MIA

I'm not going to be blogging for a while.

God bless!

Such Fun!

One of the "county guys" came with the front-loader to push back the snow for us. Our neighbor's little plow can clear us out, but it takes the big truck to move so much snow back far enough out of the way. The result is a huge pile just perfect for playing!

After the Blizzard

Good Words

It is funny how mothering a family works. The more I try to teach the children, the more I realize they help me to learn and grow.

I am using some of the activities for Lent from a book called A Year With God, and I believe I will gain at least as much as they will from these simple exercises. The focus for this first full week of Lent is "Good Words". Tonight we read how good fruit comes of good words, but angry or thoughtless words (or voices!) serve only to tear another person down.

As I was reading these thoughts to them, my mind recalled all the times when I snap impatiently. When I yell at them to be quiet. (Yeah, I know...) When I use sarcasm instead of encouragement. When I interrupt. After I finished reading I did something that was very hard for me to do; I told them I knew I had a problem with using bad words, I apologized to them, and asked for them to help me.

We decided that "Remember good words!" will be our code to remind each other. So, we'll see how it goes for me this week. What will I do when they catch me raising my voice? How will I react the first time one of them smiles at me and says, "Remember good words, Mama!" With God's grace, I will smile and thank them for the encouragement. Please pray for me to have that grace! If anybody can share recommendations or personal experience with this, feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me. And remember- good words this week!

God bless!

What does a Blizzard Warning look like?

Chuck will really appreciate these pictures; I don't think he's ever been home when it's quite this bad. This first picture is looking toward our neighbor's house.

Next, looking across our north field toward the ridge (not visible because of conditions).

Looking across the driveway toward our other house.

Looking out back.

Here is the current forecast for the rest of today:

Very windy...Cold. Snow showers. Extensive blowing snow with dangerous blizzard conditions. Snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches. Lows 9 below to 14 below zero inland [that's us here in Mass City] to around 4 below at The shore. West winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 55 mph [!] near lake superior. Lowest wind chill readings 32 below to 42 below zero [yikes!] after midnight.

Tomorrow the forecast is "bitterly cold" with continued strong winds and a high of five below. I can honestly say, though, that even days like this are part of what makes me love the UP. It is so gorgeous up here, but it can be fierce.

By the way, don't presume to think that I was trudging around outside in around-zero wind chill just to get these pictures; they were taken through the windows. I might be gradually turning into a Yooper, but I ain't crazy! (Some of you are thinking that's debatable....)

God bless!

Other pictures from this week

Mary really loves hanging out with her brothers. You can tell from the smile they put on her face.
Thomas is getting rather famous for his self-portraits. I can always tell when he was the one fiddling with Mama's camera.

God bless!

Rolling for Babies

Hello, babies! Are you ready to learn how to roll over? You are? Okay, great! First, you just lie on your back on the floor. A word of warning, though: don't try this on a bed or couch or any other place with an edge!

So, you're lying on your back now, right? Okay, the first step is the easiest and the most fun. Just kick your legs, wave your arms, and grin as big as you can!

Then quicker than a camera can flash, flip your body around! I like to roll to my left, but you could choose to go the other way.

Getting your "bottom" arm out from behind you can be kind of tricky, but be patient, you'll get it!

There, see how easy that is! And just wait until you impress family, friends, and visitors with your new-found rolling skills!

The only drawback.... I don't know how to roll the other way yet. And I hate tummy time! Help! Mo-o-o-o-meeeee!

Can you guess

what her favorite color is?

Dear Great-Grandma

Thank you for my first ever Valentine!

A Lenten Resource

I have changed my homepage to this Lenten calendar on EWTN. My thank you to one of the ladies at the Catholic Parenting board on JM for posting a link that lead me to this!

I always have approached each Lent full of expectations and plans for what I will accomplish. Not this year. This year I am approaching this Lent with hope and expectation for what He will accomplish in me. I still plan to do my part. But I will also strive to step aside; allow Jesus to do the work He needs to do, and let Him heal me where He knows I need to be healed.

Please pray for me. I will pray daily for all of you as well. May this Lent be for each of us a journey to the foot of the cross.

God bless!

Wonderful Winter

Only barely visible in this first picture is the four-foot fence that makes the sheep's winter pen. Fortunately, they've been staying close to their shelter and not really venturing out in the snow. If they were ever figure out that they could possibly just walk right out over their fence, we'd be in trouble.

Stick a few kids (and cats) on top of that snow pile, and you can tell just how big it is!

These were taken from the back yard, first looking north and then looking east.

This is facing west, looking out over the end of the driveway.

This clump of trees is very close to the house on the west side. We are so fortunate to have them to block the prevailing winds!

You know what he's saying.

"Oops. I forgot to go potty!"

Poltergeist?

Or was it a three-year-old who was told to "stack the dishes"?