warm inside

Oh how thankful I've been that we've had nothing on our calendar for this week. It's been frigid here, folks. It was zero degrees yesterday while I was out caring for the animals in the morning but the windchill was -16. Yikes. Let me just say that I've really been learning what it means to toughen up and trudge forward. Going out two or three times a day to take care of the animals when it's this cold is certainly a good way to condition oneself for frigid temperatures! But I certainly don't regret our decision to raise animals. They are so worth the suffering through the snow, wind, and chill.

Today the snow was blowing (literally blowing in sideways) and the kids were outside and playing in that blowing snow by 9 o'clock this morning. I took some pictures through the French doors, but that's all the farther I've ventured out today. Brad's working from home today so he was up early, taking care of the farm duties before he started work. I just love him to pieces.

With all of this cold weather, we have been doing a lot of reading. Ian received two series of books for Christmas. Both series were written by a Christian author by the name of Chuck Black. The first series is called The Kingdom Series and the second is called The Knights of Arrethtrae. Both series have six books each. Ian has read all of the Kingdom series and is on the last book in the Knights series. He has loved these books, devoured them really. I would really recommend them for tween boys. Here is a link to the first book in the Kingdom series, and a link to the first book in the Knights series.

Lily received a series called The Cobble Street Cousins by Cynthia Rylant. These are charming little books, perfect for girls ages seven to nine or so. They are short books, books for girls who are almost ready for full-length chapter books. Lily has really enjoyed them and has also been reading in most of her spare time. Once she finishes this series, we're already planned on purchasing The Lighthouse Family series books, also by Cynthia Rylant. We both also love the charming and endearing illustrations in Rylant's books.

I've been enjoying A Girl of the Limberlost. I'm reading it on my Kindle because this particular Kindle version is free. It's really drawn me in, and I'm quite enjoying reading again. It's been months since I've read for pleasure. I have been so busy with my business and school that it just hasn't been a priority, but it was a goal of mind for this new year to begin reading more again. It's been a good decision.

School is done for the day. The kids are back out in the snow again, and I'm about to make a cup of coffee and sit down to crochet for a bit. I really should clean, but that will come tomorrow. The tree comes down tomorrow, carpets get scrubbed (oh joy), and everything gets dusted and wiped down. It's going to be a whole family affair.

So for now, I'll sip coffee, crochet, and eventually get to making the icing for the yummy GF chocolate cake I made for dessert tonight. Sounds like a fine start to the weekend!