Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Monday, November 28, 2016

Outside my window...

baby, it's cold outside!

Hearing...

my friend, the furnace ;D

Pondering...

the lovely Thanksgiving we had.

As the kids get older the holidays are a bit more mellow and less frenetic.

There are some things I miss about the little years,

(getting clucky, anyone?)

there are things... I don't.

All the H-Y-P-E-R, for one.

Though with five very animated cousins enjoying each other's company,

it wasn't exactly a quiet day ;D

(Blame the kids, right?)

I was lazy relaxed and didn't even get out my real camera,

and barely snapped any pics with my phone.

Love these cousins.

With birds in their hair.

It's tradition to get an ornament at Thanksgiving.

Wearing them in your hair?

Well, suit yourself.

Tate can stick his to the side of his head ;D

And then there was the aftermath of Thanksgiving...

the turkey-nap.

When he realized I was photographing him...

he gave me The Foot.

Praying...

maybe I should stop praying for work for Kerry,

because at the moment he's swamped!

A good "problem" to have!

(Not so swamped he can't do the work, btw,

but happily busy.)

And this is a busy week at the Grasshopper house...

* all the boys are back to school,while 

* Kerry is preparing for the fabulous oom-pah-pah glory that is Tuba Christmas

(you won't want to miss it! Saturday at 11am, Ferry Terminal, if you're local),

* and I have two Messiah performances, Friday and Saturday.

* we continue to pray for our friend Gerald's recovery from his amputation

* and for a safe trip home (from hunting in Colorado) for my dad.

Thankful...

* good times as a family

* a restful break from school

* Tate's Naida processors are still under warranty

(expensive replacement parts are on the way!)

* my sweet neighbors joined us for Thanksgiving, and in this case,

their (age-related) hearing loss is probably a boon,

as they sat on the couch and let the happy-crazy swirl around them ;D

* also, we'll forgive my dad for missing Thanksgiving,

since this happened...

(if you don't eat meat, just scroll on by)

We look forward to his always-generous sharing of the bounty!

(That's an elk, if you weren't sure.)

Wearing...

many many layers.

Did I mention it's cold?

Creating...

the minions brought all the Christmas stuff in from the garage,

but we'll wait a little longer to get the tree.

Going...

to my last Messiah rehearsal tonight.

Love it.

Then I love when it's done.

Hallelujah.

Looking forward to...

the boys' CAP "Dining Out" is this week.

It's pretty awesome.

Lots of tradition.

They're quite particular about "the grog",

a non-alcoholic punch that is served from a toilet.

There are things I am at a loss to explain.

That is one of them.

Also, let the record show that I will be

dressing up for three days in one week.

This probably sets some kind of record I had no intention of achieving.

In the kitchen...

one more day of eating leftovers (yum!)

and then if there's enough left,

turkey pot pies.

Mmmmmmmmmm :D

In the learning rooms...

Gunnar is absorbed in the complex world of the cell in his unit on Cytology,

and reading about medieval times - the feudal system, princes, and popes.

Around the house...

I'm in the mood for Christmas,

but just a few more peaks at fall

with all its warm coziness :D

Noticing that...

27 days until Christmas!

Something to remember for later...

DO NOT USE THE WARMING DRAWER UNDER THE OVEN.

It's not gas.

It's electric.

The circuit was not intended to support that.

Ask me how I know.

*sigh*

Everything's fine.

The potatoes didn't have the crispy edges we all like.

Hardly a tragedy, but you know...

The Mother Load...

starts and ends with Christmas shopping :D

A favorite quote for today...

Now it is a strange thing,

but things that are good to have

and days that are good to spend

are soon told about,

and not much to listen to...

JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit

Something fun to share...

I get out some favorite photos,

looking forward to Christmas.

Maybe 2003?  Maybe 2004?

And my dad (on the right) and my uncle Mick, mid '40s I suppose!

They look so stoic.

Mick even looks a bit sad!

Why???

One of my favorite things...

this ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS elf Tate made in the first grade.

The ears... the fingers...

the teeny-tiny legs...

the whole elf package...

YES.

A Bible verse...

Since ancient times no one has heard,

no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen any God besides You,

who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Isaiah 64:4

It's the waiting, though...

that's the hard part.

A peek into my world...

snow on Wickersham :D

Thanksgiving At My House

I'm not saying I was busy, hosting thirteen people and cooking a 22# bird or anything, but I didn't take many photos on the day.

Okay... there's the bird.

It was fabulous, and there are lots of leftovers.  Win-win.

Everyone brings part of the meal, everyone gets along, couldn't ask for more, right?

So much to be thankful for!

And one of the many things I'm thankful for?  A young man with a sense of humor about his hearing loss.  Want to know one of the more obscure advantages to cochlear implants?

  You can stick things to the magnets on your head...

... like the little Christmas-tree-ornament-birds that Aunty Tami brought.

That definitely tops hanging spoons from your nose.

Tate, for the win.

Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Outside my window...

looks like winter is on the way..

The beautiful leaves are scattered and gone,

and these clouds...

recently left us with this!

Hearing...

clothes getting clean,

Wyatt (finally!) getting up,

and rain spattering on the window.

Pondering...

it's not what I hear today,

it's what I smell...

the heavenly aroma of my turkey roasting.

Tate got a letter from Naomi.

Praying...

* Kerry has a lot of work - a blessing! - and a prayer to keep all the clients happy!

* my friend Gerald's recovery (leg amputation)

* my dad heading out on a big hunt

* Thanksgiving prep and for our gathering

* Wyatt and Tate nearing the end of the quarter at their colleges

* missionary friends far from home and family during the holidays

Thankful...

* so much work for Kerry!  Hallelujah!

* most of the family able to be together for the holiday

* our health - we take for granted when we have it

* our church family

* Tate's bionic ears... I forget that he's deaf

* the beautiful sunrise while I was walking this morning...

I practically ran outside, the clouds and colors changed so rapidly.

Creating...

working on a baby quilt, but don't want to show anything yet!

Going...

soon I'll pick up Gunnar,

and then off to his violin lesson.

Just seconds later...

Looking forward to...

Thanksgiving!

Having the family all here :D

In the kitchen...

cooking my turkey today,

and probably the mashed potatoes.

I love doing all the messy stuff ahead -

so much easier!

Takes my breath away...

In the learning rooms...

Wyatt and Tate manage their own work,

and I have NO IDEA.

I know Tate and a partner made something like a still,

to desalinate water.

Gunnar has just a little bit of homeschool work (and whatever homework he brings home)

to finish before the holiday weekend.

Around the house...

lots of fall color and scented candles...

the ever-popular pumpkin spice,

and one that smells a bit like woodsmoke.

Mmmmmmmm.

Welcome to America.  Where a home with four drivers has four vehicles... more on that momentarily.

Noticing that...

it's flannel-sheet-time :D

Something to remember for later...

how sweetly Tate wrote a card to Naomi

in response to her plea for a visit.

The Mother Load...

oh.  Yah.

Lots of cleaning and meal prep.

It's my family so I don't have to go too nuts with cleaning,

but since the vacuum has been broken...

Yah.

* vacuum/dust

* clear off craft table and bring downstairs

* cook turkey,  remove from carcass,  save skin ;D

* prep mashed potatoes

* make gravy

* clean kitchen (it'll need it after all that!)

* check bathrooms

* pick up the fresh veggies

* make dip

* set table

And I'd better stop there, but there's more!

Something fun to share...

our CAP "Dining Out" is next week,

and Tate will be presented the Amelia Earhart award

for making Captain...

it's a big deal.

Sunrise over Lake Whatcom

A favorite quote for today...

For what I have received

may the Lord make me truly thankful.

And even more truly

for what I have not received.

Storm Jameson

One of my favorite things...

the boys joking together while they do the dishes :D

Snowberries, aka waxberries

A Bible verse...

Give thanks to the Lord,

for He is good;

His love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34

Sometimes cedars do funny things...

A few plans for the rest of the week...

Thanksgiving!

School vacation!

Still dark enough that the streetlights are on at 7:55AM

A peek into my world...

Tate's first car... '92 Mustang!

Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Monday, November 14, 2016

Outside my window...

this at 3:30am...

but it's clearing up for a beautiful sunrise.

Hearing...

wind, and rain spattering through the night.

But they can do beautiful things,

like flinging this maple leaf into a sword fern.

Pondering...

We had a church talent show recently.

Gunnar played his fiddle - I'm so proud!

His teacher intended to come and accompany him on guitar,

but had to decline at the last minute,

and Wyatt was able to pinch hit beautifully.

Our little chapel also fields some amazing artists,

several I was aware of but one was new to me -

Bonnie Patterson.

She's multi-talented,

and I was the most amazed by her wood-burned pieces.

(Photographed and posted with her permission.)

This is her FIRST EVER ATTEMPT AT WOODBURNING.

With a $25 kit from Wal-mart.

No kidding.

Just to be clear,
wood-burning, Grasshopper-style:

Wood-burning, Bonnie Patterson style...

This - her second piece - is my favorite.

It looked as if it would feel velvety to the touch!

I linked to her website above, where you can see more of her art :D

Praying...

* a bloggy friend's son just had (CI) implant surgery Friday - praying for good hearing for him!

* another good friend will have his lower leg amputated this week (cancer) - praying for healing

* Thanksgiving is next week!!! - praying for the glory of God through the holidays
* and Lordhavemercy the kitchen fridge/freezer is making odd sounds and is not quite cold...

Thankful...

for sometime morning sun,

even in this dark, rainy season.

Going...

to meet Tate at the bank and take care of some business -

he has a surprise I'll be sharing soon!

Learning...

fresh insights into the book of John

thanks to my Bible Study Fellowship group!

Looking forward to...

I love the holiday season :D

Looking forward to having lots of my favorite people

around the Thanksgiving table.

In the kitchen...

leftovers.

Or, if I want to be fancy, "rechauffe" ;D

Made a big pot of chicken tortilla soup yesterday.

Perfect for this weather!

In the learning rooms...

I've mentioned that Gunnar is working more independently.

Yay, Gunnar!

He got stuck in math recently,

and figured it out with the help of youtube and Khan Academy.

Remember what homework was like before the internet?
If you can believe it,
I actually graduated college without a computer.
I know.
Shock and awe.

Around the house...

had the boys do some chores over the weekend.

Tate can stream music into his CIs and simultaneously turn off all ambient noise.

Works great when he's mowing the lawn, or vacuuming.

Except when he doesn't hear the vacuum cleaner suck up the corner of a throw rug,

and doesn't hear it start to "scream",

and doesn't know anything is wrong until he smells something burning.

I think we may need a new vacuum cleaner.

And I hope we don't need a new fridge.

Merry.... Christmas???

*sigh*

Noticing that...

since we switched the rooms around earlier this year,

my craft room faces a different direction - into the weather.

Is it weird that I like to listen to the rain pelting the windows?

I like it because

I'm warm and dry inside!

Something to remember for later...

last Tuesday had an identity crisis.

Looked like winter...

felt like summer.

No kidding.

Something fun to share...

went for a walk with a friend on Saturday and noticed some wood chips around this odd stump...

looked a little closer...

Cool!

One of my favorite things...

a startling sunset, out my window...

A Bible verse...

God reigns over the nations;

God is seated on His holy throne.

Psalm 47:8

A few plans for the rest of the week...

the usual round of school, CAP, violin lesson, Messiah rehearsal,

and scurrying from place to place...

but I'm really looking forward to having friends over on Friday!

A peek into my world...