Just a regular day

When I stop and pay attention, there are so many things in a "regular" day that make it a "favorite" day.
It's important to look for those things though!
Here are a few of the favorites in my regular day :-)

The boys (and today the girls too) have been working really hard at getting firewood split and stacked
in the woodshed.  I promised them an apple pie if they stuck with it.
Sometimes follow-through is the hard part......... and that's true for all of us.

My job description of Mother has taken on a new facet: that of facilitating and supporting
a couple boys as they become men.  Building not only a friendship with these guys, and not
just being their mom, but being a woman who listens (a lot of this listening business),
laughs with them as peers, and encourages their dreams as well as labors.  I hope that one
day they choose brides that are better women than I, but until that time arrives I'll endeavor
to set the bar high, and try to instil a zeal for life in my men - even if it involves hard work!

(and perhaps more than a few small messes - it has been said that pie-making is messy!)

It was a joy to watch Carolina Truth apply "jewels" onto her crown
(a gift from her brother Clayton).  It took some coordination and fine
motor skills and even more of that follow-through I was talking about!

Finally time to light up my wood stove - MY wood stove.   Somebody loves me :-)

Among my most favorite things are these two favorite people enjoying a growing friendship.

An this little one heard her sister enter the door behind her.
Craaaaaaannnnn.... "I see you sister!" says she.

Another favorite ':-)

It's particularly wonderful to me that we live in a place where golden trees drop their golden leaves
where my children can scoop them up by armloads.  It's just perfect.

Wheeeeeeee-HAH!  It's still fall here and the Tamaracks haven't even turned yet!