That darned Weather Channel!

My secret it out! John happened to have stopped on the Weather Channel during his surfing, and heard them say 25 degrees on Saturday morning. I have a camping trip planned, don't you know it, since it's a three day weekend, and the only information I had given John about the upcoming weather was that it will be quite chilly in the mornings! I heard him hollar... "Are you out of your mind? When was the last time you went camping in 25 degrees? Do you know how cold that is?" I find it somewhat ironic that the man that works outside seemingly most of the winter, is the one that hates the cold so much! I reminded him that we have an electric blanket, and heated mattresses, a space heater and a furnace that will all keep the camper toastier than I will like, but he'll be in heaven! I tired sugar-coating the weather forecast, saying they're overstating how cold it's really going to be. It won't be that cold. Anyway, we're going on Saturday morning, and staying Sunday and Monday morning. It will be warmer on those two days! I hope so! I really want to go! I have big plans.. we're going to O'Leno, and I've got plans for canoeing with the kids on the Suwannee River. This will be their first time in a canoe, believe it or not, and I was planning that we'd get two canoes. (The dog will have to stay in the camper, since I don't want to risk her flipping a canoe with the kids in it. I guess I'll just have to make promises of cooking something warm and toasty in the slow cooker, like a yummy roast or chili. Mmmmm!

Speaking of yummy food, yesterday, I started some pork neck bones in the crock pot, and threw in some potatoes and carrots and onion; the secret to awesome slow cooked pork is rosemary and thyme. By mid day, my mother in law called and offered we come over for dinner. John, Michael and good friend Mark had been working all day to get the doors in the new building finished, and didn't want to stop for lunch, so she offered up dinner for Mark. Okay, soup can wait. In fact, it's better today! After church, I went out and got some stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce, and a small bottle of cooking sherry and mixed vegetables. It's shaped up into some real hearty soup now, and in just a few minutes, we can sit down and enjoy it. I also picked up some rolls, since you can't really enjoy a good bowl of soup without good bread!

It's a very dreary day, so the kids have managed to entertain themselves indoors. Of course, much to John's dismay, they're BOTH wearing fairy dresses! John told Daniel, if you're going to wear that, stay in your room! I don't want to see it! Poor John! Daniel makes such a pretty little fairy! I have to console myself knowing that it's just a child thing, and he merely wants to be just like his big sister! The rain held off long enough, that I went out to replenish my birdfeeder, and that was when the rain decided to dump on me! The birds appreciated my efforts, that is for certain.

I got a laugh this morning in church, when Kristen, sitting behind us with her two small children, Samuel being 19 months old, and Sadie being a mere 3 months old if that. She asked me, "Is this normal? All this craziness? When will I ever hear a sermon again?" Ha! I laughed, and told her how much I enjoyed last week's sermon, with John and the kids staying home due to sickness. It was the first time I'd been able to pay attention to a sermon in over five years! Samuel was being entertained by our children, or maybe my children were being entertained by him. Whichever way it was, I asked Kristen if she thought he would sit with us. Until recently, Samuel was not one to be held by anyone other than his mom or dad, without giving a big hollar! He sat with us quite nicely, and seemed very happy to be sitting between Hanna and Daniel. As I looked at this young family behind us, I couldn't help but reflect on my own children, and tried to remember so long ago when they were so young. Kristen tries to compare our children to her own often, since the age gap is similar, hers being 15 months apart, and ours having been 19 months apart. I offered our pew for future church services, if she felt Samuel would like to sit with us, as John and I remember too well the chaos of quieting a baby and a toddler during church. Wow, it really isn't as bad as it seems "in the moment". Good luck, Kristen! It will pass!

As promised, I've posted a picture of Hanna dressed in the beautiful outfit her Godmother, Miss Tarren sent her for Christmas. I've also posted a picture that will be used during Daniel's junior high and high school years for torment... the fairies of this dreary afternoon!