Mmmm!

There is nothing like a cup of hot chocolate (-or in this case, hot cocoa) after time spent in the wintry outdoors.





These little cups are perfect for small hands and tummies........






....and make the the little ones who use them feel so grown up and special.

Poor Boots wants some too!

Feeding Feathered Friends

It has been so cold that the birds have been on a feeding frenzy! The children helped me fill the feeder this morning.

They took turns scooping up sunflower seed with an old tomato can, and then pouring it into the feeder.

And I couldn't resist taking a couple pictures of the little bird tracks we discovered on the front porch.

Aren't they cute?

Cars on Keys

Little boys.........



It appears that some of Big Brother's cars were having trouble fitting into those extra-small parking spaces......

I can relate to that.......;)

More Snow

We had unseasonably warm weather this past weekend, which melted away all of our beautiful snow. I was so sad. It is so dull and brown outside this time of year without any snow!

However I woke up this morning to find lovely feathery little bits of white floating down from the sky. God is so good.

What a perfect way to spend the morning........watching the snow with the children, drinking a cup of delicious hot coffee, and listening to our Nutcracker CD.

Bring on the Butter!

Ice

This morning we awoke to an ice-encrusted world.

The sky was as white as the snow covered ground.

Everything frozen in crystal.

We will have to take a walk, before it is melted away by the sun.




"Soon the sun's warmth makes them shed crystal shells

Shattering and avalanching on the snow-crust --

Such heaps of broken glass to sweep away

You'd think the inner dome of heaven had fallen."



-Robert Frost

Miss Posy's Roses

Perhaps I am a little too sentimental, but I simply could not think of composting Posy's roses.

Her very first roses from her very dear father.

So, I decided to dry them, along with a few sprigs of the baby's breath from her bouquet.
When they are dry I will put them in a box, along with the date on which she received them.
And some day when she is older, I will get them out for her, and tell her about how her daddy brought them home one night, just for her.

Her very first roses......

Knitted Dish Cloth for Miss Posy

The other night, I finally found a use for a small bit of leftover yarn. It was a very easy project, which I was able to finish over the course of one evening. When I told Miss Posy what I was making she was so excited she did not want to go to bed until it was completed.


Before she woke up the next morning, I placed it in one of her little pans, and waited to see how long it would be before she noticed it.....


It didn't take long, and she was very busy washing dishes all morning........and all afternoon.....


........as well as "putting her whole house in order" like Miss Suzy, in her favorite book.


-Just love those red socks!

In the Interest of Science

Date: 1-14-10

Subject: Plain Muffins

Ingredient(s) Omitted: 1 Beaten Egg

Results:

The Subject's texture was slightly less light, and substantially more crumbly. The Subject's flavor was minimally altered.*

Verdict:

Refined Palate -finds the Subject edible.

Unrefined Palate -finds the Subject good, but not exceptional.



*Let it be noted that the addition of blueberries and lemon extract in an attempt to alter the Subject to "gourmet", while improving the overall flavor, had no marked effects on the Subject's texture.


Date: 1-10-10

Subject: Pizza Crust

Ingredient(s) Omitted: Yeast

Results:

Still pending. The Subject was frozen for further experimentation.*

Verdict:

Refined Palate -pending

Unrefined Palate -pending


*An attempt will be made to thaw the Subject and combine it with a New Subject to which the Ingredient Omittedx2 has been added. Further results will be published.


Date: 11-25-09

Subject: Pumpkin Pie

Ingredient(s) Omitted: Sugar

Results:

The Subject's texture was slightly more dry. The Subject's flavor....ahem.*

Verdict:

Refined Palate -found the Subject entirely unacceptable.

Unrefined Palate -ditto.

* Let it be noted that scraping the Subject's filling from the pie shell, combining it with white sugar, and cream cheese, before inserting it back into above-mentioned pie shell, and topping the Altered Subject with chopped pecans, did not produce the intended result. The Verdict was merely upgraded to "somewhat edible", by Refined and Unrefined Palates.






All in the interest of Science, of course..........

A Walk in the Snow Part I

Boots and I decided to venture out for a walk in the snow, while the older children were up sledding at Grandpa's last weekend. It was so beautiful we just had to go out.....and bring along the camera. It was very cold, so I bundled Boots up in his one piece snowsuit that makes him look almost as wide as he is tall. And after getting bundled up myself, we started off...

Boots wanted to play in a drift right off the front porch, but I whisked him off to the lane.....

........where I took a picture of the shadows the trees were casting on the snow. So lovely!

A Walk in the Snow Part II

Boots is such an independent little man, and he decided to venture off down the lane on his own.

He did have to turn and look to see that I was still behind him and hadn't gotten lost. Such a chivalrous little fellow!

We stopped to look at some blackberry canes, all dressed in pretty white snow, with tall pine trees behind them. Beautiful.

A Walk in the Snow Part III

We walked along, near the big pines that border the lane......

......and examined their snow-covered boughs.

We even found a bunny track........

....and Boots looked at the dead stalks of some thistles, while we listened to several dogs barking off in the distance.

Then it was time to go home!

Still Enjoying the Roses.....

......that my dear husband surprised me with last Friday night.

They are so lovely!

He also brought some home for Miss Posy.

Her very first......

For the first few days, they went everywhere with her.

Now she keeps them at her place at the table.

I overheard her telling Grandma,

"My daddy gave me beautiful roses, Grandmuver."

"He loves me."

An Origami Crane

....is living in the top-most branches of our Christmas tree.

He is waiting very patiently for a wife.

Miss Posy thinks he is beautiful...

.....and Boots is keeping his opinions to himself.

From this morning......

Miss Posy loves to mother "little Jesus" from our nativity set. I took her to the window this morning to capture it with my camera.....

....then Big Brother just had to have his picture taken as well. He is looking like such a little man now.....

....and here is the elusive Boots. He wouldn't be caught this morning, so I am posting a picture from earlier this week.

Stark Beauty

This is the view from my rocking chair.

I love it.

To Begin...

Hello! I lovingly dedicate this blog to my dear family and friends, especially those living far away. It is the little things in my daily life that I would like to share. I intend to chronicle them here, whenever I have a few spare moments............which sometimes can be few and far between......but I will do the best I can. I promise.