Ice Fishing

Today we went ice fishing. Really, it was a nice day. I personally was cold, although others told me it was warm. I am just a woosie. It snowed, it stopped. It snowed, the fish bit, it stopped, so did they. We caught a few fish, and when the fish were biting, it didn't seem so cold. I also faced another situation that nobody else seemed too concerned about, themselves. You see, I was the only female with 7 men and boys. Need I say any more? Needless to say, I drank minimal amounts of hot chocolate, and went on a short 4-wheeler adventure alone. The sunset was beautiful, and after an adventurous ride out (yikes), we are warm and cozy at home. Enjoy the pictures!

Drip, drip, drip...

Drip, drip, drip.... Guess what? It's 38 degrees outside. Guess what? My house is leaking. Drip, drip, drip... Luckily, the leak in the kitchen is above the sink. Ting, Ting, Ting... Most of the leak in the bathroom is above the toilet. Splosh, splosh, splosh... The rest in the bathroom is covered with a bucket and a garbage can. Drip, drip, drip... It's leaking in the laundry room, and around the stovepipe. szzz, szzz, szzz... and into a bucket by the sliding glass door. Drip, drip, drip... Coincidentally, I've got a cold, so my nose is dripping also! Nothing like a nice quiet day at home!

A Christmas Confession

This was read at our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, and I just wanted to share it:
I believe in Jesus Christ and the beauty of the gospel in Bethlehem.
I believe in the One whos spirit glorified a little town.
I believe in the One for whom the crowded inn could find no room
I believe in the One whose life was among the common people and
Whose welcome came from persons of hungry hearts.
I believe in the One who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible.
I believe in the One whose cradle was a mother's arms,
Who looked at people and made them see what God's love saw in them.
Who by love, brought sinners back to purity,
And lifted human weakness up to meet the strength of God.
I confess the many things that stand in the way of the true celebration
Of Christmas and of God's love.
I confess my ever-lasting need of God:
The need of forgiveness for selfishness and greed,
The need of new life for empty souls,
The need of love for hearts grown cold.
I believe in Jesus Christ, the son of the living God,
Born in Bethlehem this night, for me and for the world.
I believe that in and through Him comes God's gift of forgiveness and
New life, both here and in the world to come.
I believe in the One who was born this night that taught us to pray...

It continued with the Lord's Prayer. The Christmas Eve service was wonderful, with more than 70 people in attendance! For our little church, this was 6-7 times more than an average Sunday. What an uplifting experience. Merry Christmas, everyone.

We're readers

We're readers. Love books. Enjoy curling up and devouring a story. We derive great joy from perusing Barnes and Noble. We walk in the door, say "see ya later," and pass each other from time to time, often with a pile of literary works in our arms. I've been collecting books for years. How-to books, works of fiction, childrens books, among others. Evidently, so has my husband; westerns, science fiction, mysteries.

So, if you are a reader yourself, you can imagine the joy our latest home improvement project brought us. We finished built-in bookshelves, transforming our office into a library!!! We could hardly contain our excitement, and proceeded to put many of our books in place.

The history you must know is that the shelves are modeled after the desk my dad built us as a wedding gift. He gave us what was left of the stain, and that is what was used on the shelves. John created the design for the shelves, we cut them, I sanded and stained them, and we assembled them together. So, without further ado:

And now, we need more books! Mind you, not all of our books are on these shelves, but most are. Barnes and Noble, here we come!

Shoveling, continued...

So, a few minutes ago, my loving husband appeared from downstairs, dressed in his winter clothing. "What are you doing?" I asked innocently. "This was your plan all along, wasn't it? he replied. I truly didn't expect him to go out and shovel, but I must admit, it worked out quite nicely. And, evidently, he believed me when I said I couldn't figure the best way to shovel that much snow. Or, he felt the need to put a dent in the drift before it got any bigger. Or, he wanted to get out of the house? Whatever the reason, I'll be thankful, for now.

-30F

What does 30 degrees below Fahrenheit, windchill, feel like you wonder? I'm guessing if you've felt it, it's not something you wish to dwell on, or repeat, if you can help it. If you haven't felt it, let me be the first to tell you, it's cold. After too long, I am certain, it hurts. Why, why, why, you ask yourselves? Well, there is a drift in our driveway, and it is my "turn" to shovel it. My loving husband told me it needed to be done in order for my car to leave the drive. Logic, albeit misplaced, told me the sooner I got the problem under control, the easier it would be to keep it under control. Also, the forecast told me it will be colder tomorrow than today. So, I dressed up in SEVERAL layers, shovel in hand, and attempted to shovel the driveway. I say attempted because, as my friend Celestia says, "it was like nailing jell-o to a tree." It's still snowing. It's still blowing. And, it is cold. Cold, I tell you. Needless to say, I wasn't out there even five minutes. There is a silly looking strip of shoveled snow down the driveway. Actually, there WAS a silly looking strip of shoveled snow down the driveway. I am quite certain it has blown in by now. I'm kind of wishing I had backed my vehicle into the garage last night (smart plan Eric and Anne). Please don't be frightened, and please remember I had several layers on (and the camera adds ten pounds). Here's a pic of me attempting to nail jell-o, I mean shovel the driveway.

Let me tell you, the house feels a lot warmer, now!

"I feel like a blueberry." said by a 5 year old. What does a blueberry feel like I wonder? Juicy? plump? blue? sugar covered? When asked, he says it feels like he's going to eat himself. I'm concerned. Not so much that he'll try to eat himself, but what our school day has in store...
If you have a minute, you might pray for my patience today. This week has been a test so far, and things can only get more exciting as we get closer and closer to our Christmas program. December 22nd, if you're wondering. 6pm potluck.

If You're Not from the Prairie...

Things that went through my mind yesterday, on the prairie, mostly, and mostly on a 4-wheeler:
*Do I have everything I need?
*How do you drink coffee and drive a 4-wheeler?
*Shift!
*How should I chronicle this on my blog?
*Lines from the book, "If You're Not from the Prairie," by Bouchard
*How many people would be familiar with that children's book?
*What IS he doing?
*Daydreaming while driving a 4-wheeler next to a fence is probably a bad idea
*"Always an adventure!"
*"If you're not from the prairie, you don't know the wind."
*Bump!
*Find a stick, find a stick, why didn't I pick up that stick 1/2 mile back?
*You want me to do what?
* Did he forget "my" 4-wheeler isn't an automatic like his?
*How do you put this thing in reverse?
*How Do You Get this thing OUT of Reverse!!
*Don't go there, you can't reverse!
*How many miles are we going to cover? (37, as it turned out!)
*Um, going up that incline at that angle was not the best choice.
*I'm glad the 4-wheeler didn't tip over on me!
*Does he really think I'm going to follow him up that hill?
*Do I really have to drive back down this hill?
*Dear God, please keep us safe, guide my hands and my mind.
*How does a coyote get mange?
*Oh great, I'm stuck!
*What does the SAHM life mean?
*Does Mary know?
* Could it be Super Aunt, Human Missile?
*Bump!
*Or maybe Super Android Humanistic Mom?
*Maybe it's backwards for Mothers Having a Syndrome.
*It's getting dark!
*Seriously, that 4-wheeler is out of gas?
*This isn't as bad as I anticipated, being pulled on a 4-wheeler by a 4-wheeler.
*What a beautiful sunset!
*It's getting dark, and cold.
*Where is the pickup?
*Brrr Bump!
*Could it be Senile And Happy Memories?
*Thank God, there's the pickup.
*What an enjoyable day.
*Except the wind.

What a great weekend! There was a lot accomplished (not the curtains), including laying around watching t.v. I'm all rejuvenated and ready for another week. Okay, so it's a short week, but jam-packed with activity at school. Since we missed school Friday, I will be rearranging lesson plans, although they should fit nicely into today! Anyway, how will you be spending Turkey Day? I've got a fairly decent recipe for leftover turkey if anyone wants it! Maybe I'll post it later this week.
Happy Monday, Happy Week, Happy Thanksgiving!
Tip of the week: Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and good with ketchup!

Staining shelves

Well, I went straight to work here at home. I stained one side of the shelves for our library, ate lunch while eating television, and stained the second side of the shelves. I've almost finished the laundry, and when Anne and I get finished visiting, "Hi, Anne!" will go clean the church and drop off dry cleaning. Here's part of my accomplishments:

Snow Day!

So, this morning, I took off from my driveway, down the street, and thought to myself, "Self, wouldn't it be nice to have a pickup for days like today?"

"Yes, it would." I answered myself.

And, indeed, it would. I made it over the hill out of town, pushing snow as I went, when I decided maybe I needed a plan B. So I called our school chairperson. We decided that we would wait about an hour, then I, the guinea pig, would try the roads again. So I did. I made it further the second time, but decided driving 25-30 mph was getting me somewhere very slowly, hopefully not the ditch. I pulled over when I decided I had had enough slipping and sliding, and called said board member, and we called it a snow day.

So now, what to do with a day off? Go cross country skiing? No, getting them out of the attic alone could prove as dangerous as driving to school. That will have to wait. Sit around in sweats catching up on NCIS and Jon and Kate plus 8? Good choice. Catch up on projects? I could attempt to sew those curtains, although I am by no means a seamstress, and the shelves need to be sanded and stained. Hmm. Clean house? Yuck, but somebody's got to do it, sometime. Well, time will tell. Not sure I'm ready to settle into a day of vegging in front of the t.v., but cleaning house doesn't sound that great, either. Projects, here I come! And maybe a little laundry.

Pansies and Johnnies

Can you believe it's the middle of November? Today, as I write this, we have had flurries off and on, and winter seems to be setting in (again). Will it last this time? Time will tell, I guess. On Friday, before book club, I ran out to my flower bed, and took a few snapshots of my still beautiful flowers. It's a bit shocking to me that in November, I still have actual blooms in my garden. Is it the weather, or have I truly created my own microclimate in the rock-encircled corner? Maybe a combination of both, but I'm so proud of these little faces, that I just had to share!

Threadbare Gypsy Soul

Well, here's an ode to Pat Green. Follow along if you can!
"Got myself a threadbare gypsy soul, likes to dance and drink and go wherever the wind blows..." You see, I'm itching to get away, and looking forward to a weekend away in December, even though it will involve wading through the Christmas shopping crowds. However, that's about 3 weeks away, and "I ain't goin nowhere, mama." until then. I used to have a rockin horse too, but mine would gallop to Hardee's for lunch, not Galleywinter. "If I am truly crazy, don't you know I like my life that way, if I'm really going crazy, won't you hop on board? I could use some company! Meanwhile, "the grass ain't always greener on the other side...count your blessings come as they may." So, until December, I won't "put the cart before the horse, unless he knows how to push it, of course."
Believe you me, though, I may not be able to jump the gun, but I will "jump in with both feet," come that weekend.
I will count my blessings, come as they may, since everything I said was the gosh-darn truth. "It ain't what you said, just how you said it," and I think I've taken this far enough!

No moments to spare...

But a quick post, if you stayed tuned! Winter is here. No major snow accumulation here, but it's cold! Like I said, no moments to spare, so this is super-short!

Here comes winter!

Lewistown residents are claiming they received several inches of snow after an inch of rain. Here, the clouds are settling in and hanging down. The wind has picked up. It's 36 degrees outside. There's an 80% chance of precipitation. The students are getting restless. All signs point to us getting winter weather. Stay tuned...

Turkey Shoot

On Sunday we went to the local "Turkey shoot." No, you do not shoot at turkeys, you shoot for turkeys! You see, when you win a round of the target shooting, you get a ticket for a turkey. It was a beautiful day; very little wind, no snow or rain or combination of the three, just beautiful. So that leaves some of us saying, "How much turkey, turkey soup, turkey whatever can we eat this winter?" I'm thinking I sent out the book club menu too soon! Don't worry, we'll make sure it doesn't go to waste. I hope to include pictures on the blog, so bare with me!

Just a moment

Well, our school Halloween party was loads of fun. We got together with 3 other rural schools, and I almost think the kids would be delighted to simply play with the other kids, but we threw in some games. We had an egg and spoon race on scooters, which didn't work out very logistically; I think the teachers should have eaten some sugar before we started. There was a candy corn toss; I personally believe throwing candy corn at a bucket outside is much better than eating it. We had a cake walk, skeleton scramble, and breaking of the pinata. Time went too quickly, and it was time to clean up after the potluck.
I figure we had nearly 50 trick-or-treaters last night. Most of the kids forgot the words! You know, "Trick-or-Treat!" At least they remembered "Thank you." Overall, it was a pleasant day, one of the warmest Halloween's I can remember.

Manic Monday

Why, why, why, I ask myself; Why don't I pack an extra cup of coffee on Mondays? This was another crazy one, with students talking to me, reading to me, telling me they CAN'T, asking one question after another. Well, this is my job, but some days, I just don't know. One student was absent today, which only left 4, all boys, but with 4 grades, the upcoming "Author's Tea," which, I truly believe is good for the students, the looming presence of Halloween and of course a Halloween party with a pinata only 1/4 of the way done, things got a bit daunting today. Okay, perhaps it would be best not to advertise that I am a teacher, with the recurring run-on sentences I seem to be constructing, but it was a long day. Oh yeah, it is mid-term today, too! Also, Red Ribbon week would have to be this week, too, and I am trying to sum up a short unit on the election! I must remember this day in January, when things are so quiet I cannot stand it. How was your Monday?

Church today

I find church to be uplifting, a renewing of my soul, and today was no exception. We sang "This Is The Day" to start the service, which is one of my favorites. Our 4th Sunday pastor is energetic and friendly in a sincere way. I really enjoy his sermons. Today, though, I know the message was a good one, about living by the law, the law of the Old Testament, the laws of our nation and of our state. But, did you know there is a law about dancing on the bar? Evidently if you are dancing on the bar of the local tavern, you must be wearing 3 1/2 pounds of clothing. That's what I walked away with, along with that uplifting, renewal, and a few hymns stuck in my head! For future reference, my Ariat Fat Baby boots weigh 2.5 pounds. This is important to remember, I'm sure.