Dance Recital

The dancers and their dolls - excited for this year's dance recital. Caitlin is especially thrilled that her doll Katie gets to dance with her this year.


























The two dancers in the family. Caitlin was so happy that her cousin was able to come to her winter recital.

. . . and a time to dance.

~Ecclesiastes 3:4

First Snow

Nothing can get Joshua dressed faster in the morning than the first big snow of the season. Since he and Caitlin have always been early risers playing in the snow in the morning darkness is becoming a tradition for them. Some years we've had big snowmen built before the first hint of dawn.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

~Proverbs 31:21

Words

Conversation in the van on the way to a surprise birthday party for Caitlin's dance teacher:

Mom: "Oh no, Caitlin, we forgot the camera."

Caitlin: "That's okay, Mom. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. I have way more than a thousand words inside of me to describe the party."

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
~Psalm 19:14

Weekend Campout

Quentin and the kids tried to make a campfire on Saturday night. It started drizzling and they couldn't get much of a fire going in the rain. But that didn't dampen their camping spirit. They decided to have a camp out on the screened-in porch. It was a bit of a rainy - and sometimes stormy - night but they quickly got out their tent and an air mattress for daddy.














After it was all set up Joshua came in the studio for an armload of books. He grabbed a lot of our old FIAR books and some Magic School Bus books. It always amazes me how he knows just what story he wants to hear and he will search for it until he finds it.














After reading, tickle-matches and giggles they announced they were hungry for a snack. So an almost-camp-like-snack of hot dogs on a stick and marshmallows toasted on GF chocolate chunk cookies filled tummies before bedtime. (Or tent time.)














It was a damp night but surprisingly warm. I was worried about them getting chilled so I kept checking on them. They slept out there the whole night and woke up as excited as ever Sunday morning.

Daddy made a good memory!

Even while you sleep among the campfires,

the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,

its feathers with shining gold.

~Psalm 68:13

Avast, Me Hearty!

Joshua and Tobe are birthday cousins. How did that happen? Seven years ago my sister called to tell me she was heading to the hospital and I said, " I know this is a lot to ask of a pregnant woman - but - don't have your baby until tomorrow so they can share a birthday!" Well, she did it! {Eager to please the big sister, I'm sure!} And now we have "Birthday Cousins".















The boys wanted a pirate theme this year. (They were kind of hoping that the Veggie Tales movie The Pirates That Don't Do Anything was going to be out by their birthday.) But we did just fine with ZooToob Pirates and a treasure chest cake.













They all got into the fun of dressing up for a photo. What a crew! Don't you think, me hearty?


















After everyone left Joshua practiced the fine art of Ripsticking. I thought it would be more difficult than skateboarding but it is actually easier as they get to control the board more while keeping both feet on the board.

Fun day : : Great boys : : Great family to celebrate with!

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.
~Psalm 127:3

Along the North Shore

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.
Bring an offering and come before him;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"

~1 Chronicles 16:29-31

What I Did on My Summer Vacation: July

This year we took a summer vacation at Grandma & Grandpa's house. We had a lot of plans but ended up just enjoying the the down time - away from all the dailies of home (except the computer). But that is one of the blessings of Quentin's business is he can be away from the office and still be "plugged in" to the grid and we can be on "vacation" at the same time. So for him being on a call and typing away at on the laptop while on the hammock by the lake is vacation.














We took the kids to a vineyard and they were highly interested in the lawn chess that was there. Joshua has been enjoying chess since his cousin taught him to play so this was really fun! It was fun to watch them make decisions and hauling the big pieces all around. It was a very sunny and hot day so we watched from the canopied porch.














The morning of the 4th the cousins came and we decorated the pontoon for the annual boat parade. The kids practiced singing "God Bless America" at the top of their lungs in hopes to earn a prize. No matter - they always get a prize as their great-aunt is one of the judges. Yea for family! It's who you know, I guess.














Then it is back to the lake for our Independence Day picnic starting with funnel cakes (gluten free this year) and a picnic. After which they all jumped in the water for an afternoon of wet fun.














We came home from our vacation to prepare for company. Sam and Jeanette came to visit us while in the States. We were very blessed to spend time with them and get to know them. We support the mission work they do in Mexico and knew about them mostly from their newsletters. With conversations from dating, missions, babies, scoliosis, Columbia, dreams and hopes we knew the Holy Spirit guided our lives together for this meeting. We were all very blessed. We have recently learned they are expecting their first baby and are praying for healthy pregnancy and baby!

I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
~3 John 1:14

Sing

The littlest cousin is getting in on the singing tradition at Grandma and Grandpa's house. When we stay overnight the kids take turns singing or performing in front of the fireplace. Sometimes we do it during the day too. Especially when you are two.

Singing "I'm a Little Teapot" with Grandpa.

Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

~Psalm 32:11

Introducing . . .

George














George Gershfin

He is Caitlin and Joshua's new pet - named after the current composer we are studying. They are very excited about their pet and their new responsibilities. They have wanted a pet so badly lately and this is as much as their pooled money could afford at the moment.

Yesterday we went to a couple pet stores to find out how much money it would cost them and what a Betta fish needed. Today they were up, dressed and ready to go. They picked out the best George Gershfin possible.

You open your hand

and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

~Psalm 145:16

Joy in Work

"Our beautiful woman's heart is a fountain of joy. She is filled with love for her God (vs 30), love for her family (vs 28,29), and love for her home (vs 27). Graced by this love in her heart, she lives a life that overflows with energy, industry, delight, and creativity. Her willing heart transforms her approach to even the mundane chores in her home. This powerful joy of her heart energizes her hands for willing labor.

Some scholars have translated verse 13 to read that the Proverbs 31 woman works with the pleasure of her hands, with willing hands, with merry hands, with inspired hands! I like all of these thoughts and the attitudes they reflect, and I hope you're getting the picture. Her joyous heart and the busy hands it energizes transform everything she touches into something of beauty."

~ Beautiful in God's Eyes: The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman
by Elizabeth George

"She seeks wool and flax,
and willingly works with her hands.:

~Proverbs 31:13

YUM! Buckwheat & Honey Pancakes

My mother-in-law always has a big breakfast of scrambled eggs and pancakes for the kids when they come to visit for an overnight. The other night she called and asked what she can feed the kids when they come because she isn't prepared to be gluten free. I went through our recipes looking for a gluten free recipe that was easy and yummy. I found our Buckwheat and Honey Pancake recipe to send to her. We used to eat this for breakfast once in a while and I never thought of it as gluten free before.

Lucky for us it is!

And another YUM! discovery I made is this Greek Yogurt:

I was at the co-op yesterday and decided the Goat Yogurt was a bit out of our budget this week and settled on something new. . . Greek yogurt. I had never had it before and I don't know if all Greek yogurts are like this one - but yum, yum, yum! This is good. I had a dollop on my buckwheat pancakes this morning with raspberries and a drizzle of Blue Agave syrup and thought I may as well call this dessert.

The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the LORD are sure

and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

~Psalm 19:9-10

Sunday Afternoon

Just sunny enough. . .













Just warm enough. . .














Just windy enough. . .


















To fly a kite with Dad at the park.

"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

~John 3:8

Spring Smiles

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,

~Proverbs 15:30a

Castles in the Snow

And we were waiting for Spring? The Spring snows are the most fun to play in. Our friends from Our Fairy Tale Life are coming for dinner tonight. Hopefully, our castle will make them feel right at home.

The joy of playing in creation. I think of how many days can go by without stopping to enjoy the beauty all around us, the uniqueness of the season, the moment just for what it is. Today my joy was playing in the snow with my amazing children.

They are led in with joy and gladness;
they enter the palace of the king.
~Psalm 45:15

School Holiday

Every school needs a holiday once in a while. Ours happens to be when the "Spring Creek" runs. In fact this has become such a fun, look-forward too day that our school even has the name Spring Creek Academy. On this day - when the Spring Creek runs - we spend the day outside playing in the creek.

We all enjoy this day. The kids play. The grown-ups help cut a path for the creek so as to not have too much water on the south side of the house when the snow melts and makes its way toward the lake. What started as a "job" ten years ago has become a family memory making day and a school holiday.

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, O God.
~Psalm 42:1

Flowering Shamrock

Flowers appear on the earth;

the season of singing has come,

the cooing of doves

is heard in our land.

~Song of Solomon 2:12

Frosty Morning

Mornings like this make me think of Narnia - just out of the wardrobe. Beautiful!

The evergreens, the rose hips and the flowering crab were dressed in their most elegant white. The heavy frost decorated the world in a way that only God can do.

Our one hour drive to our chiropractor today was transposed into a wonderland. The fog was thick enough so that our view was only so far on each side of the road. It made our weekly ritual seem like a whole new adventure.

He sends his command to the earth;

His word runs swiftly.

He spreads the snow like wool

and scatters the frost like ashes.

~Psalm 147: 15, 16

Gift Tags

Time to make gift tags for our gifts. We need to get them done so we can wrap gifts this week.

It was such a sunny day today and I think the brightness inspired Caitlin and Joshua to create. They just kept painting even when the tags were complete.













They enjoy mixing colors to create their own special color.













And they did this while enduring Mom's favorite Christmas music (not most favorite but pretty close) over and over again - shuffle repeat mode on the Bose.

I have to pull it out with the first snowfall of the season just to sing,

"To you and all your family, your neighbors and your friends

May all your days be happy with a joy that never ends

May peace and love surround you

At Christmas time and all the whole year through

I'm looking out my window at the softly falling snow

That dances in the early morning light...."

You get the idea...

If you don't have a clue I found a Christmas Card on YouTube using the Christmas Card song.

...and the Partridge Family too.

I may be spending a bit of time reminiscing on YouTube later tonight.

JOYful Preparations