The Wind in the Willows

I ran into my friend Kiley at the bookstore over the weekend and she suggested this book and I am so glad she did.  Sunday night we started it and the boys ask- just one more chapter...please!  Here are a few of my favorite quotes.

"Soon after, he came upon a big river.  Never in his life had he seen a river before.  It was all a-shake and a-shiver, glinting and gleaming in the sun.  Mole was fascinated.  He trotted beside the river for a while and then, a little tired, sat down on the bank and listened to the river chattering and babbling past him."

"There is nothing as enjoyable as simply messing about in boats.  Nothing seems really to matter.  That's the charm of it.  Whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, it doesn't matter."

I have...

I came across this list from Heidi at Mt. Hope Chronicles and I thought it was fun, so I am going to give it a try.  Feel free to play along, just leave me a comment and let me know.

(Items in pink are ones that I have done. Items with an * are ones on the 'to-do in my lifetime' list.)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars 
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii*
5. Watched a meteor shower* 
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis 
10. Sang a solo 
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (watched while going very fast in the other direction)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child 
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (oops, but i was in high school...)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon*
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice*
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (on the beach at Hilton Head Island, amazing)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise*
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors * 
35. Seen an Amish community*
36. Taught yourself a new language*
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person*
39. Gone rock climbing*
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David*
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt*
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant*
44. Visited Africa*
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China*
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia*
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp*
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades*
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem*
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible* 
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury*
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one 
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee 

Stay at home Thursdays

Today was a great day to be home.  It was snowing most of the day, so a great day to make indoor snowmen and fresh vegetable soup.

This is supposed to be a snowman, but it actually looks a little creepy.

Carter practicing spelling during his quiet time.  He needed some help with popcorn, but he's doing quite well.

Tuscan Minestrone soup.  Recipe anyone?  It is so yummy.

Recipe is from the Best Life Diet.

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 medium zucchini, cut into slices

1 medium summer squash, cut into slices

1 large carrot

1 small onion

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

4 cups chicken broth

one 15- ounce can diced tomatoes

one 15- ounce can cannellini beans

1/2 cup whole wheat elbow pasta

3 fresh thyme sprigs

salt and pepper

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup fresh basil

* i also use lots of fresh spinach

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium- high heat.  Add the zucchini, squash, carrot, onion, garlic, and italian seasonings to the dutch oven and cook, stirring frequently , until the veggies soften about 10 minutes.  Stir in the broth and diced tomatoes, cover the mixture, and bring to a boil.  Add the beans, pasta, and thyme, and cook, uncovered, at a low boil until the pasta is done, about 10 minutes.  Remove the thyme sprigs, and season the mixture with salt and pepper.  Serve in individual bowls and top each serving with the parmesan cheese and basil.

Christmas

Yummy hot cocoa.

I'm sorry I am a little out of order with my posts.  We did have a fantastic Christmas with family and friends.  Here are a few pictures of the season.

At Lowe's building a gingerbread house.

This is  how I displayed my Christmas cards, on some tree branches with clothes pins.  Thanks to all who sent them.  I love getting them.

It was extremely difficult to get this picture.

A few days before Christmas my mom and I were out shopping and she noticed this in the sky.  It looked so much better in real life, but doesn't it look like a cross?  It was an amazing sight and a great reminder to look up;  in more ways than one.

We got lots and lots of snow the week before Christmas and its a good thing we had help.

.

Learning to skate

I signed Carter for up for a skating- learning to skate for hockey.  He is a few months under the sign up age, which is 5, but I figured we would give it try since he seemed interested.  I can't believe how thrilling it was watching him explore the ice.  You could just see him taking it all in.  I am so grateful to my friend Nadine who is a skater;  she laced up her skates and taught him a few things too.  His cousins, Julia and Olivia also helped encourage him.  The program is an hour long with a 15 minute instruction at the beginning.  He was out there the entire hour and asked when he could come back.  Matt loves to skate so it must run in the family and will be a great thing for us to do together.