Chilly days, good days

 7 degrees, 14 degrees .....

Gosh these days are chilly but the sunshine is glorious! Each day little ice crystals for on the Russian Olives, tumbleweeds, and trees. We can spot them at first daylight.

We live in one of the most beautiful places. 

Vance went to Cabo last week. He spent the week with a great group of guys, a group that we find ourselves spending some holiday weekends with. Included in these weekends is good food, lots of laughter, funny stories and time in the sun! Vance said the fishing was not great, but he enjoyed the company and the temperatures were comfortable. 

I have been scrapbooking and making cards for 30 plus years. For many years I have saved every scrap of paper. I went through three or four bins of scrapbooking and card making supplies while Vance was away.  I always set aside stickers and papers for kinder classes. These little people just love using these supplies at their writing centers. 

I took a small stack of papers, cards, stamps and stamp pads  to our little one room cabin on the creek. I hunkered down in there on an 18 degree day with a little space heater. I enjoyed watching the birds take off and land on the creek. My friend Marilyn joined me for an hour. She appreciates the beauty of Crab Creek as much as I do. 

Monday I taught kindergarten. These precious emerging readers and writers sure make me smile.

Oren is signing up to be a peer mentor at his school. When he filled out the form about his interests and his qualifications, I was smiling from ear to ear!

It looks like our levy has passed!! I am so incredibly thankful!! Thank you to all who took the time to vote! 

Cheers to 2025!

 Life is cruising right along. 

Through 2024 I realized I was following behind in the technology world. There seemed to be no way for to adequately keep up. I got a bit discouraged and somewhat lazy and began to walk away from some things I so enjoyed because frustration won. 

Well, the great thing that the new year brings is an attitude that includes goals and new beginnings. 

I am back to blogging. I have hopes of improving my photography. Keeping up on my sports instagram is a goal. In addition to this,  I hope to finish the book I began writing in 2021. 

On September 4th I made a decision to eat cleaner and that has been a remarkable blessing. I still have an occasional gin and tonic, a bite of a cinnamon roll, or a small sweet treat. I told myself no egg nog this holiday season. Yes, it is hard. I have a couple of friends who make THE MOST FABULOUS egg nog lattes. I have not indulged. The best part of this is the movement I have added; a lot more walking. 

I eat a lot of berries, veggies, and nuts. I have lost 14 pounds. 

Merit is a breath of fresh air, light and love. 

He was a broke college kid and decided to take a gap year and is working as a server and a bartender. He is making good money and when he finishes his degree in 2025/2026. He will have some money in savings to pull from, for food, entertainment, life .... as his dad and I pay his tuition and rent.

Willem is living in Walla Walla. School comes easy to him. He is an excellent, motivated college student. He lives in a small 1940s house, a house with SO much character. He is comic relief, kindness, and a problem solver.

Hazel is loving her freshman year. Some may agree, these are four of the best years of one's life. Hazel is social, fun, smart, motivated and does not like during household chores. 😂 Her horses miss her because she just gives them a fraction of her time, understandably because she really is a busy girl. Animals adore her, nothing has changed there. I think most people do too. 

Oren is our caboose. He is the kindest person I have ever met. 

Vance does a lot of the cooking. He works from home. I think he is bored some days. He pushes me in ways I never wanted to be pushed. 26 years married and we are short on marriage advice. 😂But who knows, we could be leading marriage retreats in five years. JUST. KEEP. SWIMMING. And praying, especially praying.

I am tired -I am not going to lie. But, I think that the self respect that I am committed to showing myself along with laying all of my worries at the feet of Jesus is going to make 2025 the best it can be.

I learned in 2024 that my skin is pretty damn thick.

I don't give up easily AND I have the best friends ANY GIRL could ever ask for. 

I feel thankful and grateful and blessed. 

Raising kids now compared to ten years ago feels significantly more challenging. But I am thankful and inspired that all four of them consistently make good choices. I am very grateful for my family, immediate and extended. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OPJ!!!

THIS KID IS THE BEST!!!

PRAYIING BLESSINGS OVER YOU OREN! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

 

Life!

The baseball game Tuesday in Wenatchee was a letdown, but the drive home was not! I captured these beauties in Quincy --

And I had so much fun at White Trail Produce, a gift shop, produce stand and coffee shop near Crescent Bar.

The baseball games last night - celebrating senior night - resulted in two wins! The second game going into extra innings!! It was super exciting. 

Senior night was pretty special. Bittersweet for sure. 

I taught third grade and second grade this week and loved it!

Vance has the pasture looking great. 

Our horses are happy. 

Willem had three baseball games, Oren had a game, and Hazel had a track meet. I could not attend Hazel's track meet because I was at Oren's baseball game, but Vance went. Hazel did well. 

Vance is planning a little Alaska trip.

Merit moved out of his apartment today!! They leave for play off baseball in AZ on Monday! I would love to be there. But there are lots of things happening this week "at home" too - great things. Merit is happy to have made the travel squad for play offs but bummed that a few of his closest buddies did not. 

Merit has not been utilized as much as he would like maybe. But he has been put in in some close games and has done well. He has met all sorts of people through this and the beaches near Irvine, well, he has loved them!

We received a letter informing us that Willem will receive at least one scholarship. The evening of May 8 we will attend the scholarship evening. 

 

Weekend Highlights!

Prom! 

Stunning couples! 

A gorgeous evening! 

Willem and Raegen!

Yesterday was the baseball parade and opening ceremonies!

SO many people! A gorgeous day for this! 

Friday night the varsity team played in Davis/ A tough battle! 

It's been a busy weekend! 

Now time for a little TV or a book! 

 

Wild Will

 When Merit was a senior, I had all the feels. 

Now that Willem is a senior, I have all those feels but they are intensified. 

Because now I know, when this young adult leaves our home, their new life starts and it includes us less. It's exciting, it's a little sad, it's wonderful, it's a fracture to our family. 

Willem required so little sleep as an infant and toddler. He stopped napping at probably 18 months. He started diving out of his crib before he was one. I have spent an incredible amount of time with this kid! (For that I am so very grateful) He was with me so much - still is- but I have to split that time with several other awesome people in his life!  and once his sports started, I went to nearly every single game and tournament. 

Willem sobbed when I brought him to pre-school. Nothing was better than hanging out with mom, exploring over 10 acres, fishing, begging to picnic on a 28 degree day (no lie, and we did) and just running wild. I drove a station wagon at that time. One day on the way to pre-school, he unbuckled himself out of his car seat and he crawled into the way back of the car. I pulled into Happy Hearts Preschool, opened the hatch back and dragged him out! Parents mouths were agape. 

The second year of pre-school, he loved it but loved getting home even more. 

When we sent him to kindergarten, I thank the good Lord it was half days then. He did fine. 

School has come easily to this very bright kid. 

He is a math whiz. 

He participated in Math Is Cool as a fifth grader. We went to the competition in Wenatchee. Willem confessed later that he joined Math Is Cool as much for the math challenge as he did the Little Caesars pizza that was served on competition day. 

Vance enjoys working with Willem. Willem quickly observes what needs to be done and does it efficiently. 

Merit is very much on his own. He has his own life, his own plans, his own dreams. 

We gave him wings, it is really the best thing you can give a kid, wings and faith. Merit does not know what he will do for sure next year. He just told me he prays often and knows the clarity will come. I pray often too. 

So, Wild Will will move out in September - the plan so far is to go to Walla Walla. I pray he thrives, there is a great chance he will. We will miss him incredibly. 

These kids grow fast! We can't slow it down; we can only soak it up! And I do. Every. Single. Day.

For all of you who have invested in Willem, I thank you. We have the most WONDERFUL village!