First sledding of the season!

Let it snow, Let it snow, LET IT SNOW!

yep.. 

they are AT it again! 

Crazy kids think the Blessings Farm drive is THE best ramp 

EVER

Buddy is waiting for HIS turn

and C.S. is the great PUSH

behind Princess and Little Man 

hold on tight

(hoping he doesn't freak out)

whooosh

I can't believe they made that bend

GOOD JOB steering Princess!

VICTORY

now grab that sled, and let us do it all again!

hunting for details, searching for beautiful

just wandering about after lessons

Buddy found these tracks

C.S. said they are squirrel, chipmunk, and rabbit, 

(possibly snowshoe hare?)

We are seeing many birds too

but there really ISN'T all together THAT much snow...

just a dusting..

but..

it SMELLS like snow

so perhaps more is on the way 

we wandered up the path a little ways, 

not because I want to go on a BIG hike

I want to just wander a bit, and look at details..

decide things for spring..

like I LOVE the trail

but now that the grasses are thinning out from the weight of the now

I can see that it was once a bit wider, 

and I rather would enjoy it wider

so..

guess we'll be widening it

I am sad we have to tear this beautiful barn down

it is unsafe

and

we need one we can actually use..

isn't it enchanting?

The colors in winter are splended

this milkweed is simply gorgeous, I could photograph it all day

and this golden rod looks like lace in the winter

berries growing up the side of the barn..

beautiful

sometimes we don't need to walk very far

to discover new things

sometimes we just need to slow down

and really SEE the blessings our God gives to us

Life is so beautiful

Sneaky Schooling

After a bit of PLAYING in the Snow

it feels like...

time to WARM up

it SEEMS like

we need to do some schooling

BUT how's a mom to lure her kids heart BACK to lessons?

piece meal

bit by bit

in a REALLY sneaky way..

Time to invite Buddy to Mama's room

for snuggly time

some hot cocoa and

some stories

who knows a 6 year old not interest in THAT?

I had laid these beautiful books out on the bed

keeping it limited, to JUST these 3 books

Paddle to the Sea

is on that every home ought to have

it is so great to read it to my third child.. i actually cried.. 

I remember going to nearly all the places mentioned in the book 

when the BIG kids were that age and we were reading it..

we did a tour around some of the GREAT Lakes

we drove to New York and stopped in Buffalo

we drove to Whitefish Point and even hit the museum there

(edmund fitzgerald)

we drove to Mackinaw

to Sault St. Marie

and through Detroit over the River

we hit Niagra

(tearing up a little)

we did it all 

JUST because 

it's HOW to teach, HOW to learn, HOW to get them excited

at least for OUR family...

oh.. the memories

anyways.. 

(Paddle covers Geography & some History & Science)

King of the Golden River(Classic Literature & History)

 is another fun story, though totally NEW to me

and the BIG kids can't WAIT to get their hands on it

a short wonderful read to them

they are for once a bit jealous of what BUDDY gets to read!

they don't get to say.. OH I remember THAT book

another reason to add it to my hot cocoa reading time

and 

then there is McGuffy

it's the READER that my lad reads to me out loud with

we work on things like pronunciation

logic

spelling

and grammar recognition

(Basic English class!)

and the wee stories are darling as well

Buddy (being my Artist)

 simply LOVES the fine detailed drawings in the book

sooo.. 

we snuck up to the room 

with our hot cocoa's in hand

(snuck? what IS snuck? it's a bit like sneaked, but.. sounds better, and is in all likelihood incorrect..

WHY snuck? Little Man is napping in the room NEXT to mine

and... 

the house is old and creaky

and...

Hot Cocoa and Little Man are all words BEST kept far apart

and..

then it's not SPECIAL time with Mama!

he sure looks excited.. 

HE is all ready for READING time!

Oh happy days

My soon to be Seven Year Old Buddy

is a wonder!

That special time with Hot Cocoa, 

and Mama ALL to himself

snuggled on her BIG bed

covered History, Literature, Geography, some nature science & basic English lessons

next

a nature hike!

so that is ME being sneaky!

learning to snowboard..

Let me tell you RIGHT now..

i do NOT snowboard..

I make hot chocolate & good coffee

I make wonderful hot homemade soups

and I take pictures of people I love

doing wonderful things

and

crazy things..

things like

snow boarding with 

a dusting of snow

down a driveway

into the barn?

look at C.S.

could there be anything as wonderful as a loving older brother

one that doesn't shame you

but one who builds you up

shows you the ropes

encourages you every step of the way

and helps you to succeed in life?

brotherhood is a glorious thing to witness

the care and counsel

the fights and the friendship

the playfulness and passion

for one another

to BE great and Godly men one day

I love watching C.S. teach Buddy

and witnessing how EAGER Buddy is to learn

how he enjoys and loves his BIG brother 

C.S. is SO confident Buddy WILL get it..

more confident than Buddy is..

but..

not always as confident Buddy will EVER tie his shoes unaided..

where as Buddy is UTTERLY confident about that happening

just not ..

today

(giggling)

but..

as I said..

Brotherhood

showing again HOW it's done

and Buddy has GOT it!

VICTORY ! ! ! 

for not just

ONE boy, 

but two..

What a couple of Blessings!

do you have an older sibling

whose always watched out for you

encouraged you

lifted you when you were down?

if you do,

thank the Lord..

for that person

is truly a blessing from God!

snowboarding anyone?

I would SEEM that the Farm's drive way 

is FABULOUS for learning on!

Totem Pole

Did I mention we inherited a 

TOTEM POLE

when we purchased the Farm???

yep

Machine Man thinks it's creeeeeepy..

I rather like it..

what do YOU think?

do YOU like it?

should I keep it near the home,

where it is..

or..

put it on one of the trails in the Forest

as a fun think to find

on 

Scavenger Hunts..

????

thoughts welcome,

just click on comments!

THAT wall.. part 2

WE began work on THAT wall.. you remember right?

it started out like THIS

and from THERE we progressed to THIS 

then I shared with you my groovy ideas 

here

and so.. the work begins!  

all part of the BIG kitchen remodel..

but it's own thing none the less

because

well 

Machine Man sees this as a fun UN-necessary 

not really a PART of the big JOB

SO for this I have recruited C.S.

who is eager to work with me

and has a slight flair for anything of an architectural nature.

anything that adds dimension

and interest

hence I am disguising this "design" element

as perhaps..

more than it is..

what IS it?

something to please me!

to make the room more ..

US

a little country

a little city

smiles!

so the lad laid out all the boards..

yep..

I presumed..

(error on my part)

that with all the STACKS of pallets we've collected

they actually DID tear them apart for me

because

THEY said it was all done and ready..

(they = C.S. & Machine Man)

so..

I just NATURALLY figured

they were tracking with me on the project as well as YOU are 

(giggling.. how COULD I be so SILLY????)

this was ALL the boards they did.

yep

that's it.. 

did they not read the post..

were they not harassed by me with COUNTLESS 

(yes i know.. you life of Fred folks.. i stand corrected.. countable)

Pinterest pictures of what I was envisioning...???

it is clear

they did NOT even pay ANY attention to me

(and THIS is a surprise to me.. WHY?)

giggling

ANY ways..

still ignorant, we got our Sandblaster thing

it is old

I don't even know where we got it from..

but it is a Craftsman

I reviewed with C.S. HOW to do the sanding..

and 

in a VERY chilly garage

he had at it

seeing as he has a bit of asthma

and wishes to someday live someplace like..

Alaska..

he chose to open the door..

yep..

that's my boy!

and then.. the very PROUD lad 

showed me his boards..

well..

(me)THEY are wonderful 

but.. is THAT all there is?

(C.S.) yeah.. why did you need more?

(me) shake my head..

yes dear ..

this will not cover the area...

let's go do some algebra with FRED!

and then work on communication skills

aka

LISTENING TO the LADY of the house :)

silly boyz

pretty nippy...

things got a little NIPPY here at the farm

but thanks to some Cool Cabela's fashion

our Princess really LOOKS the part of a Princess

does she not?

and she is wonderfully warm...

HOW would I KNOW?

well..

I am a fashionista too :)