Her Treat

When your girl drives AND treats you to her favorite drink to sip while running errands... you may have hit the jackpot.

Matching Cousins

The girl cousins brought matching jammies and we didn't even plan it!

Cuties!!

 

School Ski Trip

This morning I left the house with Fin before the bus picked up the kids for school. We were going skiing with his class and he couldn't wait! He made sure to ask if I'd be a chaperone the day he brought his ski form home, and since I'd done it for each of the older kids, I made sure to put my name down. We had a fabulous day skiing! 

 

While the class was in ski school, I was able to do a couple of runs, all while muttering to myself on the way down, "Come on, you've got this!" "You're not going to fall!" "That was close! Phew!" I always have to talk myself back into it each season, but once I get going, I so enjoy it! When it came to following Fin and his friends down the bigger hills, I REALLY had to convince myself to be brave! I am not great at skiing, but as we finished up our day Fin said, "Maybe next time I'll be as good as you and I won't have to pizza so much!" My knees are sore and my body is tired, but it felt so so good to play out in the sun all day long! We are hoping to do a family ski pass next year, so I should be pro by the end of next season!

I came home to the sweetest moment and had to capture it. The late afternoon glow, a sleeping babe in my husbands arms.... nothing more dreamy in my opinion!

 

A Day Ahead

Today I did a huge freezer clean out because we have a beef coming in a few weeks. Choke cherry juice was made into syrup, sour cherries have been made into muffins. I've got apple sauce out for a future cake or muffins, raspberries thawing on the counter for syrup or squares...I've been a day ahead all week. All morning I've been thinking, "tomorrow will be syrup making day..." but no, tomorrow is ski trip day and I'm excited to be a supervisor once again for Fin's class! 

I picked up Hyrum and a friend a little bit early from school to take them to a basketball game that was almost an hour away. I took all of the littles with me and had Joe walk to his hockey practise. Hyrum and his team played really well! Afterwards, I brought him back and dropped him at youth activities and then headed to the high school to watch Camilla's play off game with Cooper and Lily still in tow.

The girls played amazingly well and ended up winning by a significant amount (home team). Friday the kids have no school and the break will be much welcomed. It's been a wild week!

Apple Jelly

Today was a kitchen day. So this little boy played at my feet (and wacked my toes with this hockey stick) for most of his awake moments.

I made up some jelly and did up the mountain of dishes covering my counter.

I cooled my jars of jelly on this cutting board that Camilla made and gifted me at Christmas. It is one of my favorites, but it's too pretty to cut on, so I just use it to cool my jams and jellies!

A Heavy Snow

Today we woke to a heavy, wet snow fall. The kids trudged out to the bus on their way to school. When Dad got home with his bus, he ended up getting stuck in the driveway and I had to two him with the truck. I am excited about the side of beef we have coming soon, and I'm excited for sports to wind down, and I'm excited to relax and soak in the Spring sunshine....soon....

 

 

Sawyers Gramma Quilt

We had a lovely day at church today and then the kids played out in the sunshine on the deck. We had a wonderful gospel discussion after dinner with a few of the older kids. It was totally unplanned and spontaneous, which made it the best. The kids left feeling renewed and excited to engage in the gospel and study again!

After dinner, Gramma brought over Sawyers quilt that she had just finished. It started as a tradition when they were baptized, but all of the grandkids are so excited about their Gramma Quilts that she has been working away at them. He can't wait to put it on his bed!

 

Ice Fishing

Today we spent the day out at Phyllis Lake ice fishing with Grampa! There was some moaning and groaning before we left, but once we got out there, everyone had the best time! The big boys were excited to use the auger and drill the holes and everyone helped set up the big tent and cameras. It was so warm and beautiful outside that we only needed sweaters! Inside the dimly lit tent, it was easy to look down the hole and watch the fish swim by and nibble. The kids would get so excited every time they saw one! Watching Lily jump and frantically reel in her first fish is etched in my memory for the rest of my life. She about fell out of her chair with enthusiasm and we were all busting a gut laughing. Hyrum helped her get the hook out and we snapped a picture before releasing it again. Nothing we caught was overly big, but it was still exciting nonetheless. Grampa brought a couple of the bigger ones home and fried them up for us to try later in the evening. The boys told us on the way home how glad they were to have gone and spent the afternoon at the lake. 

 

Naptime

Naptime is when life really slows down and I'm able to take a few moments to soak it all in. I will never regret snuggling my babies to sleep while the afternoon sun pours through the nursery window.

 

The Promise of Spring

This morning we woke to sunshine and gusting North-Northwest winds. The birds abandoned the swinging feeder and resorted to picking seeds from the ground instead. The puppy begged to be let in as spruce boughs thrashed about. The birch tree bends with each gust, practically touching it's tippy top branches to the ground.

Inside, Cooper has decided he would like to reside on my hip all morning, so we are thawing in the warm sunlight streaming through the kitchen windows while bagels are mixed in the mixer. Lily has ventured over to Gramma's house to hold the new baby chicks. Soon the stove will warm the house as the smell of fresh bagels fills the air. My nose is already tingling with the scent of Spring blowing in through cracked bedroom windows as curtains sway with every gust of wind. 

With Spring on the horizon and the promise of warm sunshine on my face, my mind is awakened with a desire to dream about the many things I want to accomplish in the garden and greenhouse this year. 

I'm grateful for the gift of each new day, and for the hope the sunlight brings!