Andrew Ripp - I'd Do It Again (Official Lyric Video)

This is a song I heard playing on the radio a few weekends ago and enjoyed it so I thought I would share it here as well. 

Our weekly snapshot

 Here’s a look back at our week: 

This week started cold.  This was Saturday morning at 8:10a.  Brrrrrr! 

Darryl and Nate graciously helped me clean the church so then we got lunch!  

Josh went to a school dance with his girlfriend.  

Most of our week was quiet due to continued cold and snow causing bad road conditions but the guys finally got to attend youth group Wednesday! 

Last week our co-op was canceled due to weather so it was nice to be back together again on Friday. 

Weekly Menu

 January.  My cooking this month has been less than stellar.  We had so many "sick" days where only one or two of us was actually eating that I didn't actually cook a ton of real meals.  We ate a lot of canned chicken noodle soup, fried rice, and chicken.  I would guess that I cooked one "good" meal a week and that's about it!  Not to mention schedule changes and me just not always feeling like cooking.  I'm hoping as we enter into February I can get my groove back!  

 

Here is a look at this weeks menu:

Friday - The guys are heading to a youth activity so Darryl and I will most likely grab something simple to eat after dropping them off. 

Saturday - Dinner at my mom's.  With my teens busy social life (ha!) we don't make it for dinner every week but we make it as often as we can and enjoy it (and a game normally) very much!  So thankful my mom lives so close! 

Sunday - Spaghetti (Homemade Sauce), French Bread, and green beans.  I haven't made a batch of my homemade sauce in awhile so I can make a big batch and then freeze some for an easy meal on a Friday evening. 

Monday - Swedish Meatballs and Noodles 

Tuesday - Tortellini Soup and Bread

Wednesday - Youth Group

Thursday - Spaghetti Carbonara and French Bread

Looking at this menu . .. . apparently it is pasta week HA! 

Joy and Gratitude

 If you have followed this blog for any length of time then you are probably aware that I teach a class at our co-op every semester called Joyful.  It is a class designed to have fun, build relationships, and, well, find Joy in every day things.  Just before this semester started I came across the following post and shared it with the class on the first week.  I thought I would share it here as well. It's a great reminder of the simple fact that Joy comes from Jesus and we can have joy even on the hard days. 

I saw this meme this past week and laughed because it was true.  HA!  

January has been a long year ;-) LOL   Anyway, with things this past month like sickness, weather, cancelling of lots of things, it would be easy to get down in the dumps for sure!  I decided to take some time this past weekend and remind myself of the good - to find gratitude -- to be thankful for the things this month.  Maybe you've struggled too so I thought I'd share some of mine. 

1. I'm thankful that we are all feeling better.  (Nate got sick January 6th with a head cold and then it just went from there - colds, coughs, stomach flu!  As of 1.25.26 I do believe we are all feeling nearly 100%) 

2. I am thankful that Darryl has been kept safe on the roads throughout some very treacherous driving this month.  (And it is still treacherous!) 

3. I am thankful that Nate had an amazing time at winter retreat!  He just plain loves camp. 

4. I am thankful for a very warm house. 

5. I am thankful that our furnace runs faithfully. 

6. I am thankful Josh decided to move his xbox to the living room - we've enjoyed lots of family time together in the evenings just all being in the same room. (Why? After being sick and stuck in his room he said he just needed to be in the living room where it was brighter) 

7. I'm thankful Josh was able to go to my mom's when Darryl and Nate when down with the stomach flu.  It's nice she lives so close. 

8. I'm thankful for Zoom calls with my mom and brothers - we always laugh about something. 

9. I am thankful Nate was able to earn his 2nd black belt!  

10. I am thankful that Darryl, Nate and I "happened" to clean the church on a Saturday and discovered frozen pipes; they were repaired before any damage was done! (I normally clean on Thursday - but due to the bad roads, went in on a Saturday and my guys helped out!)  

11.  I am thankful we did not have frozen pipes at home. 

It helps - it really does!  When I first started writing things done it was slow going but the more I wrote, the more I thought of.  So, if you are struggling take time to think of even small things you can be thankful for and remember to say thank you to God for those things!  (A lot of times I say, "Thank you God for . .. ." and then list that item.)

Point of Grace "Stand" (Official Lyric Video)

I've always been a fan of Point of Grace and the seem to be releasing some new music.  I hope you enjoy this fairly new release this week! 

Our weekly snapshot

 Here’s a look back at our week! 

These four guys are great friends.  

With leaders they had about 50 people head out to winter retreat!  Yes, they have matching orange hats - the youth leaders wanted to be able to easily spot their teens so matching beanies for the win! 

Nate and his friends this time with Sophia added in!  Nate and Sophie have been friends since they were about 4 years old.  

Nate left for winter retreat on Saturday.  He had a fantastic time.  They left camp on Monday afternoon in blizzard conditions and made a three hour drive in just over five hours. 😬🙄. So thankful for a great weekend and safety!! 

Darryl and I went out to breakfast for our January “25th year of us” activity 

Then our weekend took a turn. 🤣 we had dinner with my mom at Pizza Hut (which was great!).  A few hours after we got home Josh went down with the stomach flu.  Needless to say we stayed home the rest of the weekend!  Here’s to crossing our fingers 🤞that maybe we are past sickness!  2026 has started out a little rough! 

Not to mention weather!  Snow Storms to start the week and bitter cold will round out this week.  My guys tackled the driveway on Wednesday-the warmest day of the week (27 degrees/feels like 11). 

Things have either been cancelled this week or we have chosen not to make the drive on some pretty dicey roads!  

Yes, it’s that cold.  

Lots of this happening this week - everyone hanging out in the living room.  I don’t take these days for granted!!  

Weekly Menu

I've had to rewrite this whole post on Thursday night because our plans have changed due to crazy winter weather! This was supposed to be a birthday party weekend for Nate but we have rescheduled that for March and will be home for the most part.  It has been snowing here for a week; the roads are terrible; and now we are in line for wind chills of up to -30.  (That's not a typo!)  Everything has been cancelled this week -- or we made the decision to not go due to the road conditions.  It's been kind of nice actually - except my husband still has gone to work.  (Well, except Monday when it was an actual Snow Storm Warning!!!).  Anyway, the goal this weekend is to stay warm and safe! We still have to eat though so I had to rework my menu plan; I also tend to "snow storm" buy when I place my grocery order just in case we are hungry for anything LOL  It's ok though because anything I planned can be put into the menu plan either this week or next week!   

This weeks menu:

Friday - Pork Roast in the crock pot with cheesy potatoes and green beans.  A great "cold weather" kind of meal! 

Saturday -  There is still a question mark on today's plans but - we will either have dinner with my mom OR stay home and have leftover pulled pork.  

Sunday - We are not sure if we will make it out to church; if so, they are having a potluck and I plan to take a taco salad to take since that is easy to put together kind of at the last minute.  If we don't go, then I plan to make breakfast - probably eggs, toast, bacon/sausage, and fried potatoes.     

Monday - Scalloped Potatoes and Ham in the crock pot.  (Yes - the recipe I made a few weeks ago).  This will use up the ham from Christmas.  

Tuesday - Homemade chicken noodles soup.  Last week I froze the leftover chicken and dumplings (minus the dumplings!) and will use that as a base for the soup.  I like to add corn and noodles for a great soup!  I will make some biscuits to enjoy with it. 

Wednesday - Youth Group

Thursday - Roast, Noodles, and Corn