Daily Life in Winter

I enjoyed a beautiful breakfast on this wintery morning as my children slept late.

I didn't know we were supposed to get snow today. It's the soft, fluffy kind that flutters down slowly, and watching it from my windows makes me feel like I live inside a snow globe.

I'm grateful to finally be up out of the sub-zero temps.

Cash and I went for several walks on our trails over the weekend. 

It was just the two of us. My children were away at a church camp, and Micah went along to help chaperone. 

I decided I wouldn't grocery shop and just make do with what I had. Jacques Pepin calls this type of cooking Fridge Soup. I love the concept. Just check your pantry and fridge for whatever little morsels remain and see what you can come up with. 

This is what I made for myself:

We were already low on supplies going into the weekend, but I think that's what made the challenge fun. I had one old potato and a can of pinto beans in my pantry. In the fridge I found a carrot, a tiny sliver of onion, and a Tupperware of leftover chicken from when Roman had made himself quesadillas earlier in the week. A few other random little veggies were also used up. It's a great way to clean out your fridge and make sure nothing goes to waste.

I cooked this all up in a skillet using butter, olive oil, and Italian seasonings. It was hearty and delicious, and I was able to get three meals from this. Amazing how food stretches when there's only one person in the house. 

Now that the family's back home, we are spending the day resting and washing up camp laundry. I can't believe how wiped out they are. It's a mellow day here for sure, and a few have expressed their vexation with winter.

It has seemed extra brutal this year for some reason.

 There's an activity I've done with my kids here and there through the years that seems to help. When the weather becomes a burden, I will go through our books for scenes and poems that relate to the weather we're experiencing. 

Our old picture story books have a way of romanticizing any season.

Whether it's rainy illustrations for a rainy day, or snowy illustrations for a day like today, I select a sampling from our bookshelves, spread them out, and instruct the kids to fill their minds with the uplifting images and words. 

Beauty has a way of inspiring.

Even though my kids are getting older, I find this restful activity can benefit any one of any age. I enjoy viewing the colorful, wintery pages myself, so why wouldn't my kids? 

I might ask a few questions like, "Have you ever seen ice hang on tree branches like this?" or, "Should we try this recipe for winter tea and scones?" and suddenly the harsh winter doesn't seem so burdensome.

But that doesn't mean we're not wishing for an early spring!

💐

~ Courtney