The Talens' Tales

This is shaping up to be one crazy winter. We are under a blizzard warning right now. The snow fell this morning and now the winds are picking up and the temperature is falling. The sun is out, so it is a bit deceiving. We are just thankful that we are not leaving for PEI today. Most flights out of the Cities are delayed. So staying warm right now is the ultimate goal and I am doing it in one of favorite ways - hot cider. I don't know if this us just a southwest Minnesota thing, but I never learned about it until I moved here and everyone does it here. You simply heat up some apple juice or apple cider. Once it is hot, you throw in some Red Hot candies to taste. Let them dissolve and then you have this lovely red colored hot cider. So delicious. So warm. So easy. Stay warm!

1) You get snow day which is really good since 2)The pipes to you kitchen sink have frozen 3) Your dish soap begins to turn to a solid 4) You can barely see out your windows due to all of the frost and snow that are plastered on them. 5) You stay inside and scrapbook with the cool new stuff you received for Christmas since the wind chills are supposed to be around -40 and you were the over achiever that got all of her school work done on Saturday. 6) You remember that "there are some good things that come from Canada, other then cold winds" to quote our Pastor who was referring to Wilbert after the choir sang in church yesterday morning. Have a great day and stay warm!

By most standards, compared the majority of other teachers and schools, I have had it good these first five years of my teaching career. I have been blessed to teach at schools that are distinctly Christian, supported by parents who a majority of the time extremely supportive, and filled students who a majority of the time are respectful and really do want to live their lives like Christ wants them to. So, I am spoiled, really and I take things for granted. I do until the fallenness of this world, which penetrates into all things, including the school I work in, hits me in the face. In the past two years, a student has seriously attempted suicide and a student was diagnosed with leukemia. This year we have dealt with student theft and vandalism and just this week we learned a student is pregnant. It is hard to know how to best help students when I myself am reeling through the emotions and thoughts that come with all of this. My heart feels heavy at times like this. It is hard to know ...

As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I am ready to move into Christmas. I am pretty stubborn about not jumping into Christmas before Thanksgiving, but I do like to make the season last as long as I can. The Christmas decorations are up, I have listened to Christmas music, I got my Christmas cards, and I have finished my Christmas shopping. And today I started a new tradition...cut out Christmas Sugar Cookies. I like to make a "good thing" every weekend. Something sweet to enjoy for the next week or two. Yesterday I was trying to decided what to make and after talking with Wilbert I discovered he had never had cut out sugar cookies, his family always did Gingerbread. Christmas cookies were always a big deal at my house growing up. We would have two tables going and my sisters and I decorated all day. So, I bought some great cookie cutters, sprinkles and food coloring and went to work this afternoon. Overall, they were not bad for my first attempt. I don't have the decorating t...

Thanksgiving weekend is great. The best part though is being able to be with family. It was great to be able spend time with parents, sisters, brother-in-law, future brother-in-law, and even much of the extended family. Wilbert's brother came along with us, so Wilbert got to enjoy some family time as well. Praise God for family and safe travels. Dad carving the turkey. Yum! The sisters. We coordinated our outfits so well. The boys, including Wilbert's brother playing another intense game of Speed Uno. "Uno! Red!" - Wilbert likes to let other people win, so he gives them hints about what card he has left. Wilbert and his brother went rock climbing at an indoor wall near my parents house. I think he is supposed to jump to the other wall in order to continue his ascent. We sometimes get a little weird while driving.