Tag: Family

a proper winter

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After two winters with no snow, it was such a delight for us all to have a proper snow day and a winter that actually felt wintry. Flurries always garner a good bit of excitement around here but what a joy to have actual accumulation and to be able to sled on the road. The snow stayed packed on the road until well into the next day before plows cleared it and the sun melted it, so we had a lot of time to sled. Few things are better after getting thoroughly spent and wet in the snow than coming in to a warm fire and hot chocolate!

a visit to Grandfather Mountain

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Our first venture out into the mountains after the hurricane was a visit to Grandfather Mountain. We were aching to get up into the high country and go for a hike, but so little was open or accessible because of the storm damage and road closures. One of the only sections of the parkway that was open was up near Grandfather Mountain. The drive there was sobering as we were able to see the extent of the hurricane damage as well as hurricane debris all along the roads. The entire two hour drive revealed damage everywhere we looked. It was truly overwhelming to fathom how long it will take to clean everything up. As we got higher into the mountains, we realized Grandfather Mountain would be enshrouded in clouds for the day. Although we had been eager to show the kids the incredible views, it was still worthwhile to go. We hiked around, had a yummy picnic, and visited the animal enclosures. The kids were able to see elk, bear, otter, eagles, and a cougar. I thought I had taken pictures of this but I must not have. We were also able to get quite close to many wild deer roaming around the mountain during the day was we hiked and explored. While visiting the nature discovery center was also neat and a good spot to warm up, the kids all wanted to return back to the mile-high swinging bridge again at the end of our day. It was a really beautiful and refreshing day in the mountains, and we’ll simply have to go back when the weather is clear and the views are open.

summer memories, a new school year, and Hurricane Helene

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As usual, we spent a lot of time in water play of some sort over the summer. The kids all got into filling a tuperware in the backyard with water and pelting each other with reusable water balloons. Phoebe and Philippa enjoyed another week of drama camp this summer. Phoebe got the lead role in her play as Rapunzel, Philippa was the Big Bad Wolf, and they both did such a great job. Phoebe had to memorize 30 lines in a few days, which she did beautifully, as well as sing a solo. She never ceases to amaze me with her enthusiasm and courage! Philippa also did a week of chef’s camp, which was a highlight of the summer for her, but I don’t have any photos of that to share. I took some spinning classes at a local fiber guild and thoroughly enjoyed that little endeavor! I finished my first fully handspun yarn on the drop spindle and knitted a cowl with it. It is one of my favorite projects ever, there truly is something exceptional in knowing you spun the yarn yourself and then getting to knit with it and wear it. Surely a thrill only fiber enthusiasts would understand. :). Brandon took Noah on his first backpacking trip, a father-son trip with a handful of other dads and their sons. They travelled a section of the Appalachian Trail and had a blast. It was an aggressive amount of mileage for Noah for a weekend (20+ miles in one weekend) in rainy conditions, but he thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a highlight for him over the summer. Noah is a strong hiker and not easily worn out, nor did he complain about the grueling nature of backpacking in the rain.

August brought the beginning of another school year and those sweet “first day” photos.

It has felt like our busiest school year yet. My brain is literally spinning most days trying to keep up with the demands of the schedule we try to keep.

Then came Hurricane Helene at the end of September. These photos I took that Friday morning, September 27th, as the wild winds knocked out our power. I took a few photos and tried to distract the kids with candles and painting, before we really knew what we were dealing with and the extent of the damage.

All of these photos were from our yard or neighborhood as we walked and drove around. As we began to take in the damages around us, the severity of our circumstances began to sink in. The next days and weeks quickly became about survival of ourselves, our neighbors and friends, as many of us struggled with food/water/gas supplies, power and water outages. Looking back, I wish I had had the wherewithal to take more photos and record more of what was happening, but we were completely inundated and focused on locating supplies and caring for those around us. It was a trying, stressful, and traumatic time, but we also saw people taking such good care of one another, and it was beautiful to see. Our plans for fall camping and many other things that we usually enjoy in the most beautiful time of year here in Western North Carolina were interrupted, but we are grateful to have sustained such minimal damage and can hardly complain.

Again, I will be back soon sharing a bit more about the last few months of 2024. I hope you’re enjoying these brief little summaries of our year!

a summer garden and turning 40

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Well, hello there. Strange to see summer green and barefoot babies in the deep of winter, I would guess. I hope you don’t mind as I catch up on memories and moments from our year. Our garden began this year as it does most years, beautiful and lush before slowly succumbing to weeds and preoccupation. The best of intentions always give way to the busyness and heat.

I celebrated a big birthday this summer, my 40th, with family at our favorite restaurant and my parents spoiled me with diamond earrings! Brandon and I took the kids to our favorite lake nearby for a long weekend getaway to celebrate, which was the only gift I asked for. We rented the sweetest cutest A-frame cottage and enjoyed every minute of being together there.

It was truly the best birthday. Everyone enjoyed being away together at the lake and had endless fun swimming, kayaking, and fishing. As if that wasn’t spoiling enough, Brandon surprised me with a spinning wheel! Truly a dream. It was one of those times when your heart aches a bit with the purity and beauty of it all and you never want it to end, a little foretaste of glory.

I’ll share a bit more from our summer in my next post!

welcoming Titus

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Titus Wilder, born February 28, 2023 at 11:46 am, 9 lb 14 oz.

As you can see, he was so loved and adored from the beginning. All the hands and all the holding. These were some of the sweetest moments of my life, holding that newborn chunk of sweet-smelling goodness and watching everyone meet him and snuggle him for the first time. I was induced for his birth the day before his due date because we were concerned about his size. It is the only time I have been induced and though it wouldn’t be my preference, it went fairly well. His birth was relatively straight forward and without complication. I cried when he was born with such an intense wash of relief and joy that all was well. I remember one of the nurses also cried and said it was such a special birth. We took nearly our whole hospital stay to settle on a name for him and felt that God led us to Titus. Brandon really liked Wilder for his middle name.

I’m grateful that despite the delirium and fog of those early days, I took the time to snap a few newborn photos, the only ones I captured. I haven’t shared them anywhere before. I remember being completely spent and sweaty after the couple of hours it took to get everyone dressed and trying to get decent shots by ourselves without a tripod, but it was worthwhile!

Then before we knew it, we were celebrating his first birthday. One whole year of waking up each morning to his snuggles and squish, everyone piling into our bed arguing over who would be first to hold him. Even at 16 months old, this is still the daily routine, their enjoyment of him strong as ever. It has been the sweetest season even amidst other difficulties, sacred and precious beyond words as we consider what a gift each child is, what a miracle, and we drink in the pure blessedness of it.

pickles, flowers, birds, and a schoolroom update

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It never fails to surprise me how quickly the summer weeks go by.  It seems we barely have anything going on, this year especially, and yet somehow it feels full and busy.  Then all of a sudden it’s August and we are nearly ready to begin another school year.  It may have something to do with the fact that I put off a lot of bigger projects until the bigger breaks (Christmas and summer) and then suddenly I feel like I have a small window to get a lot of things done.  I want to clean and tidy and reorganize all the chaos that has spilled out over the last several months, but attempting to do so with four children underfoot is challenging and feels like an exercise in futility.  I realized this summer that since we will be adding another student this fall (yay, Philippa!) I need a bigger work space to gather children around and sit by them to assist.  I have been cramming myself into a kiddie chair at a very small kiddie table for the last year when I’ve worked with Noah and it finally dawned on me that this wasn’t going to work any longer.  Praise the Lord.  Environment does make such a difference.

So with some moving around of furniture that we already had and buying a few new items to spruce up our school room, we’ve slowly been making changes over the summer.  After three years of living in this house and the prior owners leaving the wood windows half painted in the schoolroom, we finally painted them and the laundry room door also.  It is amazing how something so small makes such a nice difference!  It just looks tidier.  We were given a couple of old hutches and I decided to use one in the school room as a homeschool cabinet.  I will probably paint it in the future, but I do like the original wood.  We’ve been filling the glass top part of it with nature finds that we’ve been saving.  The bottom part will hold puzzles, manipulatives, books, and whatever else we need to keep organized in there.  Brandon put better lighting in also (can lights) because this room is the darkest in the house and that doesn’t make for a great school space.  It has been fun to focus on just one room and make it suited to our needs.  It’s amazing how the kids are drawn more to this space now and I think it is going to work better for us this school year.  I used to spread out and do school at the kitchen table or in the living room, and we still do that for some subjects.  But it has made a big difference for us to work in a dedicated space and keep all of our supplies handy.  It makes it easier for me to grab what we need and helps everyone’s attention spans.

Meanwhile, the garden has been growing, growing.  I’ve neglected weeding it for the past couple of weeks with the high heat, humidity, and the more pressing projects in the house sorting curriculum, planning, and reorganizing.  It’s a bit wild out there now as one can only expect it to be come August.  Our cucumbers continue to abound so I made a batch of refrigerator pickles using this recipe.  (I didn’t use as much sugar and used more peppercorn and mustard seed.)  So good and easy.  We are able to share a lot of what we grow with others and that is always a joy.  I’m thankful for all the flowers, enjoying watching them bloom and cutting some to bring indoors.  Noah has been obsessed with drawing birds from this atlas, he has done at least twenty different drawings by now and they’re really good.  He told me tonight that he wants to set up a stand tomorrow by the road and sell them.

The kids seem relatively happy but I wonder how all of these changes in our world are affecting them.  Noah said at dinner tonight that he wondered when the virus would be over and all the stores could open up again.  I realize we forget to tell them some of the updates happening, that many places are open again but there are still restrictions in place.  Still, it doesn’t feel “normal” to them yet and it’s uncertain for all of us what normal will be from here on out.  Our homeschool co-op will begin in a few weeks, it is a very small group and we are able to continue meeting.  Hopefully that will restore a bit of normalcy for them, but who knows what this fall and winter season will hold?

Some “before” shots of our school room:

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In progress:

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I will share a few more photos maybe as I finish up in there.  I am still organizing the shelves and my desk area.  Little bits of work in little chunks of time.  I hope in the next few weeks we are well prepared for a new and maybe altogether different school year.  I’m beginning to feel excited about it.

 

 

 

happy birthday to daddy

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His birthday always comes quietly amongst all the hubbub of the Super Bowl.  Not that we are sports people (we’re not) and we don’t watch a single other game all year long (unless olympics are on or occasionally the world cup), but he likes to watch the Super Bowl.  We went to church as usual on Sunday, and I encouraged him to go do something fun that afternoon — go fly fishing, mountain biking, running, or whatever would be refreshing to him.  He decided to take the older two kids mountain biking, while I stayed home so the younger two girls could nap.  It ended up being perfect as he ran into a few friends on the trail, including phoebe’s best friend, which made her day.  She also got to pet a horse that was at the trail head too.  They came home just before dinner and I forgot to snap a photo of them.

I made his favorite dessert, cherry pie (using this crust recipe and the filling recipe from this one) with homemade ice cream, and his favorite food ever, pizza + caesar salad for dinner.  I always use this recipe for our favorite pizza crust and topped this one with spinach, pepperoni, and local grass-fed chorizo and it was amazing.  We watched the game while eating dinner and intermittently taking care of kids, singing happy birthday + blowing out candles before wren went to bed, and opening his gifts.  I got him this book on fly fishing, always trying to stoke the flames of his passions for the sports he loves and has so little time for.  The children wrapped up paintings they had made for him, and their handmade cards were the highlight of the evening.  I also gave him money toward a tool he’s had his eye on.

I think it was simple and fun day, and we really enjoyed being home together.  It’s hitting me that he’s getting closer to turning 40 and that just seems so odd.  I still feel like we are in our 20s.  Maybe that never really changes.  We are really thankful for this guy who works very hard to take care of us and pour his love out on us.  He loves fiercely, steadily, and often quietly, and we love spoiling him when we can!

when it all sits a bit heavy

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It’s the first of February, the last day of the work week.  I realize I haven’t put up a regular old blog post in a couple of weeks and wanted to say a few words here.  January was quiet and simple for us, with a lot of sickness and thus we hunkered down at home.  With February comes some relief and hope that we will be out and about as normal soon.

I haven’t been taking many photos at home with my camera as I usually do, maybe feeling a bit uninspired and blue.  I’m sure it has to do with being sick and feeling incredibly worn out.  It’s taken every bit of energy just to keep school going for the children while I’ve been sick and wanting just to lie down in bed.  I’ve also been deeply saddened by things happening in the world around me that make me feel quite helpless: for one, the passing of the legislature in NY last week for full-term abortions and even post-delivery “abortions”, which hit me like a punch to the stomach.  I have felt nauseous over it whenever it comes to mind.  I honestly have no words to say other than I’m deeply grieved and I’m praying about ways to take action.

A newborn baby I was praying for passed away last week.  A woman battling cancer dances weary at the possible end of her fight and I can’t sleep, up praying for her, a woman I’ve never met but yet feel so burdened to pray for.

Also, those in the knitting community are well aware of the deeply divisive conversation/debate that has been happening regarding racism.  Though I am not anyone with a voice in the knitting industry, I’ve been reading along, at times very angry, other times anxious and always quite sad.  I have been surprised at how much it has affected me.  I think we can do better than this as a community, we can show more grace, understanding, and kindness.  Then I look around at my own children who squabble and hurt one another often throughout the day, and I understand.  If we can hardly get along with those we love the most, our very own flesh and blood, how much harder is it to get along with those who seem so different from us? How much harder to be kind to those whose beliefs we disagree with?  I find myself constantly instructing my children throughout the day to love one another, “be kind, be kind be kind,” to esteem one another more highly than the object their fighting over.  I weary from repeating it, yet the reminder is always needed.  Left to ourselves, this is humanity.  Even tightly-knit families have rifts and disagreements.  Maybe especially tightly-knit families.  We need to remember that peace with one another is to be treasured above being right, and is a goal worth sacrificing our own thrones and soapboxes for.  Does that mean we sacrifice truth and the fight for what is right and just?  Absolutely not.  But I do think we can stand for what we believe in and for a better world/more equality while treating our fellow man with dignity and respect, and not adding injury to insult.

Sometimes the brokenness of the world sits on us like lead.  It sits so heavy.  At times if I’m honest, I want to shield myself from all the hurt and ugliness, maybe even from my own complicity.  My hands are full of dishes, wiping snotty noses, throwing in the next load of laundry, pulling together the next meal, nursing the baby, teaching the next school lesson.  I am hidden away in my home raising little people — what can I possibly do?  I am reminded: I can pray.  We can pray — with the confidence that our prayers mixed with faith are able to move mountains.  Things that seems impossible, fixed, overwhelming, insurmountable — God is able to level them.  Conversely, when we feel like the very ground beneath our feet is shifting and the world around us rages, we can turn to God, our refuge + strength, a very present help in trouble who tells us not to fear even when the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the sea (Ps. 46).  He makes wars cease, He breaks the bow, shatters the spear and burns the war chariots with fire (Ps. 46:9).  We are destined for a kingdom where peace will reign.

And then the familiar and eternally comforting words of Romans 8:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:18-27)

He is interceding for us continually, He is working while we sleep, working in spite of and even though our weakness.  Let us take heart and trust Him to move the mountains while we sow the small seeds of hope and faith in prayer.  And if we have opportunity to take great steps, then by all means, let us take them!

How has January been for you?  Whoever you are reading along here today, I hope you know you are welcomed in this space.  Thank you for reading my rambling thoughts, however imperfect they may be.

xo

wild blueberries

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Come August, the blueberries ripen up in the cool mountain air. I had planned to officially begin our school year this week, but decided instead to get a few more things ready before jumping in.  It would be better for me to begin peacefully rather than frenetically, although there’s a measure of feeling unprepared that will likely always accompany homeschooling (for me at least).  Instead of beginning our usual school day, we took a spur-of-the-moment trip to Graveyard Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway, where the berries are abundant this time of year.  I still called it our first day of school, and it was a happy way to begin for us all, though Noah keeps asking to begin the work of letters and numbers.

Of course, as we got going it began to drizzle and the parkway was foggy most of the drive but everyone wanted to keep going so we did.  (I had planned to bring my regular camera along but because of the rain I just used my phone, so pardon the different quality of photo.)  Wren doesn’t sleep well if we aren’t home, rarely sleeping in the car and too curious about what is going on around her if we are out and about.  She was up way past her usual morning nap time and was very fussy when we began hiking and picking.  She also doesn’t love the ergo, but we carried on.  Finally, she fell asleep in the ergo and I was able to get a little more picking accomplished.  The kids did a good job picking but of course they didn’t gather very much, phoebe spilling most of her basket of berries after stumbling at some point.  Still we came home with about a half gallon and I would love to go back just with Brandon and pick as much as we can to freeze for the winter.  There isn’t a better spot to get organic, wild fresh blueberries and best of all, they are free!  It just requires time and work. 🙂

While we all kept our eyes and ears open for bears which definitely frequent that area, we only saw a brown snake which was sizable but didn’t look venomous.  I’m guessing it was some sort of water moccasin but we steered clear of it just the same.  It was a great teaching opportunity with the kids, though.

The children requested blueberry pancakes the next morning, and we read Blueberries for Sal, one of my favorite books from childhood.  The rest of the berries I’ve tucked into the freezer for a crisp or muffins, or to have over homemade ice cream.  Phoebe kept exclaiming how she felt like Laura Ingalls, and I felt a bit like Sal’s mother trying to preserve a bit of summer’s glory for cold winter days sure to come soon.

growing up

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He’s long overdue for a “big boy” bike, my boy.  He had a little bit of birthday money that I set aside for a new bike, and Brandon looked for awhile online before settling on this one.  It was a real treat to watch him open that box and help daddy put the bike together.  When he realized it didn’t have training wheels (he’s just been riding a strider) he panicked a little bit and didn’t think he’d be able to do it.  It’s a bit big and heavy for him, so I was a little concerned, too, that it would be too hard.  Then, we had rain for days so he couldn’t take it outside to try it.  Finally, the sun came out and he tried it out on the grass.  He pretty quickly caught on to riding Phoebe’s (a bit smaller) bike without training wheels but didn’t feel comfortable with his bike.  By day two, he had it down.  He called me to come outside and see, and there he was pedaling it around with a big grin on his face.

Often this little man of mine balks at something new and I hear a lot of “I can’t”s from him before he’s really given it a try.  Our homeschool co-op starts up on Monday (in just a few days!) and as Noah thinks about school starting, he’s been panicking and saying “but I don’t know how to read or write!”  Oh, sweet boy, that’s the whole point, I say.  I keep reminding him about his bike, how he thought he couldn’t do it and that he’d HAVE to have training wheels.  And then by day two, he had it down and has been out riding it every day since.  I can’t believe this has been my last summer with this guy before he starts formal (home)schooling.  And I can’t wait to have time with him, to work with him on letters and sounds and seeing his little mind come alive with the joy of learning and realizing he can do it! He’s growing up!