Summertime in a Jar

August 12, 2015 / amylynw / Leave a comment

Yesterday I worked for eight hours on canning tomatoes into all sorts of yummy summery goodness. 90 lbs of tomatoes went through our kitchen this week. The lady behind me at the farm asked me what on earth I was going to do with all of those tomatoes. Summertime is my favorite time of year, and I’m so excited to have made and canned my first batch of summer salsa. Here is my loose recipe, which I divided up between two large glass cake pans, because I lack a big roasting pan:

16 cups of tomatoes
4 sweet onions quartered
2 large sweet peppers
1 pineapple
1 whole garlic bulb
bunch of fresh oregano
2 teaspoons cumin
4 teaspoons sea salt
2 cups apple cider vinegar

I baked this for about 30-45 mins at 400 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes or so. I would have preferred fresh cilantro, but didn’t have any on hand, so that is omitted. Blitz in blender until a salsa texture is achieved. Refrigerate, or can for the winter! This made 2 quarts and 5 pints of salsa. (If I remember correctly)

The tomato sauce is just tomatoes, onions, garlic and sea salt roasted in the same way, then blitzed in the blender to a rough chop/puree.

Run Wild With The Hope

September 16, 2014September 16, 2014 / amylynw / Leave a comment

Amazing experiences are like pearls hidden in a shell. Unless you know there is treasure inside, it is just an ugly shell. This weekend may have looked like a crazy-dirty-roll-my-eyes-at-another-race-type-run to most people, but if you can be patient, I hope I can unpack and share with you some treasures I found hidden in the rough.

It started as a team of twelve people I barely knew. Names painted onto a van. It ended very differently.

We had two vans, with six runners per van. Every runner had three legs to complete, so we made check boxes for each of us to fill in as we finished. Art meets brawn. Or something like that.
As second runner, I waited for my first run and tried not to think about how cold I was. I imagined the warmth that would soon be coursing through my blood once I got going. Once Bonnie tagged me, I was off.
I had a two-mile climb before cresting the hill and experiencing an incredible view. The van drove by me to yell through the windows, words of encouragement. And I listened to words of worship and blessing through songs in my ears.

And the single hawk bursts into flight
And in the east the whole horizon is in flames
I feel thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And with the prairies I am calling out Your name…
And there is still a faith
That can make the mountains move
And a love that can make the heavens ring
And I’ve seen love make heaven ring…
From the place where morning gathers
You can look sometimes forever ’til you see
What time may never know
How the Lord takes by its corners this old world
And shakes us forward and shakes us free
To run wild with the hope
The hope that this thirst will not last long
That it will soon drown in the song
Not sung in vain
And I feel thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And I hear the prairies calling out Your name.

I slowed my pace to catch this view with my phone. It doesn’t do it justice. I felt so free up there, maybe a bit like how a bird feels when he’s flying across the beauty only visible between earth and sky. I could feel the glory of the mountains breaking into song and the trees clapping their hands. I was spectator to the majestic song of praise that is constantly being sung. My feet kept time, I met with my Maker up there, and it felt like holy ground.

At the second exchange, I tagged runner 3, and we were off to encourage him. Sometimes it meant screaming through open van windows, and sometimes it meant using sidewalk chalk along the craziest climb of the race. rr3

Through each exchange, each runner tagged the next.

There was a particularly breath-taking view along the way, right before Matthew’s first run.

Who spoke the Earth and sky to form
Who sets the sun and calls the dawn
Who breathed me out of dust to life
With the will to trust or run and hide

I will stay should the world by me fold
Lift up Your name as the darkness falls
I will wait and hold fast to Your word
Heart on Your heart and my eyes on You

Who loved me through my rebel way
Who chose to carry all my shame
Who breathes in me with endless life
The king of glory Jesus Christ

After Matthew ran in to finish leg 1 for our van, we headed to another exchange to wait until van 2 finished their first leg. We slept, refueled, and played Phase 10. It’s always more fun when you win.

I was a bit nervous about running through the night. Donning my headlight, strobe light, and reflective vest, I headed out into the darkness. They weren’t the only things lighting my way.

For all of this life
Your Spirit ignites
A heavenly fire
Untouched by the night

You opened our eyes
Turned death into life
Revealing all truth
There’s no one like You.

In the midst of the darkest night
Let Your love be the shining light
Breaking chains that were holding me
You sent Your Son down and set me free
Everything of this world will fade
I’m pressing on till I see Your face

At a few points during that run, my team pulled over and got out of the van to cheer me on. I’m having a hard time putting into words how that actually made me feel. It was a condensed version of life, really. We all go through dark times, when fears are tangible and light is dim to nonexistent. The second I took my eyes off the light from my headlamp, and darted them into the woods lining the dark road, my heart could feel the darkness. When our eyes are fixed on the light and power that is Jesus Christ, we are truly set free from the fear of darkness. Because darkness is really just the absence of light. Dark times can also be very lonely times. There was literally not a speck of life on some stretches of that road. When those cheering voices came into view, the feeling of loneliness and isolation was immediately overwhelmed by love. Love stands outside on a cold dark night and yells your name until you smile and find more strength in your weary legs.

When we finished our night runs, we were able to rest for a couple of hours at one of the exchanges. The third and final leg began right at dawn. My legs were sore, but quickly the adrenaline gave me an extra boost I didn’t think was possible. We had a few people’s cell phone’s taking pictures along the way. This one is not from my particular leg, but every run had the ever-encouraging “one mile to go” sign posted and blinking. It was pretty exciting to hand off the bracelet one more time, and then revel in the joy of being finished.

Finished running, maybe, but not finished cheering on my team.

When we all completed our legs, we ate a delicious meal before driving to the finish-line in Washington D.C. I even managed to wash my hair and self in the small bathroom sink at Panera. Glory.
The view was gorgeous from the finish line, and then it began to pour. Van 2 team did an amazing job of enduring over very difficult hills, through the night, and in the rain. A few minutes before our last runner crossed the finish line, the sun came out and smiled on our tired but happy team.

2014-09-13 15.08.18-2
Driving home, the sun kept on shining. Check marks on the windows reminded me of hundreds of miles run. Goals accomplished. Hills conquered. Darkness overwhelmed by light. No longer just names painted on a van. Real souls, with stories of their own. Real hearts that pump blood through their bodies. Bodies capable of more than each of us thought possible at times. Names turned into friends. Friends who made me laugh to my core, and changed me in some intangible way I haven’t quite figured out yet. But I know I’m better because of them.
2014-09-13 17.24.03-2
I’ve been shaken up a little. Pushed out of my comfort zone a lot. And somewhere out there on the road, I found a part of myself I didn’t know was missing.

When I agreed to this race, I only saw the shell. I was skeptical of the entire idea. Yet through the hard work and grit and grime, a real pearl emerged. It reflects teamwork, laughter, determination, and friendship. Unique and priceless. Press on. You never know where the next road will take you.

365 Days From Then

August 24, 2014August 24, 2014 / amylynw / 1 Comment

The van is cleaned out, laundry is going, and sand still sticks to the bottom of my bare feet, escaping from every corner of every bag brought home. Our skin is more tan and our hearts are full of good memories. A year ago, our lives looked quite different. I am blown away at God’s mercy and grace to us this year. From sparing Matthew’s life, to getting out of debt, to providing a “new” vehicle for us… the list goes on. Thank you, Father. A year ago, instead of vacation at the beach, we hung out in a hospital room.

This week was quite different! It was sung to the tune of ocean waves and time away as a whole family. We have never had a vacation for a week with just ourselves in all of our married years! A lovely opportunity came up for us to do so, and we gladly accepted the offer. I think the last time I played in the ocean every day for five days in a row was… this week! Like, IN the ocean, not just on the beach watching one of my babies play in the sand. Elijah actually came up to me in the ocean and laughed out loud, “I love seeing you all wet, Mom!” I played with the “biggie board” as Betty calls it, and made an entire city of sandcastles one day!

DSC_4483-3
Our week was full of front-porch talks, VW van sightings, a ride on the log flume with my two littles, bike rides, “biggie boards”, a visit from dear friends, a visit with family one day, and delicious food. Unfortunately, I forgot to pull out my camera except for a couple of days. I did catch a few extras with my phone, here.

It is hard to see the week come to an end. But new adventures await us as we start school in earnest, and an exciting change is in store for Matthew next week. I will share more about that later.

There’s A Small Town In My Living Room

August 8, 2014 / amylynw / Leave a comment

I think I just overheard a voting session going on downstairs, so I walked down to investigate. Right now the kids are playing a game called “Town”, in which they are all voting unanimously as to which jobs they will each have in the game. Elijah, who is the president, leads the way. He just told everyone: “The money will be returned to you post-haste.” Jack and Elsie are the mail men, Nadine is the store-keeper, and Betty is the pie-maker. Except for one problem: she doesn’t want to cook right now. So, Elijah called a town meeting where everyone offered their suggestions as to what she could do. “Who votes for Betty to be garbage collector?” Everyone said, “Aye.” The motion didn’t pass because Betty didn’t want to collect garbage. It was determined that she will help Nadine with her shop-keeping with jobs like: running to the bank (Elijah) for money, counting it, and putting it in the shop-keeper’s cash register. The post office is busy writing AND delivering mail. Mr. President is happily handing out money, calling meetings to order, and keeping things in order. “I have come to the decision that we need to have a police station and a police man for shooting, stealing and other suing consequences. Who should be the first annual police man? If something happens, you call the president and I will call the police. He shall remain in my jail.” After going through everyone’s names, and a resounding “Nay” for all to become policeman, except Jack, it looks like Jack is the official “new annual police man.” I think they are swearing him in to office. I hear: “Arise. And sit down.” No, actually this is court in session now. Nadine is speaking: “I am suing Jack Weldon. When I was sleeping, I saw Jack stealing my helicopter. It is worth 200 dollars and it is officially stolen.”

Elijah is calling Jack to the stand: “J-A-C-K,” he spells out his name.
Jack tries to defend himself. “Elijah, I was going to MAIL it to you!”
The questioning continues. “Is it true that you went into the store and took the helicopter without paying?”
“Yes.”
“Was it a helicopter?”
“Yes.”
“Was it worth 200 dollars?”
“Yes. Can I say something? I’m going to pay her 200 dollars when we’re DONE this meeting!” He gives a big sigh.
Elijah really is a kind soul. His verdict: “Since this is the first sue we’ve ever had, I’m giving this as a warning. You will not have to pay 200 dollars or go to jail or anything. You will have to pay 20. Meeting adjourned.”
Then, “I’m officially closed. I’m sorry I’m closed, but I really have to pee,” says Mr. President. “Please, hold your thoughts.”

I just might be laughing really hard over here. I love it when they imagine up games like this.

In the past week or more, our little “town” has had a ton of adventures. The biggest one began on the last day of July.

Nadine was running from a bee, her brother, or both, and she tripped going up the concrete steps of our front porch. I heard her crying and there was a deeper pain in her cry than a typical hurt, which kept going. A day and x-ray later showed her big toe to indeed be broken. So, last Friday we headed to the orthopedic doctor to tell us if there was anything special we should be doing, and to get a better idea of what kind of a break it was.

As we drove to the appointment, Nadine and I were bouncing along in the Eurovan, windows down, enjoying the first day of August. I glanced down at the dashboard and it dawned on me that the gas was really low. Like, lower than the really low it was the night BEFORE when we were driving home from somewhere. I just had driven past my favorite exit for gas. Two more exits to go until a gas station was nearby. I wasn’t really nervous, but something inside of me just kept looking down at the dashboard and up at the exit, which all of a sudden seemed much farther than one mile away. Then it happened. Our van started to sputter. I’ve never been in this situation, but I was pretty sure we were running out of gas. Thankfully, Oceanus has manual transmission, so we coasted off the exit ramp and through one light. I tried to start her again, and we were able to get enough oomph to go through one more light before she gave up her last puff of fumes and coasted to a stop. In the left hand turn lane. Within sight of the gas station. Nadine was talking to her friend on the phone, and I told her to stay on the line with her until I got back. So, off I went with the keys, in my sneaks, running across intersections with “no pedestrian crossing” signs everywhere. After asking a few random strangers in the Wawa parking lot if they happened to have a gas can in their vehicle, I bit the bullet and bought a new can (to add to the three we already have in our basement) and filled it with two gallons of gasoline. Then a sweet lady drove me back to the van. Next thing I know, a friend pulled up behind us to see if we needed any help. It made me feel so much less like a crazy woman having her there with me!

Back on the road again, we filled her up with gas, and made it to the doctor only ten minutes late. The verdict is she has a fracture right on her joint in a tricky place. So he gave her a giant nifty boot to keep her foot flat and stable. She’s also gaining speed on a pair of crutches. Love her spirit. This week as a family we have been reading James chapter 1. She took the “falling into various trials” part very seriously, and now we’re getting all sorts of practice with “counting it all joy”.

Our week has been full of other things too! We started school, on a small scale. It is an opportunity to work out kinks and start slow. Seeing them eager to start has been encouraging! Nadine informed me, after just one day, that I have “improved so much as a teacher!” She makes me chuckle. On Sunday morning I had the honor of watching a sweet baby be born. That never gets old. On Wednesday we went to Marsh Creek with sweet friends to celebrate a wonderful birthday and to watch the sunset over the water. Beautiful! On Thursday we made an impromptu road trip to NJ to see more wonderful friends and played on the beach for the first time in years! I’m still picking sand out of my hair, and I only went knee-deep in the ocean.

I think the small town downstairs will be needing lunch soon, so I better take up the unwanted role of “cook” and whip something together. Hungry townspeople spells g-r-u-m-p-i-n-e-s-s in our near future. I hear there is a library now, and the police station is “officially open”. “Sometimes it’s open, sometimes it’s closed,” says Jack. Nadine counters with, “I just don’t think anyone is going to be bad! But, it’s good to have anyway.” Elsie is protesting her job as the mailman, but after some encouragement she just told the president, “I’ll still be the mailman, but when I get a new job, I won’t.” My, this is so fun. In the words of Mr. President, “I’m sorry I have to go. Please hold your thoughts.”

Finishing With A Smile

July 24, 2014July 24, 2014 / amylynw / Leave a comment

The weekend has come and gone. Hours of preparation, driven into the pavement, mile by mile. The weather this year was amazing. I even had to wear a jacket through the night to ward off feeling chilly.

On Friday evening, we delivered the three youngest to my in-laws and picked up Matthew’s race packet. He got checked out by the race doctors, and then we went home to rest. I barely slept, full of excitement and wonder for the following two days. On Saturday morning I drove to Philly to drop him off at the start line, with his cooler of food and drinks, and said good-bye. Then I drove with a friend to drop Nadine off at girl’s camp for the week! Elijah went with my mom where he then was driven to soccer camp on Sunday. What a crazy, emotional day of saying goodbye!

By the time I finished dropping her off and made my way back to Philly, it was about 7:30 pm. I drove the race loop where Matthew was running, in hopes of seeing him. I found him around mile 3 of 8. He was with his buddy from high-school. What a blessing, since the previous few hours he had been struggling with some major stomach discomfort. When he made it back to the start/finish line, he lay down on the ground and said he felt like throwing up. His stomach was not happy. At this point in time, a slew of friends and family had arrived, and we chatting around him, some praying, some just talking. We waited it out for an hour or so before he finally sat up and ate something that agreed with him.

The next two loops were run with different friends. I was able to pray and see the lights of Philadelphia in the middle of the night. Then two girl friends of mine came to sit with me through the night. I never felt alone, which had been one of my anxieties. I didn’t realize how much this had been weighing on me until I sat there with them. It was pretty special. How important it is to be there for one another!

Once 4 am rolled around, my half-marathon buddy, Gail, and I fast-walked with Matthew through the dawn. It was incredible starting off at night and ending in day. We met a fellow lone ranger on the path who was pretty discouraged, and he started to keep pace with Matthew. Once we finished that loop, it was already 6 am, and so Matthew started out for his 10th loop and then some, alone. The total mileage he logged was 88.5. His goals were to finish at 10am, have fun, finish with a smile, and be able to walk to the car unassisted. He did all these things, and I couldn’t be more proud.

Phone Photos12
1- Our last time all together for a week!
2- One last nap, storing up reserves
3,4- Getting all checked in for race day!
5- Lots of melon for the runner
6- When I first spotted Matthew, 9 hours into the race. I beeped my horn like a crazy woman and cried a bit too.
7- A four-year tradition of sidewalk chalk
8- Servant-friends, helping Matthew through the hardest part of the night
9- An art museum steps walk/talk/prayer time
10- Hot tea, words of encouragement and lots of love
11- Almost there
12- Sleep for a long time
DSC_3382-2
He ended with a smile.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7

A Happy Time

June 30, 2014 / amylynw / Leave a comment

I don’t recall what we were about to do or where we were going to prompt Elsie to say it, but she made me chuckle with this: I’m going to have a happy time, even if it’s boring! Now that summer is in full swing, the words “I’m bored” are about as allowed as some other unmentionable words in the urban dictionary. When they are uttered, a math lesson is swiftly pulled up on the computer, or perhaps the boredom quickly fades as they don a pair of goggles, pull out monopoly, shoot a home-made movie, or delve into the many library books I keep constantly in flow.

This week was so full I feel like I’m bursting a little bit.

Any week where we can be altogether for six days in a row is going to be good. Unfortunately, every kid had a fever sprinkled into the entire week at some point in time. Thankfully, no throwing up, but a lot of laying low. Matthew finished my laundry room window, fixed this and that, hung this, moved that… basically filled up my love tank with acts of service mingled with quality time. I worked on various projects: crocheting a rug out of old sheets, making some chalkboards, beautifying our front porch, and organizing our school room a bit more.

Next, our dear friends, Ruthie & Jamie, arrived from Ohio to share our vacation time with us. We enjoyed the front porch, got wet, went to a water/amusement park, and laughed a lot. One night I even had the privilege of being a doula with an incredibly special couple and their precious baby girl.
Recovered Autosave
The kids found a turtle and named it Road Runner after they rescued it from trying to cross the street.

While at the park, I learned how much Betty loves roller-coasters. If she was a bit taller, she would have gone on everything, but she was content to do the roller coaster her size. Her smiling face as she swooped down the hill of the coaster was absolutely priceless. Falling from 148 feet with Jack and Nadine was also a highlight. I’ve learned that I’m a bit more scared than I used to be of heights in general.

Nadine came down for her breakfast today and was asking me how Matthew made her bagel. Do you know how Daddy made that bagel yesterday? Because it was amazing. It was because there was a hint of Daddy in it. I know he used butter… When I asked her how it tasted after she made it, she said, It wasn’t even close. Sometimes she takes my breath away.
One of my painting projects was a “new” dresser. I got the dresser for $10 at a yard sale and surprised Nadine with it.

As all the fevers floated around, I overheard this funny conversation between Elsie and Betty:
I have a headache, said Elsie.
Where? asked Betty.
Right here in my head! said Elsie with a mixture of exasperation and amusement.

When Elsie struck up this conversation with Betty she was just stating a fact, which apparently was missing a very important detail in Betty’s little mind: You were sick, she stated.
No I wasn’t!
You you were!
I were last night! Of course. Last night. She likes to be precise.

Betty is learning her numbers, and I couldn’t help chuckling when she got to twenty-nine and said: Two=dy nine!

As June turns the page into July, there is more fun in store! Summer is such a happy time!

Thirteen Is Odd

March 31, 2014March 31, 2014 / amylynw / 1 Comment

The times I feel odd happen frequently. Maybe because I’m born on an odd-numbered day. Sometimes I feel this way because of something I have: You have five children? People say, as if having any number over four has basically become as astronomical as living on Mars. Sometimes it’s because of something I do: You homeschool your kids? I could never do that. I’m never sure if that statement is supposed to make me feel better or worse than them. It always makes me feel odd, though. Sometimes I also feel it because of something I don’t do: You don’t wash your hair? Ok, I admit, even I thought that was weird a few months ago. But when one suffers relentlessly from dandruff, one will do almost anything, including the crazy, to be rid of those unwanted snowflakes which aren’t really snowflakes at all. Plus they never melt. Maybe I’ll do another post on that one a different day.

Lately, I’ve felt especially odd as I ran through the coldest, snowiest and sometimes most beautiful of days. Eight weeks ago I wasn’t quite sure about running one mile. Even the day before yesterday, I wasn’t quite sure about it:

“This is how I’m feeling about tomorrow,” I wrote on Saturday.

Yesterday, I set out to do 13, with about 10,000 other oddities in the Philly Love Run. Finally, I’m not odd. Everyone, a common goal. Everybody screaming you on to finish.

Miles 1-5 were relatively smooth.
DSC_1061-2
By mile 6, the rain was pretty heavy. My friend, Gail, and I ran together. We would laugh at how the rain pooled up inside our jacket sleeves. Whenever we straightened out our arms, rivers of water poured out like faucets. I stopped avoiding puddles and my sneakers spoke a second language, sounding a lot like: squish, squelch, squish, squelch. DSC_1063-2 DSC_1066-2
Around mile 9 my legs felt a more like iron mixed with mush, and less like muscles and tendons. I was so hungry at mile 10, that when someone handed me a Swedish Fish candy, it tasted like a ten-dollar dessert. I savored the sugary calories stuck in my teeth for a few minutes. At mile 11 we ducked under an overpass to stretch one last time.

We snapped our only mid-run photo under the overpass.

The deluge had turned to drizzle, but the cold was starting to cramp different parts of my legs. After a minute, we set off to whip those last miles into oblivion. At mile 12, the welcome sight of Philadelphia’s Boathouse Row came into view. As we approached mile 13, I had some emotional moments inside my head and heart. This is what it’s like to finish, I thought. It hurts. It’s beautiful. It’s thrilling. It’s really, really hard. For a few seconds I was given a quick glimmer of life’s finish line. Like an instagram from Heaven. We will look back and think: That was so hard. How did I get through it? Wow, life was so amazing. So difficult. Beautiful. Rewarding. Painful. So worth every second.
DSC_1074-2
Unlike our eternal finish line when we’re finally Home, the thrill of this finish line was quickly replaced with the need for warmth and sustenance. We found our husbands, cheering under an umbrella. Then we squelched through inches of mud to receive our reward: a cool medal and a bag of potato chips (among other snacks, but the chips stood out to me the most). DSC_1083-2

It was a grand memory. I couldn’t have done it without the constant cheering of Matthew and Gail. Many others encouraged me as well, and you know who you are. And just like people ask you if you’re ever going to have more kids, the second after your baby pops into the world: YES, I’m going to keep running. Is that odd?

Going to Space & Down Here on Earth

March 20, 2014March 20, 2014 / amylynw / Leave a comment

The past two weeks have been so full of life and surprises and furniture renewal. Matthew bought me a new chair for my birthday. As I sunk down into its beautiful grey comfort, I stared at my dresser. Ugly couldn’t describe it fully.

So, in typical head-long fashion, I set off to remedy this problem. I’ve been stung by many a bee in my bonnet. The finished product:
Five birds flying from the nest, represent our five kiddos, with Matthew and I sticking together for life. The tree has our initials carved in it, reminiscent of the tree at our old house where I carved our initials, about four years before we were even married.

Soon I will post pictures of how I didn’t stop at just the dresser, because once I saw how clean and new it looked, I thought the walls needed a face-lift as well. This turned into a full-fledged makeover, which in turn led to another purging throughout the house. Life multiplies in so many ways.

Our girls are growing up so quickly.

Last weekend our family went rock-climbing. The last time we went, those little feet belonging to the orange shoes were inside my belly!

This time, they scaled the walls!

A couple of weeks ago we had a medieval feast with some friends from school. We are finishing up studying medieval times in history. So we ate chicken and potatoes off of our trenchers, and drank sparkling grape juice out of our goblets. Wooden bowls, no utensils (except spoons) and costumes made our feast super memorable.
March 2014
Other fun school activities included going to the Franklin Institute last week. Our friend did a great job demonstrating an astronaut’s suit on a budget:

Elsie was chosen to shoot off a bottle rocket. Her little self was so cute up there on the stage.

We had an amazing surprise that afternoon after our field trip. More on that later. Someone needs yogurt. “Seriously, Mom,” she says to me. (She’s three.) “Just a little bit?”

Three-Four, Open The Door

March 9, 2014March 9, 2014 / amylynw / Leave a comment

March has a tendency to speed right along, almost as if it’s anticipating spring as much as the rest of us are. It’s been a super fun-filled month so far. Exactly three weeks until race day, the trail has seen a lot of my old sneakers. Between miles there has been much chocolate, a medieval feast with friends (we are studying that period of history together), an Ikea trip with my sister and nieces, furniture painting, cute kids, field trips and birthday celebrations with friends. There is much between the lines, many memories and blessings. Lots of words are flying about in my brain, unsettled as of yet; waiting for the unseen breeze to stop their spinning.

But right now, today, thirty-four is shaping up to be fabulous.

End of February Highlights

February 28, 2014February 28, 2014 / amylynw / Leave a comment

There is no such thing as an empty week in this household. Snow forts, lots of books, and fun with friends were just some of the highlights.
Phone pics
The girls are often dressing up… here are a few shots of Elsie twirling. Her dream is to take ballet soon.
DSC_0031-3
DSC_0058-3 DSC_0059-3 DSC_0068-3 DSC_0072-3
The ice-caked trees never cease to amaze me with their beauty. Entombed in glass, one day soon they will come back to life.
DSC_0082-3
Betty loves to help shovel snow. Trouble is, there are no shovels her size. My garden trowel is a good substitute for now.
DSC_0100-3

Jack had a small run-in with a shovel one night.

School sometimes includes looking through the dictionary. It’s not hard to believe how funny they found the word “underpants”.
DSC_0269-3 DSC_0271-3
This week we also began nature journals. I love how most of them spoke of spring, while drawing snowflakes.
DSC_0314-3 DSC_0316-3
Betty enjoys playing the little games I find online.
DSC_0277-3 DSC_0279-3
The highlight of my week happened on Monday when my dear sweet friend, Sarah (who lives in England), showed up at my front door. She and I spent a few hours together in the city. We’ve known each other for over half of our lives. It’s a beautiful thing when entire continents and years can’t stop friendship from growing.