Kids, Lakes, Loons and Pines

Twenty!

Twenty years ago today we said I do!

I love the life that we have sharing together as husband and wife.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Welcome 2021

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

Sending you love and light as we embark upon a new year!

We've been keeping busy and healthy, getting out every day we can.

I've been busy with lots of freelance opportunities working from home including some new work for BobVila.com.  You can check out some of my first contribution through this link or the new sidebar button I just linked up here on this site.

Wishing you the best in the year ahead!

Thanksgiving 2020

Well, Thanksgiving looked quite a bit different this year than it has in years past.   We had a smaller gathering, but made connections with extended family over the phone and zoom.

Our day included rhythms of preparation, feasting, rest and fresh air.

We are full of gratitude for our blessings.

::eighteen::

Eighteen years ago today we said I do!

I love the life that we have sharing together as husband and wife.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

::seventeen::

Seventeen years ago today we said I do!

I love the life that we have sharing together as husband and wife.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Kids and Eggs - Easter Inspiration

If you need a little bit of Easter inspiration check out these posts wrote for mothering.com:   

Go Natural This Easter: How to Dye Eggs With Natural Items ...- Mothering

Eco Friendly Easter Basket Ideas - mothering.com

Making Ukrainian Easter Eggs - mothering.com

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  Thanks for reading!

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If you need a little bit of Easter inspiration check out these posts wrote for mothering.com:   

Go Natural This Easter: How to Dye Eggs With Natural Items ...- Mothering

Eco Friendly Easter Basket Ideas - mothering.com

Making Ukrainian Easter Eggs - mothering.com

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  Thanks for reading!

Thanksgiving!

 

Around Here

The bears are out of hibernation.   I woke up to this guy the other day (we named him Fuzzy).  Last night he visited too.   Hoping that he is tempted away from the homestead with some other food options soon.
The blueberry plants are blooming.  We found the opportunity to share our backwoods in this beautiful place in which we live with some family members this weekend as we celebrated our son's first communion.  During one of our hikes, I was pleased to find some blossoms on some blueberry bushes.
The suckers are starting to run.  The kids found one or two today, soon they will be running farther up our creek, a sure sign of spring.

My family made me feel special with cards, a gift, handmade items and a lovely dinner that we shared outdoors to celebrate Mother's Day.

It was a lovely weekend!

Holiday Snapshots

 

 

Oh what fun.....

Our Christmas was a little here and there as we shared a gift of an experience with our children this year.  After a morning hike and ski we took to the road and spent the night in a hotel in Duluth.  We were able to experience Bentleyville and some time jumping around at Planet 3 Trampoline Park.   After that and a couple of meals out, we did some shopping and restocking and are now back home ready to enjoy some unstructured time at home for the rest of our Christmas break, which will likely involve time indoors as we are waking up to sub-zero temps.

We'll make the most of it!

 

Around Here...

The colors are reflecting the change in the seasons from summer to fall.  Our weather has been rather extreme, hot and humid one day, then cold and rainy another.  

The garden is producing.  We have had a stretch of warm and humid days which has helped to ripen tomatoes.  I have never has so many ripe tomatoes in the fall!  I have been busy canning tomatoes and making and canning salsa to line our pantry shelves for our family to enjoy.

The bees are hanging in there.  The nectar flow has pretty much ceased in our neck of the woods.  The warm weather has kept the bees active, but hungry.  I made a sloppy candy board with a pollen patty and consolidated the bees into one super recently as I start to prepare and transition them with hope that this colony will make it through our long winter ahead.

Other happenings:

We are keeping busy following our children in their athletic endeavors.  Fall extra curricular include cross-country running, a kids marathon race and flag football.

I ran too!   I returned to the running scene and completed a local half marathon after having a competition hiatus for the last 13 or so years.  It felt good to accomplish this goal.

Since I have last posted we have also celebrated this special boy's 8th birthday!  

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Oh how our life is rich and full!  This mindful practice of reflecting upon still images serves as a reminder of all of the beauty in my life, especially on difficult days. This simple practice fills me with gratitude and evokes feelings of joy and love.   I invite you to play along.