What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. ~ Martin Luther

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Happy Thanksgiving!

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

- G.K.Chesterton


How was your Thanksgiving?  

We had a wonderful day- though entirely different than had been expected.

We had EXPECTED to go to my parents' house for Thanksgiving, the first time in many years to do so.

Two days before, though, Adele' started feeling crummy with a stuffy nose and sore throat.  Moses wound up acting really weird all that night, breathing really weird.  And then I got a sore throat and stuffy nose too.

I doubt we have COVID but... I also want to be conscientious of the fact that we *might*.

So on Tuesday night, I decided we would stay home for Thanksgiving.  I had already roasted a turkey a few days prior in order to have 'leftovers' of turkey and to make broth.   So the turkey was already serendipitously taken care of.

 Wednesday I told the children that instead of doing schoolwork, I wanted them to each make a dish for Thanksgiving.

Corynn chose apple crisp.  (We all know how much she loves that stuff.)


Andrew was in charge of the mashed potatoes.  (With lots of extra sour cream and cream cheese.)


Adele' roasted the veggies.


Judah made homemade chunky applesauce.  


And Ineke helped me make oodles of stuffing.


Moses "helped" by taking dishes out of cupboards for us to trip over all day.


I made the gravy the day of and opened up some of our preserves to add to the table and voila!

We wound up being able to have quite a Thanksgiving feast, though we hadn't planned on having one, hadn't grocery shopped for ingredients ahead of time and didn't have to spend the day cooking.  It was quite remarkable.

Instead of cooking, we spent Thanksgiving eating and playing games.

It was kinda fabulous.

Man, these people are my favorite.  


Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

(Psalm 100)



Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Garlicious

Now that the garlic is in the ground ready to do its' magic next spring, I thought it would be a good time to admire the harvest this year.  Nearly every bulb was impressive, some were downright unbelievable.

Praying next year will be the same!

A Back to Homeschool Party
















The summer flew by without a homeschooling party and then the leaves changed and I knew if it was to be done, it needed to be done SOON.  Thankfully, we had lots of homegrown pumpkins to make things festive and plenty of ugly apples from the trees to make into cider.  Corynn made a beautiful bouquet from gathered things and we (as usual) stole all the antler sheds Andrew has to act as decorations.  No costume party, no games, no fuss, just people gathering together, reconnecting and recharging in the high calling of home education.  

I made the food two days before, set the tables up the day before, and fried donuts the morning of the party.  We couldn't have asked for a more glorious day- it was mid-70's that day (though it did feel like an odd time for chili!)  I *may* have overbought on the roasting marshmallow supplies though-  I still have about 4 full bags leftover over a month later!   (That is what happens when only half the guest list actually comes.)

I even gave into Andrew and made a special trip uptown to a special firework guy who was willing to open up just for us to get a few things.  (Don't say I never do anything for you, my boy!)

And so, the night ended with a BANG!  It was glorious.

A Night Out(side)









Some friends invited us to an outdoor pizza and movie night.  

I discovered that movies are wonderful under a blanket of stars and pizzas are amazing from barrels.  

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Mister Moses Turns One

 

Oh my stars, I love this boy.  This year has been a rough one, on many levels, and I really sometimes feel like I actually COULDN'T have done it without this little person in my life, pushing me forward and through hard times, snuggling the pain and worry away, all while brightening the dark corners of my life.  He has no idea and will never know how much I needed him.

When I couldn't walk, he gave me reason to walk- so I did.

When I couldn't sit, he gave me reason to sit- so I did.

When I couldn't speak the deep, hidden things- he snuggled deeper and let me be silent.

When I couldn't find calm- he breathed his sleepy breathes on my chest and gave me his.

What a glorious gift he is to me.

How's this for returning the favor?

The poor boy had his very first birthday cake be a tiny cupcake with leftover frosting from Judah's cake.   

 The worst part was, with two other children blowing out the candles, I missed seeing Moses "blow" out the candle- which apparently, he actually BLEW.

I wouldn't know.  I didn't see it.  

For his birthday gift, I made him a camel to sit and bounce on.  I don't know why....it isn't like I know how to make large stuffed animals or anything.  

When Adele' was a baby, I saw this picture and loved it.  I was determined to make the camel for her.  A-hem. And then didn't.  The same was true with Judah.  And Ineke.  I guess it was meant for Moses.

I *WISHED* I had a video of the first time he saw and used it- his reaction was the BEST and made it all worthwhile.

I totally made up the pattern- hoping that it would work out in the end.  I had no idea what I was doing.  I made quite a few mistakes that I wish I didn't- the neck wasn't stuffed nearly enough and is bendy.  And for some reason, it tips to one side all the time.  

But Moses loves it so.... 

Rebecca Joy, recognize anything?  I used that fabric you sent along for me once upon a time!  It was perfect- thank you!

Let me tell you a bit about Mister Moses that pictures don't:

When he was mere minutes old, his eyes were wide open and he would already turn his head to me as I spoke to him.  NONE of my babies were ever that attentive.  I couldn't believe it.

When he was VERY small, like a few months old, I would put his flattened hand on his cheek and say "Moses" and then put that sweet little fat hand on my own and say "Mama".  I did it because I wanted to teach him names.  And also because it made him smile. Even now, when we are saying names, he puts his flat hand on peoples' cheeks and grins.

He only says "Mama", even now at 14 months, and it makes me kinda feel like I am his whole world. (Shhh- don't tell.)

He did just start whispering "woooooowwww" when something is neat or new.  I love that it is always in whisper form.  And actually, he has been saying a form of 'ahhh-men' for quite a while too, now that I think about it.

He knows when we pray and already expects it before meals.

He signs words like please, thank you, more, all-done and NO.  He signs NO to me all the time when he knows he isn't supposed to do something- and is doing it anyway.

Moses took his first steps when he had JUST turned 10 months old- and was walking like a pro in a week or two.

He most recently began climbing on pianos, tables, chairs and up the stairs.

He loves being outside probably more than any other thing.

He screams a horrible squeal right now that I am trying to break him of and when he is mad he will bang his head on furniture or the floor.  Sometimes he startles himself with his own naughtiness.

This scream most often happens when he tries to squeak out an open door and I catch him before he escapes.

He is magnetically attracted to the toilet bowl water.

He is also magnetically attracted to danger.  In one week, he got a goose-egg on his forehead, ran into the road with on-coming traffic, exploded a firecracker in his mouth, tried to eat a dishwasher pod and nearly made it out the window onto our porch roof.  And YES, I *DO* watch him every minute.  It's the seconds that are the problem.

He has the CUTEST, dopiest look on his face sometimes.  Seriously adorable.

He doesn't ever snuggle anymore unless I am nursing him- and sadly, I have very little milk at this point... the other day he got done one side and signed to me that the milk was 'all gone' on that side.  It was hilarious. 

He has several different little songs I made up for him, but sometimes his name is so musical, it comes out in song.  Every time he hears that 'Mister Moses" song, he starts dancing.

He loves 'helping Papa' with washing the milking equipment by handing up the tiniest piece of the machine.  Same piece, same time, every morning.

Cherry tomatoes were his favorite food all summer- and now that we got several bushels of apples, he has turned to apples.

He is my insufferably sweet  Little Mister and I can't wait to see what this new year brings with it!

Check out the video on my Instagram of him being all cute and sleepy.  

If that doesn't melt you into a puddle, you must be a cold-hearted scoundrel.