The mind grows by taking in, but the heart grows by giving out; and it is important to maintain a balanced life. 
I finally completed this dress! I was going to put a few covered buttons in the pink print down the front and not use the waistband. After adding the waistband, I felt the dress needed a focal point so I added the flower with a button center. I am happy with how it turned out-especially the the bright "springy" colors. I'll add this to the shop as soon as I get my "resident photographer"to get some pics tomorrow.
I hear so many people complaining about the cold weather and wishing for warmth or travel to warmer places. I happen to like winter. It is such a cozy time of year. Winter makes me think of so many warm and comforting things:
candles burning, soup cooking in the crockpot, hot tea, reading books in the evening, snuggling up with a blanket on your lap, snowflakes drifting down, the smell of homemade bread baking, the feel of a warm scarf next to your neck, family gathered together in the living room for the evening, snow glistening in the sun on a frigid morning, birds searching for food, thanking God for a warm house.
~~Photo by my Sarah
This morning was one of those gorgeous winter mornings when the sun shines and the snow looks glittery. The temperatures are still below normal. This picture is of our backyard and aimed towards the creek that runs beside our property. For some reason, the cats always make a path in the same spot. In the summer, the grass is worn away where they walk. If you look closely, you can see a Blue Jay in the bush.
Here is a close-up of the Blue Jay. Isaac and I watched two of them steal Jeb's dog food while we did his math this morning. The outside cats were also watching -but they weren't fast enough.
We made up three Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes this year. Shortly before Christmas we received an email that our boxes had been sent to Botswana. We received a tracking number by paying for our shipping online. How exciting to know where our boxes ended up!
When we first started making up shoe boxes, the kids would always try to scan the pamphlets for wrapping paper that looked like ours. We never did recognize any of our boxes. However, one year we did receive a postcard from a girl in Moldova who had received one. This is such a great mission project that the boys can really relate to. They enjoy picking out toys, candy and school supplies that they thought a boy their age would also enjoy.
Josh wanted to make cookies today. I tried to talk him out of it because I was baking bread and we had Awana at church tonight. But he insisted-so I gave in. Here he is carefully measuring the brown sugar.
Erica lends a helping hand. The recipe made more than they thought it would. Next time we'll use the larger Kitchenaid mixer.
Rolling the dough in sugar.
Just out of the oven.
Mmmm!
Pocket pies made by Erica. She makes the best pie crust (a skill she did not inherit from me). These ones were apple.Yummm!
We got her this for Christmas at Williams-Sonoma. They have some neat items! They can be a little pricey but I can usually find a few treasures that aren't too costly. Plus, I know that she'll use this for years.
