Homemaking Mondays: Frosty Days of Winter

Hello! 

How are you enjoying the frosty days of winter? 

Sometimes it is sunny and crisp

or foggy and moist. 

This past week my family joined some other

homeschoolers to enjoy some time out 

ice fishing on one of the big lakes not too far away.

Now we didn't catch any fish...

but it was a great time being outside.

The air was heavy with ice fog

that blurred the vision of our surroundings.

It changed colours all through the day

as the sun shone through or the fog thickened.  

My hair got very frosty out in the fog.

I felt like the trees with hoarfrost on them. 

The kids and I have been working on making some 

colourful sun catchers and ice candle holders 

for the snow castle

Some with twigs and seeds, 

others with fruit and berries.

They will be a treat for the squirrels and birds as they thaw.

This candle holder below had an interesting 

effect when the cranberries juiced

and ran down.  

Reminded my daughter of balloons. 

There have also been some wonderful nights where the 

temperatures have dropped and the moon 

has come out and the stars have

shone brightly.

Last night was one of those nights.

I woke to find the moon shining directly in my window on my face. 

It was so clear and I enjoyed watching it as it 

moved along in the sky until it was out of view.

Sometimes when the moon shines brightly it catches the 

icicles and lights them up along the house.

On nights like that you can see outside like during the day.

Shadows falling and the moonlight

lighting up the snow and sending the crystals 

to glittering.

What beauty the Lord God has created! 

All creation proclaims Him!

Also this week we've enjoyed opening up 

some of our canned beef stew.

It was so delicious and I'm glad there is more in the pantry.

I've also with the cold temperatures been able 

to put out extra baked bread in a rubbermaid 

into the sunroom to freeze.  Like an extra freezer space.

Thanks for dropping by!

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Keep Him In Perfect Peace

 

Hello! 

Sorry I didn't get a post up yesterday...life had other plans.

This past week my younger daughter had a birthday.

I made her a card....and no it's not wintery. 

It is just what seemed to come together.  

Are you like that with things.  

You begin with one idea 

and then when you are finished you think

that is not what I expected it to be?

Sounds like much of life. 

As I think of my daughter becoming an adult.

Trusting the Lord will lead her where He 

wants her to be.

Her course may take some detours and alternate routes.

Proverbs 16:9 

"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps."

As she trusts in the Lord He will make plain her way.

I also made a cheesecake for her.

She wanted a mint, chocolate swirl one. 

It did crack some...I have to be honest. 

So I made a truffle mix...filled in the holes

and smoothed it over the top.  then I added 

little truffles around the outside. 

Some chocolate sprinkles and pearls 

and it was delicious! 

The light has been a bit brighter lately as the temps 

have dropped some. 

When the temps drop, the skies usually clear.

Occasionally the sun will shine in the windows during a short part of the day.

Mostly it just touches the treetops and gives a golden glow. 

I love how the sun shines through the snow that is built up on the branches.

This is the shed we have and the snow has been 

accumulating quite a bit even with the one melt we had.

It has been a winter for playing in the snow for sure!

As the world swirls about us

trying to just rest in the Lord and enjoy the rhythm of each 

day at home.

Even with the needed grocery shopping and outings for the kids

always coming back to the comfort of home. 

Isaiah 26:3 

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, 

whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."

Peace...true peace is found in Christ Jesus alone.

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: The Variation of Light

 

Hello! 

Good Morning to you! 

I love the way that the variation of light 

changes so quickly in the morning 

and then in the evening as the sun sets. 

Cloudy skies sure do make for the best colours.

Often I find myself just considering how the light changes

in the clouds, in the snow, in the trees.

God has created such beauty and

I sometimes consider that most will

miss those variations in nature as life's 

demands keep us moving so quickly.

Thinking of light.

Our community centre has a snow castle being built.

It needs some lighting in the darkness.

There are some glow sticks that were available through

the community centre but they are only one time use items.

So we have decided to create some ice candle holders.

We can place tea lights in them and they can be used 

on more then one occasion.

Below is our first one.  

We used a mushroom container for the base and then

 a grape juice jug (cut in half) for the holder part.

We put some evergreen 

branches in the ice and as it warms 

they will give off some nice scent.

It's so pretty when there is a candle in it.  

Like a fireplace in the forest.

This week I also put up some chopped up roast.

I had canned chicken..now there is some canned beef.

Good for soup or a quick meal.

I'm finding the more time we are spending outside 

the less energy we have for meal prep.

So...I am especially thankful for these kinds of items 

tucked away in the pantry.

My younger daughter 

made some delightful sugar cookies this week.

They were pretty and tasted delicious!

With the variations of light.

It's amazing how the sun which is oh so slanted

at this time of year

lights up the evergreens so that they glow.

The boughs laden with snow on the outside 

giving concealment to the little birds 

that flutter in and out finding food.

The icicles hanging from the eves are also very pretty.

I was surprised the other day to see a chickadee 

fly up and land on one.

They do like to peer in the windows.

Perhaps it's their "people-vision"

and they find us entertaining? 

I took my children out for another ski yesterday afternoon.

It was later in the afternoon and the sun was going down. 

The light up through the clouds was beautiful

and as the light changed it was harder to see the snow under our skis.

A thoughtful neighbour made a skidoo trail for us through part of the forest 

so that we could meet the main trail. 

Attention to detail....

that is what I think of when I consider the variations 

of light that I see.

God is so specific....

in all things!  

May we read His Word 

and know His Truth!

Thanks for dropping by! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer

Homemaking Mondays: Adventure is Calling and I Must Go

Hello! 

Do you need some adventure in your life? 

I know many who feel they have to go and do grand things.

But what if there were adventures close to home

that you might miss while

looking out there?

This week my kids and I made a snowshoe trail around our place.

It meanders through the trees.

There was a lot of fun and laughter 

as we trudged through the snow. 

My boys and I went this week to our local community centre

no far from home.

We went skiing on the trails there

and went places we'd not been before.  

It was only three km we trekked 

but we discovered new hills to go down and

struggle up. hehehe 

We learned to glide better and turn corners. 

All of this through falling snow and wind. 

A little adventure close to home.

Trudging for hours in the wilderness 

is not necessary for adventure.

Now would I love to climb a mountain or 

raft a raging river?

If one day if the opportunity arose I would. 

I try not to get caught up in what is 

"out there"

for then I might just miss what is right here. 

In a world where we don't often know our neighbours,

or the alleyways between streets.

There are lots of places around us in cities, towns, or countryside.

Adventure can even be found in meeting someone new...

perhaps just saying hello to someone we pass by.

This week has had more adventure in the kitchen. 

I love baking buns in my skillets.  

The cast iron cooks so nicely and 

the bun never stick. 

I also tweaked my recipe awhile back

and now enjoy the fluffier texture. 

Also just the simple act of adding something interesting

like flax seeds or herbs to the bread

makes for a new flavour to savour.  

I like to add new things to the food I serve and then 

ask my family..."so what do you think?".

They answer with "what have you done this time?".

Adventure can be anywhere....

even in mom's cooking. :) 

This week our local Skills Canada office

was giving out cookie decorating kits to encourage children

to learn a bakery skills.

A local bakery made the gingerbread cookies and then the 

children used some of the wonderful 

decorating elements to create colourful tasty treats.

Perhaps one of my children might become a baker?

This week I also made some peanut butter balls.

They come by many names but they are all good. 

For mine I just take a bunch of peanut butter,

then I add "some" softened butter

"some" icing sugar (until it makes a fairly stiff mix)

Then I add in Rice Krispies. 

I roll them into balls and chill. 

then I melt chocolate chips with a dollop of coconut oil.

I dip the balls in the chocolate and then drizzle the 

leftover chocolate over top.  

Then chill again. 

So yummy and easy!

Adventures come in all shapes and sizes.  

Let us not limit adventure to something out there.

There is much to explore and enjoy 

close to home. 

To me homemaking is an adventure.

It is a gift the Lord Jesus has given me.

Those who think homemaking is boring just need to 

find adventure in the little things

close to home.

It's there if you just look.

Thanks for dropping by! 

Love and Prayers,

Jennifer