Mothers Day, 2011

My Mothers' Day this year seemed like absolute perfection. Why? Because I got to spend it with my children and my wonderful man. Karl hasn't always been able to be around on those "special" days, and I've learned not to take it for granted. Around here we consider any day he can spend at home a Special day.
Karl thrilled me by having the girls help him make a coat rack to place at a little person hanging level. In a climate where it seems you need a light jacket six months of the year, and a parka the other six, I think he realized it might be handy for a Momma to not be the only one capable of hanging up said outerwear. Or maybe he just got tired of stepping over coats in the entrance and decided it would be easier to take it up with the kids instead of the Momma. Either way, it makes me happy!
He allowed the girls to choose the paint color... which explains why I now have a red and yellow board in my green entrance. Neither one was going to budge on the chance to have her favorite color displayed. Every time I see it I smile, it's just so "them"!
In the afternoon we went on a walk through "The Hundred Acre Woods" as Heidi calls the bush on our property. With much hilarity and splashing about in puddles they caught a frog and proudly displayed "her" for the camera before releasing her again.
While we had a wonderful walk, the trails are still rather... wet. How thankful I am for a stroller that can handle them!
Thank you Karl, Heidi, Hannah and Levi for loving me and making me feel special! It's the most incredible privilege in the world to be your wife and Momma!

I've Waited Ten Years For This

When I was in Bible school I met a Canadian fellow who informed me that he had penguins and polar bears for pets. As I find penguins delightfully amusing I was interested. Interested enough, in fact, to say yes when he invited me to come for a visit over Easter break. I was excited, I would get to feed, play with and cuddle adorable little penguins!

Then I arrived. No penguins. "What is the meaning of this?" I asked. "Oh," he said, "Penguins are shy little creatures, you'll have to come back for a longer visit if you want them to get used to you and show themselves."

So I did. A year later I spent a month of my summer in Canada. Still no penguins. This time he claimed it was too hot, "Don't you know penguins hibernate in summer? Come back in fall."
I did, again for a month. This time he told me I'd have to show the penguins I was going to stick around for awhile and the best way to do that was to marry him.

I bought it. Six months later we were wed. I arrived at my new home eager to meet my pets, only to be informed that these creatures are so shy I would have to be here for five years before they would show their faces. I determined to patiently bide my time.

Five years passed. Then six. When I asked, he began muttering things about penguins abiding in the South pole and other such nonsense.

Seven years, and he began to question me. " I never really said anything about penguins, did I?"

Eight years of marriage, ten since my first visit to his home, and look what shows up:

Sure, it may not be what I originally had in mind, but I'm guessing this version is even better!

WOW! She married me for Penguins? I thought she married me for love! Well ... at least I know the bait was good. :~) --Karl

Wildflower Jelly

The girls have been ecstatic about the arrival of the first flowers of Spring. They want to pick every bit of color they see and I'm beginning to run out of vase space so I decided to try a more creative use for their finds. Today we made jelly, both violet and dandelion. First, we had to pick lots and lots of flowers, approximately one cup of each (if you try this I would strongly suggest making sure the flowers you choose are indeed edible).

Nest we thoroughly rinsed the flowers, placed them in a glass jar and poured one cup of boiling water over them. We let that sit for a few hours then poured the mixture through a sieve, reserving the water and discarding the flowers.

Next was an eighth cup of lemon juice and two cups sugar and bringing the mixture to a boil. (I think wearing butterfly wings during this step is optional.)

When it was boiling we added half a package of liquid pectin and boiled for two more minutes.

Then came the canning, and even better,the taste-testing.

Mmmmmm... can we make it again?

Such pretty pink and yellow Spring color!

What We Did In California: Part 3

Spring! Glorious Spring! That's what was waiting for us when we arrived. Of course it rained most of the time we were there, but when the sun did peep out, it SHONE!

The girls fed Grandpa and Grandma's ducks,

played on playgrounds,

and picked flowers with Papa.

They also flew kites

and hunted for bugs.

They made boats and floated them with Grandpa

and simply enjoyed the novelty of being outdoors without a parka.

What We Did In California: Part 2

There was lots of riding bikes and learning to ride bikes ... and falling off bikes... on the days it wasn't raining. This, as you may have guessed was more Karl's department than mine. Through his encouragement, Heidi became a more confident rider and cousin Keira was able to leave her training wheels behind. Hannah spent more time sporting the headgear than actually riding, but seemed to enjoy every minute of it.

So did Heidi, how delightful to have spring while there was still snow on the ground back home!

What We Did In California: Part 1

My purpose in going to California was to spend time with my family, and we did just that. Not a lot of visiting friends or going places this trip, just lots and lots of being with those we love. My girls loved getting to know their cousins better.

Aunt Summer was a little overrun with nieces and nephew.

All the Aunties and Uncles enjoyed meeting Levi.

Because, lets face it, he's just plain adorable!

I taught my sisters to make truffles.

Because with Summer headed back to the mission field in August it is highly essential that she have the skills necessary to survive any dire situation.

You know, like the lack of readily available quality chocolate.

And I helped Mom turn a bedroom turned storage room back to a bedroom again. She had done the hard part of sorting and cleaning. I got the fun sewing part of the job.

This toddler bed is actually made with a crib mattress on plywood placed over three Rubbermaid totes! I made a skirt to hide the totes, put together a quick quilt and covered pillows to tie in with the curtains I made for the windows and storage shelves.

It's amazing how much I can get done when I'm not the one doing all the cooking, dishes, laundry and childcare.