Farmhouse Fridays - Weeks 13, 14 - Playing Catch Up

 Hello and welcome to my blog.  Winter ice storm, Easter, Spring Break, still cleaning...about rounds out the past 2 weeks.  I'll share some of it in pictures.  

Cool things I can't part with - Halloween

Still going through boxes and totes carried down from our daughter's bedrooms where I stashed them.  However, look at the room now.  

I could NOT have done this without the support of my husband Al and his many, many, many trips down the steps with boxes and tubs.  Now it is ready for the 2 sleepovers planned for April.  Then it's rip out old carpet, paint walls and new flooring.  Yay!

I gave Anna and Justine each a set of "pretty dishes."  This is our table setting at Anna's house for Easter.  Before...

After....a Southern Themed menue.  We did an Easter egg hunt.  I stayed inside.  I did make it up her steps with my "step cane" but I was only doing that once....(wink, wink).

We also celebrated Ezra's 4th birthday

Then we had Lauren over for an afternoon during Spring break.  We -  mostly she - made a "jelly roll/log" cake.  I never made one before.  We used dark cocoa powder.  Was very light and good.   She also helped me make supper.  She is a very good helper.   We played board games (Life...I forgot how LONG that game goes on....).  No more "letting her win" - she is actually winning.  I was trying hard too.  She is a checkers master now.  

I did get my new mobility "wheels" - it's called Zeen.  I can walk standing, lower to bar seat height and even lower to chair height.  While standing, the seat is right under you and you are strapped in so you won't fall.  It is bigger than I thought, so not able to use as much as I wanted in the house.  I do believe I will use it outside, when I go somewhere and working in the kitchen.  It will take some getting used to, pulling it behind me.

We have had a tough 2 weeks dealing with my great-nieces mental health issues.  I did babysit her a lot, she was close in age to my girls.  Justine, our eldest, was like a little mother hen to her.  Truthfully, still is.  Justine has an equine mental health counseling clinic for youth.  Youth, actually like Aaliyah.  She would have benefited from this type of counseling when she was a little girl.  Only, for some reason, our family (who many could benefit from counseling) never chose that option.  We prayed...prayer is key...but, so is counseling.  I guess, the stigma of needing counseling over prayer and faith, maybe the problem.  I've seen many counselors for different, difficult times in my life.  I'm not too proud - I pray and have faith too.   Not sure what steps will be next for Aaliyah, I pray she seeks help and stays in treatment.  

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday.  Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.