Life is ever-changing...depending and the gift of not knowing.

Spring in the Midwest.
One day we're in sandals...the next in snow boots and then surprise! Sunshine again!
One day windows are open..the next we have a fire in our wood stove.
One day we think we're in a new phase of life with a son getting married...
...and now we're having a new baby! ;)

Life is ever-changing and full of surprises...ups and downs...happiness and tragedies.
Nothing is steady..not even our own lives are dependable.
Those can be taken from us at any moment!

A friend asked not too long ago...
Would you rather know the future of your day and the events that will unfold?
Or would you rather not?

I would not!
Knowing..we wouldn't get out of bed some days! ..or wouldn't be able to sleep the night before.
For both good reasons and bad.

It's a gift not knowing what the future holds.
It is also what makes us dependent upon God.

If we knew what was going to happen..
we would always be trying to figure out how to dodge the bad and get straight to the good.

We wouldn't put our trust in God because we would already know the outcome.
We wouldn't dig through His word..there would be no reason to seek out His wisdom.
...because we would already see the plan.

Knowing would skew our view of trust.
It would truly ruin our lives and take away all of our hope.
We would see the bigger picture, yes..but then we would be losing.
We would live life so differently.

We would never build character or allow God to mold us.
We would be filled with only knowledge and no wisdom.

It's the hard parts and the happy parts and the sad parts of life that make us who we are.
If we skipped over all of that...we would be missing out on so much.

Especially the intimate relationship we are able to have with God that comes
with knowing He has our future in His hands.

...aaaaaand here we are... 19 weeks along with baby.
So exciting.
XxOo

Well this was a little something we were not "expecting".

But here we are....

.....sixteen weeks along with a baby the size of this pine cone.
...{mostly} finished with months of the worst morning sickness I've ever experienced.
..about to become parents of a married child and a new baby!!! Crazy.
.....living with the most excited kids you can imagine.
....not in complete shock anymore. Haha.
...thankful for this beautiful, little blessing that really took us by surprise.
XxOo

They're getting married!!!

In only seven short weeks, our oldest will be marrying the love of his life.
We absolutely love Cyndie and are very excited for her to be a part of our family!!!

How, how, HOW??? are Jeff and I old enough to have a child getting married?
We were JUST married ourselves. ...sigh.
How did we get to this point in life..so.very.fast?

We do love it though.
Seeing our son grown up and living his own life...
...moving forward with a wonderful young woman.

I'm happy for their future together.

LOVE, LOVE her ring!

XxOo

One and Only One for the Week.

Our family is geographically separated this week....
..the girls are with my sister and her family visiting my grandparents in Florida.
...the older boys are visiting their aunt and uncle in Arkansas.

..Frankie is spending the week at home with his parents. ;)
{He is also not on spring break..but does pre-school really require one?}

Having one child around is....
..easy.simple.fun.cheap.time consuming.

Oh yes..time consuming!
People always ask me... "How do you do it with all those kids?"
No, Noooo.. "How do YOU do it with ONE child?"

I feel terribly guilty if I have to do something and he's left to himself.
Even though he often plays alone..it's okay because there are people around.
Our home is always bustling. I'm not used to all of this constant calm and quiet.

I feel like two or more children is easier...
...they keep each other occupied when mom is busy.

I suppose if quiet is all you know..and it's your normal..
and it's what you're used to..then life this way is fine.
I'm not used to it..and it feels strange. Haha. 

We planted our tomato and basil seeds this weekend.

I posted this in my story on Instagram..and then had complaints from my girls.
They said it's their job to help...why did I do it without them? they asked.

I only sort of feel bad since they've been on a hot, sunny beach for the past few days.
I did save all flowers for them to plant.

Today we will be doing school, Frankie's little chores and
we also have a walk in our plans this afternoon.

Organic, Heirloom strawberries..Oh my goodness!
They taste just like the strawberries we pick in June.
Perfect! Thank you Trader Joe's. 

Happy new week to you...wherever you are.

Wrapping up the week...errr..I mean month.with a tiny town.a video.a song.and that's it. I think.

There is this tiny...{and I mean TINY!..even though I used caps} town tucked into the
mountains of Montana. We went for a visit last summer.

It's a nice little area....where they sell an average of 600 bear claw pastries a DAY!
at the bakery in the mercantile store during the summer months...
...and gas happened to be only $6.00 a gallon...a steal if you ask me.
You can buy freshly picked huckleberries and eat a plumb on a bear bench. {see below}

Polebridge ...a must visit.
Put it on your Montana bucket list.

My dear mother in law sent me this video  yesterday..it reminded her of me.
It was titled "When People Ask Me How 2019 is Going So Far"...
Now I'm not asking "What the..." at the end. I know good things are coming!
I am however, ready to hit the bottom and stand up again! Haha.

A SONG for you!

This has been one of my favorite Instagram accounts lately.
So, so pretty. I want Jeff to take me away to one of those little houses.

Buy THIS!  ...or one just like it.
I promise you {..and your children..rolls eyes and laughs} will love it.

Happy Weekend to you.
XxOo

It's not you, it's me. The most winter-y-est winter in aaaaaalllll the land.

I'm usually an advocate for winter..I'm always on it's side..
...we're good friends, winter and I!

But this year..I'm having a bit of trouble with our relationship.

Winter, it's not you, it's me.
Really. You've been doing a fabulous job at being...Yourself!

It's me...I've been so unmotivated.so lazy.so uninspired.
I'm wearing the same yoga pants I've had on since Sunday
and everything I have to do feels like a draaaaag.

I really just want spring..late spring..where it doesn't snow anymore.
Where I can plant things.

Which is ridiculous because I am surrounded
by great people! in a great house! with all that I need and want!
{well..maybe there are some things I would want.. ;) }

I think I just have...
...the old fashioned winter blues. Did I just say that?
Me? The lover of winter?

I don't think I've ever seen a more sparkly and gorgeous winter.
So what's my problem?

We've had a busy season?..perhaps it's getting to me?
...lots of sickness in January. a broken arm. a surgery...
..and other crazy, life changing happenings going on.

Soooo....I decided to read through my very own winter blues busters 
from way back when....and realized I need to get my act together..
...and buy a nice coat! and maybe another plant.

Then all will be right in my winter world.

Yes, that's it! I just need to spend money..then I'll be happy.
{Jeff? Are you reading this?
Okay...good.}

I'm kidding..you know I'm kidding, right?
What would Dave Ramsey say? Sheesh.

Funny...
All of the above pictures were on my camera and phone.
All were taken by me or my little brother or my daughter or my other daughter!
Not sure which are which and what is what and who took what when.
{..except this last one..it was a daughter for sure...one or the other?}
But I like them.



Today I will make my way to the grocery store...
...and maaaaybe the library.

Happy midweek to you.
XxOo

Wrapping up the week...a song.crack pie and I'm so happy it's the weekend.

If there was ever a lazier week in the world..oh, wait,
there has neeeeeever been a lazier week in the world than this one.

We accomplished..hmmm...nothing.
Except a whole lot of coffee, naps,
half the school we should have done and a game of Monopoly.

Let's blame the Polar Vortex...or surgery recovery..either one, you can choose.
Fifty-two-degree-below-zero wind chills cause one to tuck away from life.
Taking care of a son who is immobile, can also cause one to tuck away from life.
{He's doing much better....still immobile, still full of pins..but much better!}

Here is a SONG for you...sounds kind of spring-y. sigh.

Do you watch Chef's Table? ...Jeff and I looooove that show!
We don't watch it with our children though..
..sometime a word or two or three will pop up that we don't want them to hear.
It puts us in the biggest cooking/baking mood!
It's also kind of arts-y..which makes it fun.
{P.S. If you don't like to be in the kitchen..you probably won't like it. ;) }

Anyway...I want to try making Christina Tosi's  Crack Pie  this weekend.
It's the alternative to Jeff taking me on a date to NYC for the weekend.

I've been following Jennifer Naraki for about a year and a half now.
Her instagram is amazing and sad and inspiring and such a testimony to her faith!
Her cancer journey has truly been a beautiful story constantly pointing to God.
She is not doing well..and I know her and her family would appreciate your prayers.

So glad it's Friday! Have a great weekend.
XxOo