Lacy Paper

We had our annual snowflake making activity, with Jake, as always, leading the charge.























~Cassandra

just a little bit of life

Taking rest: Last night, the boys and Jeremy were late at school for a talent show, and so after I had finally settled the little people for sleep with a little Christmas background music, I sat myself down to a classic I had been wanting to watch. It is a black and white movie called The Bishop's Wife. It was me, with a blanket, the screen, dim lights and a warm fire. So nice, so so nice.

Taking learning: I have found and always discover afresh, that if I need wisdom and ask the Lord, He so faithful, loving and generous, and sends thoughts, books, verses my way to attend to me and what I need. A precious older sister in faith once wrote that it is a good thing to look around at things that are right and good, Godly and working for people. We can take what we need to learn from it. The outcome is all our own though, always designed by God. We are ourselves, with certain personality bents, gifts, callings, people to love and help.


The big question and desire of my heart is to teach my children to build their lives on the Rock which is Christ. May this affect the course of our lives.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105


~Cassandra

"Heap o' livin'"

Well now. Just like that time escapes and we've crept right into December :) it certainly is a bunch of living these days, while we are busy keeping up with life which seems to be moving so quickly. Thanksgiving has come and gone. Hannah came home from college for a week which was wonderful, and will soon be home for Christmas~time.
As always, I have lots of little hands that kept busy along side of me to help.


The landscape is hard with cold, the trees are bare, the sounds are all a bit louder with nothing to absorb them. It's still so very pretty.


Walks are a special kind of treat this time of year.



Homeschooling continues on, and I do so cherish my time with the young ones. I love them dearly, and find so many of their ways enjoyable.

Abby comes to tell me any of the cute antics I missed that Grady did. She is such a sweetheart.
Sophie dotes on Grady and the dogs terribly. Just like that, she seems a little bigger.
Bella insists she is the main character in any movie she watches.
Grady is just so cute, and saying new things and plays wonderfully and faithfully with all the kids. What a blessing this little 2 year old is.

Mom has been up to continue teaching the girls to sew. They really love it, and she is amazing.


I guess for keeping up with things here at home, I'm finding the work to be constant, and sometimes tiring and yet I still am realizing it is to be understood as part of a life because of the lives that are growing and being and doing. I pray every day for vision and strength to do my part well.

"It takes a heap o' livin' to make a house a home." Edgar Guest

Truer words have never been penned ;)





~Cassandra

When the beams are stretching and the wings are unfurling

Sophie had her 6th birthday! She received some special gifts and a couple of little trips to make her moments very special. Bannon and Abby created a couple of special cards that were treasured, and I'm trying to put them in a safe place to save for scrapbooks.


We made her requested dinner of chicken nuggets and French fries.


We made the cake she requested, chocolate cake and chocolate frosting.


The gift of a ....moustache :

















UNO is a new game Bannon has taught the younger crew, and Friday nights are so nice for pizza and games.











Grady is of course just playing with his Father's cards. But he's very happy to be involved!





We snapped a couple of pictures to take a moment to see and remark on the growing-into-men the boys are showing. Praying for wisdom and grace as we watch them take to wing more and more.

Thank you Father for being with us as we enjoy and also take seriously this *being a family* and what it all means as we live our lives for You.






~Cassandra

The fire warms us all by day. Oh the days are chilly! It's hard to get any of us away from this place of coziness. The books for school are pulled up, along with the computer chair, and the floor suits some of us fine as well.


The dear books and their stories are so precious to this Mom. The best parts of my day are when it's one of their turns to sit right next to me or on my lap for their story time. If Jesus Came to My House, Ox Cart Man, A Day in the Life of Sarah Morton, Benjamin Franklin, Seabird, Runaway Bunny. Then just little talks, little pictures, little projects....and I know every day I don't want to miss these times. I am so thankful I get to mother these little people. I really am


Life is busy, but it is good too. The afterglow :) of the days are found in the scattered things that represent what we did, even some of the troubles. Learning crochet, tick removing, legos everywhere, my journaling with a little bit of spaghetti sauce staining the page. A block building Sophie built, and one of Grady's cars are parked right next to it.

We took a walk through the woods just the other day and the girls gathered up some treasures, which Sophia right away began arranging into a fall arrangement. Bella pondered the leaf. It was a beautiful time.

















Watching for Daddy to come home.


We've also been watching Narnia and listening to the books on audio. For Halloween the girls wanted to be Lucy and Susan. Bella wanted to be a pink princess. Cotter was the Joker for his senior parade, and Bannon came home and joined the girls with a rat mask and hands, all in a dressy suit. Cotter took Grady down to see Poppy in a Spiderman costume.

 

 

Jake had a real time of it with his school project, building a pumpkin trebuchet. We made a little video of the final launching we did here, and all the kids enjoyed it.

The snow is flying tonight, Daddy is working on a guitar background track for Hannah who is singing in a competition tomorrow night, everyone else is tired from an early start to the day and in bed.

~Cassandra

The Best Things in Life are Free!

I finally can post some of the pictures we have taken. At the same time I write the winds blowing so very hard outside. Hurricane Sandy has hit our side of the shore and watching the news, my heart goes out to so many who are directly getting hit right now. I tried very hard to catch up with the laundry, filled our tub, 4 big buckets of water, and prepared some comfort food ahead of time. Now to wait it out and pray for all of our safety.

This year we didn't get o go apple picking. So instead, we enjoyed fun for free :)

















The kiddos have enjoyed the fact we live with lots of outdoor space to play.





Bannon celebrated 9. He's still a a deep feeler and thinker. I appreciate that about him so much.


Jake has a new pair of glasses and he looked awfully cute reading The Scarlet Letter with them on. Hannah took some pictures of him :)


Leaves, leaves, leaves. The absolute best way to play in the fall!


















And rest time still comes steadily to this little man. Here he fell fast asleep with his book Caps for Sale :)


~Cassandra