As I mentioned on Facebook, this cup makes me smile. So does the coffee that was in it. I love coffee.
Blessings:
1. Coffee.
2. Little Man used a pincer grasp today! First time!
3. Ibuprofen.
4. I’m already getting excited for our next camping trip.
5. I have a fabulous husband.
Mom saw this variegated maple as we were driving down the street – neither of us had ever seen one before. I love it! I only took shots of the multi-colored leaves, but it also had branches that had solid green leaves. Very cool.
Blessings:
1. Beautiful trees.
2. Happy children.
3. Time with my mom.
4. Two more days of school left.
5. I finished ranking firms for work. Whew!
These don't have to be just for camping, but they've become something of a camping tradition for us. They are the yummiest, easiest donuts I've ever made. http://camprecipes.com/recipe-Camping-Donuts-197
Blessings:
1. Look right up there ↑. Deliciousness.
2. We had a good night in the trailer. The first night wasn’t as restful as I would hope, but the second night was much better. Little Man was a little more comfortable with the situation, I think.
3. Breaking camp. It was SO easy compared to tenting with a family of nine.
4. Baby cuddles.
5. Time off.
Blessings:
1. Jemimah. :)
2. Naps.
3. Nana. The kids love her, too! 
4. Burgers around the campfire.
5. The perfectly toasted marshmallow.
The day finally came! Our first trip with Jemimah!
Blessings:
1. We finally got all packed and ready to camp with Jemimah.
2. Time to head out! 
3. We have a lovely camp site.
4. Nana’s house is close enough for entertainment.
5. Did I mention the beautiful views? I even enjoy washing dishes with this view!
One of the bloggers I follow does what she calls a “Friday Photo Dump.” (Thanks to Kelle Hampton for the inspiration.) She shares a collage of the photos she’s taken with her phone during the week. I thought that was a great idea, so I’m going to do the same thing today. Most have already appeared here, but that’s okay with me. I’m calling this my Snapshot Sampler.
Blessings:
1. Gettin' stuff done.
2. Tomorrow is the day!
3. The forecast for our camping days is slightly better.
4. I found a few fun treasures during my “thrifting therapy” today.
5. Is it weird that I’m excited about using flat cloth diapers while we’re camping?
What has blessed you today?
Blessings:
1. I found this 1970s Tupperware canister at Bitterroot Thrift Store. It's perfect for the trailer!
2. I had a couple stressors eating at me this morning and both got resolved easily. Whew!
3. Mom’s hand is definitely improving. It sure looks a whole lot better than it did on Sunday night.
4. Have I mentioned that I love my job?
5. We can go ahead and camp even though the forecast isn’t pretty – we have a trailer! 
Today’s shot is a flashy snapshot, but it’s the only one I took today that I could share. (The others have Little Man’s face in them.) This isn't the cat that appreciates the kids' attention, so this sweet moment had to be captured.
Blessings:
1. This week is flying by! (That’s good because it’s almost camping time!)
2. At Mom’s appointment today the doctor said she doesn’t have to come back until Wednesday. Yay! That’s progress!
3. Little Man was adorable and charming the whole time we were doing our stuff in Hamilton. He’s such an easy baby.
4. Corn on the cob. It was delicious! I did it this way – I’d never used sugar and vinegar before, but it was wonderful.
5. The trailer kitchen is all clean and stocked. Yay! I am getting more and more excited!
Blessings:
1. My mom bought this awesome linen for me to make pillow covers with – it will look perfect on Jemimah’s couch/bed. Yay!
2. American Idol Finale.
3. Peanut Butter Snickers.
4. Have I mentioned that we only have 5 school days left?
5. Relaxing time!
Blessings:
1. Another early work day. I like that because I have free time in the evening. Yay!
2. My home blessing is done.
3. God watered the outdoor plants and it looks so fresh and green outside!
4. I have a houseful of great kids.
5. I get to spend more time with my mom!
Do you know what this is? My 6-year-old son saw a whole bunch of these flying around in our yard today and he wondered what kind of insect it is. I couldn't capture one in flight, but their legs hang down when they're flying. It looks like some sort of fly to me, but that's the best I could do, and it wasn't enough for a curious little man.
Blessings:
1. I’m done with lesson plans for the school year! Yeehaw! Next week is going to be a light one. Yay!
2. I finished work early.
3. The kids have been able to play outside even though it sprinkled a couple times. Good thing, too. They all got grounded from TV for the rest of the week.
4. It’s nearly the kids’ bedtime.
5. I can sleep my grumpies away.
Kristi has another new church outfit. I love these colors! You can see more info and another photo on my family blog.
Blessings:
1. Kristi looked so cute in her new outfit!
2. I didn’t have to cook lunch or dinner!
3. Jemimah’s curtains are done!
4. My mom wasn’t seriously injured when she took a tumble in gravel. I never knew it was possible to tear up the back of a hand so much, though.
5. After getting home from taking Mom to the ER I had nice, quiet time with my sweetheart.
My kids were "pre-camping" today. We ate dinner outside, and then they set up the tents to sleep out there just for the fun of it. I don't think I'm the only one getting excited for camping!
Blessings:
1. I had almost the whole day for sewing and other crafty fun!
2. I’m almost finished with the curtains for Jemimah.
3. I got to paint today! I painted a small portion (the galley area) of the trailer. I really like the way it looks – we’re considering doing the whole thing white inside, so this gives us a chance to see what we think.
4. We had an impromptu dinner al fresco. It was fun – camp chairs, food on the picnic table, happy kids…awesomeness.
5. Oh! We also had a free lunch today! Valley Drug had their customer appreciation day today, and they were serving hamburgers and brats (bratwurst, not naughty children). More awesomeness!
Instead of one photo and five blessings today, I think my photos from the day will be my list of blessings.
1. 
2.
3.
4.
5.
I think I’m in love with my new, blingy flip-flops. I made them myself for approximately $8 (under $4 for the flip-flops at the grocery store, of all places, and about $4 in acrylic rhinestones. Oh and a bit of glue. I might post a “how I did it” on my family blog in a little while.)
Blessings:
1. Crafting things I love.
2. Jemimah is home from her visit to the shop. The stove and oven work fine, so that’s great news. The air conditioner, furnace, hot water tank, and refrigerator all need to be replaced – not a surprise. It’s funny to me that I feel better just having her back in the driveway. I guess I waited so long to have a trailer that I feel nervous when it’s not here.
3. Little Man is really working lately – yesterday he scooted forward, and today he got up on his hands and knees and moved his knees forward. Whoohoo! Some people think I’m crazy for wanting him to be mobile, but considering that he’s a few months behind in his gross motor skills, I think it’s time.
4. My flexible work schedule. This has been one of those days when I just couldn’t get settled for work before the kids went to bed. Fortunately for me, that’s okay with my employers.
5. Only two more weeks of our school year!
Blessings:
1. Little Man FINALLY scooted *forward* on his belly! Whoohoo!!! We've been waiting MONTHS for this!! Yay, Little Man!
2. I was invited out to dinner with a charming man (my husband) and his delightful parents. We’re going to the Victor Steakhouse. It doesn’t get better than that!
3. I am still caught up at work.
4. Andrew is cooking dinner for the family. I’m so glad he likes to cook!
5. My mother is coming to hang out with the kids while we go out to dinner. I’m so thankful for my family.
Taking Jemimah to the propane doctor.
Blessings:
1. Ken and I got to go to Missoula alone! It was a quick trip, but it was good.
2. We visited with Austin’s neuropsychologist, and he says Austin’s brain is really progressing well – that’s excellent news!
3. Jemimah is at the doctor’s office to have some of her systems checked. So far they’ve been able to tell us that the gas to the stove/oven works fine. Yay! I can’t wait to have her ready for camping!
4. Little Man is feeling better! Whoohoo! His nose is less runny and he’s less clingy. Yay!
5. “It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?” (Won't You Be My Neighbor, By Fred M. Rogers, © 1967)
My Mother’s Day dahlia is blooming!
Blessings:
1. Summer-like weather!
2. The beautiful weather kept the kids outside playing in the sun and water all afternoon.
3. I accomplished a lot today, and I’m looking forward to a few more accomplishments this evening.
4. My house is not a pig sty!
5. My kids are learning all sorts of things. I just love how much I learn from them every day because they’re just absorbing everything they see and hear. It’s awesome.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Blessings:
1. The kids cooked breakfast for me. Dale and Andrew, mostly, and they did a great job!
2. We had a great time at church even though most of my family was home with the sickies.
3. The weather was perfect for a relaxed, lazy Sunday.
4. We got to hand out our pretty Mother’s Day flowers at church. I thought they came out very nice.
5. I got sleep Saturday night! Pastor Michael told me he’d pray that I got some sleep, and God obviously heard and answered his prayer. It was my best night of sleep since Little Man got sick, and it was greatly needed!
Blessings:
1. I got stuff done today! I think I’ll post some of it on my family blog in just a bit.
2. We finally got the title for the trailer. Whew! It’s really ours!
3. I took 4 of the kids to Hamilton to get the title. They were so calm and quiet in the car – it was almost eerie! We went to DQ because they were so well-behaved.
4. We stopped at my favorite plant nursery on the way home to pick up some Mother’s Day goodies, and I got a free dahlia. Yay!
5. After spending the majority of the day with a runny-nosed, unhappy, sick baby on my hip, Little Man is finally asleep.
We have a houseful of sickies.
Blessings:
1. No one is desperately ill. Just yucky, headachy colds.
2. We didn’t have to have school today!
3. I was done with work before dinner. (Because we didn’t have school.)
4. Netflix.
5. The kids did finally all get sleep. Whew.
Bitterroot Family Fellowship ladies’ meeting – after food and chat we got out our hot glue guns! I might show you what I made tomorrow.
Blessings:
1. Another beautiful day!
2. We had our Bitterroot Family Fellowship ladies’ meeting. We had a nice afternoon together…but I did notice that once again someone referred to the table my mother, Felice, and I were at as the “rowdy table.” My mother claims it’s because of the company she keeps. Hmmm…
3. It was a busy, busy, busy day, but the things that HAD to be done got done.
4. Dale babysat while Ken and I went to a VBS planning meeting. He’s such a good kid. He even had the younger kids in bed when we got home!
5. I’m getting excited about VBS this year. I was unable to participate last year (first time in a gazillion years that I wasn’t a part of VBS), so I’m really looking forward to the week of fun!
Blessings:
1. I have great co-workers.
2. I was able to make a run to Missoula alone! I did have to break a heart or two, but I made it!
3. My new Bible arrived today! So far, I love it.
4. I found the top of my desk!
5. My sweetie and I spent relaxing time together. Sometimes it's hard to find time together with our busy schedule and with him working nights.
Austin at bat.
Blessings:
1. It was a wonderful day for baseball!
2. We had a picnic dinner at the field. I love doing that. Tonight I made chicken salad sandwiches on pita flatbread.
3. I have been working in the trailer in the afternoons – that is working out perfectly. I get a lot more done with a lot fewer interruptions.
4. Kids have finished more subjects in school – the school year is really winding down.
5. My family is awesome. I just love them!
Jemimah got new kitchen curtains! They are so much brighter than the old ones. I can’t wait to finish up all the curtains now.
Blessings:
1. I’m caught up at work!
2. I found 5 yards of fabric for Jemimah’s curtains for $10. Whoohoo!
3. I had time to make curtains!
4. It was a gorgeous day.
5. I walked downtown with six kids and got home with the same level of sanity I had when I left. Victory!
Cherry blossoms
Blessings:
1. We had a great time in church this morning. It really is a blessing to me.
2. I didn’t have to cook lunch! (Thank you, Nana, for taking us out to the Mexican restaurant.)
3. Ken and I started our plan of action for repairing/restoring the trailer. That’s just fun to me. We sat in the trailer and discussed what we’re going to do soon, and what we’d like to do eventually.
4. It was a relaxing day.
5. We’re almost done with our school year! It’s been great, but I’m ready for a break.
My new, cute, corduroy pillow – made just for Jemimah.
Blessings:
1. Went to Missoula with Mom, Caleb, and Little Man. We had a great day!
2. Little Man is THE happiest, easiest baby ever! Not a single complaint the entire day in Missoula.
3. I got to craft something! It’s been waaaaay too long. I posted my corduroy pillow on my family blog.
4. Ken got the water and 12v power working in the trailer. Yayayayayay! I love him!
5. All is quiet in Scrivnerburg. I love this time of night. Ahhhhhhh…
Blessings:
1. I had a Divinely ordained meeting with a new friend today. I’ll save the details for another day, but it was an answer to prayer.
2. The younger boys’ baseball game was cancelled. I wasn’t going because it was getting cold and yucky, but Ken and the boys were going to be gone all evening. Now we get to spend the evening together!
3. Store-bought pizza for dinner! Yay for easy!
4. We’re making progress on Jemimah!
5. My Caleb D. Dubbies is funny. Check him out here.
Blessings:
1. I got an early start on my work day. (Good thing, too. I didn’t get much done the rest of the day.)
2. My boys were successful salesmen today. They sold some orange juice, ice water, and ALL their baseball raffle tickets. Yay!
3. I found a few bargains at the Bitterroot Thrift Store. One bargain is a 25¢ house dress that is going to become a pillow cover or something.
4. We had a bit of sunshine today! (We needed it!) We had wind, too. Hmph.
5. We get our trailer tomorrow!
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