wrapping up the winter

Very shortly I will be leaving my post as blogger for a few weeks, although I will not stop writing. Our baby is due in just two weeks and I am ready to set some hobbies aside and clear my mind in preparation for this amazing event that will change our lives forever.

Before I leave though, I want to share some of my favorite pictures from the past few weeks which haven’t found a home in any of my posts until now.

Making molasses candy with Buddy and Girlie…

Playing in the snow…

Stopping along the road to snap a few shots…

Lego building…

And some pretty things at home…

On Wednesday I’ll have one more announcement, and on Friday you’ll discover what exciting things will be taking place here while I’m gone (you won’t get bored!).

This winter has been eventful for sure, and I am ready to greet Spring with open arms.

“I found a tiny snowdrop, blooming in the cold,

I’ll share with you the secret the little flower told:

‘Though winter still is here, it hasn’t long to stay.

I came ahead to tell you that spring is on the way.’”

~ Christina T. Owen, God’s Springtime Wonders (1962)

 

Building Snowmen

Since before the first snow, which is hardly ever good for building snowmen, Buddy has been anticipating the event with great joy. Every time it snowed we heard, “can we go outside? Can I build a snowman?” And then finally it happened – the snow became sticky. I sent the kids outside, but I did not expect them to build anything resembling a snowman without help. Apparently I was wrong! After Buddy’s hard work I looked out the window to discover four snowmen demanding pictures. My littles are growing up so fast.

random December thoughts

Sun setting on the hills, big clouds in a big blue sky, beautiful naked trees. I wish I had my camara on me.

Pancakes taste better when the batter is made by little hands.

When the yard is muddy, and too cold to go barefoot, you must find somewhere else to run.

A quiet evening with hubby by radiant heating ~ delicious.

Screw logic! I think I’m having a baby girl. There, I said it.

Reliving Atlas’ first year in pictures and videos ~ oh those tears!

Yes Buddy, God made men with afros too, even if they do look silly to you!

Stupid chickens. My porch is not your house! Especially for you roosters at 6am.

“This cat sat on a rug. This cat got mud on the rug. Mom is mad at the cat.”

Cuddling with kiddos in fleece pj’s makes the cool season cozy.

Live worms make great pets. Frozen ones make for fascinating scientific observations.

Washing newborn clothes ~ who knew tights were made that small!

Potty training is from the pits of hell. But the reward is Grand.

Hanging six stockings this year…

Forget fans. A generator humming in the background is the new white noise.

Hot chocolate and Bingo are the perfect late-fall match.

Goodbye pacificer, hello teddy.

“Hark the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!”

Snow, chickens, and other stuff

I come up with the most boring post titles. Anyway. Winter does strange things to chickens. At least ours anyway. We’ve been keeping them cooped up (ha ha) in their little house most of the time, being that it’s been about zero degrees for the past couple weeks. Even with the heat lamp and hay in their coop their water has still been freezing over night!

Well, a couple days ago it was warmer than usual, so Glen let them out for the day. Two of them stuck around but the other three decided to take a hike, and didn’t come back that night. Glen left the door to the coop open just in case, but it wasn’t till the next morning that he found two out front of the house shivering in the snow, and the third, well, she didn’t fare so well.

From what we can tell she was probably sitting in the road and during the night one of the neighbors backed over her. I’ll spare you the details but let’s just say it didn’t look like she suffered for very long. Bummer, one more down and only four left. We’re looking forward to getting more chickens in the Spring, but at least we’re still getting about four eggs a day.

In more pleasant news, we’ve all been quite productive. Glen has come up with an estimate for work needed on another family member’s house and expects to have a materials list for our own cottage by the end of the day.

The kids have been bouncing back and forth between playing nicely together and being at each other’s throats, but have still managed to create some nice artwork and pick up some toys. Atlas stood up by himself for about ten seconds this morning!

And I’ve been scrapbooking for Atlas’ first year album, and purging the kid’s clothes drawers, which have been more than full, much of which was clothes they couldn’t fit into well anymore. Two more boxes for the yard sale pile.

On that note, if any of my friends are reading this, I’m on the lookout for boys clothes size 5, I’ve got smaller sizes if you want to trade!

How to build a snowman

First, leave your sister indoors after playing together outside. She can build a snowman with mama out of moon sand.

Then, wait for your papa to stop talking to the neighbor so he can help you.

Here’s the exciting part! Watch your papa roll the balls up…

…and stack them high!

Make sure your mama takes pictures from the kitchen window too, just in case the snowman melts.

Add the buttons, carrot, and other stuff and ta-da! You have a snowman!

But, be sure you don’t get too attached to your snowman. Even on a cold winter day he can start to melt and tip over. Mine didn’t last a day :.0(  Farewell snowman!

Snow Day

What better way to wake up the morning after Thanksgiving as a child, than to look at the window and discover the first snow of the year has fallen.

We bundled Nemo and Daphney up and sent them out to play. Snow men, snow angels, and snow balls here we come!

Well, there really wasn’t that much snow. Only about an inch. But to a young boy who has been anticipating the snow since it melted last winter, that’s more than enough!

Nemo has been telling us that his job this winter will be to eat all the snow, so this morning he gave his little sister her first lesson in the art of snow eating.

This afternoon Glen took Nemo into town to pick up a few supplies to finish the coop and chicken run, and brought home our very first fake Christmas tree. I say that with the utmost love of course. Well, it will take some getting used to, but at least it’s one less thing to clean up after!

This afternoon will find us listening to Christmas music, decorating the tree, and cutting snow flakes to decorate the lighted tree limbs in place of our “thankful hands”.

And how could we forget about Chevy Chase?! I imagine this weekend we’ll also set aside time to watch our annual Christmas film, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It wouldn’t be Christmas season without it!

Here it is. Winter, and Christmas season, have begun.