Winter Blessings

That's right...it feels like winter here in southeastern Pennsylvania.  Typically, our daytime temperatures hover around freezing and higher in the winter, but this past week we have been staying in the teens and lower 20s.  It's winter...and how it is supposed to be!  I think when the temperatures are cold, it would be nice to have some consistent snow on the ground.  We've had some snow, but it keeps melting.

I've decided to participate in the Friday's Fave Five less often at This Simple Home.  (The biggest reason is that I just don't have time to visit and comment on others' favorites every week.)  However, since it is the end of the month, I thought I'd share with readers a few personal blessings from this past month.

1. SLEEP.  Little sister, now 15 months, slept through the night 6 of the past seven or eight nights.  She goes to bed about 8 o'clock.  If she sleeps till 5 a.m., I am thrilled and consider that sleeping through the night.  Granted the week before she was up at least three nights for two hours or more; I will not hold my breath that this is going to be the new habit, especially with molars coming in soon.  Sleep has been a struggle with this one for a full 15 months.  I am ready for some rest, especially since I have a bit of insomnia without her help!

2. My husband's birthday.  Derek turned 33 this month.  (He is three and a half years younger than me, so I always like when he has a birthday and it is the illusion of three years' difference.)  He requested scalloped potatoes and ham for dinner; I also made him a peanut butter pie with chocolate topping.  (Original recipe...when I make it again I plan to tweak it a bit more.  Then I can share it here.)

3. A stocked freezer.  Our neighbors let us know they would be butchering a pig, and would have extra meat.  We bought ham steaks, a ham, and bacon from them, fresh from the butcher.  Knowing that we have a decent amount of chicken and beef, my current goal is to not buy any meat until March.  Our grocery bills are growing every month, and this will help.  (Maybe I should find a way to not buy six gallons of milk a week at $4 each...but we really like our milk with dinner.)

4. Taxes complete.  Before we even had all of the necessary paperwork, Derek had purchased Turbo Tax to complete our taxes.  In just a couple of weeks we will have the refund.   (Are we the only ones who do not spend our refund?  Well, I guess it could be spent during the year if a big need comes up, but we never make plans for the refund other than savings.)
5. Sunrise.  We drive to the bus stop at 7 a.m. each morning.  The tree line behind our home offers a nice morning view that the children and I often comment upon over breakfast (though it is just now that it is not dark while we eat) or in the van.  (I am aware that the picture quality isn't wonderful, but you get the idea...)

More: I didn't read much this month, but what I did read was awesome.  I've also done a bit of blog organizing creating pictorial directories of my desserts and children's crafts.  I also taught adults for the first time with my ladies' Bible/book study of Shepherding a Child's Heart.  It was a small class...not intimidating and quite the blessing to learn so much from a chapter so well-studied.  The biggest surprise for our family is how Brother (age 4) has been so responsible and imaginative with his new Lego Firetruck kit.  We were hesitant for him to have them, but he has done well, despite one piece lost.  (He likes to turn small toys into "dirt" and "garbage."

What was great about your month?  Leave a comment or link up at Living to Tell the Story.

~ Annette {This Simple Mom}

7 comments

  1. There is so much to be thankful for. A good night's sleep is huge! What a blessing that your little one has stretched her sleeping hours.

    I'm in upstate New York and the temperatures this week have been near zero. Good time to build a fire in the fireplace, make some hot chocolate and curl up in a blanket.

    Many blessings
    Sinea

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  2. A belated Happy Birthday wish for your hubby - his birthday dinner sounds delicious!

    Glad your little one is sleeping through - what a blessing.

    It's a great feeling to have the freezer stocked with meat. And taxes done!

    Happy weekend Annette

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  3. Happy Birthday to your husband! That dinner sounds great. I am older than my husband by 6 months, my d-i-l is older than my son, my mom was older that my step-dad.

    The fresh ham products sound wonderful -- what a blessing. And what a blessing to be able to sleep through the night and have taxes done already. We do spend our refunds but usually for specific things -- paying off a bill or going toward a project for the house, etc.

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  4. oh it IS a blessing when toddlers start sleeping through the night. My youngest daughter didn't sleep all the way through until the week before she turned 7. seriously. we finally discovered at about age 4 that her primary love language is physical touch...she just always needed a hug and to make sure she had her blankie close by. but i remember those exhausting nites and days of trying to figure out WHAT she wanted! Happy bday to your hubby.....that meal sounds great! We don't pay that much for milk but I do know our bill has been higher than usual this winter....a sad sign of the times for sure. I've cut out meat from 2 meals a week as we don't need the extra fat and by doing this I can now buy the better antibiotic-free, hormone-free beef or bison and free range chicken when available. It's tough to find that kind of chicken in my part of New York. We don't have snow either and it's been bitter!!! We might get a little on tuesday. I wouldn't mind a "snow day" from work :) Enjoy your weekend!!

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  5. You'll be missed here at FFF, Annette, but I'm sure you're a wise mama to make that choice. (You're welcome at my place anytime, FFF or not...whenever you have a chance!)

    Fresh meat? That's awesome. Meat is so expensive and the idea of meatless meals does not fly at my house...

    The sleep news is good, too! Hope you have a great week ahead, Annette.

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  6. You guys are really smart not spending that tax return if you could help it.

    A freezer full of meat is quite the blessing. As with Laura meatless meals do not go over well at my house so that would be huge around here.

    Yay for your little one giving you some full nights of sleep.

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  7. Hello, Legos! :)

    I'm glad you listed your blessings. Putting the refund into savings seems like a very wise idea!

    I really do hope (for your sake!) that Little Sis starts making a regular habit out of sleeping through the night!!

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