Hello Spring!!

 

 

We could not be more thrilled to welcome a new season! A warmer one!!

It is taking longer then we like but today is now warmer and the piles of snow are finally melting down... We had a drifted frozen icy mess back here in our driveway for a few weeks!

We have been so ready to close the books on winter and we are thinking now that Spring is officially here it will now get warm and stay warm!

We took the extra freezing cold winter days for more time indoors getting some indoor projects done, doing fun brunches and coffee dates, spring shopping, school projects and library visits.

It was fun to help first and second grade do a painting project at school... This is always so messy but the kids just love the texture themed painting project day!

Making bone broth is something I do often... I save the bones from chickens, I also like to use backs, wings and necks of organic chicken, the extra ends of veggies we had used and add some garlic and herbs to the mix... simmer for a few days on low in a roaster oven... I go down after day one and get some broth out and put it in jars... I add more water then simmer another day or two. It is so healthy and adds so much rich flavor to many dishes!!

The other evening I simmered some whole mushrooms in this broth (in cast iron) and they were a huge hit! I added some of these to the chicken soup I had made. The big pot didn't last very long at all even though I was hoping to have leftovers for days...:)

Bone broth gets used somehow in almost everything I cook!

Jessica is still here... She is getting used to my cooking I think...:) She is brave to at least try it every time. I stopped adding spinach, and avocado to her food because she always leaves it...:) I'm hoping she will eat all healthy by the time she leaves our home...:) We love having her here with us.We don't know how long she will be here. She misses her home but she is strong, brave and Jesus is her refuge and she looks to him for her direction.

 She joined us last night for a family pizza, ping pong and movie night. She is out most everyday working. The biggest thing I found about having someone else in the house with us is taking better notice of how the kids treat each other and how they talk to me!...:) I seriously need to give the tone of voice used around here more attention!

It didn't take Jess long to figure out our little Miss Jenika is so feisty and she made the remark "oh my... have you got it coming to you in a few years" Lord help us direct her feisty little self in the right direction!...:) Oh how we love our princess Jenika!!

Javon had an earache so bad last night, he came to my bedside and we were up for a few long hours trying to find him ear relief. He has another cold (he gets tons!) and I think the sinus pressure is working on his ears. Poor guy! We did hot water bottle and oils. Hot Tub time and once we had the bathroom all steamy and strong with peppermint it seemed to open him up and he finally fell asleep on the nook chair after many painful tears. No fevers and for that we are thankful!!

As I sat up with Javon it took me back to Jordan's ear infection days! He had ear pain until his ear drums burst! He had spiking high fevers!! I'm so glad we are past those years!

Today brother Allen has Jordan and Mark out fishing on the local creek banks! They just love to spend time together so when Allen invited them fishing today they were thrilled!

Allen thought it was a win to because if he takes the youth out to fish he gets to fish this opening youth day to! Jordan needs to get his infusion in when he gets home.

These two nap on my chair... They were out of the house early working on this and that ... now they nap. This is why we LOVE a Saturday!! We all kind of go slower pace and everyone just does there own thing all day long... It was Dave's Saturday to work at Stoltzfus and when I dropped off his breakfast their was people waiting in line to get with a sales person about ordering a shed! I guess Spring has sprung at the shop and the pace picks back up... (If it ever even slowed down).. We had a busy winter at the shop. We are thankful and so blessed!

She beats him in ping pong. He can't stand it...:) He had Dave down practicing at the ping pong table a few evening last week so he can beat her! He still has more work to do!...:) They are so fun together.

Yesterday I enjoyed a morning out with these dear lady friends... I'm beyond BLESSED to have them for friends!!

We met at "Speckled Hen Coffee Shop".

We all take a turn to share what is happening in our lives since we were together last. We never fail to talk about husbands, children, school and hair...:) I love the connection we share and it is always so much fun to get together. Whether with or without children (our children all get along so well!) or with or without husbands (they all get along so well to...:}) In other words any way you look at it these friends are keepers for sure and they are my forever friends! Thanks Ladies for the fun time out!! And THANKS Lori for the yellow pansies that are setting right here next to me as I type and I smell them as I sit here! I can't wait to plant flowers!

Running is more fun when it is warmer. We still run most every day but once it warms it just brings a whole new feel to running! Three miles is my distance right now. I hope to up it soon but that is all I take the time for right now, plus when it is so cold and blustery this is more then enough! Dave goes most days after work. I like mornings way better then afternoon! We meet up some but his mornings have been to busy for runs and I'm slower anyway so we have been going our separate ways lately.

I have Saturday work waiting. Kombucha to bottle and food to prepare. I'm off. I just have not been on here in to long and I hope to post more as the days warm up. Cold days are just not as motivating and we are so thankful that the drifts in front of the garage are now going flatter and flatter as the snow melts away!


Have a BLESSED week-end....:) Enjoy Spring with us!!