Snow Flurries

Ready, set, go! Sledding is serious business as you can see by the look of concentration on Pea's face. Or maybe that's just because she's snacking on a handful of snow.

Mama may or may not have ventured down the hill a couple of times, too.

Making the snow angels. Rae had to make a "choir of angels."

After the fun, the snowsuits are hung to dry by the fire...

and we enjoy hot cocoa with enormous marshmallows to warm us to our toes. I followed the recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa can, but added some cinnamon with the sugar (left over from baking snickerdoodles.) Yum.

Bearing The Cost

"Once more, a little whispering laugh passed through the leaves, and she thought she heard them say, 'I was separated from all my companions, exiled from home, carried here and imprisoned in this rock. It was not my choice, but the work of others who, when they had dropped me here, went away and left me to bear the results of what they had done.
'I have borne and have not fainted; I have not ceased to love, and Love helped me push through the crack in the rock until I could look right out onto my Love the sun himself.'" ~ The blood-red flower of Forgiveness, Hinds' Feet On High Places by Hannah Hurnard

From The Mouths Of Babes

Babies are a common topic around our house right now, as you might guess. The other day, Raegan was happily chattering about getting to help feed and dress our newest little one and summed up her feelings in general,

"Babies are such nice mammals."

Yesterday the girls were having trouble listening and obeying quickly. We were taking a trail walk and had a pie baking in the oven and I strongly suggested that we hurry back so the pie wouldn't burn. When they lagged, I decided that maybe not having a slice would be a good reminder to mind Mama. At home Morgan solemnly asked if they really had to miss out on dessert. I told her that sometimes I needed to take drastic measures to help them remember to be good.

"But not like calling the police, right?"

note: They did eventually get pie...

Three Little Kittens

Three little kittens,
They lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
Oh, mother dear,
We sadly fear
Our mittens we have lost.
What! Lost your mittens,
You naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
You shall have no pie.

The three little kittens,
They found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
Oh, mother dear,
See here, see here,
Our mittens we have found.
What! Found your mittens,
You darling kittens!
Then you shall have some pie.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
You shall have some pie.

The three little kittens,
Put on their mittens,
And soon ate up the pie;
Oh, mother dear,
We greatly fear
Our mittens we have soiled.
What! Soiled your mittens,
You naughty kittens!
Then they began to sigh,
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
They began to sigh.

The three little kittens,
They washed their mittens,
And hung them out to dry;
Oh mother dear,
Look here, look here,
Our mittens we have washed.
What! Washed your mittens,
You're such good kittens.
I smell a rat close by!
Hush! Hush! Hush! Hush!
Hush! Hush! Hush!
I smell a rat close by.

nursery rhyme from kididdles.com

Bee My Valentines

Busy little sweethearts making valentines.

Choosy Nester

Lady G has decided that the old bench on the front porch is a much better nesting place than her freshly cleaned coop. So she has figured out how to fly out every day around noon to lay her egg here. Then she startles me with her very loud announcement in front of the window, and wants me to put her back in her pen.

It wouldn't be so bad if the egg didn't crack every time because there are no shavings to soften its landing.

Terminator...

...you look fabulous, dahling!