Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Monday, September 28, 2015

Outside my window...  last night

... so, YES, we saw the eclipse.  Did you?  So thankful for the clear skies!

Hearing...  boys cleaning up from lunch, Tate heading out to mow the neighbor's lawn, and the dryer tumbling.  Because, If you do stuff, stuff gets done.

Pondering...  when does it get easier?

Praying...  my friend in Myanmar having post-childbirth complications, our pastor recovering from a tonsillectomy (oh, how I remember!), continuing work for Kerry, and me... I feel like I'm surfing a huuuuuge wave and if I lose focus for a moment it will break on me.  Chaos.

Thankful...  NEXT WEEK I get to make two families of online friends IN REAL LIFE friends!  Can't wait :D

Wearing...  jeans, long-sleeve layer under turquoise t-shirt, socks, blue Vans, because comfy :D  Plus, this morning I had to have my annual Cram-o-Gram.  It was smashing.
Oh, I crack myself up.

Going...  to discuss Gunnar's (school) reading with him, to take Tate to work, and then off to Messiah rehearsal.

Reading...  The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers.  I enjoy her books, but I have to space them out - very similar to each other.

Learning...  I've never joined the PTA/PTSA or any other parent group at school.  (Now, Moms In Touch?  That's a different story.)  But this appealed to me, from  Dee Wise Heinz, here

Looking forward to...  flying to Arkansas :D

In the kitchen...  pork roast for dinner tonight.  The boys want dessert, but I am reluctant to make anything because, well... clearly, cookie dough isn't safe around me.

In the learning rooms...  Gunnar ought to be finishing up his reading and practicing for his violin lesson tomorrow.  Tate is done for the day and out mowing.

Around the house...  it's suspiciously quiet.  If you have boys, you'll know what I mean.

The Mother Load...  Lord have mercy, let's not talk about that just now.  I'm wishing for a despachante.

Noticing that...  someone named Brad Panovich, in Massachusetts, has a good eye for cloud animals...

A favorite quote for today...  on our way to and from church we drive by a Grange Hall with a sign board out front.  For a month it said this:
 

Laughter is the best medicine

Unless you have diarrhea.

Stay classy.

One of my favorite things...  I found a new tea I like for in the evenings (no caffeine).

I'm not making any claims about the "stress relief" they promise, but it sure tastes good :D

A Bible verse...  1 Chronicles 28:20

Be strong and courageous and do the work...

A few plans for the rest of the week...
* Monday - homeschool, cram-o-gram, Tate mows neighbor's lawn, take Tate on errands and to work, Messiah rehearsal
* Tuesday - homeschool, Gunnar's violin lesson, Tate mows another neighbor's lawn, boys to CAP
* Wednesday - homeschool, Tate and Gunnar do yard work for an elderly couple from church, Wyatt works
* Thursday - homeschool, Tate's dentist appointment, take Tate to work, Wyatt works
* Friday - homeschool (working ahead because I'll be away), Wyatt works
* Saturday - Wyatt works, Gunnar has a b'day party, Game Night at the chapel
* Sunday - church, teach Sunday school, breeeeeaaaathe...

A peek into my world...  in a sermon recently, Pastor Bert said

when trouble swirls around you

but what Kerry heard was

when troubled squirrels surround you.

We giggled about that all the way home.  And I found this poor fellow:

On the other hand, here is a squirrel out my window,

clearly NOT troubled.

So how's your week looking?

2015 Camping Trip - Day 2

This may have been the longest, most exhausting day of Naomi's life.

Maybe.

We started the day at a relaxed pace, reading in the cabin and making breakfast.

Cold mornings call for hot oatmeal :D

And yogurt.

And fruit.

And cocoa :D

And Dr. Seuss.

Drove a few miles up toward Mazama and hiked in to the Tawlks Foster Suspension Bridge.

If you're ever in the Methow Valley, you'll have plenty of hikes to choose from,

thanks to the Methow Valley Ski Trails Association.

Cross-country ski trails in winter,

hiking, biking, horse trails in summer.

Oh for the energy of a three year old!

We hiked about a mile in to the bridge.

Love this one with Grandpa :D

Threw rocks into the creek.

Collected sticks, aka "bows and arrows".

And soaked in the beautiful mountain and river views.

Gee, too bad she's not having any fun!

But wait, we need more sticks.

After a great morning hike, we drove up to Sun Mountain Lodge for a picnic lunch...

and another 2-ish mile hike.

This one along the ridge above Sun Mountain Lodge,

instead of down in the valley.

Naomi and Gunnar still have a special relationship :D

She wanted to climb every rock...

... on top of the mountain!

I love where I live in the green/wet west,

AND I love the different climate east of the mountains.

So clear and light and wide open.

We finished that hike by early afternoon and headed back to our campground for...

a couple hours of swimming!

I think this girl takes after her daddy,

because she looooooooves the water!

No fear, she'll jump right in.

No, she's not falling.

She jumped like this (face plant)

over and over and over again.

And came up with a grin every time.

This one reminds me and my parents of her dad at about that age.

He'd jump in like this and call it his "hot-shot".

She was like the energizer bunny.

Even Gunnar needed a break!

After chilling out at the campground for awhile,

we walked into the town of Winthrop for some well-earned dinner.

Across yet another bridge...

... past the confluence of the Methow and Chewuch Rivers.

Grandpa's little buddy :D

Gunnar's eyes lit up when he saw these!

We walked all through town...

... to a bridge at the other end of Winthrop.

Finally pulled in for dinner at the infamous

Three Fingered Jack's Saloon.

Well fed, we headed back to camp,

glad to hear that the burn-ban had been lifted

and we could have a campfire!

I think it was Naomi's first S'More...

she liked it :D

But that stick was not for the fire...

... that was her special bow-and-arrow and went through the whole trip with her and back home again.

And of course there was the nightly fairy hunt,

but I'll tell you about that later ;D

Out My Window Tonight...

Total Lunar Eclipse