NINE is So Fine!

 

Now we have 9 grands! And we are thrilled!!!

I am so very blessed!

Nine Years A Newlywed!

 

And Life is still good!

We are older, grayer, and more in love than ever... one day I think I may truly understand what love is, but for now, I learn more every day with the best person by my side. So blessed to be married to Luke!

He is just the perfect man for me!

Life can be very challenging, but I am so blessed!

New Year = Trying New Things

 and continuing some tried and true things...

This year, I decided to participate in the Three Rivers' Homestead Pantry Challenge. This means I will only purchase milk and eggs during January and February while using what I have in storage (freezers, pantry, food storage, dehydrated foods...). This is a great way for me to take advantage of all of my hard work throughout the garden season and to rotate some of my longer term storage items.

Besides saving money and not wasting food, this has been a great way for me to really look at what Luke and I eat, and to continue to be creative. For example, I had SO MANY left over carrots from Christmas! Now I have a new favorite muffin recipe! So yummy! (I did not have the yogurt - so I used some powdered buttermilk, a little powdered butter + applesauce instead of oil)

I have also continued to make Luke's favorite wheat bread, been enjoying our pasta sauces, and making ricotta cheese - I actually may continue to use from the freezers/pantry all year while limiting my grocery shopping - only purchasing things to replenish our storage. This would be a big change from the occasional dinner out and non-scratch made items... we'll see. With grocery prices going up so much, I foresee a lot more fruit/veg, beans, rice and breads for us this year! Hopefully it will improve our health as well as our budget.

Luke was kind enough to take me to one of my favorite places - Glover Nursery - for more compost! I plan to continue to turn our yard into a lovely and food-producing place!

Also started this year's winter sowing - echinacea. I have so many seeds to plant and hope to have learned some things from last year. So stay tuned on that!

I plan to do the work to receive the blessings again this year!

Lovely Christmas!

 

We had such a lovely Christmas! Jon was so thoughtful in getting me these beautiful roses! It is nice to see colors like this in the dead of winter.

Abby and Scott selected some of our new favorite treats - so yummy!

It was great to see Josh enjoying the food and visiting.

Cassie and Allen gave us a thoughtful gift for a future date night in... yeah!

And cuteness overload in this video Charly and Ben put together - 

12 Days of Christmas!!!

They sent a snippet from the video each day for each of the 12 days of Christmas! I LOVE it so very much!!!

I hope that I can have something like this each year -hint, hint, hint... And from each of the grandkids' families would NOT be unwelcome - more hinting!

I made the kiddos some horse blankets -

I hope they are loved!

My only wish for the season is that I can have more time with all the family in the near future!

I am so blessed!

Two Terrific Twos!

 

First was Thomas - and now our Sophia is two! She is so full of joy!!!

We love our Sophie!

Learning Gratitude from My Mother!

I remember being a teen, laying down at night, and hearing a crunching noise from under my pillow...

a thank you note from my mother! She always knew what to say, right when I needed it most. 

And what a great example she was to me. My mom would not only write us children notes, she would also send thank you notes to her friends and neighbors regularly. My brother even received one of these precious notes in the mail after my mom had passed away.

My mother not only had gratitude - she expressed that gratitude in thoughtful ways!

In January of 2020, I wanted to feel more joy in life for the coming year. So I followed my mother's example of gratitude and started a simple gratitude journal. I would write one thing each and every day that I was thankful to have in my life - everything from my loving husband, Luke, to a working dishwasher and a day of rain... 

When March of 2020 came, this helped me find at least one joyful thing in life each day. When days and weeks are challenging, this helps me find my blessings. I have yet to miss a day, and today, I am thankful for being able to find something to be grateful for 

EVERY

SINGLE
DAY!

I am so very blessed! Thanks for your example, mom!

 

She's a Magnificent 7!

 

We love our Ash so very much! She's so creative and loves to read and learn... 

And she LOVES bugs!

I am so blessed to have such a lovely 7 year old!