{ snow day!!! }

Wow!  I don't remember the last time I got a snow day from school.  It was probably third grade or something like that, and I'm not saying how many years ago that was.  Well, due to a Winter storm warning, a Blizzard warning, sub zero temperatures, and blowing snow, we got a SNOW DAY here in Missoula on Tuesday.  The kiddos' school opted to have a regular day, but I overruled and gave them a snow day anyway!  We stayed home and stayed warm, watching movies, doing crafts, hanging out (basically anything we could to avoid going outside!!).  Michaela did go outside for awhile, she was working on a snow fort.  Here are a few pics:

 Look at those pink cheeks!!

 Lots of snow!

 This is how much we got overnight.

 Just cuz she's cute and stood still for a picture.

My snow monster!

It was a fun day, even if it wasn't very productive, and we got to start our Thanksgiving vacation a day early.  Just one of many blessings to be thankful for this year!

Have a blessed holiday!

Mrs. Meek

Sometimes you're the bug.

This line from an old country song was stuck in my head yesterday:

"Sometimes you're the windshield,
sometimes you're the bug."

I think it was because sometimes there are just days when things don't go your way, and you feel like the bug. 

To begin with, we found out on Saturday night that a good friend of ours passed away from pancreatic cancer.  He was an awesome man of God, someone who was a mentor to me in many ways, a guy who was "Papa" to my kiddos, who rejoiced and cried with us during some great and difficult times.  Papa O, you are greatly missed.  His passing was somewhat of a shock, as we didn't realize that things had gotten so serious, and it didn't really hit me until Sunday morning, when Beth spent all of Sunday morning worship on my lap in tears.

Then, after church, Jon and I had a disagreement.  Nothing major, but still not fun.  It took me most of the rest of the day to straighten out my own attitude.

Fast forward to this morning, and Gabe wakes up in a funk, ready to take on Michaela in order to get half of a packet of fruit snacks.  I think we got it straightened out, but like I said, there are days when sometimes it feels like life is the windshield, and I am the bug.

Thankfully, on the days it feels like I'm getting squished by the cares of life, I know a place I can go...
Matthew 11:29-30 reminds me that Jesus will willingly take on my cares and that I don't have to carry them.  He tells me, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Words of comfort.  When I remember to fix my eyes where they belong, my burdens don't seem quite so difficult, and what seemed like a huge deal in my own eyes becomes less, while the grace of God becomes more.  So, so thankful for that!

Hopefully the rest of the day is better, but if not, I hope I can keep my focus where it belongs...not looking for windshields to smack into.

Have a blessed day!

{ hint, hint }

I've been thinking about my Christmas list lately, due to some early requests (thanks, Dad!).  It's gotten me thinking that while I like the normal things like gift cards and clothes, there are some things that are a little more unique.  So, I'm posting this in the hopes that my darling hubby *might* take a peek at it (or maybe one of my dearest friends will send this to him, ha ha).  Just a few ideas that would be tops on my list:

A necklace or bracelet from here.

A crafty/scrapbooking getaway with friends

This book.  (The Christmas one, dear)!

That's it.  Somethings that are a little fun, a little unique, and a lot something I'd like. Hint, hint.
What are some things that you would LOVE to get from your special someone this year?

Mrs. Meek

{ blogging }

I really, really enjoy reading other people's blogs. I enjoy writing my own, but I really enjoy reading others. Some people read their morning paper; I check my RSS feed and my blogroll. When my friends don't post as often as I would like, I find myself getting irritated, even though I am not the most frequent blogger. Blogs give me a way to keep up with what's happening with people, get new ideas for crafting, and get new recipes for my ever growing collection. Plus, I love reading, and the blogosphere is like one giant book, only it is real people's lives. How cool!
So, I'm looking for a few good blogs to read. If you comment, let me know your top 3 favorite blogs to read, besides mine, of course!

Mrs. Meek

{ pictures }

As promised, here are some fun pics from our weekend with friends!

Jon and Donald

Jen and I

Gabe and Jonathan

And then, we had to take girl pics...

Hannah and Bethany

Elizabeth and Michaela

Michaela and Hannah

This combination is fondly known as "Beth-Beth."

All the silly girls! Such beautiful smiles!

There you have it! Another fun filled weekend with the Meeksterbrooks families!!

Thankful for friends...

This weekend, our friends (you guessed it...the EASTERBROOKS!) came to visit us, just to hang out and be together. I can't tell you how awesome it is to have these people in our lives. We just love them! And it is so much fun to have friends who live 2 1/2 hours away who will drive over snowy passes just to see you! This was probably the last trip either way for a while, though, unless we get some really, really great weather in December and January.
We took them to some of our favorite Missoula spots this weekend, including the Double Front Cafe and the Antique Mall. We also went to see an illusionist who was in town last night. Mostly we just enjoyed hanging out.
Pictures to come...
Mrs. Meek

{Halloween}

Bethany (the flapper), Gabe (the pumpkin master), Michaela (the kitty cat) and Dolly (the pumpkin)

Gabe actually dressed up for the Harvest Party. He went as Friar Tuck!

Michaela the kitty cat!

Wow, I am almost caught up! These are pictures from Halloween and our Awana Harvest Party! Gabe didn't dress up for Halloween this year, which was fine with Jon and I. He did take Bethany around the neighborhood when we got home, and he even got some candy, but I think his trick or treating days are over! I also think this is my official "caught up" post. I have some more pictures to post from our little basement room remodel, but since it is almost done, I think I will wait until it is finished and then I can post them all in order. So, I hope you enjoyed my week of posts. It probably won't happen like this again for a long time to come! I am going to try to be more faithful to this little blog, but a post every day for almost a week is a lot for me! Bless your day!

Easterbrooks!!

Bethany

Hannah and Michaela

Yes, we love our fabulous friends! Here are a couple of pictures from October, when we made a quick trip to Post Falls over a long weekend. Gabe went to Vision Conference, a youth conference here in Montana, while the rest of us headed to Idaho. We played games, we drove to Spokane for some really greasy food, we ate donuts from Wal-Mart, and of course Jen and I had to do something crafty, so we had a girls' night out where we made a family message center out of a cookie sheet. In short, we had a blast!

Dolly is growing up

My puppy is growing up, but she's still supremely cute!

Advertisement

For everyone in the Missoula area, I just want to start getting the word out that Bethany and Michaela will have a performance coming up for Irish Dance.

When: December 4, 2010 3:00pm

Where: Clark Fork City Church Auditorium

2811 Latimer St.

What: Missoula Irish Dancers Winter Performance and Fundraiser

(Silent Auction at intermission, admission is free but donations are always appreciated)

What for: The Missoula Irish Dancers are trying to raise money to buy new dance school dresses, as well as add to the general operating fund for the school.

There will be live Irish fiddle and harp, and dancing, of course! Refreshments will be served.

Even if you just come to see my cute little girls perform, come!

Some randomness.. and the First day of school!

Bethany being silly

Gabe...doing something...

First day of school!

Ok, so I know these are old, but I'm getting caught up! Be glad that I'm actually posting!

Celebration Northwest

Jen and I

All of us!

(Jon, me, Jen, Donald,

Bethany, Gabe, Jonathan, Hannah, Elizabeth and Michaela)

In August, we traveled to Oregon. Our family of churches, NewFrontiers, holds regional family camps, and this year Celebration Northwest was held in Silverton, Oregon. We traveled with our friends, the Easterbrooks! This family is awesome, and although we have only known them for a little more than a year, it seems like we've been close friends forever. You'll be seeing them frequently in my posts as I get caught up and probably a lot after that, too! Here is a group shot of our families, as well as one of Jen and me!

More summer pics!

Elizabeth

Jonathan

Michaela

Bethany

All enjoying some fun in the sun at Black Bay.

Here are more pictures from this summer, now that the uploader is working for me again!

Vacation pics!!!

It appears that my issues with blogger are resolved, at least for the moment! Hopefully these are still here tomorrow! These are some pictures from July, when we went on vacation to Silverwood Theme Park with our wonderful friends, the Easterbrooks family! We love these guys! More pics to come, I hope. I have a lot to catch up on!!!