Chasing the Rainbow!

Quite a sight we saw today!

My daughter and I were headed home and right before our eyes was a mini-storm with snow and rain clouds racing around.  The clouds were really low and we could see the wind blowing them and pushing them along - right into this beautiful winter rainbow!

Laura asked if we could keep driving ahead instead of turning off down our road, so we did.  We pulled over to try to get some pictures but it was so cold and windy outside.  It's hard to see in the pictures how swirly the clouds were, but the way they were in real life was pretty neat!

 We were so close to the end of the rainbow!
 "Wouldn't it be so cool if there was really a pot of gold at the end.  The gold would be right there in the field!"

It turns out that the pictures we took from inside the car came out better anyways. I guess the tinted glass of the windshield gave things more contrast...I like it!
We kept driving but didn't end up with any better shots.

We did get an entirely different view of the day from up at my sister's house.  Pretty wintery isn't it with all those slanty trees blowing in the wind. These next two pictures were taken by my daughter and I think they turned out really well.

Stay warm, keep bundled, Miss Spring Must be around here somewhere!!!  :)

Snow Fort

Gigantic snowfall + Kids = Snowforts!  How fun...this past couple of weeks we have had some serious snow.  Now that we've entered a bit of milder weather, the snow has settled into some really perfect piles for digging out little hidey holes.  Good times!

Then all you need to do is add a dog and some sunshine for a pretty perfect afternoon!

Cute - snowy hugs!

Have a sunshiney day!

It's Piling Up

Snow!  And more snow!

Look how deep it got - just over one day/night last week!

Only 53 days until the official first day of spring - March 21st!

Looking forward to it!

Kitchen Fairy

Oh how I wish the Kitchen Fairy would come visit my house.

I'd like him to do some chores for me.
Notice that the Fairy is a "HIM?"  That's cuz if we're talking fantasy, we might as well go all out!  And we'll make him tall, blonde and handsome too.

I'd like to have the oven cleaned please.
I'd like to have a never-ending supply of goodies for the kids...and some healthy snacks that taste great.
I'd like to have breakfast, lunch and dinner served.

He could also wash the curtains, mop the floor and have big muscles so that I could just enjoy looking at him.

And no.  I do not have any pictures of this guy.
But I do have a phone number: 1 - 800 - kitcn - fabio

"Gimme the phone kids - NOW!"

:)

Don't break a leg!

The morning after a slumber party, the girls decided to jump out of our barn into the snow - crazy nutbirds!
I told them they could jump but I said, "Be careful."  I also told them not to break their legs.  I'm glad they listened!!!
They had a fun time - no broken legs - so I had a fun time too.  When they looked at the pictures afterwards, they decided they liked the way their shadows looked on the barn wall. 

 This is Laura and her friend - who we call Country Pumpkin - and we are very sad because she is moving away.  This party was to wish her well as she and her family set out on a new adventure way down south.  Hopefully with things like Skype, Facebook and texting, the girls will be able to hold on to their slightly zany friendship.  We'll miss you so much Country Pumpkin...who will cut down our Christmas tree now?  Who will bring us blue bow tree toppers?  Who will made saskatoon pies with 3 or 4 cups of sugar for us?  Who will be our Big Black Feather Friend?  We love you and wish you the very best! 

 We're following the leader, the leader, the leader...

 And the leader says, "Jump!"

This is a really great bunch of young ladies who I am so pleased to know and love!  Happy days to you all.

Light & Energy

Ahhh - the sun!  We sure do need the sunshine and the cheer that it provides, don't we?  It lifts our energy levels and brings us up!  Sunshine has been so terribly lacking lately around here.  Today, finally, there was sunshine for about half an hour when I got home from school, so instead of checking e-mails, I went outside for a quick walk.

It was so beautiful!  I picked the road where I would have the least amount of tree cover/shade so I could walk full-on facing the sun.  Of course when I got to the end, I had to turn around and the sun was now at my back. I considered walking backwards in order to have the sun on my face on the way home, but decided against it since we do live down a busy road!


 ..so I turned my head to the side and walked with the sun shining on one cheek!

I didn't bring my camera with me today, but here are a few that I've taken over the past several weeks.  Love the sun, love the light!  Bring it on! Need more!!

Feel the fear

Feel the fear...but push through anyways.

I've been thinking of times in my life when I've been fearful of reaching out and pushing myself beyond my comfort zone.  One case from work came to my mind:

I was thinking about starting a school newspaper.  I was afraid.  I was concerned that people would laugh at it.  I was worried that students wouldn't be interested in helping with it.  I didn't know what computer program to use to create a newspaper, so thus, didn't know how we were going to produce and publish it.  All I knew was that I had photos of students that I wanted to share and that I could see many great things happening in and around our school that needed a show case, but I was scared.

In my nervousness, I began asking questions and feeling out the students' opinions.  One young man who is an interesting study in opposites turned out to be my supporter. 

This young man is extremely reserved at school and likes to write long stories but at home he apparently listens to and sings along with "screamo" bands and intense guitar music.  He did feel confident enough at one point to play a song for me and sing along to it when no one else was in the room!  I have to add that in my opinion, it is so terribly awful that all you can do is smile and turn it off quick!  However, there are people who appreciate this style of music so if you want to learn how: click Screamo tutorial  or if you want a quick earful: click Screamo sample

Anyways, this young man happened to believe that a school newspaper was a good idea.  He wasn't interested in writing for it, he didn't want to be involved in publishing or designing it, in fact he might not even have been willing to read it...but he said I should do it.

That was the key for me.  He thought I could.  He believed in me.

How strange that this young person, not fully finished school yet, was the one that encouraged me to feel the fear, push through the challenges and just do it! 

The newspaper has turned out to be quite a success in our school and it is exciting to see just where this idea might take us as we continue to dive in.  And guess what...the fear is gone!

So, just a thank-you to this young man for believing!  Perhaps he too, has felt the fear of reaching out and pushing yourself beyond what you think you can handle, then watching fear dissolve into triumph and excitement!    

Pristine Vs. Rough-ed Up

Every year with the snowfall, my husband and I have a mini-quarrel - how does the yard ( meaning the snow ) look the best...pristine and perfect with no prints, or rough-ed up with pock-marks, ragged footprints and trails?

I borrowed the neighbour's field for these two shots - just to illustrate...so it's the same field, just about 50 feet apart.  Which do you prefer?

Rough:

Smooth:

And can you guess which one of us argues for which type of snow????  Leave your guess in the comment section and after a while I'll let you know!