More Like Him: snarky or Grace

 We recently had a FHE centered around this picture.  Sometimes in the walls of this house we tend to point out faults in each other.  Sometimes we point them out using a microscope so we don't leave any fault unnoticed.  It is not just one of us, but all of us.  Snarky comments are sometimes more prevalent than love and grace.

I woke up presidents day morning, just bogged down with the weight of being an inferior mother and wife.  All the snarky comments over days just boiled up a batch of self loathing and tears that wouldn't stop.  ( you ever have one of those days)

Now mind you my mouth can speak as many snarky comments as the next guy.  So after a long conversation with Kyle, a solution was born.  We would talk to the kids and each other about what is going well.  Point out the good things more than the bad and focus on grace and understanding.

We are human and snarky comes out, but this new picture that I bought on presidents day hangs by our kitchen table.  I look at it while eating or working, and often think of the Savior's love.  How he is the perfect example of all these virtues.  I think about those snarky comments and whether or not they need to have voice, because all of us need second chances.

This months heartfelt lesson is to have more grace, because when I CHOOSE to extend grace, I more frequently receive it.

Braved the Weather

Today, we decided not to stay grounded and to head to Michigan.  We braved the weather and headed for our favorite winter destination...

 ...our brave driver weaved through the slow driving traffic and got us all there safe and sound...to where else, but CABELA's!!!!

Dundee, Michigan had a few Moose sightings today.  (Hehe!!!)

One of Kota's (the Moose Man) wishes was to go to Cabela's before he left on his mission.  With the papers being officially submitted we decided to comply with his wish.  On the way we stopped in Toledo and fed one our favorite missionaries, Elder Jenkins and his companion.  (Oops, no pictures of the cute little café that we visited, but it was delicious.)

We stopped at all of our favorite joints, Russell Stover outlet and got some blooper chocolates (perfect for the fitness), Yep no calories in the ones from Michigan.  What you didn't know that?

Then we stopped at the beef jerky outlet to get some protein to off set the sugar.  MMM, they had cheese curds too!

Then you can't drive by Perrysburg, Ohio without stopping at the Bass Pro Shops.  All of our favorite one tank trips in one day.  Phew!

"Hey, man, you gotta stop these squirrels!"  Inside family joke from the movie, "Just Go With It."  These squirrels were on the go today (no stoppin' us)  and it was fun.

With all the wildlife on display it didn't feel like a wintery dreary day.  Who knew we'd get to see blue sky and sunshine, just because we traveled 2 hours away from home; north even.

I'm thinking about entering this picture of the tractor in the county fair for the winter category.  Not sure it is my favorite yet, but I do like it, what do you think?

Sometimes it is worth braving the elements to enjoy the day!  I'm sure there is a lesson in that statement somewhere!

Cuddle Dog

Nothing like sitting in the recliner and have a full size dog crawl in your lap.  Then turn around to get comfortable.  Geez, do you realize you are not a puppy anymore.  She about launches me out of the chair trying to get comfy!

Just wanted to see what your doing on that tablet...

Crazy dog, just needed some attention.

Brr, Winter Promenade

It has been cold here in Ohio.  True winter has been in our midst since early January.  I has snowed every week.

  Yesterday is snowed so much that we were grounded here.  It was drifting and blowing from about 11 am until 5:30 pm.  The missionaries were here doing our weekly meeting, (oh yeah) Kyle was called as ward mission leader a couple of weeks ago.  So the missionaries come from breakfast on Saturdays and then we hear their reports and plan what we are going to do for the week.

Dakota got his birthday presents!  He has most of a full Scottish kilt outfit.  He need just a few more things to get back to his roots.

I think it is awesome that he loves his heritage so much that he wants to have the official dress of his clan.  I think he looks great.  His mission papers are really in now, so we are hoping to hear where in the world he will be going this time.  I hope he returns to the same mission, but only time will tell.  It is exciting getting back into the mission thing.  He is ready to go.  We are still going to the temple every other weekend to help keep him focused and we are praying mightily that all goes well.  (Feel free to add your prayers to ours!)

 

On Kyle's birthday we went to a barn dance in Danville.  It was so much fun.  The kids danced for hours.  Promenade, do-si-do, and the Virginia Reel, were but a few dance moves they made.

 Both Kyle and I were fighting an upper respiratory infection and opted not to share our germs with everyone and watched.

Today, Kyle and I got out of the house and took a drive in the countryside.  It was nice to get out of the house today.  Church services were cancelled due to the poor weather and below zero temperatures.  So it was great to get some sunshine today and enjoy the beauty of the fresh fallen snow.

This winter is a lot like the winters from my childhood.  I remember the snow and sledding and ice skating behind Grandpa Steigerwalt's house on the creek.  I was reminded of sledding down the hill on a scoop shovel from the barn, when our sleds were out of commission.  I also remember Grandpa dragging the little ones who couldn't yet skate on that same scoop shovel on the ice.  We thought grandpa was the best ice skater ever because he could do a figure 8.  I really enjoyed those evenings bundling up and spending time on the ice and snow with my grandpa.  Life was so simple back then.