Why Hello

This blog has been silent for awhile. Mostly because of my busy life taking care of the babies. But also because I have switched my tech gadget to an Android tablet. Which is really cool, especially for a mom. Most of my life is on this silly gadget. Bible, lists, books, online stuff, music, you name it, I hold it in my hand most likely. But it wasn't very handy for blogging, until April told me about the BlogIt app. Which I am currently trying. So far so good. It is the 19'th of April. And this was the view outside of my kitchen window this morning. Yeah, I can't believe it either. Four inches worth. We are absolutely going crazy for spring here. I told Clark the other day that he needs to invent walls that can change color. You know, like right now I would have woodsy green walls , or perhaps tropical colors. But this summer I could have tan or white walls. The boys have this annoying habit of waking up with the sun. Like if I get to sleep until 6:30 am, I feel like I had a good night. The other morning they were up at 5:30. Both of them. Seriously! This morning I did get to sleep until 7:30, thanks to Clark watching Benny, and Asher sleeping in. If they can wake at the crack of dawn now, they can do so when they are teenagers. Har har. Clark is back to work after a two month layoff. That is good, but the boys and I need to figure out how to do daily life by our selves again. The late spring is not helping. And now I shall go see what can be accomplished by me during naptime.

Tidbits From Our House

Fall is slowly giving way to winter. We had frozen precipitation falling from the sky the other day.

Here is a recipe that I've made a time or two this fall.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

 Mix together:

2 c. mashed pumpkin

3/4 c. vegetable oil 

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Then add:

 2 c. flour

1t. salt

2 t. soda

2 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ginger

1/4 t. each of cloves, nutmeg, allspice

Pour into a 9x13 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350.

And then I like to frost with either a sugar crumble, or caramel frosting, which is:

1 stick of butter

1/4 c. milk

1 c. brown sugar 

Mix together and heat until the sugar is dissolved. And DON'T let it boil (learned that the hard way one time). 

Then take it off the heat and add 2 c. of powdered sugar, and beat in well. Let it set until it's cool (don't stir again), and then spread over your cake or cinnamon rolls or whatever.

      So those are my fall recipes. Speaking of cinnamon rolls, I'm going to make myself hungry for some if I think about it too long. I suppose I should make a pan and send them to work with Clark sometime. 

    Today I read the book "Safely Home" by Randy Alcorn. And I've also been reading "He Chose The Nails" by Max Lucado. Both are very thought provoking reads.

    I'd post pictures of the little man's new look since his haircut, but I guess we haven't taken any yet. Hmm. Clark is coming home to figure out what and where the funny smell from the dryer is. I'm wondering if something somewhere didn't get a little too hot. Not a good feeling. 

Our Last Week in Pictures

 

     We are having absolutly gorgeous fall weather this week. We're soaking up all the sunshine we can, winter is not far away. It's actully rather unusual to have such nice weather this late in the year.

      It's a good feeling to have our gardening and harvest over and mostly put up for the year. Sometime I think it would be fun to do a Harvest Celebration, and have everyone bring something they've raised.

     Here are a few hooligans enjoying a pile of leaves. :)  They had a big pile raked up, and were jumping off a tree branch into the pile. I'm not actually sure how many peoples are in there; five maybe?

      We've been frantically working on outdoor projects while the weather is nice. Here Benny is trying his hand at planing. 

     We took a flying trip out to NE last weekend. It was soybean harvest time, so we got to see a little bit of that operation. I think I like NE best in the fall. We had a lovely, fun time there. 

 

     And finally a few pictures of my super-cute, way-too-grown up kiddo. He's been loving this weather, and likes nothing better then when I let him play on the deck. I'm not sure what he's going to do when the weather gets cold. I'm afraid we shall both suffer. He's a neat freak; bits of stray papers are promptly thrown in the trash can, as well as the occasional toy and sippy cup. He hates having sticky hands too. Both traits inherited from his father. And he has discovered the joys of books (inherited from his mother), and thinks I have nothing better to do with my time then show him a book. He says a few words, and is discovering animal sounds, his favorites being "rowrr", "moo", and a snorting sound for a pig.  He loved playing with Gabe's cat and dog when we were in NE. 

     Here are a few more pictures.

At Our House...

We discovered how to do this!

Sort of young I'd say. Such a little midget.
     We got 12(!) inches of snow last week. Not a good feeling, especially after having had spring for a week or two. This woman ended up with a roaring case of cabin fever. My poor husband! He was good about it though. One of the guys from church is doing VS in KY right now, and his sister told me that he said the daffodils are blooming in masses along the road side there. NO FAIR!!
      But spring is coming. Today on the way to town it was nice and warm, and I opened the car window just a teeny bit. Yesterday I saw a sow and two, cute, puppy-sized cubs by the road. Where else but in the Northwoods are bears a sign of spring instead of robins? Though I did hear a robin before it snowed. But not since, so they must have headed south again. I can't wait until it's warm enough to take my kiddo outside.

Home Again

     We are home from a two week trip. We took several young people to a Youth Bible School in PA. Which was fun and enlightening. Were we ever that silly when we were that age?  And energy drinks CAN'T be good for you. And how on earth can you stay up that late every night and not pay for it? I guess we aren't as young as we used to be. I remember when I went how the older students would go to bed early and I couldn't figure out why. I know now.
     We had a nice time in PA with various friends and relations. Another interesting thing was that the people I recognized or know from my years of going to the YBS there, were mostly married and had children of their own. Hmmm.
     Benny got to meet two of his great-grandmas. Which was very good. He did very well on the trip, except for getting exceedingly tired of his car seat. He's terribly grumpy this morning. He's also starting to throw fits. Why can't he wait to do that for a few months/years yet?
     There was snow on the ground when we got home. I think winter is pretty much here to stay. I love winter, especially here in the woods. I absolutly HAVE to listen to Christmas music when I see snow. So I've spent the last several days doing that. The only problem being that I am afraid I am going to run out of time on my Pandora Radio.
     I collected home making ideas on this trip. I feel like I've been AWOL to my house for the last year while I was doing baby. So, I'm going to clean corners. I'm going to finish painting the second bathroom. I'm going to buy potpourri and make my rooms smell good. I'm going to find a cabinet or shelves for the empty cubby hole in the main bathroom. I'm going to decorate for Christmas after Thanksgiving. I'm going to make cheery table runners, or find them in thrift stores. I'm going to recover the nasty living room pillows. I'm going to burn candles more often.  I'm going to spend more time at menu planning and purposeful grocery shopping.Maybe I'll get a start on painting my bedroom. My grandma gave me a quilt top that I am being severely tempted to put in a frame and quilt on winter evenings.  I am sounding WAY too ambitious.
     Well, seeing Benny Bear is sleeping, I had best get to work. Laundry, dishes and finishing unpacking. There is a nasty smell wafting around this morning, and I can't figure out what it is or where it's coming from. I remember it from last winter when I was pregnant. Yuck. So I want to find the source and eradicate it. See you all later.

March Thaw or Spring Proper?

Greetings,

Coming to you from a foggy, damp, and rainy northern Wisconsin. I am some what reluctant to classify this as spring proper; that probably has to do with my past experience. It always seems that we have this thaw and then suddenly, like a wounded lion, winter hurls one last mighty snow storm. So we shall see. For now we will deal with the side effects of 12" of snow melting and a week of never ceasing rain.

One of the most inconvenient side effects for me, is our drive. Our main parking area turns into a very muddy and watery sort of place. I thought maybe I had planted our car in the midst of it the other day, but with a little more acceleration and gentle rocking it came out. It really wasn't that serious, but the ruts I left would have said other wise. So today I had some spare time and thought maybe if I punctured a hole through the frost it would drain. I think maybe it worked but can't be sure. Imagine a grown man in rubber boots out playing in the mud puddles.

Anyway until next time.

--Clark Graber--

P.S. If this is in fact spring proper, it is just ducky with me!!

QUACK!!

2010

Happy New Year Everyone!

"For I know the thoughts I have toward you," says the Lord, "Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a hope and a future." --Jer.29:11

May God bless all of you this year!

The Bi- Annual Saga

Every spring, and every fall, I find unwelcome visitors invading my kitchen. One morning I wake up and find their calling cards. Mice. I hate mice. They are dirty and gross. So after I discover they have had a great time romping in my kitchen, I spend that day thoroughly washing and sanitizing every thing in sight. My husband says he can't figure out where they are getting in, as he insulated the underside of our house, and plugged every hole in sight. I'm sure there must be a small hole somewhere unseen, because twice a year, one mouse invades my territory.

The other day, it happened again. I've been watching for signs, and was almost on the point of deciding it wasn't going to happen this fall. Well, so yesterday I opened the drawer where I keep the dishcloths and hot pads, etc. And there it was, the evidence of the invader. And they wanted my freshly laundered hot pads as nest stuffing. Ugh! I promptly cleaned out all the kitchen drawers and set a few traps. Last night while we were eating supper, Mrs. Mouse got caught. So, thus ends the saga for this season we hope.

A Few Pictures

Here are a few pictures that we (well, Clark mostly) have taken over the last few weeks.

Frosty Quietness

End of Summer

Whisper of Fall

Sylvan Glow


Aura

Nature's Carpet



Autumn Majesty