In The Refiner's Fire

I found these hollow chocolate bunnies for $1.99 each  - I had to get them for Easter baskets!  The quilted squares in the background of the picture are 12 inches (30.5cm) square - so this bunny is huge!  And it makes me laugh every time I see it. Wow - March has flown by!  This much has been a hard much - we have had several disappointing, complicated, and very hard things happening and I feel like I have barely had time to catch my breath. I will not write about those difficult things until I have had a bit more time to process them, but suffice to say, March has been difficult. We started with a lot of snow and are ending with the perennials close to the house peeking out into the sunshine.  I am delighted that spring is on its way!   I am ready to get into my garden, dig in the dirt and enjoy the outdoors! When difficult things are happening, time can be short and sometimes it becomes time-consuming to be f...

Chili and a baked potato!  YUM! We are slowly heading toward the season of spring salads but in the meantime, chili and baked potatoes are a good substitute.  John has a family recipe for chili that is awesome and delicious and we enjoy it often in the colder months. We are enjoying the burgeoning spring here - the snow is almost melted, the spring songbirds are back and the weather is warming steadily.  We have to wait a bit yet for the spring flowers to pop their heads out.  I am itching to get out and will start spring seeds indoors here in a week or so - things that take a long time to get to full size; everything else I will direct seed in the garden. Here is what we will be eating this week: Sunday, March 24, 2019:     Breakfast: Toast, Smoothies     Lunch: Macaroni and Cheese, Fruit Salad     Snack: Clementine's     Dinner: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Crackers Monday, March 25,...

Nachos!  My make-do dinner one night when we were all tired and hungry and no one felt like cooking! We are now in the second full week in March. Lent is in full swing, Spring Break happenings are starting (depending on which school you attend or do not attend), and the weather is behaving quite like a Lion, as the saying goes.  We had rain, followed by sleet, followed by snow on Saturday. Our driveway is now a skating rink and we spent the last two days trying to clear out the storm drains on the street by our home to ensure that the water (from both melting snow and rain) has some place to go.  We are to receive rain Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week.  I am hoping it will wash some of the snow away and not cause too many problems! Here's hoping! I am anxious for spring to arrive - I have garden plans and I would love to wear some of my lighter weight clothes after spending the last few months bundled up.  It will come.  I know that but,...

No, we didn't dye Easter Eggs today - that will happen in April.  I was going through the photos in my folders on my computer and thought the colors in the egg dye are so pretty!  Ignore the rest of the mess, please.... I am making plans for Easter this year already.  When you are a Pastor's family, Lent, Holy Week and Easter seem terribly long and difficult.  It seems that the Evil One pulls out all the stops to try to make everything stressful.  It seems like there are more funerals, more interpersonal conflict, and all those types of things along with more worship and more events than at other times of the year.  This is also the time when the flu and cold season is in full swing and the weather is having one last hurrah as well.  As of right now, we have had rain for the last 3 hours and not it is snowing.  That means very slippery roads tomorrow.  I dislike driving anyway so that makes me nervous.  Anyway, that's not what thi...

We're back to cold this week - brrr. Our current temperature is 13F (-10.5 C) but the wind chill is making it feel like -6F (-21 C). I have been watching the snow blow past the windows today - it is quite windy outside! It is March now, so I know that spring is not to far away.  Our last frost date is mid-May but we should have several warm days before then.  Usually April ends up being nice and spring-like.  I am looking forward to that! We are staying warm this week with meals as well.  I am so grateful that I have the ability to have warm meals for myself and my family when the weather is so cold. Here is what we are eating this week: Sunday, March 4:     Breakfast: Toast and Banana-Mango Smoothies     Lunch: Pancakes with Walnuts, Blueberries, and Strawberries     Snack: Girl Scout Cookies     Dinner: Minestrone Soup, Crackers Monday, March 5:     Breakfast: ...

Snow has been a recurring theme in February 2019!  This was the photo out my kitchen window this morning.  The children are excited about an upcoming snow tubing party next week.  That should be really fun!  The type of snow we have is just perfect for playing.  February was rough and long and I definitely need to remind myself of the blessings we have had this past month   Wonderful students this semester! I am so enjoying my classes.   Extra time at home due to the snow.  This was a definite perk of the mountains of snow we gained this past month.  Several things were canceled multiple times and we were able to enjoy extra time at home together as a family.    Beautiful sunrises and one amazing sunset.  These have been amazing this past month! Basketball games and tournaments.  Basketball season ended in February for us, but our children have so enjoyed playing this year.  They had amazing coach...

Our current snowfall - at or over the seats of the chairs on our patio!   I love snow and we have had a lot this winter! March came in like a lion this year - snow and wind and cold.  Hopefully that means it will go out like a lamb, as the old saying goes, with warm temperatures and sunshine.  My commute time doubled yesterday on the way home and I was very glad I did not have to venture out again.  This morning I woke up to sunshine and plowed roads, so we will head out for a workout, groceries and a birthday party.  Our daughter wants to use the rest of her Christmas money to purchase a couple of wanted items so we will do that while her brother is at the birthday party.  I am so enjoying the young adults our children are becoming and I am looking forward to spending some time shopping with her.  Today, Saturday March 2nd, is my Father's 87th Birthday.  He is now the longest living male in his family tree - something that h...