Holy Week

I will apologize in advance for the poor quality of some of these pictures. We have had a good week (so glad Daddy is home!). Right when Charlie came back we started into Holy Week. I was talking to a lady at our church a month or so ago. She mentioned that her family was planning a big celebration for Easter. She said, "Easter really should be a much bigger celebration than anything else throughout the year." I totally agreed with her. It is when we celebrate our Savior, rising from the dead, defeating death on our behalf. So, I got to thinking about how we could make Easter more of a celebration. I decided we should do Holy Week devotions. I kinda came up with a little devo for our family to do each morning. I was able to take various ideas from different Holy Week devotionals that I saw online. What we do each morning is read a passage from scripture that deals with the last week of Jesus' life. Our passage this morning was from when Christ took passover with his disciples and then went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. I made a twiggy little cross from sticks in the yard (it's a pathetic little thing, our yard is still covered in snow and sticks were not abundant!). I printed off 7 little pictures to go with the scripture passages that we used. Each day, Callie picks the appropriate picture and hangs it on the little cross. Also, we are using little tea lights. On Palm Sunday we had 5 tea lights lit. Each day, starting with Monday we would snuff out one light and the following day light one less light. On Friday, when we read the passage of the crucifixion, we will snuff out the last candle. It will be all dark to represent Jesus' death. Saturday we will have no lights lit. On Sunday morning, all 5 will be lit again representing His rise from the dead.

We also decided to celebrate this week by baking treats for people in the neighborhood. I bought one of those mini muffin tins and we made almond poppyseed sweet bread. We took it to 4 or 5 different families. We taped a note on top of the bread package that said "celebrating Jesus, the Risen Savior" We wanted to encourage others (who may or may not believe) to think about Christ this week.

Callie helped with the baking and this guy helped with the tasting.

De Smet, South Dakota

Well, you may be "wondering where is De Smet, South Dakota?" It happens to be the location of our most recent "family vacation." We just got back from a two night getaway to this tiny little town on the Dakota Prairie. Callie had spring break from preschool this past week, so because of her break and because winter is dragging on and I need a diversion, we decided to take a little trip. We stayed at a cute, kid friendly bed and breakfast. The reason we chose the little (random) town is because it happens to be one of the places that Laura Ingalls Wilder writes about in her book series. In fact, De Smet is the location for "By the Shores of "Silver Lake", "The Long Winter", "Little Town on the Prairie", "These Happy Golden Years", and the "First Four Years." I have had a newfound love of her series since moving to the upper midwest where so many of her books took place. Also, Callie has enjoyed checking out the preschool adapted versions of her books from the library. Anyway, at least the two of us were excited to see where Pa, Ma, Mary, Laura, Carrie, and Grace all lives. Enjoy the snapshots of our trip. By the way it would have been way better to have gone in the summer time but that couldn't be helped since we plan to move then. It was now or never!

entering South Dakota

about 1 hour into South Dakota, much the same, desolate land...I really found it fascinating and loved the drive

arrived at the B&B we had a great setup

It was a gorgeous day. We decided to visit the homestead site. This was the 160 acres that Pa claimed from "Uncle Sam" if he could live on it for 5 years. The original house was gone from the site.

Callie and I next to one of the five cottonwood trees that Pa planted for Ma (Caroline). All 5 are still there.

looking out over Pa's land

We had dinner in a little local cafe, the nicest guy struck up a conversation with us and then paid for our meal!

Callie eating her pancake man at breakfast. It's just like the one Laura had in "Little House in the Big Wood"

Callie is grinding wheat like Laura did. They ground wheat in the coffee grinder all winter long, all day long in the story the "Long Winter" It was the only food they because the trains got stuck and couldn't get to the little town for 5 months because of snow. We are actually inside the "Surveyors House." This was the first little house that Laura and her family lived in (through that first winter in South Dakota). It was the real deal not a replica! Everything is how she described it in her book. After Charlie took this picture inside, we found out there were no inside pictures allowed. Oops!

outside the surveyor's house

The first school in De Smet. Laura and her sisters attended here

The house that Pa built in town. He built this house 2 years after Laura got married. They got tired of trying to farm on the claim. Laura never lived in this house but she visited a lot. Her and Almanzo's land was close by. The was the last house that Pa and Ma lived in. We saw many original artifacts in the house.

The Loftus store is a general store that Laura writes about in her book. She visited it frequently. The original store is still there and up and running. Some of the same, original flooring is still in the store. Callie was able to buy with her own money (that Greatmama gave her at Christmas) a harmonica and some stick candy.

the homestead site where Laura and Almanzo first lived as a married couple. Laura and her daughter Rose accidentally caught the house on fire and it burned down. I think he built another small house but they moved shortly after that incident. They moved to Florida but only stayed two years. Laura couldn't get adjusted to the heat and humidity. After that, they moved back to De Smet and lived right down the street from her parents in town. They stayed a couple more years in De Smet and then moved permanently to Missouri.

our B&B was awesome. it came equipped with pool passes at a nearby hotel.

next morning Coleman decides to eat with a fork for the first time

then we hit the road and come home. Hope you all enjoyed the pictures and the little history lesson

Making the most of 30 degrees

We have had a number of days lately that have hovered around the 30 degree mark. When you live in Minnesota, you get the opportunity to learn how to make the most of 30 degree days! Last week we got another 8-10 inches of snow. Here's Callie in the front yard and then laying on top of the snow pile (what we've shoveled or snow plowed off the driveway).

The four of us went on walk around a lake that's not too far from our house. Here's Callie and I on the frozen lake. We think it was Callie first time walking on a lake. There was a spot further around on the lake where the ice was thin because of a little waterfall. We all enjoyed watching the scores of ducks jumping from the ice into the water.

Not so typical preschool morning

We had a not so typical preschool morning this morning. It was not typical in a very good way. It was one of those days where I was able to get a ton of stuff done while the kids entertained themselves. I guess if all mornings were like this one I wouldn't know how to appreciate days like today. Anyway, I was able to get up get breakfast for the kids and myself, get callie ready for school, knead bread for our dinner with students tonight, do a cardio workout in the basement all the while Charlie plowed the 6 inches of snow out of the driveway. All this was accomplished by 8:30. I walk upstairs to Callie sweetly reading to her brother and Coleman content to let her entertain him.

We proceed to drive the snowy roads to preschool. Coleman and I get home and he contentedly plays in the kitchen while I make chili for the guys coming over tonight. He builds his little "can tower" all by himself. He then continues to be content and sits on the bathroom floor and eats his snack while I shower. As if that wasn't enough, I get out of the shower to him opening the bathroom cabinet door for me so I could get my hair dryer. He then hands me all my hair brushes. This guy was taking care of his mama! We top the morning off with Coleman playing happily in his crib for 40 minutes while I sit and read my Bible with some hot tea! I simply had to document this morning because it will probably be a long time before I have one that smooth again!