Snow week: Day 3

Yesterday, we took a little detour from our plan. After leaving the laundromat, we drove around the Denham area and looked at the cabin, several deer (including the deer display in the old bar), and beautiful, snowy woods. Then we had supper at the Red Oak Inn and talked to someone I used to know. After supper, we drove around Sturgeon Lake, got a little lost, and then found ourselves close to home again.

Here's what we did today:

Menu
Breakfast: Baked French toast
Lunch: Tuna casserole, cauliflower, broccoli
Supper: Orange chicken & rice, butternut squash
Dessert: Strawberry rhubarb pie

Activities
Morning play time - outside
Afternoon activity - make pretzels (ski hat tip to Kim at Large Family Logistics for the recipe!)
Evening play time - outside

In like a lion

Our latest storm just began about 15 minutes ago. This one is supposed to be a blizzard. We're SO ready for it! My camera batteries are charged, too, so maybe my Kentucky friends will get to see what I'm so excited about.

Here are some pictures I found or took today:

Bob sitting on the end of the gutter suspended from the side of the garage, and (Brave Sir) Robin watching her

The view from my kitchen window this afternoon

The view from my dining room this afternoon

What happens when Mom gets desperate for the kids to do something, anything educational - Legohenge!

A caption contest sort of picture

Remember I needed a doctor?

I finally got really sick and ran out of asthma medications. So I went to the local clinic with a list of ailments (since asthma wasn't my only problem) and the medications I've been on. I got to see whatever doctor happened to be there.

My doctor happened to be there. (Thanks, God!)

He spent an hour with me, typing everything we discussed into the computer so he wouldn't forget any of it later. He listened to me. He answered all my questions. He talked to me about different medications, how they work, how they interact, and why certain ones would be better for me than others.

I walked out of there with seven prescriptions and a huge burden lifted.

Within a couple days, I began feeling much better. So we decided to go to one of the other churches we'd been planning to try.

My doctor happened to be there. (Thanks, God!)

I'm still feeling very good. In fact, earlier this week I looked in the mirror and barely recognized the face I saw... the clear complexion, the youthful glow, the bright eyes... what a pleasant surprise!

Thanks again, God!

Snow week: Day 2

Our first day of snow week was a great success! The kids are cleaning up the kitchen right now and plan to go back outside as soon as they're finished, presumably to play until they fall asleep in the snow.

It's still snowing. I'll have to fish 'em out of the drifts before I go to bed, I guess.

Here's our plan for tomorrow:

Menu
Breakfast: oatmeal
Lunch: Surprise soup (It seems my soup never turns out the same way twice, and Jon always says it's the best soup ever. So there ya go.)
Supper: Fried pork chops, mashed potatoes, applesauce
Dessert: popcorn

Chores
Living room cleaned
Laundromat

Activities
Morning play time - outside
Science Time
Afternoon play time - outside
Evening movie: Facing the Giants

Snow week!

We're finally getting the snow we've waited all winter for! I think we've gotten about 8" this weekend, and there's snow in the forecast all week. The kids have spent hours outside today, and finally came in for supper tonight at about 10:00 PM.

Because I'm a flexy sort of mom, I'm declaring this a snow week. Each day, the kids will wake up to discover an exciting menu, a short chore list, and fun activities planned for them, with plenty of time to play out in the snow.

Here's our tomorrow...

Menu
Breakfast: bacon, eggs, toast, hash browns, cocoa
Lunch: Tuna salad on (Lynae's homemade) honey wheat bread, chips, pickles
Supper (Toby's request): Fried tilapia, rice, asparagus
Dessert: Strawberry jello with real, live strawberries

Chores
Home blessing, upstairs and downstairs
Everyone's clothes sorted (and decluttered)
Foyer cleaned
Back room cleaned

Activities
Morning play time - outside
Jon and Lynae - Swedish class (if school isn't canceled)
Toby and Manoah - Dog class (if school isn't canceled)
Evening play time - outside

Exploring Minnesota: Duluth

A view on the way to Duluth:

Ships in the harbor:

Frozen kids in front of the lift bridge:

A view of Lake Superior:

Ice along Lake Superior at dusk:

Ice Fishing

Loren and Toby participated in an ice fishing contest today. It was our family's first experience with ice fishing. First, we stopped at the general store and got a fishing license and some minnows.




Then we drove out to the lake. It was 6 degrees, but the windchill on the lake was well below zero. I was pretty nervous about driving my truck onto the lake. You could see cracks all over the ice, and some actually had ¼" gaps. The ice was over two feet thick, but it was still scary when the ice cracked while we were on it and we could feel it moving under our feet.




Once on the lake, Loren and Toby chose two holes and set up to fish for two hours. They didn't catch anything, but it was definitely a learning experience.




After taking pictures, the other kids and I headed home to make up some chili and biscuits for when the guys returned. I took a wrong turn on the way home, and was grateful for the detailed atlas my SIL gave us for Christmas! We started back the right way, and Michael saw a deer watching us from the side of the road. Unfortunately, I didn't think to get a picture of that until it was too late.

Sorry I've been scarce

Every now and then, I go through a period of frequent headaches. They tend to hit every day for about a week. My suspicions have gone back and forth between sinus headaches and migraines. I just now read that that's an indication of a type of migraine. Just what I need.

I get so darn discouraged when a day (or several in a row, more likely) is ruined by one of these headaches. I can't really do much except try to sleep it off. If I try to get anything accomplished, the nausea kicks in and I end up regretting it. So then not only is nothing getting done, but I have to put Toby and Lynae in charge of the littles... they can handle it, but it puts them behind on their school work and makes me feel guilty for putting that on them.

I guess this means I need to find a doctor. I'm pretty picky about doctors, so if y'all would pray that I find a good one who will listen, I'd appreciate it.