Hooooooooot Fire

every morning, the kids and i get up and make a fire...and this morning we were SOOOOO cold. josh brought in wood last night for us this morning....i was SOOO grateful. anywho....we made a fire that got so hot, the stovepipe turned red! sitting 3 feet away, i felt myself starting to catch flame...well, almost =) it was WONDERFUL!!!
having wood heating a house is certainly feast or famine as far as temperature goes.....i certainly enjoyed the feast this morning!

3 quotes of the day

"hey, look at my new jacket!...now!"

"did you know that the wrapper of a cupcake tastes almost as good as the cupcake itself?"

"do you really let your kids eat off the floor?" just kidding, matt didnt' really say that, he was wonderfully uploading lots of photos he took today in this picture

Remembering Sully

my dear friend heidi gave birth to her son, sully, this same day a year ago...he lived only 6 days and yet in that time still brought joy into their lives...i feel so strongly that every life is held by God...and is worth so much...everything! no matter how long or short...every life is an indelible mark ... and a gift.
heidi sent this bracelet to esme for her birthday...so sweet and so lovely.

Talking to Daddy on the phone

her nose in the first photo is full of cupcake =)

Esme turns number 1

matt and grace came today for esme's bday....and matt took lots of photos...he is such a good photographer!!!

My 2 Monkeys on their shelves

A Jigsaw

i really do love jigsaws...funny thing is that when jack and i are doing one, he loses interest quite fast as the ones we have are gagillion pieces...but i HAVE to finish it...so he is saying "mommy, play with me" and i am saying "wait jack , i have to finish your veggie tales puzzle!" hmmm...
anywho...this has sated that part of my puzzling desire...fitting together odds and ends of wood to make a subfloor! jack has been very helpful indeed...he just loves to be "way up high =)" i am still about 3 ft x 12 ft short of finishing...but wood just turns up everywhere!

Just a Swingin'

Canton Visit

stopped by the goodwill in canton and found a jog stroller for 2...for only $11!!! yay!!!
then on to meet up with joan and kay and marie...a great visit....the driving got to me though...i think bc of the rain it took over 2 hours each way..i am so tired and sore from sitting!!! came home and bathed the kids, fed them and popped them snuggly in their beds...and now sitting down with josh...alas, i didnt' make dinner with the girls...happy birthday ellison!!! so sorry i missed it!

Lots o' Quail!

BobWhite Quail

the guys josh works for shot a bunch of quail...or was it a family member who shot them...not sure...anywho...josh cleaned them up tonight and we have a heap of quail breasts to eat!! i am sure we'll share them with david....if anyone has any ideas of how to cook the little suckers, i'd greatly appreciate it. poor little fellows...i know they are raised for this purpose...as game birds but it doesn't change that they were once flying around and now they will be dinner. there is just something that moves in me when i come this close to our meat as it was in its animal life...as opposed to packaged self.
on this same note, i drove by a handful of deer the other day on faust farm rd...and then returned that same way about a half hour later and the deer were still milling about. i slowed down, curious as to why they had not moved on and discovered a dead fawn just off the road. the other deer didn't want to leave the little one....they kept coming back to her. how sad! it is just hard for me sometimes to wrap my mind around eating thinking creatures......

Birdseed Poopie

yesterday, esme just played and played on the back porch while i cooked dinner....i knew she was in the bird seed moving it from one locale to the other but i didn't realize she was EATING so much of it! ha! anyway....sorry this is super gross...i just laughed when i saw all the seed in her diaper!

Off to Canton for the day...

to visit with joan and kay. kay is getting a bit bored i think so the kids and i are going up to hang out and play for the day...should be home tonight...hopefully so i can celebrate ellison's bday with everyone!!! yay ellison =)!!
we watched sherlock holmes last night and then read in bed and slept SOUNDLY until 5....it was a beautiful thing ...

Snuggling with Daddy

Nursing Home

esme and i went to the nursing home to see miss bell this morning while jack and josh went to church....she found great company with the cabinets...after unloading any toilet paper in them, she crawled in and played hide and seek with miss bell. who was doing well...she desperately wants to come home...but can't walk yet. the home isn't wonderful but it isn't terrible either...the halls are named things like "merry meadows" and "comfort way"....lots of people...and an old place...but she was clean and happy and chatty....showing off the cards people have sent to her that ron brought by for her from her house. i need to stop by her house soon...

Paper for the Fire

jack and esme took all the stuffing out of a box and played and played this morning...what a mess but super fun =)