The Carpenter the Door and the Window

In our basement directly underneath our front porch, is a door-less little cement walled room; a room which we have affectionately dubbed our cellar.  Housed in the little cellar are all our canned goods seated on wooden shelves which line the room.  Everything was nice and cozy... Until we found ourselves the possessors of bushels of apples (leftovers after cider and applesauce making), apples that needed a place to stay.  While there was space in the cellar, it wasn't cold enough to keep the apples.

One suggestion was to put a door in the cellar opening, thus shutting off any warm air coming from the rest of the house. 

So we bought and old wooden door, and Josiah and Dad set to work making a frame for it in the cellar opening.

Then Josiah began the process of shaving down the door to fit.

 

 

After many hours of labor the door was properly fit and hung, and we finally had a door to our cellar!!

Now to make sure that the door had succeeded in making the room cold enough we stuck a thermometer among all our colorful jars of produce, and left it there for several hours.

Upon returning, we found that while the door had made the cellar cooler, alas it had not made it cold enough!  So we went on to plan B.

Petitioning the help of Mr. Reiche we took on the project of putting a window into the cellar.  First we had to remove one cement block (without damaging the others) which was accomplished by chisels and hammers.

We then fit in the tiny window that Faith had bought this summer that just happened to be the exact size of a cement block.

Now the cellar is freezing (o.k. 42º) cold, not very pleasant for humans, but perfect for apples and vegetables!

~Chs

A Birthday Bash

On Tuesday our basement was decorated and set up for a party.  And not just any party either. 

Uncle Tim was turning 60 the next day, and since Uncle Tim and Aunt Carmen were stopping by for dinner, we decided to throw a celebration in Uncle Tim's honor.

Faith made a chocolate cherry cake which I used as a center piece on our beautiful table cloth.

We purchased balloons fitting for the occasion, and prepared a dinner fit for a king! :)

The dinner was quite a success with a helping of lively conversation, and washed down with lots of laughter.

After the supper dishes were cleared away, presents were brought out and duly opened.

The last event of the day was a song written by Faith that morning.  It was actually a parody of "He is an English Man" by Gilbert and Sullivan.  Our version: "He is a Senior Man." :)  It was a successful party, highly enjoyable, and extremely memorable. 

~Chs

Sledding, Puzzles and Sleeping Doggies

Last week we were blessed with a substantial amount of snow.  Enough to shovel;)  In fact, after scraping clean half of the deck, Josiah was able to make our first snow slide of the year!  Making our own "sledding hill" is an annual tradition here at the Sauve house, and now with a deck and stairway, it doesn't take as much snow or preparation.

As far as we know, this was Sadie's first sight of a heavy snow fall, and it was definitely her first time going sledding.  She wasn't sure about getting on the sleds at first, but once she was on she had a blast and would always jump out at the end and run circles crazily cavorting around you.

She will even bring your sled back up sometimes, though whether she brings it to you depends on her mood;)

The sled hill provided much fun and enjoyment while it lasted, but alas, it soon perished under the sun and following rain.

Inside we have begun our winter puzzle craze; we are currently on our fifth puzzle.

The second puzzle was a picture of a wedding ring quilt.  It was beautiful once it was done, but it probably took us the longest to finish.

Right now Baby's dog days consist of sleeping eating and occasionally going outside for maybe 5 minutes at the longest.

Her favorite spot is the couch, and being a old and feeble doggy we allow her.  She looks so cozy and comfortable curled up like a little red fox on the couch, that we just don't have the heart to kick her off. 

Really, she is quite a wise dog and knows that the best part about winter is curling in a cozy corner and taking a nap, blissfully unaware of the weather outside.  Or so Baby thinks:)

~Chs

The Garb of Snow

"I watched God clothe the world last night 

With snowflake crystal clean and white;

This morning every barren tree 

Was beautiful as it could be.

The field that looked so bare and brown

This morning has a snow-white gown,

And pine trees laden full of snow

Are lovely in the sunlight's glow.

The fence post, too are painted white

With snow that fell and froze last night.

And o'er it all the sunlight gleams 

In beauty far beyond our dreams.

Such loveliness o'er all the land

Is painted by the Master's hand,

And we can only stand and gaze

With hearts o'er flowing with His praise."

Hazel Rugg

(pictures by yours truly, subject matter a gift from God)

Thanksgiving day

This year Thanksgiving dinner was held at Aunt Carmen and Uncle Tim's house in Port Huron.  The day before, all of us girls had a list of items to make and bake.

We cooked pumpkin in the morning and made up the Pumpkin pies in the afternoon.

Spiced nuts are an annual snack at our thanksgiving, so a double batch was stirred together for the morrows feast.

As a change up on the normal apple pie (though we do love plain apple pie!), Faith tried out a recipe for fresh cranberry apple pie.  It was delicious, and definitely something to repeat.

The next day (though warmer than I would have liked) was lovely, more because of the company than the weather.  Grace came along with us, and Josh and Theresa joined us at Aunt Carmen's house. 

The tables were spread and all the ladies hovered around the kitchens putting the last touches on the meal.

"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

"Praise the LORD!  Praise, O servants of the LORD, Praise the name of the LORD!"

"For His merciful kindness is great toward us and the truth of the LORD endures forever.  Praise the LORD!"

"The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and trust in Him."

"I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works."

"I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."

"Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!  For His mercy endures forever."

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!  For His mercy endures forever."

" Oh, give thanks to the LORD!  Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples!"

"Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works."

It was a wonderful time of celebration thanksgiving and fellowship.
~Chs

Giving Thanks!

  

"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with Psalms."

Psalm 95:2

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Colossians 3:17

 

"I will Praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving"

Psalm 69:30

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

2 Corinthians 9:15

"Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God,"

Psalm 147:7

"Amen!  Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever, Amen."

Revelation 7:12