Look on the bright side!

With less than a half hour left to the first day of the new year,

I leave you with my deep ponderings from New Years Day 2 years ago.

Happy New Year!  

You can make it really wonderful if you have the right perspective ;-)

Resolve

 I am not a New Years resolution kinda gal.
I know myself too well.
Now if there was like, a "New Weeks" resolution
or maybe a "New Days" resolution....
We might be on to something I could successfully accomplish.

I have nothing against resolution, in fact they're kind of fun way
to get ones motor revved, but follow-through?
Not so easy after the first glow of motivation is gone.

Here is something else to consider.
You know that calendar you are looking at?
Those days and weeks and months.... they don't exist.
I'm sorry to break it to you, but the year ahead is a bit of a fiction
and when depended upon for the next chance at something
has the potential to rob us of a victory today.  Right now.  This minute.

I know we are to plan ahead and look ahead to some degree,
but watch out!  -Especially we mommas who feel like we're sinking
barely treading water.
There is hope for tomorrow
but all we can give to the Lord is what He's gifted us with today.

Personally I find that a relief because it helps me to evaluate and adjust my
heart and attitude this minute, to glorify Him.
And to be a right representative of who He IS,
to my family and anyone else in the vicinity.


**************************

When talking with my children about all this today,
I asked what things they might like to accomplish in the upcoming year.
Here are their answers:


Zachary Christian
*I want to draw plans for a PT boat
*I want to learn how to Trick Shoot (like Roy Rogers).

Clayton Praise
*I want to build a tree house... with a roof.
   ...and sides.

Susanna Glory
*I want daddy to teach me to shoot.
*I want us to finish our Bible time line.
*Next year I want to eat 100 peanuts.
  ....and go fishing.

Olivia Honor
*I want to learn to read.
 .....and do more Math.

Carolina Truth
* I want to catch a frog.

Bryce Endurance
(he didn't tell me this, but I can see it in his eyes)
*I want to learn to walk, run, jump, and follow the big kids into the great world!

After this conversation, we discussed what things would bless the Lord the
most, and we identified that our Character is of greater worth than our physical accomplishments.
Some of the children were very perceptive in seeing their own weaknesses and knowing what
changes they wanted to impliment:

"...Not to threaten to tattle..."
"...Not to antagonize by invading other people's space."
"...To stop whining..."
"...To obey right away..."

Good stuff - plenty for me to digest too.

As for Yours Truly,
I aspire to get through this day first.
Then tomorrow
Then the day after that...
and so on.

Truthfully, I DO have some goals for the coming year,
but they are hidden in my secret heart to cherish and work toward.
Without fanfare for their completion or defeat,
but with hopes of growing closer yet to my Lord.

He is faithful and He WILL do that good work!
(And I think I might just join Susanna in her resolve -
eating 100 peanuts seems do-able ;-))


Take heart my friend - for the days ahead,
and remember this:
RESOLVE to seize this moment!



Lovingly,
Momma Bug  
(last day of December 2010)

It started off so calm and serene......

Sunshine, Snow, and Frost in the trees.

Hoodlums patiently waiting for mom and dad to get with it!

A slight lack of posing enthusiasm, but I content myself with a photo for memory sake.

Have you ever truly seen "light" in a child's eyes?
Here's proof:

Punch balloons are one of our Christmas morn. traditions

a bit wild,

but lots and LOTS of fun!

(and they die relatively soon so you don't have one more thing to find a home for)

 

Tic Tacs and a lantern... the way to Lina's heart, if you need to know.
She ate the whole box of Tic Tacs before the days end.

Boys

















Erector sets

New pens

New gloves (and doesn't the camo go nicely with the princess party dress?)

Food:
We made our traditional Christmas Rainmaker Shrimp
This year we added homemade artisan bread and and balsamic vinegar for dipping
sharp cheddar
veggie tray
Martinellis sparkling cider (another tradition)
and chocolate covered cherries that the kids made

*Sigh.....*
What a day.
Thanks LORD!  For being born, because you died for me, came to life again, and redeemed me -
I'm YOURS!!!!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

One and all...
Those of you who are my friends (met face to face or not)
My upstairs porch has room for each of you, and is now patiently awaiting your presence! (unlike myself who is not as patient)















You may come if you are brave enough to:
*use an outhouse
*wash your hands in a bucket
*bunk with a bunch of crazy hoodlums or camp out in the yard (hoodlums look better once you hear the coyotes howl on your trip to the outhouse!)
*shower on the porch (no one will peek - I promise)
*visit by candle and lamplight in the evenings

OR, you can wait until we have:
*a toilet in the house
*running water (also inside the house)
*a guest cabin
*private shower (now what fun would that be?!)
*possibly electricity. (that's one I wouldn't count on, and really, I rather like visiting by candle or lamplight so if you come you'll have to indulge me!)

However, we are always ready for you with:
*open arms
*laughter (you laughing at us more than likely)








*hot coffee. or tea. or hot chocolate. or whatever you like:-)
*an upstairs porch to sip it on
*plenty of quilts to wrap up in
*critters to watch (even if only the two-legged variety)
*and lots and lots and lots of stuff to make memories out of!

Please come.
I mean it!











Love,
me

Blessed Visit

With some of our beloved parents:-)





















That (plus slow Internet and AJ's work, plus dishes, diapers, sorting, cleaning, playing...) is what caused me to fall off the planet for a while. But at least I kept the camera handy!!

There was a gift of goggles for all the big kids, and we went to the lake and made "use" of them.

Truth is, that while at least three of my children wore them like they were going out of style, I don't believe they got very wet!






























Clay giving Grams a spin in his canoe












Pops giving the girls a spin in the paddle boat











Lina, Lina, Lina, and a water lily she couldn't put down!











































Over the last three days we went to the lake for swimming and boating, we picked berries (which included some bee-stingings for some of us), antique shopping (and in due course the buying of a hand pump, and three Aladdin lamps - woohoo!!), lunch, ice cream cones, and chocolate malts out, a used bookstore, sheet rock hung in the pantry, a cuckoo clock hung in the kitchen, coffee on the porch, pancakes with Huckleberry syrup, Watermelon, more swimming at the lake, and now after Grams and Pops have left... sleep;-)

I hope to post a bunch more photos in the days ahead just to catch up a bit. I am almost 33 weeks pregnant and feeling very excited to meet this baby! I am also bumping into everything, and spilling even more things than I can count (much to m husband's amusement). It's just the way I am pregnant. Careless I guess. Who knows.
Other than that, the Plantain is getting well used on bee stings. There's quite a variety of bees and wasps up here and it's a heavy year for them. Clay has taken the brunt of them, but not to our surprise since he goes around taking swings at them with the fly swatter. Humph!
I ran up a hill at top speed today (top speed for a pregnant lady) dragging him by the arm, and holding a pitcher of berries in the other while being chased by bee's he and his brother (who was loooong gone) had stirred up.
It was like our blood on the carpet story Courtney, I was running with all my might and with no heart at all, was shouting at him "STOP screaming! Save that for the bears!"
He survived.
I survived.
The invalids were well taken care of by their more compassionate sisters who fetched them pillows, blankets, drinks....
All while their out of breath mother was spitting out remains of chewed-up plantain leaves, and trying to find an unoccupied couch to rest upon! HA!

Anyhow, that's it for tonight because I must see if the Internet connection will oblige me before the computer battery runs out.
Love to all!!

-me

A Letter

Dear Grace, Jenny, Lauri, Courtney, and anyone else who would wish to know...

We are currently resting in Battleground Washington (just over the river from Portland Or.). I can't tell you how good it felt to be on the road, and I wish I had taken a picture of the piles that AJ somehow managed to fit into our van. It was truly impressive! We left slowly on the day we intended, although not until noon, we did leave peacefully and with grateful, happy hearts:-)

We made it to Idaho and stayed with our precious new neighbors for several days. That was a lot of fun, and I am sure we broke each other in in that short time! There was quite a bit of snow on the ground yet, though it was melting steadily creating mud and more mud. We got to pile all thirteen of us and a dog into their suburban and drive up to Marvel Hill. There was a good two feet of snow on the ground (and deck) there, and no mice or water in the house. Everything was as we left it, and frankly I was tempted to stay excepting the outhouse issue...

Sadly there was not enough time to visit other loved ones in the area since we were on a mission. Once completed, we headed southward towards our native land and are now in route to California. Tomorrow we make the last leg of our journey for a lengthier rest with beloved family and friends, and perhaps the completion of some sewing projects I want to finish. I hope. Maybe.

I miss you dear ladies and am so delighted to get your emails and read your blogs! I miss you, my family, at home and can't wait to see you! And to each of my friends on the road, what a pleasure and privilege to visit with YOU, and I can't thank you enough for your gracious and generous hospitality!

All my heart,
Analene

We Are Loved!!

Christmas arrived at our house the other day...














we could hardly believe our eyes!














A new hat for Olie


















Some darling girlie duds for Lina

















A PINK sweater for Susie:-)

















Candy for boys...
Coffee for momma and daddy... (you're the BEST Auntie Kim!)
Wonderful personalized drawing pads for my artists...
and lots and LOTS of love!

Thank you dear sister, your package was the first gifts we received in celebration of Christmas.
It's arrival was a great and jubilant affair - heard throughout the household (and possibly beyond!).
We took great delight in opening each special package, oohed and awed appropriately over each persons gifts, and then had to try everything out.
Or ON, as might have been more accurate for some:-) Everyone was properly thrilled, and this mommas heart extremely blessed! I can't wait to try my photo cup :-)
THANK YOU dear Auntie Kim, Uncle Ben-the-policeman, and sweet cousins McKenna and Hailey!!! We love you too:-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I AM BACK!

And I missed you, missed you, missed you - each and every one!

I will have to catch you up on all the Summer going's-on slow-like, but suffice it to say, it has been a fantastic vacation!!!!
We arrived to our Colorado home at 2 am this morning, and I'm almost through the laundry (not counting sleeping bags and pillows which will take another three days!)
We have lots and lots of pictures, stories, and anecdotes.
I'm hoping that some sleep will revive my lethargic mind!

For a start, I'd like to know if it's common to find empty bullet casings inside your washing machine?
That is a sign of boys in the house if I ever heard one, though I realize that it could be much worse -in fact... yeah.

Until my next post, I leave you with a little pick-me-up: this is Olivia demonstrating why her new bloomers were a good idea!





















She makes a good case for them, don't you think?
I mean, what if a girl needs to lay upside down on a riding lawn mower with her boot clad feet in the air?

Love to my very precious family and friends,
-Me

From Afar

Hi!



I meant to say good bye, but didn't have a moment to sit and type in the midst of packing for our trip to California and Idaho.



It was a long drive out West, but well worth it to see our beloved family.
Unfortunately our stay here is too short, and we'll be heading to Idaho in a couple days when all our worldly goods have been loaded into trailers to be carted North.

Will we be moving to Idaho?
Umm... I still consider us gypsies -just gypsies with a place we own again (thankfully!).

For now, I am trying not to pine to loss of my computer for a month, and be thankful for the adventure of trying to get our new retreat fixed up for our dwelling comfort (did I mention that a toilet would be nice?!).
Char and Hannah's family, Travis, John T., and Jon and Jana are all trooping up there with us for a week of work and play. I am really looking forward to enjoying our time together:-)

Please promise to come see if I'm still alive in about four or five weeks! I look forward to getting into a new swing, and practicing my journaling once again.
Until then, please pray for our family that we would glorify our Lord in everything we do.

He is very faithful!

Love!

Thanks Gramsie!

A taste of Summer from home in California!

Valentines Day Delights...

Gramsie Dearest & Goodies!

Dearest Grams, Your (long-awaited) package arrived yesterday afternoon. And with great fanfare the children opened and distributed the contents!
The boys were thrilled to receive their Lego's and construction supplies, and the girls couldn't be more happy with the perfect surprise you sent for them - even 'Lina is enjoying her dolly!!

I tried to get this post up last night, but the first video clip I took (of the children bringing in the box) was too long to load, and I had lots of trouble.
Alas, I have had time to mess with it this morning since we've all been up early. Everyone was eager to play with their new toys! I discovered Zachary up at 4:30 am, and made him climb into bed a little longer** You'd be impressed (but not surprised) to see the progress he is making on his Lego truck all by himself.

You blessed us immensely, and we are very thankful for your love (Pop's too:-))
All our hearts,
Seven thankful Love Bugs:-)

Hello From the Little Bugs