10 Friday Oct 2014
Posted in Gratitude, teens, Uncategorized, {This Moment}
{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
evening walk, still a kid
05 Sunday Oct 2014
Posted in Gratitude, Uncategorized
30 Tuesday Sep 2014
Posted in Education, Gratitude, Nature Study, One Life, Parenting, teens, Uncategorized, {This Moment}
This Moment
Lately I haven’t been on the computer much until late in the evening, and some things are getting left on the back burner. Late last week I woke the kids (late) and told them we were heading out for the day. Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park are 2 of my favorite places and we have not made the 3.5 hour trip in a long time, so we loaded up and headed north and west.
Mountain Hike/Run
With the late start and a little dwaddling we arrived pretty late in the day, but still had time to walk to Alberta Falls. With “baby kitty” the little short legged toddler with us, some of us were moving very slow. My two longer legged girls were itching to go for a run, so off they ran.
It was a blessing to hear their laughter and chatter as they dashed off. It was also a joy to walk along with Mae and “baby kitty”. I am so treasuring these days with my teen and preteen daughters. The years are passing quickly by so I will continue to grab them from time to time and head out away from homework and screens to just enjoy a little outdoors time together.
Linking with SouleMama
31 Sunday Aug 2014
What I’m INTO August 2014 Edition
This month has been full of dust, sun, new starts, laughter, frayed edges as the remodel work continues, as new school year gets going and summer dwindles down. Week four of no kitchen left me feeling out of it, and I discovered that while I am not frustrated or discontent, the adventurous energy that I started this venture with has dissipated and I feel as though I have frayed edges. Still holding it together and pushing forward, but with a little less gumption.
Read and Reading:
The Antelope in the Living Room by Melanie Shankle This book was a delightful piece of comic relief as my home continued the craziness of kitchen & bathroom remodel and sending the kids off to new school situations.
Sheba’s Song was another quiet time blessing.
Currently reading:
Where There Was No Church, Families Where Grace is in Place, Clutterfree with Kids, Generous Justice
(I completed _2_ books this month, but read a chapter or 2 or more in several others.)
TV:
We turned Netflix back on and started where we left off with Dr Who. Slowly, the 5 of us have become Whovians to varying degrees.
Music:
I’m really enjoying the classical station on the way to school on Monday morning, and listening to the Newsboys as we continue to work on the house.
Things I Love:
This bench and these plans. Thank you for sharing Ana White!
grilled nachos
Beautiful words
an old favorite shared with a new generation
progress
friendship
Singing the Gospel
Young women encouraging each other
In the Blogosphere:
~ “I’m slow to process, slow to think, slow to respond. Rather than fight against that, I’m learning to celebrate it in my own way.” Oh Emily, thank you for the admonishment to stop fighting my slow processing thoughts and responses! Spending some time this month pondering the idea of celebrating that aspect of introverted me.
… take no relationship for granted.
My sisterinlove recently shared a link on facebook that led me to The Imagination Tree, oh my. This playdough looks like a recipe for fall fun with a precious little one I get to spend a few days a week with! I just can. hardly. wait. for the new kitchen!
On The Blog:
I shared
why my family is committed to child sponsorship
and my “back to school” plan for September/October
Your turn, what are you into this grand month of August?
Linking with Leigh Kramer
29 Friday Aug 2014
Posted in Education, Gratitude, Parenting, Uncategorized, {This Moment}
{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Back to School, 6th Grade!
This picture is a week late, and it was a day late. Chica started back to her Cottage School class a week after her sisters started their College Pathways classes. And wouldn’t you know, I forgot to take a morning picture. This one was taken just as she was walking out after school.
Oh the days, they are so long, yet the years they just fly by. Sixth grade, one last year of elementary school and then she is off joining her sisters in youth group, mission trips and all the wonder of the next season.
Oh how very thankful I am for all the days and all the years and this precious surprise, our youngest daughter.
Linking with the lovely Amanda.
31 Thursday Jul 2014
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What I’m Into (July 2014 Edition)
Read and Reading:
July was a good month for reading in my house. I posted about the books that I read. There is also a nice stack of books on my nightstand that I started or continued reading. The Valley of Vision was introduced to me while we lived in British Columbia a few years ago. I’ve picked it back up and am reading/praying through part 1. The other books I either started or continued reading are “Where There Was No Church”, “Pursue the Intentional Life”, “Sheba’s Song”, “Fields of the Fatherless,” and “What He Must Be”.
TV: Not much TV this month. We did spend a few evenings watching Star Wars Episodes 1-3.
Music: Before going to the Newsboys concert this month I purchased their “God’s Not Dead” album off iTunes. We also enjoyed seeing 1GirlNation open that concert, had the pleasure of meeting them and we purchased their cd.
Big project: July has ended with a bang. Many bangs of the hammer that is. Our basement bathroom & 2 closets were demo-ed and also our kitchen and dining room…all the way to the studs. So I’m cooking in the backyard and washing dishes in the laundry room. It is all pretty exciting and I can hardly wait to see it all finished. The project is scheduled to take about 7 weeks so I am sure my anticipation for it to be finished will grow with all those trips up and down stairs to do dishes and out door cooking.
Kitchen a little ways into the demolition
What I Love: Being home, having my family all around me.
I didn’t love this: Rain and very cool temperatures most likely cancelling our upcoming camping trip. That said, I am very thankful for the rain. Drought and fire brought loss of lives and many homes the past several years and I am so thankful for no fires and lots of rain.
On The Blog. While I bounce around and am not that great a writer, I am glad that I finally was able to put some words to paper and tell one of the dark parts of my story. It is with the hope that others may be encouraged to press on, despite the ugly hard places one may find herself.
In the blogosphere:
Poverty does not have the final say
This is just a bit of What I’m Into, July Edition 🙂
23 Wednesday Jul 2014
Posted in Colorado Springs, Gratitude, Homeschooling, Life Long Learner, One Life, Parenting, teens, Uncategorized
Our youngest 3 daughters’ summer volunteer work includes acting as historical interpreters at Rock Ledge Ranch. The ranch has 4 historical sites, with junior docents working each site.
Summer Volunteer Uniforms, period appropriate clothing
The ranch allows guests to visit the different time periods of our area and learn about the people who lived there, and what life was like at that time. The historic buildings have been restored as close to their original state as possible. The National Register of Historic Places added the ranch in 1979.
One benefit to my kids through their volunteering at the Ranch has been their deeper understanding of our local and state history. Anything they now read about Colorado history, or even western US history, is greatly enhanced by their experience working at ranch. They also apply what they learn outside the ranch to their conversations at the ranch.
It has been a rich experience and one our kids look forward to each January when they complete the application for the following summer.
Ticket Booth, TB Hut
If you are visiting the Colorado Front Range think about adding Rock Ledge Ranch to your plans. Maybe you’ll get a tour led by some sweet junior docents and enjoy a peak into Colorado History.
22 Tuesday Jul 2014
Posted in Garden and Home, Gratitude, One Life, Parenting, Recipes, teens, Uncategorized
We haven’t done a lot of camping in recent years, and I haven’t made “hobo dinners” since my daughters were pretty young. Early this summer the kids were after us to plan a “real” camping trip with Dad as last summer we girls got out and did some camping, but Dad was away working. So a camping trip was one of the first items put on the summer calendar!
And as this post shows up on the blog we are at camp, in a beautiful tent site on the river. Our hobo dinners are in the cooler all ready to be cooked for the next 2 dinners.
Two mornings while the kids were all at vacation bible school earlier in the month I set to work.
The veggies were prepped.
Shredded Carrots & Cauliflower
chopped carrots
Veggies all prepped
The ingredients all measured and mixed together for Turkey Veggie Hobo Dinners, using this recipe
Pretty Eggs
Turkey Veggie Hobo Dinner
I tore out 8 pieces of foil that were about the size of a small rectangle cookie sheet. I spooned the mixture onto the first sheet and began folding and shaping the packet. Once I had the shape I wanted I rolled the foil on top.
folding hobo dinner
Then I pressed and patted it all again to make a nice rectangle and folded the ends up somewhat like a present.
hobo dinner assembled!
Finally, I wrapped the hobo dinner with another layer of foil.
Five packets fit nicely into the gallon freezer bag, so I ended up with 2 bags for the 8 servings.
hobo dinners ready for freezing
Hobo Tacos is another set that I assembled. We’ll eat them with tortilla chips and fresh veggies.
hobo tacos
Keeping the hobo dinners in the gallon bags inside the cooler keeps everything nice, with no waterlogging our dinners and no contaminating the other items in the cooler. The bags of dinners also help keep the cooler cold!
Do you make Hobo Dinners? And what recipes do you fill them with? I’d love to expand our hobo menu!
21 Monday Jul 2014
Posted in Gratitude, Nature Study, One Life, Parenting, Uncategorized
Backyard camping has always been a fun activity for our kids. The idea of sleeping outside in the summer is appealing and we have the perfect backyard for it! While the sisters were all away at a leadership conference, Chica and I “went camping”. While I was busy with some other things Chica put up the tent by herself, inflated the air mattress and made the beds!
tent in the backyard
Finally I decided this summer to purchase a small fire pit. We’ve had other fire pits around the yard but after the fires the last 2 summers (black forest, waldo canyon ) I wanted something a little tamer.
Backyard fire for roasting hot dogs & marshmallows
Looks like we need to chop smaller pieces of wood! We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and sat around the fire talking. We have skunks and raccoons in our neighborhood and I was a little nervous about being up too late. We headed to bed in the tent before we had any visitors. It was a blast and I imagine the kids will be backyard camping off and on the rest of the summer!
04 Friday Jul 2014
Posted in Gratitude, One Life, teens, Uncategorized
{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama and join in!
Mae & Marme, America the Beautiful Bike Ride
Oh how I love this girl. This week we had the opportunity for an early morning 6 mile bike ride together. No one else was up and wanting to go, so it was just her and me. And it was fabulous. We had a great 2 hour conversation.
Even though I crashed my bike towards the end of the ride, it was abosolutely the best time!
Thanks be to God for this girl, her words, her gift of encouragement, the way she is growing in wisdom and understanding!
By Quiet Waters 