LIFE LATELY

This is going to be one of those lengthy, what we've been up to kinds of posts. With tons of photos, because, well, what other way is there to do it?  =)

We don't get out with just these two very often. Don't we look so cold?!? Brrr....

Dad took the boys out for loaded burgers at Five Guys, so I took my little Isabelles out for lunch, too. I don't know what got into her, but halfway through our meal she started smoking her French Fries, and loudly. I nearly lost it when she called me "dah-ling."  HA  I can't make this stuff up.

Making crepes with berries and cream, and I thought the different colors looked so pretty.

Sending this one off for an overnight youth group trip. He came home with a ginormous bruise on his forehead and an even bigger one on his thigh. Life is all one motion for this one right here: fast forward.

It looks beautiful but truthfully we only lasted about fifteen minutes. It was a few degrees below zero without factoring in the wind chill.

Pond skating. I think the sun was actually out before I took this photo, and came out right after. ha ha My fingers were too numb to keep trying. Ethan was making her laugh all afternoon.

He also drove us an hour away to one of the bigger malls in the area. It was kind of fun to let the guys go do their own thing for a few minutes and then meet back up with Isabelle and me. Of course little Isabelle is with us. :) I'm not much of a shopper, nor do I particularly enjoy malls, but it just sort of happened, and it was fun.

Heading off to our new Bible Study. Caleb and Isabelle come with us and play with the other kids; Jonah and Ethan stay at home because there really isn't anything there for them. I don't love that part, but it seems to be the phase we're in right now. (Not a bad phase of them rebelling or anything; what I mean is, the study isn't for them, and they're much older than the other children, so they wouldn't be hanging out with peers/friends.)

We've traded in the balance beam for ballet slippers. She was SO SO excited to do ballet...until we got there and she completed her first class. Sigh. Not totally sure how it's going to go, but we'll see!

Just Ethan, Ryder and me on our favorite trails. I love this time with him.

My cute little pancake helper.

I don't change out my glasses very often, but after six years, I thought it might be time. I was sending these "sample" pics to William. Good thing I can laugh at myself. ;)

Can you see it? The snow is almost level with the railings! This is looking straight out the door in the back of the garage. Crazy snow this year.

It was also time for Caleb's second round of follow-ups for his broken leg. We're going on Year 2 now, and it has not healed as well as his doctors had hoped. So for now we monitor it and try to be extra careful- do you remember the comment I wrote about this boy above? Yeah, good luck with that one!

BOGGLE has invaded our house and I love love love it! I find them like this all the time. But they still can't their Mama, ha ha.

Isabelle has wanted to be a cowgirl for a long time, I think because she figures she'd just get to play with horses and ponies all day long. One of her Spirit Week days was to dress up as what you want to be when you grow up, and she debated between this and a ballerina all week long. And given that she hasn't actually liked ballet all that much, I'm figuring THAT was more about getting to wear a leotard and tutu to school than anything else. Which boring old Mom sort of put her foot down on. She doesn't look too upset about it.

We kidnapped the birthday boy and took him out to lunch. So fun!

The waiters all sang to him and his face was SO red. 

Now with ponies and the birthday boy. Oh, and Ryder the wonder dog. Clearly my life is extremely dull and predictable.

I had to take this so people would believe me... I'm at the stop sign, trying in vain to see what's coming beyond that snow mountain. Crazy!

Ethan and I had a nice conversation the other morning after he asked me what I was reading. I took this picture so I'd remember the moment...

...and the moment quickly included a giant cat. Sneakers rubbed all over my hands as I tried to turn pages and then just flopped his large self right on top of my Bible, rolling over onto his back with his legs all up in the air. He is so funny.

Ah, and yesterday afternoon we were outside without mittens or hats or even coats! YES! So we walked babies (my baby was the dog) and chatted about life and stuff. She was extra excited because I had gone downstairs and opened up this stroller that's been sitting undisturbed for nearly two years and let her use it since she's so big now. We had a lovely walk around our neighborhood, but I was still a little sad at the thought of that stroller not having my own baby in it.

The Lord is near to the broken hearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

The sadness is real and far-reaching, the emptiness hasn't left me, but I am trusting God to restore and to heal. My blessings are immeasurably more than I deserve.