The Return of Frosty

Like everyone else in the country we have had some pretty cold weather this winter. 
This was our second really big snow - and much prettier than the first.  You know, the kind where the snow is really sticky and when you wake up every little branch and surface is covered with snow.  My favorite!

And good for making snowmen!

Dad helped and it was quite a success!  Complete with charcoal eyes a carrot nose and buttons!

 

(if you look close at Dakota's finger you may think that he he slit his finger to get the rosy cheek effect.  no worries though, he just didn't realize that red food coloring is so vicous!)

Yum (and a half!)

Spinach Pasta

(Thank you Krista - it was delicous!)

1 lb. multigrain pasta

2-4 cloves of garlic

4 oz. goat cheese (chevre - not feta)
6-8 oz. Cream cheese

1 1/2 t. salt

1 t. pepper

6-12 oz. spinach leaves (I used frozen spinach and it was fine)

2 T. parmesan

Half and Half (or cream, or milk) to taste

Cook pasta to al dente.  Then mix garlic, goat cheese, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and spinach leaves in food processor.  Ad milk until desired consistency and then mix with pasta.

SO SO YUMMY!

PS  -  Sorry you missed this Ben - we made it the afternoon you left, and it was even better than Cook-Out.

And that is saying a lot!

So Excited

that this is what our car and home will look like for the next few days!
Full of children that I love.


It's gonna rock!
(in who knows what ways but it will - i can promise that!)

Mr. Whiskers We Love You

But I'm not sure we should be responsible for you.

Last time you stayed with us you went missing for SIX HOURS!  I was a mess.

Keira told me that you just needed a little break and were walking around. 

She assured me that everything was fine.  You just needed some exercise.

Mr. Whiskers, in the future please use your ball for exercise instead of the vast openess of our home.

 

Second of all - I'm not so sure rodents should be at the table with us.

But thanks for all the smiles and giggles you provide ..... and for cleaning up breakfast.

We Have SNOW

Our winter stormhas come!  And left us with a few inhe of snow - and a little ice underneath!  So exciting until we reaized that our heater was done for - and that the ENTIRE city was litrally shut down. 

Still, good times to be had by all (especially since Ben was in town!)

Our neighbor let us borrow his dream sled from Poland - I'm thinking we need to make a trip there!

I love this pctre because you can see all the neighborhood kids playing out in the street.

 Church was cancelled on Sunday (so sad - hee hee), so we went to Aimee and Steve's house for some fun!

They have a great downhill driveway, that continues downhill to the edge of the forest.

Oh yes - and a warm house!

Yes kids, this is hat happens to your toys after you go to bed!

So the town shut down (really and truly - even REI......closed).

Then church was cancelled!

Of course no school on Monday - although it was in the high 30's.

No school on Tuesday.   I did however see a snowplow with the plow pointed in the wrong directon so that the snow piled up into he middle of the road!

No school on Wednesday - temperature now in the 40's with lots of sun!

2 Hour delay on Thursday. 

I think we might be back to normal by Friday!

All in a day's work

Some people take a day off of work to spend it instead on the golf course, or at the beach, even some at a luxurious spa. I'm sure all of those would have sounded alright ... but this man prefers a little more action on his days off.

So this is what arrived at our home one morning.

The Plan:
Move the existing roof off of the garage and onto the new addition. Then lift the roof that was currently on the ground to the garage. Never again would this house look the same.

Step#1

Lift the roof off of the garage. For this to happen perfectly all of the fasteners and nails had to be pre-removed. Usually, when the crane goes to lift the roof is still connected in a place or two . . . not this roof! Why? Well, because non other than the true master himself engineered this project! The roof lifted with ease free of any fasteners or other complications.

Not only did the roof need to be lifted and then set back down - but it also had to be turned 90 degrees to fit the direction of the addition.

Perfect!

Step #2

Repeat.

This roof had been built by my dad on the ground. I think it is worth mentioning that he was also working on a large hill that he had to account for.

We have lift-off!

Perfection yet again!

We all watch with excitement, nerves and great anticipation!

And these fellows were the brawn of the event! Thanks guys!

And really, how could a 5 year old pass up watching and exploring all the parts

of a real-life crane in action!

If these pictures aren't worth a thousand words than all I can do is tell you in my simple writings how much I love and admire my dad. He is the epitome of honesty and hard work. And never a foul or even negative word slips from his lips. You would think that with a project of this magnitude he must be retired or serve in the construction field through his career, but neither could be further from the truth. He provides very well for our family and comes home to laugh and enjoy our time together while at the same time accomplishing more than I may ever dream of. My dad is a man who gives of his heart, time and resources without a second thought in the matter. Countless have been touched by his goodness. I love him. I feel so honored to be his daughter. You're amazing dad! Only a brilliant mind could have executed this event with the exactness and perfection as you did. Love you!

Somedays are just like this -

Keira: Mom, I said I wanted fish sticks right now.
Me: Alright!

Somedays are just like this.
I can't help but laugh . . .
and ask her if she still wants fish sticks for lunch!

PS: Yes, I burned the fish sticks right through the plate - I may have ruined our microwave because it still smells bad every time I open it.

PPS: The blue plates are Bently and Keira's favorite. As in they fight about them three times a day. One less blue plate only means an increase in the demand. hmmm.

Gratitude

So much to be thankful for at Grandma and Grandpa's house!

Amidst all the chaos and dust of remodeling, it is a bit of heaven to be together . . .

and the farm just feels like home to us.

Daily walks through the cornfields lead to something exciting at the end.

Much better than a lucky pot of gold are some cows!

Grandpa's tractor is just as much fun turned off and parked as it is turned on. But just in case, theese two were willing to wait for a willing soul to take them on a ride. And I can't lie that Dakota and I weren't just as excited to try it out! Turns out we could all have a ride on the tractor at the same time!

I asked my dad why on earth he needed a tractor. A foolish question I was later to find out. When we went back to Michigan in December and the tractor (which was getting a new clutch) would have been really nice for our 4 plus feet of snow piles which were growing by the hour at times down a 1/2 mile driveway.

Taking care of the horses never really seems like a chore.

Especially to one who wears cowboy boots daily and whose best bud is a stick horse!

Keira discovered her love for cats.

It transformed her in a way and she hasn't really come back to her human form since.

Just so thankful for family and this beautiful world Heavenly Father has created for us.

His love is almost tangible at time like this...

Sweet

Dear Tessa,
I am sorry that it took me 4 months to realize that you had chronic ear infections. You have been on antibiotics longer than that. It's just so hard to tell when you are so happy all the time. You have the sweetest disposition a mother could ever ask for. You've smiled, and giggled through 4 months of pain - thank you. I am so sorry.

But the tubes are in now. I hope you start to feel as good as you act! I love you little angel.

Love,
Mom

Over 10 Years

that's how long Dakota said that he has saved this industrial saran wrap . . .

for an occasion just like this

Only because we love you little Boo!