Hello, World!

Wow, it’s been a while since I last wrote on here!

We’re having a beautiful Sunday evening here—quiet, sunny, and warm. I thought I could take a couple minutes to update you on what’s been happening lately.

I have two months to cover . . . well, maybe you’ll just get a random compilation of what I’ve been thinking about and doing lately. I’ll also chuck in a few pictures from the past couple months, so you can “see” what I’ve been seeing.

Baby sister is really growing up! I’m so thankful for her. She’s learning to be content in the van when we’re driving, and overall is a happier little girl.

Recent picture of all of us siblings.

Two weeks ago, we enjoyed having six German visitors stay with us for a day. That was a real highlight for all of us—we’d never met them before, but they knew my cousin. It was really encouraging to fellowship with fellow believers from the other side of the globe!

Walking the Kaikoura Peninsula with our German guests. Dad and little brother were behind for a while.

 

Looking at the beautiful scenery.

 

Such a beautiful day!

 

It was so pretty!

Ever heard of MultiMarkdown? I’m rather intrigued with it! I really like this markdown editor, and I’m thinking in the future I may just start writing in it for things like blog posts, because I won’t have to format everything in a word processor and then reformat everything to work with HTML once I want to put it up live.

I’ve been thinking a lot about websites lately, particularly my website. Most of my “extra” time—besides visitors, work, family, and away-from-home events—has been spent working on my website, trying to get it finished. Lord willing, I’m hoping to launch early next month (exact date isn’t set yet, but I’m hoping it will be the second week of April). I’ve been trying to figure out giveaways for the launch and prelaunch . . . this should be lots of fun. If you like, you can “like” the Facebook page for Learning Resource Directory, where you’ll be kept up-to-speed with all that’s happening.

Coffee. I found some organic fairtrade coffee at a supermarket a month or two back, and it actually tastes pretty good! I haven’t used it lately, because instant is just so much easier to throw together in a hurry. But I’m thinking I may use it to make crazy coffee. That looks both fun and yummy!

Talk about yummy . . . this was a highlight one (hot!) week. Salted Caramel Magnum Bar. The cleaner’s job isn’t always a very noticed or thanked job, but it is really special when someone “forgets” something in the freezer once in the while (whether intentionally or not). It somehow makes the whole day a lot brighter.

I’ve been cleaning at a local Motel/Holiday park. The amount of people coming through is slowing, so I only work there 2-3 mornings per week. Thankful for the little amount of income I still have!

A month or two ago, I came across some very handy planners. They’ve been very useful to me for quite a while now, and I’m thankful for them. This month, they didn’t get them up quite as early as I had hoped (I had to wait until roughly the 5th to get them!), but now April’s planners are up, so I’m very happy. Now, to plan my month . . . .

A plant outside my window.

I’ve been reading quite a bit lately. Among my latest favorites:

• More Than a Carpenter, by Josh McDowell—pretty challenging, but also really good.
• Cheaper by the Dozen, by Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey—pure fun. I love reading about large families!
• Elsie Dinsmore and Elsie’s Holidays at Roselands, by Martha Finney—both encouraging and challenging! I love this series.

I’ve been writing quite a bit lately—I’ve found that if I have a particular theme for a day of the week, I can actually get something written! So this last month, I tried (and succeeded almost every day) to write a review every Mon/Wed/Fri, and a blog post each Tue/Thu. Everything from those days will be used on my website, so it’s nice to have some backup ready to go.

Picking up apples for the cow—she loves apples, no matter if they’re good or rotten! The really good ones (usually off the tree) become our eating apples.

We’ve been putting away lots of food lately. Apples, tomatoes, peaches, and blackberries, to name a few! God has really blessed us.

Discussing a new bike right before leaving to go get more apples.

What’s your life been looking like lately? Hectic, or relaxed?