Grasshopper Days

  Grasshopper Days

For today, Monday, May 9, 2016

Outside my window...  a cool, sunny spring day.  A nice breeze is blowing through the dogwood outside my window and it's like sitting in a cloud of white blossoms.

We had a "Book Shower" for this mom of three boys from our chapel!

Hearing...  robins - they always sound cheery :D

Our youngest chapel member and one of our oldest :D

Pondering...  we had an absolutely lovely Mother's Day (here!) yesterday, and I took not one photo.  I was RE-LAX-ING.  Well, and hosting fourteen for lunch.  But that's fine ;D

I love the way so many chapel ladies pitched in to help  - fun people!

Praying...  my dad is seeing a surgeon tomorrow to make a plan for his knee, Wyatt is (with our approval) quitting his job to focus more on school (that's the plan), Kerry has a ton of work (yay!) and needs to keep up the pace, and a good family friend fell and ruptured her spleen on Friday (emergency! surgery! and now recovery).  Whew!

Fun!  And slightly nutty :D

Thankful...  oh so very thankful for my family.  I don't want to take them for granted :D  It was fabulous to have everyone here for Mother's Day.  And all the cousins get along.  And not just "get along", but have fun together.  I know there was a rousing game of Apples to Apples.

More lovely chapel ladies :D

 Wearing...  capri jeans, a tank top, and a summery (turquoise! lime green! blue!) shirt - all my happy colors.

Gunnar, hanging out in the Tech College library.  We take school work to do while Tate's in class.

Going...  out to dinner tonight!  Got our tax return back.  Although it's pretty much already spent (paying off a couple of things), we're carving out enough for a good dinner at Bob's Burgers and Brew :D  (News flash: my "brew" will be tea.  Iced.)

Gunnar and I were just heading out for a walk when what to my wondering eyes should appear...

Reading...  the calendar, because apparently I read it wrong.  I thought next week was our last week of Sunday school, but - lo! - I was off by a week.  There are two more.  Which is just fine :D  Yesterday I sat down for our Sunday school opening of singing, and two of my favorite little boys ran and jumped into my lap.  Love that!

Number one...

 Looking forward to...  a Malibu chicken burger with teriyaki sauce, and - if I'm lucky - sweet potato fries :D

And number two.

In the kitchen...  lots of yummy leftover baked potatoes, taco meat, and other toppings - I made extra for yesterday.  A feast for tomorrow :D

Oh, you're close to me.  I'll look at you, but not bother to move.

In the learning rooms...  Tate has just one more chapter of Economics, and he'll finish that subject - woo-hoo!  He's doing so well in his computer class that he hardly ever has to go on Friday, as he's finished the week's work already.  Gunnar and I powered through the whole week's worth of Physical Science today, as well as today's language work, and all his history reading.  We could do each day "normally" (a little of each subject), but it's kind of fun at the end of the year to start knocking them off, one by one, and finish early :D

What.  You're in my personal space.
But neener-neener, you can't shoot me
so I'll just sit her, insolently, and mock you.

Around the house...  boys.  Always, boys :D

Love this periwinkle/purple clematis!

The Mother Load...  oh boy.  I need to FIND it.  Everything got put on hold for the shower and Mother's Day!  Time to get organized.  Again.  But OH LOOK! A pretty flower!  Let's look at that instead of the Mother Load!

Noticing that...  Gunnar and I had a giggle on our walk today.  We could hear a squirrel chittering in the tree.  Can you see him?  He's on the first branch up, on the left.  (Click on the photo to make it larger.  But it's just an ordinary squirrel. Nothing too exciting.)

He was facing away and didn't notice us, because he was relentlessly scolding two fat cats, that were sitting in the driveway below him, soaking up the morning sun.  He didn't see us approaching, but they did, and they moved away.

Oh!  Victorious triumph!  His vocalizations reached new heights as he celebrated the vanquishing of his mortal enemies!

We laughed all the way home.


Something to remember for later...  Tate's cards.  They're amazingly wonderful.  And it's not just Tate.  The other boys help too, but it's his creative genius.  Here's my Mother's Day card:

I'm the mother bird, in the nest, and my three grasshoppers are wishing me a Happy Mother's Day.  And they've brought me chocolate - see the red Lindor bag?!

They also gave me a beautiful hanging basket of fuchsias :D


A favorite quote for today...  I read this quote from Martin Luther.  Words often change over time, and I suspect the word "careful" is one of them.  He seems to be meaning something more along the lines of "weighed down with care" or anxious/worried.  Anyway...

He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow,

but labors joyfully and with a great heart.

"For He giveth His beloved, as in sleep."

They must work and watch,

yet never be careful or anxious,

but commit all to Him,

and live in serene tranquility;

and with a quiet heart,

as one who sleeps safely and quietly.

Gunnar and I love the Golden Chain trees in bloom right now.
AKA Laburnum, if you want to know.

One of my favorite things...  hearing all the cousins laughing together :D

A few plans for the rest of the week...
* Tuesday - all the boys have school (various), Gunnar has his violin lesson, Wyatt and Tate work, and Tate and Gunnar will go to CAP.  I'm meeting my friend for errands, lots of mom-talk, and probably a treat :D
* Wednesday - schooling, Tech College and work for Tate
* Thursday - schooling, Tate and Wyatt work, Gunnar babysits
* Friday - Gunnar babysits, we'll have lunch with the little guy Gunnar watches and his mom :D, Tate and Wyatt have school, Wyatt works
* Saturday - Wyatt and Tate both work
* Sunday - church, and we're having friends over for lunch - yay!

So creative!

A peek into my world...  I do love spring!

May the Fourth...

Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Tuesday, May 3, 2016


Outside my window...  a day that can't decide what to do with itself.  Warm and sunny?  Cool and rainy?  Clear off?  Cloud over?

Welcome to spring.


Hearing...  a bird.  A dove, maybe?  Can't see it, but we've been hearing it frequently.


Pondering...  Tate and I were down to Seattle yesterday, for his regular "hearing tune-up".  All is well, and better than well :D

His audiologist (we love her!) was training a new audiologist.  I told her she was in goooood hands :D

We are SO thankful for the technology available to us, and the fabulous professionals who have helped us along the way.


Praying...  coming down the homestretch of the school year, but there's still a lot of work to do - praying for all the boys to finish strong!  Also for my dad's painful knee, and for our missionary friends - the Randalls and the Choates.


Thankful...  everything went so smoothly getting to and from Seattle, and at Tate's appointment.  Though what a day to be in the car!

We decided we needed to stop for ice cream :D

Going...  the boys have CAP tonight, and I'm preparing for a baby shower tomorrow.


Looking forward to...  having the family here for Mother's Day on Sunday.


In the kitchen...  pizza day - I think the boys' favorite day of the week ;D


Around the house...  oh boy, gotta make sure all the boys' debris is picked up for tomorrow!


The Mother Load...  not too terrifying at the moment.  (And now that I've said that...)  Just a bit of prep for tomorrow evening - make some cookies, prepare the beverages, etc. :D


Something to remember for later...  guess who got to come meet us for ice cream?

On a day like yesterday, pokey eaters get ice cream soup!

A favorite quote for today...  

Learning to pray

is learning to trust the wisdom,

the power, and the love

of our Heavenly Father,

always so far

beyond our dreams.

Elisabeth Elliot

One of my favorite things people...

A peek into my world, aka our trip home from Seattle...

This last photo should explain how I got the other on-the-road photos ;D

Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Wednesday, April 27

Outside my window...  

Dogwood in bloom :D

Hearing...  a little breeze rustling the evergreens (not enough leaves in the dogwoods to catch the breeze yet!)

Pondering...  how we take feeling well for granted, until we don't.  I'll spare you the details of last night.  I think I ate something that didn't agree with me.  Ugh.

Praying...  seems like in spring we all want to slack off, and there's so much work to do!  Kerry has jobs coming out his ears (and we're THANKFUL for that, but he's got to keep all the clients happy!), the boys are all busy with school, and I have a full-time job keeping everyone moving the right direction ;D  Praying for diligence for all of us.

And for my dad's knee :o(

And for my friend, Jane, whose mom is failing.

Thankful...  for all that work I mentioned above :D  Gunnar is excited he got a new (regular) babysitting job watching a one-year-old a few hours a week.  Tate is doing great in his college class and maintaining his regular responsibilities.  Wyatt met with his advisor and he is still on track for graduating in December.  If anything goes sideways, it will just mean delay, but we're hopeful he can stay on top of things!

Wearing...  my extra-comfy I-wasn't-feeling-well clothes (i.e. old ratty sweats).  May have to take it up a notch before I take Tate to class ;D

Creating...  new covers for some cheap journals I found at Walmart.

Going...  over to the tech college with Tate this afternoon.

Reading...  Proverbs.

Looking forward to...  summer break - six more weeks!

In the kitchen...  hmmm, we're all going to be home tonight :D  Still not excited to think much about food after last night's "adventures"... 

In the learning rooms...  Gunnar is working through that deer-in-the-headlight reaction he seems to always get when he has to write something... something he has to think about.  Arrrrgh.  We'll get through this.

Around the house...  good thing I left the blue "decor" and blue lights up after the last baby shower!  We could call it lazy, but I prefer "fortuitous" since I'll be hosting another baby-boy shower next week!

The Mother Load...  ugh.  Can't even go there right now.  Just get through today.  I'll feel better tomorrow.  And look!  A pretty picture to distract me!  We almost killed this double lilac when we upgraded the driveway, but it's coming back :D

A favorite quote and devotional thought for the day...

O God, the protector of all who trust in You,

without whom nothing is strong,

nothing is holy:

Increase and multiply upon us Your mercy,

that, with You as our ruler and guide,

we may so pass through things temporal,

that we lose not the things eternal;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Who lives and reigns

with You and the Holy Spirit,

One God,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

One of my favorite things...  bright colors!

A few plans for the rest of the week...  take Tate to his class, keep pressing on through the last weeks of the school year, finish this journal project (close, but more to do), clean our bathroom (yuck!), and - I hope - sit in the sun :D

A peek into my world...

Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Monday, April 18, 2016.


Outside my window...  seems like it was winter just last week, but today...

I couldn't believe it!  And in case you're wondering, NO, I did NOT take the photo while driving.  I drove, and Gunnar took the picture :D


Hearing...  Kerry mowing the lawn.  It looks great, and I love the smell of fresh-cut grass :D


Pondering...  the juggling act that is life with three teenage young men.


Praying...  for our friends, the Choates, in the Solomon Islands; the Randalls, in Myanmar; for my three young men;, and for us - the parents!


Thankful...  I'm sure Gunnar is thankful he got through his first ever recital.  And he did wonderfully :D  His teacher is very friendly and low-key, and the recital reflected her informal persona :D

And I always enjoy looking at her artwork while Gunnar plays!

He played Vivaldi's Spring, and three Irish pieces - a waltz called Seamus O'Brien, and a couple of jigs, The Frost is All Over, and Out on the Ocean.

He's got his game-face on :D

Wearing...  shorts and a tank-top... in April!

Going...  to do some sewing for Tate - new rank patches from his recent promotion.

Looking forward to...  more sunny days!

In the kitchen...  I've had chicken in the crock-pot all day and I think we'll have chicken-taco salad when Kerry's done mowing.

In the learning rooms...  quiet now, late afternoon.  Gunnar is reading some of our favorite books this week, by Richard Peck, A Long Way from Chicago, and A Year Down Yonder.

Around the house...  lots of wonderful-smelling lilacs!

The Mother Load...  good gracious, today I:

* homeschooled Gunnar

* met Tate at the school and met (briefly) with three people, dealing with some testing opt-out paperwork, getting Tate's Running Start paperwork signed, and registering Gunnar - whew!

* drove Tate to his tech school class

* got gas (ack! the light was on!)

* got groceries

* visited with my older neighbors, that I've been avoiding while I get over a nasty cold

* did 6 or 7 loads of laundry, the last one still drying on the line

* repaired two shirts and a pair of shorts (because Tate climbed over a barbed wire fence in one of his two nice pairs, suitable for wearing to work - arrrrgh!)

* and more.  There's always more.

And tomorrow looks about the same!

Noticing that...  oh, the days are getting longer :D

Something to remember for later...  it's fun to have a little peeky-hole from up in the bedroom to down in the kitchen!  At our friends' house :D

A favorite quote for today...  while she encourages us to seek out all that God has revealed in his Word, Nancy Leigh DeMoss reminds (her readers)...

God does not owe us an explanation for anything.

One of my favorite things...  the smell and look of a freshly mown lawn :D

A few plans for the rest of the week...  the usual round of homeschool, public school, tech school, and community college; plus two boys with jobs, Civil Air Patrol, a violin lesson, and taking advantage of the warm weather to do lots and lots of laundry!  It's a glamorous life.  Aren't you madly jealous?

A peek into my world...  on Sunday we had lunch at our friends' house...

Baby Showers

Between chapel moms and a neighbor-friend, we've had a run of babies lately!

When I had some free time over Christmas vacation

I broke out the sewing machine and got busy.

I still have one I can't share yet (soon, I hope!)

but I gave this one at a shower last night, so here ya go :D

I could've called it April Showers,

but little Nate was born in March, so how about

Baby Showers?

That IS what it's called, in fact, where I spotted it on the Moda "Bake Shop" page,

by LeAnne Ballard.

Well, if you know the Pacific Northwest in the spring like I do,

you'll know why I chose this!

Of course, I changed it up a little.

I like flannel on the back of a baby quilt - so snuggly and soft :D

And I really wanted to use a piece of batik that looked kind of like it had drops of color on it already.

The water drops gave me fits.

Applique is not my strong suit!

But it sure looks interesting from the back!

And though it may look black in the photo,

the binding is a navy blue,

to hold all that blue together :D

We had a lot of fun last night,

celebrating Cheryl and adorable Nate the Great,

but I took no photos!

Take my word for it,

he's a cutie :D