The Neighbors Think We're Insane

I spent five hours at school today. Learning theory from my piano students. And patience from my first grader. (She actually was good Kayla, it just took a while. :))

 So, when I got home I stepped inside the door and yelled, "AMY, I'M WALKING RUGER AROUND THE BLOCK. COME! *Pause* AMY! COME!". She came obediently out a few minutes later and we walked a couple blocks. While explaining to the dog the whole time that he was a wimp. And that the big dogs that were barking would probably rip him into tiny shreds. He completely ignored us and continued on his merry way. 

 When we got back I tramped into the house and fished my snow pants and boots out of the back of the closet, all the while informing Amy that, "I'm making a snowman. Come". She followed me out to the porch where I found Brad and told him the same thing. He wasn't quite so obedient. I had to dig the 53 cents I had in my coat pocket out and bribe him. Sometimes there are advantages to having mercenary brothers. :)  

 The snow is still about two feet deep out there, which makes the top of things look a lot more reachable. Like, say, the clothes line pole. 

"Brad, lift me up there?". *He takes my boots and lifts... and lifts... and lifts. I become completely terrified and can't talk to make him STOP LIFTING. I go clean over, get caught momentarily on the way down by one of those wicked green wires. Lay there dying for a couple minutes (I now have a bruise three inches in diameter). Stand up. "Brad. Lift me up there?".

It worked the second time. :) :) 

We decided we needed a, "dramatic snowman". The only way we could think of (Other than using red food coloring and creating a blood and guts scene. Which we figured our mother wouldn't approve of.) was to put it up high. So we explored the possibilities. The flat roof (discarded because of the risk of our father not liking when the roof fell through). The camper roof (discarded for above reason). The snowbank (discarded for the boringness of it.) Ah ha!!! The garden arch! (Which Amy and Brad promptly discarded because they weren't about to clamber up there and try. And anyways, how is a person supposed to lift the snowballs up!?) I told them. "Fine! I'll do it myself!" And she did! :) Using the snow that was already piled high up there. 

 Half way through the project the neighbor drove past and yelled out his window, "You guys are INSANE!!!". Thank you sir, for that information. We didn't know that before. :) :) :) 

                                          

Her name is Juliet.

His name is Romeo. 

                                       
Mom got home while I was still in the process of building her. Oops. I finished rapidly and jumped down before she managed to get out there with the camera. Thank goodness!!!

Ruger loved all our romping in the snow.

We discovered that a person can actually stay on top the crust of snow, and move quite rapidly. If they crawl. Yeah, it's undignified. Yes. It's fun. :)

And yes, Mr. Neighbor Man. We're insane... and loving it. 

Tea and Monsters

Remember, back in 2012, when I gave you a list of my phobias? I left one out at that point.
 Monsters. You know, the kind that live under your bed and crawl out after dark and stand there looking at you, and then s.l.o.w.l.y reach out and take you by the throat with their cold hands? That kind. And they're about the size and shape of a St. Bernard dog. And neon purple or green.
And my husband to be thinks they're very funny. Until I start sounding slightly freaked. Or threaten him with one of his phobias (Because he does have a couple himself. Thank goodness!). The problem is that his do kinda have a better basis than mine. I mean, his ARE possible. Sorta, like, One in a Bazillion. But still, there's that one chance. Bummer.
 I'm pretty sure that monsters are worse when a person has a cold though. I'm not sure why, they just are. I mean, they're so much more possible. How do you YOU know that they aren't there? Have you ever SEEN one? No? Well then, how can you prove they aren't!!!??? (Yes, I realize my logic is slightly twisted. But still!)
  Josh got to work this morning and was dramatically informing me that he NEEDED coffee. His texts didn't come in until his coffee was done so I wasn't able to sympathize properly. Instead I added my own whine. Winding it up with the fact that I was going to go make tea. Tea is important when you have a cold.
 Me: I'm gonna go make myself some tea.
 Him: Ok. Tea is a hug in disguise....or something. :) :) :) :) (He was looking over my shoulder at pinterest.)
 Me: A hug in a cup.
 Him: Oh ya. :) :)
 Me: I just dumped ginger and cinnamon and sugar and cayenne and lemon into a cup with water and its in the mic. I bet if it don't kill it'll cure. :) :)
 Him: It should do something........
 Me: Its good. :)
I haven't heard from him since.
 Sometimes I wonder if he ever secretly worries I'll feed him cats toenails and spider webs when he's sick with the stomach flu. (Don't worry dear. I'll feed you burned toast and ginger!!!) I still remember the look on his face when one of my siblings decided it was time he knew that I'm a bit of a "greeny". He came to me later and asked me quietly, "are you really.... like that???". With a calmly confused/curious look. I said: "Remember that time when you were here on your first visit. We were driving down that back road and you threw the candy wrapper out the window?". "Yes". "I was VERY horrified.". "Oh".
He still holds to the idea (notice I did not say "fact") that it disintegrated in the first rain storm. This has been our only unresolvable argument so far. Well, that and the monsters...

The Best Valentines Day Ever :)

My man walked in the door this morning with this lovely bouquet of roses. I am decidedly convinced that I'm in love with the best man in the world! 

 Mom ordered us outside to the cold, for pictures. 

 Life Is Amazing!!!

Safe, In The Arms Of Jesus

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I believe it about this one. I've been thinking about this feeling a lot in the last few days. To have come this far in life with a wonderful Godly Dad, and to know that I'm moving towards a life with another wonderful Godly man. God is good to me, and I do not deserve it!
 That's another thing I've been thinking about. Deserving Gods goodness. It's very humbling to keep coming back to the realization that I can never ever deserve Gods goodness. He freely gives. It's only by Gods grace, and Jesus death, that I can live fully in the goodness of God! It's mind boggling isn't it!?
  We were reading in Matthew last night, about the woman who went to Jesus asking for her sons to be seated at His right and left. I've always been amazed at Jesus gentle, gracious answer, "Woman, you know not what you ask". I know that He still does that for me. I can be pretty dramatic and unreasonable sometimes. But Jesus is always gracious and gentle, "Woman, you know not what you ask. I know best. Wait on me.".  All those verses about our steps being ordered by the Lord, and Him leading us, guiding our feet. They're amazing. Because in the chaos of life its pretty easy to forget that He is in control. But He always is. Completely. And for this I am deeply  grateful.

Engaged

Happy Things

Happy things are pretty abundant around here right now. :D I was sitting at my desk this morning and three of them clicked, all in a row, in my mind. I could see Roses Rainbows And Blue Sky. How could a person NOT be happy???

 Especially when she can write letters to her boyfriend...

 Or look up from her desk and see the roses he sent her one day. 

 I walked up to the front door and saw a box sitting there, I assumed it was something for my Dad and tried the front door. It was locked. Bother. So to kill time until my Mother got home with the only house key around (I've been locked out three times in the last two weeks I believe.) I looked at the label on the box... :D :D :D Mom got home and found her daughter happily sitting on the freezing cold front steps, grinning like crazy, and holding a miniature rose bush. 

 

I was playing with the hot glue gun the other day... The glue goes ON the windowpanes fairly well... The problem is getting it OFF. :D I got  most of the snowflake I messed up off with a pair of green children's sized scissors.

After seeing Mom and Amy bring in pine for the window sills the other day I decided that if they could bring it in before Thanksgiving,

than so could I!

See what happens in ten days??? :D :D :D 

Home-made Flowers

Saturday Charity, Kara, and I spent a simply glorious day shopping. (Is there such a thing as a day shopping with friends that ISN'T?)

This is the end of the list, sort of, because it could kinda go on and on and on. But considering the fact that it's evening, so I can't really go on all day.

I'm going to stop.

Have a lovely Thanksgiving everyone!

-Francis-