The new year and new decade have started off great for us here at Twin Oaks!

How about for you all?

I really enjoy things like a new year, a new week, or a new morning.

It always seems to me like another chance!!

Time if a GIFT, and life here on this earth is like a VAPOR –

so every new morning should be celebrated in your heart and mind!

Every new week even more so – and every new year even more!

We were watching the birds at our little bird restaurant while eating our lunch today, and then it had us talking about simple joys – and how a joyful spirit is really just a perspective!

I have SO many simple joys throughout my day – and I am so thankful that the Lord allows His joy in me to see things that way!!

I ask Him to! And He answers!!

These pens are a simple joy to me – I enjoy keeping a journal, so pens and journals are a joy!

You must try these if you are looking for a good pen!

Everyone I have shown them to who then got them LOVES them too!

They are erasable! And refillable!

Another simple joy is our salad box.

We started a salad box at the farm years ago, but we had stopped doing it.

The mama who lives here is diligent in not putting things in her mouth and tummy that she shouldn’t…but is not as diligent in fixing herself meals to make every bite she can have count.

One of my intentions for 2020 is to take more purposeful bites!!

So – we started our salad box again and we are eating SO much better at lunch time now!

I eat a salad every day for lunch now and Tate and Eliza join me almost every day too!

Another intention I have on my mind is to get outside A LOT this winter.

Just because it is freezing and snowy doesn’t mean we should stay inside!

One beautiful 30 degree Saturday afternoon Addie Mae and I went for a brisk walk!

It was such a beautiful day and that fresh air and sunshine did our hearts good!

The snow is starting to accumulate here at Twin Oaks!

We are enjoying it very much! (see my previous post!)

The first thing every morning the kiddos look outside to see how much more has fallen while they have been asleep!

It is just stunning outside our windows here!

The snow is so beautiful!

Winter does bring more time inside, but my crew is always creative, busy, and enjoying their days!

My kiddos and I have really been enjoying school lately!

Appointments away from home have slowed down to a doable rate, and we have been able to enjoy our school schedule and school plans all the more!

As we read through the The Child’s Story Bible by Catherine Vos, we have been watching a preview of each book of the Bible through The Bible Project on You Tube.

I would check it out!!

It is fascinating!!!

One day during school we juiced carrots and apples for our nutrition class!

It was fun! And delicious! Although it got mixed reviews!

This cherub has been having pain in his back and his neck.

That could mean a lot of things – which we are aware of and watching closely, of course.

In the meantime, I do whatever I can to help him – including a cold rice sock on his neck during school.

He has also been sitting on the exercise ball a lot, which seems to help to.

We still enjoy library day, although we have not been going there weekly like we used to.

I hope to start that again this week!!

After we get home from the library Twin Oaks is rather quiet!

Even on non-library days these kiddos always have a book in their hands!

And, yes, those are Eliza’s real legs!

She is getting SO TALL!

I love to read to them still too, and do so every single day!

There have been a couple of Sundays where we have stolen some grand babies.

TALK ABOUT JOY!!

They are SO good for us, and enjoy being here as much as we enjoy them being here!

Blake and I have not been able to have consistent Friday night date nights lately – but I did text my sweet husband while grocery shopping one Friday over the lunch hour and he came to my rescue and helped me do that ginormous job!

Speaking of ginormous – is this selfie close up enough for you – ha, ha!

Speaking of grocery shopping – yes, we are still eating.

I can hardly keep up!

But I have GREAT helpers that I am training up – and there is one cute boy I bet would love to run this kitchen here at Twin Oaks all by himself someday!

He stands on a chair to help me – see his hand in that first photo?!

By the way – this soup was a HIT.

These three help too, as well as Addie.

I was thankful for their dish washing help that day, but to be honest I just enjoyed listening to them while they worked!

Grant is a fun one!

He came and grabbed his brothers and sister a couple of days last week because he was free!

I love that they spend so much time together still!!!

Boys. That’s all I have to say about this photo.

Our personal barista.

And a cute barista too!

She takes this job seriously, you all!

We did have one dentist appointment last week.

Glad to have that over with! And so is Chad!

We are very thankful for the visitors we have had as of late!

Addie Mae’s friend flew in and stayed with us for five days!

We ALL love Rachael too! And her family! See you soon, Rachael’s family!

Blake’s sister and three of her crew were with us this week.

It was a JOY to see them again!

Well, it has been a quiet couple of hours this afternoon while the children played out in all that fresh snow!

Time for some warm drinks to sip and a big snack!

They always come back inside starving, of course!

Have a great weekend, everyone!!