all and even cook from scratch. I fixed macaroni and cheese from a box. One of the boys said, " Oh, Grandma you fix this kind, we don't get this kind at home."

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. :) I have become such a slacker.
 I know that there would be no way to blog, have chickens or sew. It is good to see and be reminded of just how hard Mommies work. I have no idea how on earth I ever did what I did with six.

Life is very good though and I am very happy and content and very, very thankful that I get to have my grand children close by.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope to get caught up today and visit you all.

~Kim~

Chats on The Farmhouse Porch

It is time again to visit with Patrice on her porch. It has warmed up a bit today and the sunshine is really pretty. We will be getting some more rain and lots colder temps by the Thursday and the weekend so it is nice to have a bright sunshiny day.

Now onto this week's questions:

1.    What's your favorite thing to have in hot cocoa/ hot chocolate?

I don't drink it because I would rather have coffee or tea, but when I make it for the grand's I put lots of whip cream and sprinkles.

2.    Did you have a white Christmas? Have you had snow since then?

We haven't had snow in 15 years. I always hope that this will be the year. The snow by Friday will be down to 1500 feet which it the foothills around here but I doubt if it gets to the valley floor. It would be nice though.

3.    Have you been looking over seed catalogs? If this doesn't apply, what kind of catalogs do you like to leaf through?

Yes, I have, I love seed catalogs so I look at them over and over, but they do make me get spring fever so it is better to not look at them too much.

4.    Gas stove or electric?
Electric

5.    What's new or interesting?

Not much just planning the wedding and trying to get things finalized this week. Like guest lists and caterer and things like that.

Thank you to Patrice for this week's questions.
I always enjoy seeing them each week. Thanks for stopping by and visiting,

~Kim~

The Simple Woman's Day Book---January Edition

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... It is cloudy and cold. The air is sweet and feels like diving into a cold swimming pool on a hot summer day. It is refreshing and clear and brisk. Right now, I am in love with winter this second week of January.

I am thinking... I have so many things to get accomplished today. I really shouldn't be on the computer. The laundry piles are huge mountains to climb. School needs to be started. The dog decided this weekend was a good weekend to shed all over the place.

I am thankful... That I have a nice roof over my head. That I have electricity. That I have lots of normal to get done today. I like normal.

In the kitchen...My son is eating breakfast before he goes to work. He will be the third person out the door this morning. Emilie starts her new job today. I am so excited for her. I can't wait to hear all about what she learns on her first day.

I am wearing... Sweats and a white shirt and tennis shoes. When I use bleach and cleaners I always wear things that won't be destroyed.

I am creating...I have four rugs and three counted cross stitch patterns I am working on.

I am going...to keep looking forward and not back.

I am wondering...If I will be able to do all that I have set my face to do this year.

I am reading...Christy, Bleak House, My Bible and all of my devotionals, I got a new one using the selected writings of C.S. Lewis which is fantastic. 

I am hoping...That we keep getting rain, and that it stays cold. I am not ready for any kind of warm up yet.

I am looking forward to...This weekend

I am learning... No body cares what I get done or what I don't get done for the wedding. All that really matters is that the bride and groom are there. The vows are short and the food is served quick and there is lots of it.

Around the house...

I am pondering...How long I will be upstairs today doing school.

A favorite quote for today..." Know that the Lord is God It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture, Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise, give thanks to him and praise his name." (Psalm 100:3-4)

One of my favorite things...right now are lambs and sheep. I just can't get enough of looking at them. I guess it is because this time of year the shepherd bring the sheep to eat down the alfalfa fields. I always think of that this time of year and listening to them and watching them as I drive by.

A few plans for the rest of the week: I am watching my four grandsons this week. Peter is driving with a instructor this week. Lots of things going on.

A peek into my day...

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you have a very nice week.

~Kim~

Just About Books

I have spent a lot of time with my books shelves this week. I have to admit the first love in my life has always been books. My first memories are of sitting with my mother as she read Little Women at night waiting for my Dad to get home from work. My Great-Grandmother's favorite book was Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter. She told me she read it once a year.

My grand mother's favorite book was Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter. I searched for it for years when I was young and then when I was about 13 or so I found it and I read it with such interest and it too became one of my favorites.

My Mom's favorite books were things like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and of course Little Women and any thing written by Mary Stewart. 

I was going through my bookshelves and I have lots of old friends that have been on my book shelves that I have not visited in awhile. Always being lured by new authors and new books. I decided that since this year, I won't have time to visit the library as in the past this might be a good year to just visit my own book shelves. To once again take the time to visit the books that have shaped my life.

My first book that I read for January was North and South by Elisabeth Gaskill. It is nothing like the movie and I love the movie. They did some updating for the movie. The story in the book is very sweet and though very sad, it is a interesting way to look at how authors in the 19th Century viewed life. Since Elisabeth Gaskill wrote for Charles Dickens I thought she was a good one to read as I am still reading Bleak House. I never can just read one book at a time. I work the best with three going on in my head.

I picked up Christy yesterday off my shelf by Catherine Marshall. As I started reading it I was drawn in and I think what I love about Christy is the first time I read it I was about 12 years old. My Mom had died, my Dad had remarried. I had went from being the oldest of three to the second of six. My Dad got the bright idea that to make this disjointed, miserable bunch of people into a family would be to take a cross county road trip. He borrowed his sisters station wagon and away we went. We took the famous Route 66 and we stopped at every gift shop, every rattlesnake pit you name it. We even made it into some backwoods place where Dad tried to find a place to buy Moonshine. We had lots of adventures on that trip. Lots of adventures.

Our car was loaded down with bows and arrows, tomahawks, Indian headdresses. Even a set of longhorn horns. In one of those gift shops I was walking around looking and there on a revolving, metal book rack was the book Christy in paperback. I picked it up and read the back. I went to the counter and bought it and walked out to the car and got in and began reading a book that would change my life.

It put so many things into perspective, while my life was different from most people's at that time, in Christy that book gave me hope, it showed me how that no matter what circumstances you might find yourself, you can always change it. To always be looking around you at beauty that is all around if you just train yourself to see it. So many of the phrases and words in that book were words I heard all of my life. Catherine Marshall wrote a book that fed my soul.

When I read it for the first time, Christy was 19 and she seemed so old, then the next time I read it, I was closer but she was still older. This time when I started reading it I am older now than my favorite character Alice Henderson. When I was having babies I loved Fairlight Spencer. I love books that  each time I read it I am in a different place and the different people can speak to a different me.

So hopefully this year, I can introduce you to some of my old friends. When my daughter Em's was about 15 I decided that that year we were going to visit all of my friends together. So I made a list and for one year, I would read out loud to her in the afternoon we would share books together. She still says the worst trick I played on her was the chapter in Anne of Green Gables called,
"The Reaper Whose Name is Death."  I didn't tell her maybe I should have warned her, but I think a really good writer is someone who can write and you can still feel and remember that place you read a certain passage in a book.

I love reading and I just don't want to get so busy that I forget to take  time to enjoy the beauty of the written word.

Have a wonderful weekend, thanks for stopping by today, for sharing in my love of books.

~Kim~