The news called it Snow-ma-gedon! I called it a Blizzard. Molly called it a “Lizzard”!

We made a gingerbread village.

Peter taught Ryan a new computer game.

Peter made a huge fort with Molly and Ryan. The white glow from the living room windows was from all the blowing snow!

I made a pie.

What do you do when you are home-bound with your family? I hope you find something fun!

Love,

Jess

Proverbs 31:27

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Gaining control over the “affairs of my household” seems a bit daunting. Exciting, but daunting. Have I said this before?

Goals, organization, schedules, files, wills, finances, photos, cleaning, hospitality, the whole nine yards.

Inspired by Just a Girl, Whatever and Seriously a Homemaker, the kids and I made a We Love Summer To-do List.

I figure I might as well get fired up for goal making with summer fun!

I left a couple of lines for anything Pete wants to add.

Love,

Jess

¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

and

²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

So what am I actually doing?

I am using my resourceful craftiness to create shabby chic junk for a local Junk Market. I have a few before and after posts in the works for all y’all fellow do-it-yourselfers. I hope that all my nights of work will turn a bit of a profit…if not, it sure has been fun dumpster diving, painting, and farting around in the garage.

Nextly, (that is a cool word, yes, grammarians I’m using it), I am sorting through my house brick by brick. er…Paper by paper? maybe, Toy cubby by cubby!? Whatever, you get the idea. I intend to get our family life is ship shape for this verse. More to come on that as well.

Although I am knee deep in “work”, I still find time for goofing off.

Ryan learned how to be the Captain of a boat this past weekend. He loves going fast!

I love going fast too. We’re a good team, he punches the throttle and I look where the heck we are going.

Love,
Jess

Proverbs 31:21

²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

Hats, boots, mittens, snowpants….check

This Proverbs 31 “studying” is becoming very fun!

Love,

Jess

I have to eat every two hours and need to sleep often.  I able to do fun things again after months of blah-t-blah morning-noon-night sickness. Whatever, I am still gaggy but I am so much better than my first trimester.

I took the kids to a local historical farm celebration. Ryan entered into a pie eating contest, rode a pony and collected “play” chicken eggs. Molly pumped water from a well, obsessed over the baby bunnies and hung unto my shirt tightly on the wagon hay-ride.

Over Memorial weekend Peter and I took the kids geo-caching for the first time. We went to Hudson, WI and discovered 3 “treasure  boxes” to trade trinkets and sign our names. We liked it so much, I think we’ll start a new hobby!

Just Kidding! If we make it to the weekend, without rising above 32 degrees F., Minnesota will have the fourth month on record, since the 1880s, to not have a single day above freezing.

When the air is colder than cold, and the sun is brighter than bright, just upon the mere suggestion to go play outside, you will get a “you have got to be kidding me” look. As seen below.

So we hibernate…(Molly in cave on left and Ryan in space ship on right)

Here is a run down, of some silly indoor things, we do to prevent the winter blues and nature deficit disorder from running rampant in our home.

1. We bring snow into the bath tub, cause baby it’s cold outside!

2. We use a bread loaf pan full of lentils for a sandbox and spoons for shovels

3. We wear our coats indoors to blow bubbles out of the patio door.

5.  We watch TV together. Our current fav is Sid the Science Kid on PBS. Hey at least we are learning about nature!

6. We hibernate some more. Hamper kennels for kids that think they are puppies and act like animals.

7. We exercise with extreme games of make believe, hide-n-seek and follow-the-leader. Jump Up! Get Down! Get Silly!

I look forward to the days of sprinklers in the lawn, freeze-pops on the front step and sweaty games of tag. But for now we are getting above this miserable, below freezing, just enough, to see the fun in it!

How do you beat the winter blues and nature deficit?

Apple picking.

Bee swatting.

Cider drinking.

Doughnut hogging.

Extra money spending.

Fresh air breathing.

Goat watching.

Hay jumping.

Spending time with good friends over cider and doughnuts in the windy sunshine was superb. We already miss our TX crew. I loved looking at my home state with a fresh pair of eyes. Kristin pointed out to me how green everything looked. I was so busy looking for reds and yellows I forgot how pretty just green can be!

Here are a few images from our time together with the Donovans. For a full look check out our flickr set.

Ryan follows Jaimes up Goat Hill.

Jaimes with a Honey Crisp apple.

Gracie at snack-time.

Molly in stripes.

Penny for your thoughts. Ryan in a wooden train play set.

We got our doughnuts right away--a perk of a mid-day mid-week vacation.

Matt, Jaimes, Kristin and Gracie - Safe travels home. I hope you enjoyed the "cold".

Some mornings we are laid back and let our spirits lead us to do fun stuff.

After writing a letter to Grammy K, Ry works a finger loop loom while Molly reaches for the scissors. Ehem...I can't even pick up the camera for a second without my little one climbing up something.

Other times we have a goal to do a specific project.

A trip to the mail box inspired us to gather a leaf collection in a mason jar. I keep a small bag full of "junk" crayons from restaurants to use for rubbings or shavings.

Occasionally we have a theme. Our recent theme was based on the book Sam and the Firefly.

Written by P.D. Eastman, Copyright 1958, by Beginner Books, Inc.

Sam meets a quirky firefly named Gus. Together they create words and shapes in the night sky using Gus’ light. Gus finds out that with great power comes great responsibility

Our interpretations of the illustrations using black paper and sidewalk chalk.

Firefly tooth brush gets buzzed around during our bedtime routine.

Batman shadow puppet in Mom and Dad's bed.

Flashlight art on the wall. Ryan made a lot of circles.

We read nighttime stories with flashlight. This book was Slinky Malinki by Lynley Dodd.

What a day!

Love,

Jess

Ryan learned how to: ride a bike (with training wheels); play soccer; scale a climbing wall and the ABCs.

Molly learned how to: run; climb; say kitty and that screaming is funny.

Peter learned that: a year of working out can help hit the softball farther, that letting his wife take over the garage with 1/2 finished projects is not as bad as originally anticipated and making new connections with fellow believers has been worthwhile. (written by me about him)

I learned that: playing in the water is still fun; how-to use an orbital sander and my meal swapper group has been a HUGE blessing for without which I wonder if I would have cooked all summer!

Here are some delightful images from less than a week ago that are infused with warmness. So I say “Nee-ner-Nee-ner” to today’s weather!

Ryan running the 'surf' on Prior Lake.

Molly went tubing with Mommy in Big Bertha.

Molly's favorite hobby is rock picking.

Ryan and Mom at the Swing Bar at Captain Jack's lakeside restaurant.

Peter and Ryan watching the lake.

A great way to end a boat day! Fresh corn and Davanni's Pizza.