Timber!

I think that I shall never see

A poem as lovely as a tree.  

I spent 3+ hours removing the small branches and raking up sticks on Monday and Tuesday last week.  

 And put it all in the truck.  By myself.  I was so sore.  (I'm getting lazy and weak in my old age.)

 We read the story of Esther, which segued into a brief history lesson on the kingdoms and conquests of Asia Minor. Ha. 

 I try and do at least some Christmas cookie baking in November and freeze them so I'm not scrambling for our early Christmas events.  The girls "helped" unwrap kisses, and ate several.

 Bob had some days off the week of Thanksgiving so we cut up the tree as much as we could without a chainsaw.  Seriously, who needs fancy playgrounds?

 Thanksgiving day we went to Washington for church because Jake and Rachel were going to be there.  Nothing like descending on the poor unsuspecting future sister-in-law with our three ring circus.... neither of the older girls would sit by her in church.  They warmed up a little when we stopped at the farm, especially when she told them about the animals she gets to take care of.  
We headed back to Dave and June's for Thanksgiving that evening.
Friday we raked leaves and enjoyed the sunshine.  

 Cecily wanted to decorate for Christmas and begged and begged to set up their little tree.  There was some fighting about who got to decorate, but then they "compromised" and Emmy got to hand ornaments to Cecily.  *sigh*  It's a sweet picture though, right?   

 This little one has discovered electronics.  She likes them a lot.  

 Saturday morning I went to sing at the funeral while Bob, Sharon, Rustin, Grace, Eden, Susan, and Matt came over.  I had to miss the felling of the tree trunk, but it was nice to get to be at the funeral- it's hard to be involved with little kids and I'd much rather sing than make food.  When I got home they were busy splitting wood.  

 I'm so glad we could borrow this log-splitter- it was pretty slick!

 I whipped up the quintessential AC workday lunch spread- Sloppy Joes, relishes, chips and pop.  And brownies. Ha.  I don't even like sloppy joes. 
After lunch was more of the same.  Bob's back was sore the next day.  

It's a good thing we cut it down, even though I will miss it.  There was a pretty decent sized hole in the base where it was starting to rot out- and lots and lots of ants. Sharon and I counted 49 and 52 rings on the bottom slices, so we're guessing it was probably planted soon after the house was built.   

 Dad and Mom showed up in the afternoon and Dad cut down the redbud.  

 It was VERY hollow and had a large mass of bird nest way down in it.  We heard baby birds in there last spring.... 

 We stacked a lot of wood.  We don't even use our fireplace.    

I'm really glad that job is done.  And I'm thankful we have such willing family to come help us and loan equipment.  And there were no injuries or mishap videos to go viral!  woot woot! 
 Sunday I subbed in Emmy's Sunday School Class.  It was an adventure, or something.  They have some high energy boys and they're only 3 years old. Emmy insisted on sitting on my lap in the big room so I couldn't physically separate some of them when they needed it... I didn't have a helper and had to take 2 kids on bathroom breaks.... Marching around Jericho was a bad idea.... haha.  I was so glad when the bell rang.  I don't ever need to teach Sunday School.  
Our yard is so open.... Checking out the stump. 

 And the "Pancakes" Grandpa cut off the red bud for them.

 And finding X marks the spot in the garden. (And eating dirt.)

 I have no idea where she found these or how she got them on.

 What do you mean I can't kiss the cute girl I see in the neighbor's shiny bumper?

 Bob worked some crazy late hours this past week, which is never any fun.  The girls (all of us) get cranky when we don't see him until 9...or 11... 
Thursday I had a meeting with the lawyer about easements and Grandma Koch came to keep an eye on the little two.  They made a big pancake breakfast and then Cadence got mad when we put the dishes away and put the pancakes back on the table.   

 I don't want to go to bed yet, I'm playing tablet. 

 Friday we went to "teaching-school" and then in the evening I took the older two Christmas caroling.  Cecily, Emmy, and Kenna were in the front and the people at the nursing home were just enthralled by them.  "Oh they're just little angels!"  Haha.  One of the men handed Emmy this picture of Mickey and Minnie that he drew.  She was SO thrilled.  Kenna rode with us so the drive was quite lively.

 Saturday morning the girls were soooo excited to go to the Santa Breakfast at school.  They talked about the book fair all week long.  So we went, and it was fun.  I let them do the Santa's workshop shopping- they came out with the gifts they found already in bags and they are doing pretty well not telling what they bought so it will be really interesting to see what all they chose!  They were a little disappointed that the line for carriage rides was too long, but Cadence was ready to go home and we still wanted to do the library scavenger hunt.  They loved their library prizes of crayons and a cookie! Good times.

 I don't often write cheesy Christmas letter poems. But when I do, I write sonnets.  Ha.  I will spare you the rest of it; my prose is not that great, and my poetry is abysmal.  

 We enjoyed the sunshine again today after church- it really doesn't feel very Christmas-y yet.  Or even like it's December.  

Blessings.