All is Not Lost

The time was finally upon us. All the planning and hard work and effort of so many had come to fruitation. The benefit auction for my father in law. We were there early along with other sibling and cousins to help in any way we could. It was a lot more than merely an auction. It was a gathering of family and close friends, many hugs were exchanged and kisses given. There was story swapping and hearty laughter. Children ran around chasing eachother. Parents need have no fear or worry, family looks after family and children are a blessing rather than a nuisance. In hard times family pulls together to help, each in their own way. All in all everything was a success. Much money was raised for my father and mother in law to help with their medical bills. But I know it meant a lot more than just money, there is a value in family that no amount of money can replace. 

Home from Work

The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies fill the house. The sound of my husband playing with our kids is music to my ears. Outside the snow is falling heavily with winds so strong it’s swirling all the snow around. Our coondog lays in front of our pellet stove, letting the warmth seep into her bones. Winter has come again. Inside our house is the warmth and all those incredibly alive things that make a house a home. I love every second of it…

Pilgrimage

My Valentines day present was to go out snowshoeing at the state park. On our way their along the shores of lake Michigan we saw huge chunks of ice and snow pushed up, over 20 feet tall. Their was people from all over come to pay homeage to this awesome sight. Walking out to look at them close up, it was as if you were on a glacier in Antarctica. It was unreal. Mother nature is so very incredible. 

Morning Chores

The wind whistles through the trees. The cold bites my ears and nose, turning my cheeks a rosy red. I take a deep breath of clean cold air, it wakes me up better than coffee! The horse and our cows are in their stalls, eagerly awaiting their morning hay. I say good morning to all the barn. On my way out, the rooster crows from inside his warm coop. Surrounded by his fluffy ladies, his crow bringing on the dawn and the rising sun. My footsteps are hurried along by the cold and the promise of a hot cup of coffee awaiting me. 

Before the Dawn

In the darkness before the dawn I am awake. That perfect twilight where the sun has not broken the horizon. I sit here with my coffee while my family still sleep. A rare breathtakingly still and almost silent house, just the rustling of the dogs and Levi slightly snoring. Levi just turned 2 this week. It doesn’t feel that long ago when we were (ok my husband) in a panic to get to the hospital because my water had broken. The miracle of life is so sweet and precious. Never take for granted that which we are given, and always count your blessings even when it looks like you don’t have much. In the end family is the richest thing we can ever have. 

Baking Day

The other day I made some Coffe Cake Bread, it turned out awesome! I love to bake, but with 2 little boys, all our animals and our house to take care of it’s hard to find the time to bake as much as I would like. Oh yeah, and I also work full time. We are also in the process of putting our house up for sale, which is fun, exciting, a little sad and stressful. So yeah, baking is pretty far down on the list of priorities…

More Winter

It seems as though this cold white stuff will not quit! It is still snowing here, and everyday we have been in a weather advisory of one sort or another. We are running out of room to put our snow banks! I think it said in the paper our county has received over 101inches of snow, and still counting. People are starting to talk about the blizzard of ’78 in comparison of this winter. This morning it was -5. I am getting really tired of the extreme cold, more so than of the snow. We are feeding more hay than normal. We had to go buy more this past week. We will be buying more in another week. So yeah, I am cold, tired, and also sick…