And the sky is a hazy shade of winter

I love Christmas presents. I would have a very hard time justifying buying this adorable gingerbread village bundt pan for myself, but if I ask for it for Christmas....  :D  I made a gingerbread cake and it was absolutely adorable.  And tasted really good.             

These two... and Cadence's outfit! Ha.  We are often sTarVing right before lunch time and need string cheese to survive.  And pink church shoes.

Bob wants to try and start seeds inside this year, Miri wants to move camping chairs around all day.

They build some pretty amazing and massive duplo creations.

The ice finally melted off of the trees so I let them play outside again.  But then the snow was mostly gone, poor girls. They hauled snow in the sled and piled it up to make a small "hill."

I like outside best.

Poor hill and snow deprived children.  Hehe.

They thought it was great fun though, so whatever. 

Dale and Meg invited us to their house for supper and games Sunday evening, and since I'm terrible at being hospitable and inviting people over I asked if they'd come to our house instead.  :P  It was an enjoyable evening.

Bob showed the girls a really cool video of a super realistic train layout, so I dug out my old tiny N scale model train and we set it up.  Miri loved watching it zoom around.

My brothers had an HO train set and I think we went to a model train show once (if I'm not just dreaming) and I got this N scale stuff. It's so little and cool.

We added another loop and a bridge.  Such fun.

Aaaaand the fourth one (who has never seen the movies) can say "Eh-sah" and beg to put on the Elsa dress.  :P  We also have a fairy princess ballerina.

The rest of the week felt like it was full of disappointments.  I realize that some people have actual real problems and mine don't even come close to comparing, but it still stinks.  First we found out that the property we'd been hoping to go see and had talked to the owner twice about and were really excited about had already sold. For what we would have wanted to pay.  Bleah.

Then we went to look at another place that had popped up on Marketplace and looked semi-promising.  I mean, it's a ranch house (which I don't like) and it was about the same size as our current house, but the location was ok (and in our school district!), and for the right price we could always save up to remodel or add on. Yeah.  It was interesting.  Overall the house was fine, not super high quality but livable.  But.  (There's always a but.)  It was listed as 3-4 bedrooms, "recently remodeled," wooded lot.... One of the possible bedrooms was in a small lean to addition, through the laundry room, and it had an exterior door.  Another possible bedroom was at the end of the hallway- but there was a door into a "walk-in closet" that had a door into THE GARAGE.  The ONLY door from the house to the garage was in a 'bedroom.'  Um... that's not a bedroom you can sleep in.  And you would have to bring groceries all the way past the bedrooms, through the house into the kitchen.  *sigh* So the house only had 2 practical bedrooms, a terrible layout, and they installed under cabinet lighting in the brand new kitchen cabinets with screws that were an inch and a half too long.  Every single cabinet had 2 or 3 screws sticking up out of the bottom shelf.  Oh, and "wooded" is apparently fsbo speak for it's overgrown with brush and sticker bushes. jfkdjalskdj Mur. Memories don't make your house more desirable and worth more money, people.        

So now we are back to square one.  Or zero.  It's so frustrating though- I know I'm picky about houses, but I'm also practical.  I mean, I decided I could live in this house because there were lilacs and peonies in the yard.  You can do a lot to a house with a good architect and enough money (aye, there's the rub).  But you can't make a split level not a split level (why are there so many of them??).  And there's no sense in pouring money into an overpriced too small house that you don't like.  Where are all the AC friendly houses?  Decent size kitchen, decent sized living room, plenty of bedrooms for greater than the national average family size?  Basement family room with a kitchenette for the young group to hang out in?  They don't seem to exist over here...  and if one more person suggests that we go talk to so-and-so, or maybe this or that farmer would sell us some scrub land to build on I might scream.  We probably have, and they don't want to sell, we've asked.  

Anyway.  But if you do hear of something.... haha.  Hope springs eternal.   

We got a call from the school on Saturday that Cecily was a close contact of a positive case and had to quarantine... *sigh*  Which meant we had no babysitter 3 hours before we were supposed to go to potluck.  We decided that neither of us really wanted to spend the evening alone with four disappointed girls so we both stayed home.  Huzzah for frozen pizza and wallowing in our collective miseries.  :P

So.  Cecily has been remote learning this week.  She's healthy so far, and I'm not overly worried.  Thankfully she's very self motivated, loves checklists, and is trying her hardest to get done with her school work before Emmy gets home.  Even with these two sillies distracting her.  :) 

And then we heard that Uncle Andy was failing and died.  Sad news.  I remember visiting Andy and Freida in Lester when I was a kid, and it was fun to have him in Illinois for the last few years. He would always call to thank me for sending him a Christmas card since he didn't send them out himself.  :)  This year I got to talk to him twice because he misdialed! 

On the bright side, because I need a bright side, my maple tapping equipment has arrived and we're all eagerly awaiting the arrival of sugar season!  (Send help, I have no idea what I'm doing!)

Blessings. 

What we read in 2020

We because most of these books I read aloud to the girls. :)  I read more books myself this year than last (<5) because Miriel is slightly less needy, which is nice, and because I can sneak a few pages in while I'm waiting for her to fall asleep for naps and at night. I've been keeping track on Goodreads so these pictures are not in any particular order.  

1. Anne of Green Gables- I don't remember why I picked this up again.  I've read the whole series and this one is definitely the best.

2. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever- This is the second time I've read this to the girls, it may have to become a December tradition since we all enjoy it!

3. Stuart Little- The girls liked it, I thought it was weirder than I remember from reading it as a kid. It's a classic though.

4. Charlotte's Web- Cecily's teacher read this to her class and I figured Emmy and Cadence would probably like it too.  

5. A Circle of Quiet- Madeleine L'Engle non-fiction books take me forever to read because I have to think about everything.  But I love listening to her think.

6. Caroline- This is Little House on the Prairie told from Ma's perspective.  I enjoyed it, and it was clean, until the last chapter and then it went off the rails and got inappropriate and I was super annoyed.

7,8,9,10,11- By the Shores of Silver Lake, Little Town on the Prairie, The Long Winter, These Happy Golden Years, The First Four Years- We finished up the Little House books!  We should probably start over because the girls don't remember things that happen in the first books. :)

12. Poldark- Bob gave me the first three books of this series for Christmas a few years ago and I'm just now reading them.  It follows the life of a British soldier after he returns to England from fighting against the American colonists.

13. Household Sewing with Home Dressmaking- doesn't everyone read 1890's sewing manuals cover to cover for fun?  

14. Pippi goes on Board- we love Pippi Longstocking, the girls giggled through the whole book.

15, 16.  Magic Tree House Sunset of the Sabertooth and Thanksgiving on Thursday- Library Summer Reading prizes that we all read together.  

17,18,19,20,21,22. The American Girl Addy Series- We started these this summer when the protests and riots were happening.  They are great stories and they also do a good job of introducing the horrors of slavery and its aftermath while still being age appropriate.

23,24,25,26,27,28. The American Girl Felicity Series- since we were on a historical fiction kick and Felicity has a horse... :) 

29.  The Hobbit- I'd been debating when I should read this to the girls and decided we could always stop if it was over their heads.  Nope. They LOVED it.  Which I love.  

30. Demelza- book 2 in the Poldark series, just as good as the first book.

31. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning- haha.  I read this book before I gave it to my aunts for Christmas.  It's written by an elderly Swedish woman and it's both funny and practical.  PSA: Don't leave your stuff for your kids to get rid of!  We don't want it or have time to get rid of it for you! :P

32. The Blue Fairy Book- an old collection of Fairy Tales.  Very much like Grimm's not sanitized stories.

33.  A Long Way from Chicago- this is such a good read aloud, but for slightly older kids.  It is hilarious, but most of it went completely over the girls heads and I had to explain so much and they still didn't get it.  We'll try again in a few years.

34.  The Littles and Their Amazing New Friend- I didn't realize that this was the second book in the series, I remember enjoying the first book in grade school.   The first book was better, this one was kind of dumb.  The girls liked it though.

35. Summer of the Great Grandmother
36. The Irrational Season- Both books from Madeleine L'Engle's Crosswicks series.  The first is about watching her mother fade away and die, the second is thoughts about life, work, Christianity all structured around the Liturgical year.  

37. The 24 Days Before Christmas- a L'Engle book for kids.  Can you tell I'm a fan?  

38. Jeremy Poldark- now that I've finished the first three, I should probably read the next three... 

39. Snow Treasure- the girls liked this book and Cadence was even acting out scenes from it (most nights while I read it doesn't seem like she's paying any attention at all...).  I remember reading it in grade school and was so intrigued with the kids sledding gold bricks past Nazis.  

There may be more that I forgot, and we also read many, many picture books.  :)

Blessings.
 

December Vol 2 and Happy New Year!

Well we made it through 2020 by the skin of our teeth.  But not without much celebrating of Christmas.

Christmas break is equal parts bouncing off the walls and vibrating from anticipation and sheer boredom, so we did a craft. 

They turned out so cute and each so... um... unique!  :)

Good times.  Although, they were pretty sure we needed to do a craft every day of break, which was not going to happen.  :P

Christmas Eve was the big Koch Christmas- the evening entertainment was charades.

This skit was Emmy's idea.... can you guess what they're acting out?  😂

 

Everybody is excited about Christmas morning stockings! 

And since Church was a half hour later than it has been, it didn't feel like we were super rushed, though I don't think we were any too early.  My old coat again... I love this coat. 

After lunch we did presents! 

There was great rejoicing.

I had taken the girls to Dollar Tree to shop for each other... Cadence gave everybody presents that she would enjoy, which was hilarious.

Pretend food like her favorite restaurant- McD's. 

Miri got a broom from Cadence that she carried around all day.

So.  Specific Lego sets were out of stock pretty fast this year and I happened to find a set I thought Emmy would love on EBAY.... it had been opened and there was no guarantee it was complete but for the price I thought I'd risk it.

Sadly it was missing quite a few pieces and someone was a little bit disappointed.  We ordered all of the missing pieces and are waiting impatiently for them to arrive, when they do, this will be a pretty cool pool set.  It has a bathroom (Just like SummerFunWaterPark!), which they love. (I don't quite understand the Lego bathroom appeal...)

Cecily got a Dig it Up Cats kit- it's twelve balls of yarn made out of clay/plaster that you chip away at to discover the plastic cat figurine inside.  Haha.  Sounds thrilling right? Hooray for Christmas toy catalogs.

Emmy complained one day that "I never get to sew, and you get to sew whenever you want to!" Ha.  Well I can tie knots in my own thread and can buy my own fabric, so there.  But I figured it was maybe time to get them their own sewing kits so I don't have to share my stuff.  They still steal my fabric to make random things that may not get saved forever....  Oh, and Bob got me a kid sized dress form (why, I do not know, haha) that the girls dressed up in Cecily's clothes.

Bob and I spent the 26th with the grownups in his family and the girls got to play at the farm.  When they came home they had to try out Emmy's new ballet video. Because: there's no way we're doing actual ballet lessons, but a video when they feel like it is not unreasonable.  So pleased. :D

I was itching to try out my new crepe pan, pay no attention to the mess I make whilst making crepes.

Next up was kid Christmas... Miri was a bit clingy all day.

And the girls all got dart guns. Woot.

Emmy got a AG doll bed that stacks into a bunk bed with Cecily's doll bed.  So fun, and it frees up floor space. :)

New Years Eve was quiet.  They were sure they needed to stay up until midnight, and they all made it; however, we missed actual midnight because we were all searching for a lost blanky. *sigh*  

We woke up to ice on New Years Day.  Woot.  It caused a bunch of damage at the local substation, yay for facebook, there were even pictures of parts of it on fire.  So we lost power around 11:30 and got to spend the day in the dark. We took down the Christmas decorations and tried to dust in the dimness, used up the battery charge in all of the electronics, played with glow sticks for not long enough, and then got super bored.   

Even with candles and all of our camping lanterns going it was just really dark all day long.  We ate PB and Honey for lunch so we didn't have to open the fridge and cooked supper (canned spaghetti... ick) in the garage on the camp stove.  Thankfully it wasn't windy and our house wasn't super cold.

After supper it was just dark and the girls weren't tired yet so I pulled out the box of my old paper dolls for them to look through.  Even Miri had fun putting clothes on the 'bay-bees.' Good old fashioned fun by candlelight.  Lantern light.

I have an alcohol burner and stand, as all good chemists do, but sadly I had no alcohol to burn in it.  So Bob and I tried to use a candle under the stand to heat up some water for cocoa.... there was really nothing else to do.  haha.  Poor spoiled us.  It got warm, but not really hot.  Warm is really all the girls need for cocoa, so overall it was a success. 

They kept pushing the estimated power restoration time back later, and there were one or two false starts that ended with the muffled booms of transformers blowing across town, but we eventually got power back around 11.  Hooray!  It was starting to get chilly- thankfully it wasn't very cold to start with and not windy so the house only went from 68 to about 61 degrees.  

They were itching to explore the icy wonderland in the morning.

Icicles everywhere!

And the most perfect rolling and packing snow!

The queen presided from her sled while enjoying an icicle. :P 

Matt stopped by and helped them build a snowman.

Meet Chilly!

We got more snow overnight.  It was so pretty, but the ice and then snow made even more tree branches fail.  Woot. We went to morning church and then headed out to our last family Christmas in Gridley so we got to see a lot of snowy landscape on our way over.  Renee always finds such cool things for the girls- they did not get to bed very early that night because they had to finish building this cutout dollhouse.

But, all good things must come to an end and we were back to school bright and early Monday morning.  They were all impatiently waiting to go outside after school to play in the new snow!

We have a few big branches down and there are a lot of really big branches completely coated in ice and snow still up in the trees that make me really nervous; I've really only let them play in a very small section of yard.  I happened to be looking in the right direction when a tree in the lane suddenly dropped a big limb: the crack, the swish as it passed other branches, the muffled 'thwump' as it hit the ground and the tinkling crash as the ice coating and the wood shattered into a million shards... slightly unnerving.  

Oh, and it's been really foggy too! Freezing fog. When I took the girls to school this morning the trees were covered in delicate spiky ice crystals!  It was so pretty.  I'm really ready for it to melt though, the poor trees... and now I sound like my Dad.  I'll be planting a forest of my own if I don't watch out. 

Blessings.