I can see it now

We are finally beginning to warm up in my neck of the woods. It was 49˚ yesterday. Woohoo! Of course today is April 1st so we will probably get 4 inches of snow. I had to say that to counteract the fact that I had just said it was warming up, because once we begin to say it's getting warm in Minnesota...we get more snow. So now we won't get more snow, cause I just said we will! However, now that I said we won't, it will snow. It's a vicious cycle! And now I can't remember if I should expect more snow or not. Anyway...


Yesterday was a very nice day and I am excited that once again I can see most of the flower beds around the house. I can also see the rocks we stack, for fun, in the side bed. Yea, they're all still there!

 I can also see the garden snail we picked up while exploring Jurustic Park in Wisconsin. Very fun place to visit!

And I can finally get a really good look at the apple trees at the end of our property. 


When the first snow of the winter arrive, it was so beautiful that I ran outside with my camera to capture the lovely white landscape. This is how our apple tree looked.

Moments after I took the shot, this is how the apple tree looked.

See that large limb that has fallen. It got worse! The large limb on the left fell also. The weight of the snow was too much for the old apple tree.

This is how the sad tree looks now.

It's a goner! Frankly the tree needed to go anyway. It was overgrown, it no longer produced good fruit and it made a huge mess in the fall. We hadn't planned to deal with it this year though.


Looking on the bright side...the tree offered some hungry critters some good eats through the long, long, long, winter.

The critters did quite a job removing the tender bark from those branches, didn't they?


And I get to start planning what we'll plant to replace the apple tree. 


Originally there were three apple trees along the back of the property. One we had previously removed because it died. Now we need to take out the broken one and while we're at it, we'll take out the third as well.


I would really like to put in some smaller apple trees. Some Honeycrisp apple trees could be nice. Wouldn't it be delicious to have our own Honeycrisp apples in the fall? I'll just answer...YES!

And it would be scent heaven to plant a row of Lilac bushes behind the apple trees. Then I could stop searching fields for abandoned Lilac bushes to swipe blossoms from. Not that I do that...when anyone is looking.

Adding in a few Hydrangeas, dotted between the apples trees, with the Lilacs for a backdrop, would look spectacular. I think the blue ones.

Wait! Maybe pink ones instead!

Definitely pink!


It will be a lot of work, but it will be lovely once we're all done. I can't wait!


Now I just need the snow to go away, and then I need to tell the husband what I'd like to do. Maybe I'll tell him after he has rested from removing the trees...and after I bake his favorite cookies!

Christine

Lunch anyone

It's not my fault! I suspect it's in my DNA! I have a grandparent that does it and a parent that does it, therefore I cannot be held responsible!

My Grandma makes hers with butter and onions, my Dad likes peanut butter, Miracle Whip, bologna and cheese in his (it's true, feel free to read it again if you must!) and my favorite sandwich has Miracle Whip and potato chips! 

It can't be just any old potato chip for my sandwich either. It has to be Ruffles! Mmm Ruffles, they have all that ridgy goodness! Definitely my favorite chip! Yum!

I like to make sure the bread is well covered with a double layer of chips, for maximum crunch. Oh yeah...crunch! That's what I like best about this sandwich. CRUNCH!

That's right my friends, I come from a long line of weird sandwich lovers! And that is why I have a recipe file full of other peoples recipes. The family has no desire to try my creations. They know the family sandwich history.

So there you have it, me, my Dad and my Grandma...weird sandwich eaters. We can't be the only ones though. Right?

Anyone else like a weird sandwich? 

Anyone? 

Somebody? 

Hello...anyone there?

Christine

Teenager!

It happened in the blink of an eye! In a split second! Without warning! Dun dun daaaa!


Well, I might be exaggerating, but only a little. It's probably more accurate to say that it happened faster than I wanted it to. But it happened and there isn't a thing I can do to change it! I have become the Mother of a TEENAGER! (Cue blood curdling scream and crash of thunder).


That's right, my little baby...

...is getting all growed up! Sniff

Now, I've heard the talk. Yes, I've heard people say "teenagers these days." And while I am no longer allowed to sing, dance, or be goofy in any way around my new teenager's friends, (unless they already knew me and therefore already knew that I was goofy and/or they have parents that are also known to be goofy and/or it is the 35th of the month and the 35th lands on a Tuesday) I think having a teenager will be a good thing.


There are all kinds of new adventures to enjoy with a teenage daughter in the family, such as preparing for school dances,

and having a sleepovers. FYI: they only call them sleepovers so parents will agree to them, not because they intend to sleep. All they really want to do is giggle all night!

Teenage girls also like to spend more time painting their nails than they did when they were younger.

And today's teenage girls think it's very cool to wear ripped jeans.

Hmmm ripped jeans...that sounds vaguely familiar.

Me, a long time ago, in my totally cool ripped jeans! (Radical)

Though my experience raising a teenage girl has just begun, I'd say that it seems pretty similar to when I was that age.


Teens still want to spend time with good friends, they want encouragement and reassurance that they are on the right track, they want to begin to make their own choices and they still want Mom and Dad to hug them and spend time with them and be silly with them...as long as no one they know is looking!


All things considered I think the teen years will be awesome and hopefully we have many more years before our teenage girl brings home some cute guy for us to meet!! Gulp

Me and my cute guy, a long time ago! (With totally awesome hair, for sure)

Christine

Hey neighbor

We have new neighbors. They're a family of seven...Mama and six little ones. 


They must have moved in about a month ago, but kept to themselves. I only found out about them yesterday.


The little ones are adorable. When I saw them I just wanted to pick them up and rub my face on their bellies, and talk baby talk to them, and then I wanted to tell them that they are sooo cuuute I could just eat them up. Their Mama might not have taken to kindly to that sort of interaction and I did want to keep all my fingers and my nose, so I kept my distance and took photos instead.


Just look at how cute my new neighbors are!

Look how nicely they sat to have their photo taken.

Photo by Amy L

And Mama has been doing a very nice job of keeping the squirrel population down on our block. Squirrel seems to be a favorite meal for the little ones.

It was great to meet our foxy new neighbors yesterday! Foxy! Get it? I crack myself up!


Christine

A grateful heart

I have a heart full of gratitude. Why wouldn't I when there are so many things that make me happy.


1. Children with ten fingers, ten toes, who are healthy. Grateful!

2. When days are filled with sunshine and flowers. Grateful!

3. My husband has a good job that provides for our family. Grateful!

4. I have wonderful friends and family. Grateful!

5. The beautiful intricacy of nature. Grateful!

6. The first lovely snow of winter. Grateful

The list of things that make me happy, and therefore grateful could go on and on. It's easy to be grateful for the things in life that make me happy. But what if I had to add a sick child to my list? Or what if I had to include a spouse who was injured or had been without work for several months. What if my marriage was broken and I could see no way to repair it. Could I still be grateful if life went from a peaceful flow to a raging torrent of heartache?

I have been wrestling with this question lately. I want to believe that I have a heart of gratitude, but I if I can get annoyed with something comparatively minor as the car breaking down, I have to wonder if I am truly thankful or am I conditionally grateful. 


How do I offer thanks when someone I love is ill and all I want is their healing and healing has yet to come? How do I offer thanks when a Tsunami devastates a village and thousands die?

I have begun to see that when things in life go well I am quick to express my gratitude to the Lord. Of course...I am happy. But when life is not all as I believe it should be, I hesitate. I say I believe God is good, yet my breath catches in my chest and I wait for it. That's right I wait for it. I wait to see the good before I give thanks. I want proof.


Over and over God has shown me His goodness. Yet, my heart is heavy that even after all these years and all the good He has done, I still expect Him to prove it to me again, before I will give thanks. Shouldn't I be in a place where my thanks comes because I remember the good He has done and I am looking expectantly, thankfully to what He is going to do next?


Thanksgiving—always precedes the miracle. I read these words in the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, and they pierced my soul. Thanksgiving first? Really? 


I think YES, really! 


The truest expression of my faith would be to give thanks for what God will do, will provide, will teach, before it happens, in the midst, knowing that another reason for thanksgiving will come.


I think I may be in need of a thankful heart transplant.


Christine 




  

Eat and run

We had visitors this morning. Actually we had several visitors this morning because Miss Sofia had a few girlfriends spend the night. A house full of teenage girls is fun. They are full of giggles and silliness and spunk! But these are not the visitors I am referring to. The girls we expected...deer we did not.


While having our breakfast, doughnuts of course, what else would you feed a group of teenage girls who just wanna have fun (unnecessary reference to 80's song but it comes to mind whenever these girls are together, I can't help it)...

...one of the girls noticed several deer in the neighbors yard. 


I had to step outside to get photos!

The four of them seemed to be enjoying the quiet of the morning, at least until I stepped on a patch of ice on our patio—it cracked so loudly it brought one of the deer to it's feet in alarm.

That's when I froze. Maybe, if I didn't move another muscle, they wouldn't realize I was there and they would stay so I could continue to enjoy their presence and get more photos. Hopefully!


Darn! See that one turn to the others and rat me out?

And just like that, they quickly got up and left.

Well, it was fun while it lasted, and I did get a few photos. 


Funny thing is, when I went back inside the house, I discovered that the doughnuts had left just as quickly!

Don't worry, I knew better than to put them all out!


Christine

The goof troop

My family is goofy!


The other day I found this little guy placed atop my computer. 

This is how I found the old orange that I intended to use to freshen the garbage disposal.

And when I went to check on the fish, I discovered that these two were already on the job.

Odd isn't it, that my family can find the time to do these things! I am beginning to think I need to give them more productive ways to spend their time!


I do however get a good chuckle out of seeing Joe Bender hanging from the desk lamp!

My family makes me laugh and I love it!


Christine