Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Outside my window...

it was a misty, moisty morning,

and I went for a walk :D

Hearing...

the minions, doing dishes.

Yay, minions!

Pondering...

the joys of chilled beverages,

and the convenience of having our food

in OUR fridge in OUR kitchen

(but still thankful for our neighbors, who rescued us :D ).

Oooooo!  Shiny!

Praying...

Tate is about to register for another 20-credit quarter,

and Gunnar is about to register for the next year of high school.

I've already mentioned how

NOT FOND

I am of an

EIGHT PERIOD SCHEDULE,

but we won't be registering for eight classes.

Meeting with the advisor tomorrow.

Aaaand Wyatt is still looking for a job.

Thankful...

* for my fridge :D

* for a great time yesterday with my friend Laura

* making (slow) progress on a quilt for ME

* absolutely loving my BSF group and the study

Well HELLO, Frank.

Wearing...

blue jeans, red long-sleeve shirt, black sweater...

no more snow, but it's still cold.

Creating...

a quilt for me,

sneak-peek pics below.

Going...

I love that Tate is a driver now!

Wyatt has an appointment - takes himself.

The other boys are going to CAP,

and I'm staying home!

Reading...

Saving Leonardo, by Nancy Pearcey.

Got about two thirds through and realize that I wan't really retaining it,

so started over, taking notes...

*sigh*

Because if you can't explain it,

you don't understand it.

Learning...

Gunnar and I had our violin lesson today.

My brain knows what the music should sound like,

but my fingers can't keep up.

Looking forward to...

making music that isn't squawking.

In the kitchen...

elk sausage, cheese and crackers.

Fruit.  Veggies.

It's a "snacky dinner".

In the learning rooms...

I am working myself out of a job,

at least the teaching part.

The trees have a fur coat.

Around the house...

books and electronics.

The detritus of the boybarians.

Noticing that...

it's almost light enough in the morning that Gunnar

could start riding his bike to school again.

He'll be so excited.

Not.

Something to remember for later...

all the energy these boys have!

The Mother Load...

I need to keep calling Advanced Bionics about replacing Tate's batteries.

They've been so wonderful about anything that's under warranty,

but trying to get insurance to approve the batteries?

Like pushing jello uphill on a hot day.

Arrrrrrgh.

This was the pile I started with.
Edited out the darker/brighter blues - save for another project.
Added in a couple others.
See the greenish shirt with the little parrots?
Watch for them...

Something fun to share...

my secret quilting power-source:

A favorite quote for today...

He reminds us that when we feel as though He's forgotten us,

it is an experience common to His faith children -

common enough to warrant congregational singing about it.

And as we pray or sing such psalms, they remind us that God, in fact,

has not forgotten us, that what we feel isn't always real,

and that God's promises are truer than our perceptions.

 - Jon Bloom

One of my favorite things...

seeing the boys mature into responsibility.

Each pin holds together all the pieces for one block.

A Bible verse...

As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:9

A peek into my world...

Block Number Two

Grasshopper Days

Grasshopper Days

For today, February 15, 2017

aka "Half-price Chocolate Holiday" ;D

Outside my window...

we're back to our "normal" winter weather -

cold, wet, rainy, and sometimes windy.

BUT we just had a week of snow,

which is a lot prettier than muddy drabness,

so that's what you get photos of :D

On a walk with Gunnar

Hearing...

the washer and dryer working,

but otherwise a quiet house.

Kerry is working in his office,

Wyatt went to do a job for his uncle,

and Tate and Gunnar are at school.

They're getting used to their regular schedule again

after a week off.

And why a week off?

Because...

Here is one of the local high schools...

... and an elementary school,

where my friend's kids attend.

Notice the tops of the door frames...

And this "driveway",

near some other friends' house!

So, yah,

we kind of just hunkered down :D

When it wasn't so deep...

Pondering...

something is missing from my kitchen...

... it would be the refrigerator.

*sigh*

It crapped out Saturday night,

and they can't deliver the new one until Friday.

I know, first-world problem, right?  But...

I MISS MY ICE-WATER!

Praying...

* Wyatt needs a job

* Wyatt needs motivation to go FIND a job

* I visited a friend in the hospital who is NOT looking good

Valentine Sunrise

Thankful...

* a new fridge IS on the way

* my neighbors rescued me yet again, and are storing our food

so we don't lose anything

* everywhere we lived we've had good neighbors -

what a blessing!

* other than Tate coming down with a cold (I think, he sounded hoarse anyway),

everyone is healthy :D

* and for these flowers :D

(there was chocolate too!  Guess why it's not pictured?!)

Wearing...

my Valentine boy wore this!

Creating...

had to put all my creative stuff awaynto get ready for taxes.

Now that MY part is done...

time for some more sewing :D

Going...

to pick Gunnar up from school shortly

and run to the grocery store...

such an exciting day (/sarcasm).

Reading...

Saving Leonardo, by Nancy Pearcey.

I think I need to go back and take notes...

none of her books are light reading!

Looking forward to...

a friend of Gunnar's is doing the same Biology course.

We moms planned their schedule together

so the boys can do their dissections together -

two heads are better than one,

and with kids only semi-skilled with scalpels,

two giant earthworms are also likely to be better than one ;D

And - bonus! - fun mom-time for us!

Tomorrow!

In the kitchen...

while everything else still works,

not having a fridge

(and all the food in it!)

is so inconvenient for cooking!

Yes, our food is in the neighbors' extra fridge,

but CRAMMED in, like Tetris.

Not convenient to just run over and grab something.

*sigh*

Only two more days.

In the learning rooms...

I'm so proud of the boys.

Gunnar's (public) school was out all week,

but he kept up with his homeschool work.

Tate had 2/5 days of classes,

but continued studying at home and

working ahead where he could.

Around the house...

candles and coziness :D

This was the day it was supposed to rain, and start to melt.
Hint:  That's not rain.

Noticing that...

the days are (slowly but surely) getting longer.

Still not melting...

Something to remember for later...

Gunnar's enthusiasm for new electives his school hopes to offer next year.

Because they're switching to an EIGHT PERIOD SCHEDULE.

Yes, I know there will only be four classes each day,

and they alternate.

But still.

WHO ON EARTH THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA

TO MAKE ADOLESCENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR

EIGHT CLASSES,

EIGHT DIFFERENT TEACHERS' EXPECTATIONS,

EIGHT DIFFERENT SUBJECT AREAS, AND

EIGHT SETS OF HOMEWORK?!?!?!

Not me, in case you were wondering.

One of the best things about going to college was only having

three or maybe four classes to manage!

I love that Gunnar is excited about school

and I don't want to rain on his parade,

but I DO want him to be realistic about what

he might take on next year!

Eight.  EIGHT!

I wonder how excited the teachers are about having eight classes of kids to keep track of?

Okay, one planning period, but still... what's that 180? 200 students?

Yah.  Great idea.

Still not melting.
The neighbor ventures out to get her mail.

The Mother Load...

* STILL working on getting insurance approval for the batteries Tate needs

* need to sort out the closet in the family room

* need to sort (with the boys) their winter gear

* inventory cabzilla and the big freezer

* fix apron and/or sew new one

... and more...

Something fun to share...

less than three months until the Choates come to visit :D

 A favorite quote for today...

Chance favors the prepared mind.

- Louis Pasteur

One of my favorite things...

a hot shower and dry clothes,

after being cold and wet.

A Bible verse...

Matthew 10:42

And if anyone gives even a cup of

cold water

to one of these little ones who is my disciple,

truly I tell you,

that person will certainly not lose their reward.

I'm missing my fridge!

ICE WATER!!!!!

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

* today is day to stay at home :D

* Thursday I get to hang out with my friend Sara,

while our boys cut up worms

(guess who gets the better end of THAT deal?!)

* Friday the NEW FRIDGE COMES!

Then, the weekend :D 

A peek into my world...

Happy Valentine's Day ;D

Aaaaannnnddd.....

Silver Thaw

We've had a bit of snow here, and the boys have missed two days of school -

canceled because of road conditions.

I know some of you live where there is a LOT more snow,

and life goes on.

Roads get plowed and sanded,

people have snow- or studded tires,

and know how to drive in the snow.

That's not here!

Our city of 80,000+ has FOUR trucks that can plow.

Four.

I've actually seen little flat-bed city trucks

driving around our neighborhood,

with a pile of sand and two men with shovels

standing on the back.

But the snow isn't even the issue this time.

It's the ice.

We've had a Silver Thaw.

My friend, Emily Gibson, of Barnstorming,

gave me permission to share her beautiful photos.

I think he looks like Gimli,

from Lord of the Rings,

with all the snow on his face!