Almost Spring

And that means:

There's a bit more light for our morning walks (especially when we're kind of slow to get going ;D)

The lawn got its first mow (love that smell)

And... we have colds.

This is what happens when three boys share a bedroom, and one of them is coughing so much he's keeping his brothers awake.  Of course, he can't hear a thing.  But he's graciously "camping" in the family room for a few nights.

Since it's Friday (no homeschool work scheduled),

Gunnar and I were in no big hurry to rush through our walk and get on to our school work.

And it was such a glorious morning!

Once the trees leaf out, this view goes away.

But this remains open year-round.

That's Lummi Island on the left, and Orcas Island on the right.

In the woods, we saw plenty of evidence of the recent windstorms.  Lots of trees on their sides with the roots standing up on end.  Also, lots of trees starting to lean, but still kind-of-sort-of anchored.

We love how this one seems to make a little cave or den underneath.

Sorry it's so blurry - it's a lot darker in the woods than the photo would make you think.

This tree fell and lodged against a maple that has really bent around it!

And this cedar... we don't walk under that.

Love this knobby old maple, covered with moss, and...

... licorice fern.

Gunnar loves this tree...

I may still see snow out my windows, but spring really is coming ;D

Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Tuesday, March 15, 2016


Outside my window...  our poor dogwood tree lost another branch in the latest windstorm.  Just dispatched Wyatt to cut it off cleanly and tidy up the mess.

Hearing...  the washer, the dryer, and Kerry discussing his 'plumbing' (you'll thank me not to share details ;D)


Pondering...  the pros and cons of facebook.  *sigh*


Praying....  for everyone to feel well - we've had some sickness come through the family.  Nothing to worry about, but I'd really like Tate to get over the cough that is keeping him (and others) from sleeping.


Thankful...  I finished my part of our tax prep and handed that off to Kerry for the accountant.  Love the relief that brings.  I'll love it even more if we get a nice, fat refund, but I'm not sure that's in the cards this year.


Wearing...  jeans, thick socks, white turtleneck, red sweater.  It's cold again!


Creating...  order from chaos in my office / craft space.  Whew!


Going....  off to violin lesson with Gunnar :D


Reading...  just got a copy of Don't Follow Your Heart, by Jon Bloom - looks refreshing.

Learning...  to hold the knitting needles just a little bit more loosely!


Looking forward to...  swapping the school room with my office.


In the kitchen...  it's Tuesday.  It's pizza day.  Because, you know... gotta get our Little Caesar's on the Ides of March ;D


In the learning rooms...  need to finish up math with Gunnar.


Around the house...  all three boys are home :D


The Mother Load...  must sit down with the older boys and help them with their taxes.  Ahhh, remember the days of the EZ form?


Noticing that...  our Christmas tree.  It's gone.  I mean, we took it outside after Christmas, and we were going to haul it up to my parents', to burn.  And now it's gone.  ?????


Something to remember for later...  Gunnar, excited because the new blow dryer should arrive today.  Because this boy needs a blow dryer...

It's for their foundry - it's their bellows (because they burned up the one they borrowed from me).  I mean, why else would any self-respecting fourteen year old boy be excited about a blow dryer?!

He reminded me of Steve Martin... "The new phone books are here!  The new phone books are here!"


One of my favorite things...  as Gunnar continues to practice his violin, well, there's still some squawking.  But a lot more music shining through :D


A Bible verse/devotional thought...  Elizabeth Elliot, quoting George Elliot:

You are seeking your own will, my daughter. You are seeking some good other than the law you are bound to obey. But how will you find good? It is not a thing of choice: it is a river that flows from the foot of the Invisible Throne, and flows by the path of obedience. I say again, man cannot choose his duties. You may choose to forsake your duties, and choose not to have the sorrow they bring. But you will go forth; and what will you find, my daughter? Sorrow without duty — bitter herbs, and no bread with them.


A few plans for the rest of the week...  the boys have CAP tonight, there's a craft night at the chapel on Thursday (fun!), and Gunnar is going to McChord on Saturday for "Staff Selection Day", or something like that.  Because he wants to work at Cascade Falcon, the CAP version of boot camp.  Because - get this - he is perfectly willing and even excited to pay $325 for the privilege of working for them for ten days, when he could work at home for me for free.  Go figure.  ;D

A peek into my world...  this morning and yesterday morning, we had this:

Yes, yes indeed, that is fresh snow.  At our house it's in the low 40s.

Gunnar and I had to run an errand to Walmart yesterday morning, and in my opinion, they're a lot more optimistic about spring than I am.

That's great, Walmart, just great.

Happy Pi Day

Turkey pot pie, and blackberry pie for dinner...

Yes, it kind of erupted.

And a little Pi-pie for Tate's geometry teacher ;D

Alice Velasquez, For The Win

Another Scatterday Brain Dump

All those things I thought I was going to get done this week?

Not so much.

1.  Of course, there was the whole situation with my dad.  He got to go home from the hospital on Tuesday and is much happier recovering at home, but he's still got a lot of recovering to do.  His leg is still too tender to bear any weight, so he's hobbling around on an assortment of crutches and walkers.  Yes, he's following up with his docs, and we all appreciate the prayers and concern.  He says he's found new meaning in James 3:2  "We all stumble in many ways."

But I can't blame it all on him ;D

2.  Welcome to the Grasshopper Home of Germs.  I started feeling rotten Tuesday night.  Tate already is fighting a cold.  And now Kerry is feeling sick.  We're just a bundle of good times!  

Making chicken soup for dinner.

Fortunately I did manage to get Tate registered for the class he needs at the Tech College, and Kerry took him to the career night there before he started feeling sick.  And hurray for the flexibility of homeschooling, because we sure needed it this week!

3.  Crazy, crazy weather.  Lots of wind.  And rain.  And did I mention wind?

Yet in spite of the temp being all over the place (even up to seventy in February) there's this:

Our local ski area - Mt. Baker - has received over 515 inches of snow this year.  So far.  And another storm is coming in tomorrow.  Batten down the hatches.

4.  My friend Breanna, who is living in Myanmar, posted this.  It's a guide to differentiating between Asian scripts.

5.   Since we're all laying low today...  I'm getting ready for taxes.  NOT my favorite job.

Which means I deserve this:

Hot chocolate with toasted marshmallows.  (And it still probably has less sugar than those fancy "coffee" beverages ;D)

6.  The boybarians are having an educational afternoon.   Any guesses what they're doing?

Bonus testoster-zone points if you guessed

They're making a foundry.  

Because you were thinking it, weren't you?

The goal is to make some objects by sand-casting.  But they're run into some problems, aka learning experiences.

First, the martini shaker they found at Goodwill and used as a crucible couldn't take the heat.

So off they went to the hardware store for some steel pipe.

Second, the steel pipe...

 ... couldn't take the heat.

Possibly because they borrowed my hair dryer to use as a bellows, and had it running on high the entire time.

According to Uncle Google, aluminum will melt at 1221F and steel melts at around 2500F, so they had their little oven about twice as hot as it needed to be.

And blew up my hair dryer, which is no great tragedy, as I use it, oh, maybe twice a year.

They did manage to melt some aluminum...

but most of it ran through the holes in their crucibles down into the charcoal.

What was it Edison supposedly said, while inventing the light bulb?

I haven't failed.  I've found 10,000 ways that won't work.

And nobody has burned themselves or the house down, so... success ;D

Now clean it all up, because it's supposed to blow like crazy again.

 7.  Remember...

*sigh*

How I feel about that?

Slanted Stars

Nearly every Sunday in church, the L family sits in front of us.  (Which tells you that the Grasshoppers are pretty much creatures of habit ;D)  When they had their first baby (August of 2014, I think) we were absolutely smitten.  Little Owen is completely adorable, and we love helping to keep him entertained during the service.  Oh those cute little smiles!

When I found out she was expecting Boy #2 in December, I started working on this:

I wanted a design that acknowledged that little James is a December baby, but could be used year round.  Stars are always good, and I mixed in some blues with the reds and greens.

His mama liked it :D

It was a really easy pattern to put together.  I'd seen tutorials online that used a different method, but I decided to go with squares, with two corner triangles.  Easy squeazy.

A red flannel backing makes it extra snuggly!

And now we have a new adorable baby to make googly eyes at ;D

Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Tuesday, March 8, 2016


Outside my window...  clouds, a breeze, and fresh snow on the hilltops.  A chilly morning made for a very brisk walk with Gunnar!

Hearing...  Wyatt whistling as he gets ready to head out (orthodontist and then work), and Gunnar finishing up in the shower.


Pondering...  this is going to be an abbreviated post as we're trying to get caught up and back on schedule.  Had a bit of distraction this weekend.  My dad has seeing the doc for pain and swelling in his right leg.  It got dramatically worse over the weekend and he ended up in the ER on Sunday, then in surgery Sunday night / Monday morning, where they removed a blood clot the size of a tennis ball.  Well, yah, that would hurt, wouldn't it?  He's recovering in the hospital and I think we're on the good side of it now, but still "a long row to hoe" as the saying goes.

And that is the large part of our prayers and thanks this week - prayers for his comfort and recovery, and thanks for the great medical care he's getting.


Going...  to meet a new friend this evening and talk boys and homeschooling :D


Looking forward to...  a fresh start every morning.


In the kitchen...  hallelujah for cheap-pizza-day ;D


In the learning rooms...  Gunnar reminded me this morning as Tate headed off to the bus, "Six months from now, I'll be headed off to high school."  Yes, be still my heart.


The Mother Load...  all postponed for more important things, but time to get back to work...  two things weighing on me:  preparing for taxes, and preparing for Saturday - I'm one of the (many) speakers at a homeschool conference on Saturday.  Whew!


Something fun to share...  if you want to get on my dad's good side, bring contraband to the hospital (i.e. a large, chocolate shake) ;D


A favorite quote for today...  I'm re-reading Paul David Tripps Age of Opportunity, about parenting teens (highly recommend it, by the way).  He writes of teens being absorbed in their own "story" and that we need to connect them to God's bigger story.  (So true for us adults as well, yah?)  He says...

There is always a higher agenda than personal happiness,

there is a bigger, more significant story than their story of the moment,

and in every situation they are called

to trust and obey God.

A few plans for the rest of the week...  meeting a friend tonight, out to Joann's to help another friend plan a quilt tomorrow evening, and then off to the Tech College with Tate on Thursday to register him for a class and go to an Energy Industry Careers event.  I'm not usually out so many evenings a week!  And we'll be fitting in visits to my dad along the way.


A peek into my world...  coming soon ;D

Good news!  He's being discharged this afternoon and headed home!  Still a lot of recovery ahead of him, but he'll do better at home :D