As the rain droppeth...

"The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed-
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.”
 ~William Shakespeare

It is a wet, drizzly, gray day. I have always been one who loves the rain and the coziness it brings. I smile today knowing I don't have to go anywhere, knowing that make-up and hairspray are not on the agenda. Today it is sweats and fuzzy socks.

So in honor of what some would call a "dismal" day, I am headed to the kitchen to concoct something that entails lots of root vegetables for the crock pot, maybe even turn on a little Norah Jones while I'm in the process. This may not be the sun-drenched day we've all been yearning for, but there is plenty of good to be found in a plain old rainy day.

{PICTURES OF MARCH-where did the month go?}

We enjoyed some fabulous weather during Ryan's spring break which afforded him to finally build us a shed--even had our first BBQ and lighting of the Tiki torches!

The roofers

Christian received his Bobcat last night. He was thrilled beyond belief, as was Pierce the night before when he received 4 merit badges and his Tenderfoot! So mad I forgot my camera for that!

Ry helped Christian build this birdhouse to fulfill one of his scout requirements

Apple blossoms

Christian's very own radish box. As you can see, as of this morning nothing has sprouted yet! Radishes (the big white ones) are an Adams/McFarland tradition.

Tomatoes and peppers. Gotta love the cloches. They've served us well these past few freezing nights!

The latest on the garden. Ry made a third box, along with these lovely "cages" to protect our precious veggies from those naughty little devils, the squirrels! They even like digging in my herb pots, not sure why!

Our lovely rain barrel. We couldn't wait to get one of these--how could we not when the price of water is horrendous here and when we get so much rain in VB?--it just makes sense, so this is what we will water our garden with. As of this morning I think it was full from the rain we've received lately, and Ryan only hooked it up on Saturday!

Don't know if you've seen this yet, but if you are in need of a little brightness today, RUN to Target, seriously, and pick up one of these tablecloths!!! I am in love with the bright green and of course anything gingham. It's perfect for Easter Ü. It will NOT disappoint.

Walk on Water

Music is one of my greatest sources of inspiration. I feel like it connects me with heaven. It speaks to me in a way that nothing else can and in a language of its very own. My upcoming lesson includes two of my most favorite miracles Jesus performed during his ministry here on earth: when He walked on the sea, invites Peter to come to him, and calms the winds, and when he miraculously feeds more than 5,000 people with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fishes. I stumbled across this song which is playing, not even looking for it, but oh how perfect it is for me as I prepare and think about what this lesson really means to all of us and where my own faith stands. I sometimes have a hard time connecting with certain lessons, but this is one that I can't wait to delve in to. Miracles happen all around us, some so small we may take them for granted. But large or small they do come. In the Lord's time and in the Lord's way. I've learned that when they do happen I should write them down in my journal, that very day, so as never to forget them. I know they will be a strength to look back on someday not only for me, but for my posterity as well as we recognize just how much the Lord's hand really is in our lives.

She's In!

Just have to spread the good news--Gwen got accepted to The Governor's School for the Arts! We are all so happy. GSA has different departments, and she will be in the Instrumental Music Department for the violin. This is an incredible opportunity for Gwen. I still can't believe that not only will she be in HIGH SCHOOL this coming September (still doesn't seem possible!), but she will also be attending this awesome school. She will attend her core classes at her regular high school in the morning, and then attend Governor's school for 3 hours in the afternoon each day. There are approximately 90 students in the instrumental department. And one really awesome thing about this school, is IT'S FREE! I'm so extremely proud of my Gwennie that she got in. After almost 8 years of playing violin, things are really starting to pay off. SO ALL YOU PARENTS OUT THERE, who are struggling to get your kids to practice their music, who are wondering if it will ever get any better, if all the money and time you are putting into your child's musical education is worth it....HECK YES IT IS! Don't give up and don't let them give up. There were times that Gwen wanted to quit, but we saw the potential in Gwen and could not let her do that. As parents we want to let our kids make their own choices, but we also need to teach them persistence and not just quitting when things get tough. The blood, sweat, and tears (many-a-tears between my two girls and their violins) are part of the learning process and some day we will look back on those times and laugh!

March

The doom and gloom of the winter months are OVER! Yahoo! Thank heavens VB has a short winter season. March has proven to be a "light"month, delivering loads of lightness, sunshine and warmth, answers to prayers, and joy in our family. Spring has officially sprung here, hence the lack of blog posts. Sorry to say that I have neglected the blog world completely for several weeks, but the break has actually been quite nice. But to prove my love and affection for y'all, here's an update with lots of pictures and all.

The trees are blossoming and flowering everywhere you turn your head. I never realized the fragrance blossoms put off! The beauty of the earth never ceases to amaze. People are out walking their dogs, mowing their lawns, washing their cars, planting their gardens, and I even got my first official sunburn of the year and stocked up on popsicles and pink lemonade. We are soaking it all up before the heat of summer arrives. The kids are thriving in school. After nearly 8 months of living here, they are completely content and engaged in their new life and friends here, although they of course still miss our family in Utah terribly. School is great for Ryan--loving every minute of it and learning lots of really cool stuff. Work is great and satisfying for me. I'm thankful to be employed when so many are not. Ry turned 36 yesterday, my turn will be shortly. I honestly don't care how old I get, as long as people keep confusing me and Ry for newlyweds I'm good! I got my hair lightened and am loving the new me. I never got this many compliments when my hair was dark, so guess what? It may be staying light for a very long time!! Ü The garden is coming along and it's exciting to go look at it each day and see how fast those little seeds grow. I planted a large pot of peony bulbs and am working on collecting herbs for the garden. Ry's spring break is next week, and all I can say is PAR-TAY!! I think he is secretly planning to be outside 24/7 working in our yard, and I know I will want to be out there with him. Lots of plans for this run-down yard of ours including the building of a shed and planting grass. He will have plenty to keep him busy. So until next time...auf wiedersehen!

Each year Christian is the most excited of all to plant seeds

Square foot gardening at its finest



Free firewood! And its pine! Yum. Most nights when Ryan comes home he will go out and play lumberjack and split wood. I can't wait to smell and "hear" this stuff burning this coming winter!

Plum tree






I smile everytime I pull into the driveway as I look at the blossoms and flowers

New Beginnings

Pierce surprised Ry by playing Happy Birthday for him last night

A lazy Sunday afternoon





It was carrot cake this year