December Snows

The last day of 2011!  Well, we've had fun.  And we're all together, healthy and happy.  It's been a great year.

And now, I'd like to show you some of the weather we've been having.  Now if you live in Alaska, as some of you do, then you won't be impressed.  However, although not record-breaking, it's still pretty good snow for our area.

So, we had one snow before this, just a dusting, though.  This snow started acting serious!

Then we had THIS snow!  And it acted even more serious!  Right away, the kids were in it, making trails and having fun.

THEN it snowed again.  Like, another foot.  And Shane dutifully shoveled the sidewalk, around the corner to the other sidewalk and driveway, then the entire driveway!

My chickens, snug(would they say so??) in their little coop.

Playtime after shoveling the snow.

Those are some sharp dudes!!! =)

The drive after Shane shoveled it.  Together, we shoveled this thing THREE times.

A photo of the house from the street.  The snow was SO gorgeous, it was all sparkly and light!

My angel making a snow angel.

The boys, sinking down in the deep snow and making "rooms".  

And here are the kids playing (fighting) as the sunny days have melted much of the snow.

So now you can see what we've been up to this month!  Staying inside by the pellet stove between runs outside for some snowball fun.  

Goodbye, 2011!

Birthday Bliss

 This month, Shane and I had our birthdays.  Yay!  And a friend of mine has a friend.... got that?  That has dealt with breast cancer and is thankful for every birthday she has.  This is my new aspiring attitude, to be grateful that each birthday, each anniversary is a reminder of what I have.  It marks the end of a year which is a gift that is mine to treasure. 

With this in mind, I will gaze again at the front of my hair, which is rapidly sprouting grey, and be glad that I am getting old.  I have so far had this much time with my husband and children, and the grey-er and wrinkly-er I get, the luckier I am.  

This year, Shane and I had fairly easy-going birthdays.  This is becoming more and more our style, it's just nice to have a day with family and a little extra attention.

For Shane, we met up with him for lunch at a Vietnamese place, then went Karting!

Well, he and Lucas did. Me and the other two played air hockey and some other arcade games.  I got Shane a go-pro and thought he might use it, but they were ready for him on the track so he didn't get a chance to set it up.  However, he'll have it for the next time!  Lucas did much better this second time on the track, too.  Shane also got a Creme Brulee torch, new winter gloves and a laser pointer.

The cake flopped, so we just had a plain cake for him this year.  It stuck to the pan, in spite of being oiled and floured, so I couldn't use it to make the Porsche decal that we had in mind.  However, it tasted just fine!  And the next day I made him some INSANE Creme Brulee so we could burn some sugar.  It was SO, so good!

For me, Shane took me and the kids out to breakfast, something I dearly love!  Poor thing had a tummy ache later, but I downed the Crazy Larry omelet with no trouble whatsoever.

We came home, had Creamy Caramel Flan and opened some presents. Shane got me a much nicer camera and some cozy (but not sloppy) pj's and a quilted down vest.  =)  Yay!

He got this pirate card from him and the kids that said:

Front: "I told me crew to lavish ye with some fine pirate booty"

Inside: "Not THAT kind of booty!" as three little pirates pants come down and they are saying things like "Is this the poop deck?" and "got any sunscreen?"

The kids loved it!

Then Shane and I went out on a mutual birthday date and saw Mission Impossible #408 and went to Red Lobster for a yummy shrimp and lobster treat.  

It was nice!

Playing "Real" Gospel Meeting

Recently, we all had to pile out of the car right after hopping in to go to Gospel Meeting.  Both of our cars were dead or bald.  Boo hoo!

However, I had two brave children pave the way for preaching at our house.  It was a special experience, and one I want to record permanently!

Julia and Lucas set up an interesting microphone (perhaps in honor of workers making do with what they have? or making what they have work?), and Julia decided to be the first worker.

We sang #1 and then #181, both favorites of hers.
Then she started to pray, but got a little upset since she couldn't think about what she should pray.  So I encouraged her to tell God thank-you for something and she did quite well, ending with "...and thanks for all the rest of the stuff."
Then we sang #309, Aidan's choice.
Julia then began to preach the gospel, after clarifying that she was going to pretend to read since she didn't know the right chapter.  She spoke about Joseph and how she appreciated that he was sold into slavery by his brothers in verse one.  And she appreciated that he became in charge of things in Egypt.  And she told how his brothers didn't recognize him, but he recognized them and so he asked how his father was doing.  And she appreciated that.  Then she spoke from Daniel 24, and she said there was a feast in someone's house, she couldn't remember who.  And that Daniel talked to the cook and said that there was some special meat he had saved and it was for Saul.  And she appreciated that, too.

Next, it was time for Lucas to preach.

 He asked for a choice of a hymn, so I chose #390.
And then we sang #403, Lucas's personal fav.
And he began to preach the gospel, but had trouble reading from Genesis about Joseph being in Potipher's house.  After some temptation to give up this calling, he decided to use his new Bible which was easier to read.  (He's not quite comfortable with this new Bible in public yet, because it's not normal meaning a black cover.  Instead, it's got kids in a jeep on the front.) So he read to us about Joseph being responsible and how the Lord was with him and gave him success in everything he did.  And how Potipher could see that, and trusted Joseph with everything in his house and in his field.  And Lucas liked how it said that, and then chose our closing hymn, #100.

After Gospel Meeting was over, we all shook hands and Lucas commented how he could see that it would be hard for Workers to preach the gospel!  Probably a good lesson to learn early; being able to put ourselves in someone else's shoes with empathy.  =)

Meanwhile, Aidan did what he usually does in Gospel Meeting:

None of this was orchestrated by me, so I was impressed that Aidan climbed up onto my lap and stayed there for the duration.  Lucas and Julia both did a good job of listening to each other, and it was very pleasant for me!

Winter Decorating

It is with tongue in cheek that I place the label "home improvement" on this post. =)

The time has come for the fall decor to go and winter decor to take it's place!

We decided to buy some window paints and give our front windows a winter scene!  Our friend and neighbor, Christian joined in the fun.

Here the kids all are, hard at work.  I confess, I did a little coaching, and outlined just how I wanted the snowy hills to swoop.  Then I guided Christian on making a snowman on a sled....

And got three more almost identical snowmen on sleds!

Everyone stands by their window square.

A closer view of Aidan and Julia's side.

And a nighttime view of both windows with the lights up!

It would seem that all snowmen are headed for trees;

 luckily they never quite seem to make it down the hill.

Great job, guys!

Julia Turns 6!

Waaayyyy back on Thanksgiving Day, our little girl had a birthday.  Actually, this year she got to have TWO birthdays!

Makin' da cake!

This year we spent Thanksgiving with Shane's side of the family and got to see some of his Aunts and Uncles, it was really nice.  And while there, Julia received much love and attention from everyone on her real birthday.  However, we did have our family birthday for her before we left. =)

Excited about her new presents...

One special thing about this year is that Julia was born on Thanksgiving Day in 2005.  This year is the first time her birthday landed on Thanksgiving since her birth.  Fun! =) A few birthday photos...

Her new hat from Papa, which accidentally matches her dolly's hat!

Her dearest love, Bitsy Doll.

Julia's Beehive Cake from the "pre-party"

Her cake from Gma June

Auntie Calysta and Uncle Mike were on hand when Julia arrived in our lives.  Mike helpfully watched Lucas for us, while Calysta was a support to me.  Julia was six days late, but came quickly once she decided to come.  Three hours in the hospital and we were the proud parents of a sweet baby girl.  We have fun being surprised at delivery with the baby's gender, so it was fun to see we had a girl!  The real reason for not finding out is that I have an affectionate attachment to being surprised.  Whee! =)

Brand new-born Julia!

Julia was so round and chubby, especially compared to her skinny brother, but she was always in the 50th percentile for height and weight through the first few years that I kept track.  And during her first few hours after being born, her nose was smooshed to the side of her face!  It popped out again, soon, however.

Julia is her own special breed in our family.  She looks like her Mommy's side of the family for the most part.  She seems to get her personality from a little of both sides. =)  She's the most reserved and shy and has a hard time expressing herself.  She's a snuggler and a caretaker.  She loves to decorate herself and her dollies and her room, loves tea parties and dressing up and playing house.  She loves beauty!

She's a smart little girl, jumping ahead of her school age and being in first grade this year.  She yearns to do things alone with "just you and me, Mom!" and loves the exclusivity of being the only daughter.

Happy Future, lovely daughter!  I love to be your Mommy, and to kiss your sweet cheeks when you are sleeping.  You make me happy!

When I Grow Up To Be Normal

The other day, I was telling Aidan how grown up he is getting!

I asked him what he was going to be when he grew up, maybe a fireman or a cowboy?

"Nah," he said.  "Just a normal person."

But maybe he'd like to be an astronaut!  Or perhaps fly airplanes?

"No, Mom," he said.  "I'm just going to be a normal person."


Later in the day, he happened to have a similar conversation with his Papa.  When Shane asked him what he was going to be, he replied:

"I'm just going to be a normal man."


His total lack of enthusiasm was crazy!  Once again, it would be so interesting to dive inside the mind of a child.  I hypothesize that he might mean he wants to be like Shane, who is "normal" to Aidan.  He'll play Starfall on the computer and tell me he's "working at the computer, like Papa".  He's mentioned on several occasions how he's going to grow up and work in his closet like Papa does.  (Shane has no office in this house, so his walk-in closet is his office here.)  So perhaps Aidan's idea of what a "normal man" does is to sit in his closet with his computer and "work".

Poor child, he needs a healthier view!

The Best

"Mom, your bread is better than a bakery!" said Lucas.

"Mom, your bread is better than a store OR a bakery!" said Julia.

"Mom, your foot is better than a fan!" said Aidan.

Crocheting For The First Time

My kiddos expressed an interest in making things with yarn.

So for Julia's birthday I got her a couple crochet hooks and a couple balls of very darling yarn.

I figured that one stick to wield would be easier than two, although I don't know how to crochet myself, and I've forgotten how to knit.

Enter some You-tube videos of the granny square and off we went on a loooooong car trip.

So I had all this time on my hands and could NOT remember how to do a granny square!  So I just tried out some stuff and decided to make a hat for Julia's new Bitty Baby (which she calls Bitsy Doll).  Turns out, I did a chain stitch the entire hat, also known as a slip stitch according to the simple instruction booklet I got later.  But it looks cool!  =)

Hat 1

Once we got to our destination, help was on hand for some further instruction.  It was quite dizzying, all the different things that can be done with one hook and some yarn.  So on the way home, I put my vastly improved skills to work on a second hat for Julia's doll.  Somehow, I was in the mood for hats.  And I still am, but haven't made one for a real person yet.  =)

Hat 2

This second hat has a variety of stitches as I tried out some different things.  I tried single crochet and double crochet stitches and then some "shells"???  or whatever those pieces of granny squares are called.  And back to the slip stitch from time to time so I could enjoy it's own special little mark.  It was very cool, and I think Bitty Baby is happier because of my efforts.  Thank-you, Lindsi! =)

Did you notice how this went from "kiddos" and "Julia" to "I" and "me"?
My excuse:
I can't teach them until I learn it myself!  =)
However, Lucas and Julia have both made several bracelets, necklaces and funky hair pieces with a simple chain stitch for practice, so I haven't left them out completely.

100 Years Ago in Nature

Nature is a weekly magazine that publishes current research.  Researchers wishing to be published must be peer reviewed in order to get their paper published.  And this is a magazine that Shane was used to reading in grad school, and has lately renewed his subscription to feel better in touch with what is new in the field of science.

Most of the magazine is over my head, it's very technical and uses words I don't know and equations that don't have very many numbers in them. =)  But I can glean a bit, and I enjoy it when it isn't a depressing trend that is discovered.  There's a lot of bad news with the good.

In the 10 November 2011 issue, they had a small sidebar with an excerpt from 100 years ago:

"There is not the slightest doubt that birds and mammals are now being killed off much faster than they can breed.  And it is always the largest and noblest forms of life that suffer most... And the worst of it is that all this wanton destruction is not by any means confined to the ignorant or those who have been brought up to it. We have had our warning.  The great auk and the Labrador duck have both become extinct within living memory...  When wild life is squandered it does not go elsewhere, like squandered money; it cannot possibly be replaced by any substitute, as some inorganic resources are: it is simply an absolute dead loss, gone beyond even the hope of recall."
From Nature 9 November 1911

1911.  Wow!  I'm also struck the term "absolute dead loss".  And of course, since that publication 100 years ago, many more animals have become extinct.  More animals gone beyond the hope of recall.  Maybe I should look up how many.

Reading this makes me wish that we would have come farther in caring about animal extinction over the last one hundred years.

Reading this makes me sad for my children.

Reading this makes me realize that here is something that science and religion should have in common: a care for our natural world / God's creation.  Should scientists care more for the environment than those who attribute the existence of our natural world to God?

I want to raise my kids with a respect and appreciation for nature, which we depend on for our very lives.  And I hope that in the next one hundred years, as many other species hover on the brink of extinction, we will be willing to give more and take less from our environment.

~My Girly Girl~

I'm not much of a make-up person.

In fact, I'm not much of a dress-up type, either.

Let's just say it's a good day when I actually wash my face once.

I don't like to shop.

The thought even makes me tired.

I don't accessorize or bling or go glam or any of the rest of it.

But I have inherited a very girly girl!  She loves the glam, the over-stated, the ultimate frills, lace and twirls.  And show her some make-up?  She's in love.

Like the uni-brow eyeshadow?

How about those dark purple cheeks?  She's not convinced by my plea's that cheeks are supposed to be pink, not dark purple.  

She came out of the bathroom looking like this and said:

"I think I put on a little bit too much lipstuff."

An eye for the finer details, that one.

Our Halloween Fun

This year, everyone was their own unique thing for halloween, but Mom seemed to give everything the same costume!  Hello Walmart sheets and ribbon!  =)

Also this year, we had our cousins Cora and Tyler come and visit!  It was their first experience trick-or-treating and after two houses, that was enough for them.  

Aidan was a White Wizard, with a really cool hat!

Tyler was an alligator, too cute!

Cora was a white fairy, and her mom made the cutest white and purple wand/circlet to match.

Lucas started out being willing for wizardry, but changed his mind to Harry Potter.  Papa made him a knockout pair of glasses out of welding rod.  Woo hoo for creativity!  His flexible wand of juniper and lizard hair was waiting for him outside.

Julia was a Crystal Fairy, one of the Crystal Fairies that Thumbelina went to live with after her adventures.  Just in case you weren't sure what a Crystal Fairy was.  She was asked if she was a flower girl.  =)  During the making of the crowns and wands, Calysta and I laughed at the differences: Cora's things were dainty and tasteful, Julia's flowers were huge and all over the place!  But my daughter knew what she wanted and love the result, so who am I to stand in her way?  (who am I to make something cute and tasteful, either?)

We always like to start out with a little practice at our own front door, both for pictures and to teach them manners.  It was the only house in which Cora felt comfortable walking up to the door!  

Even though we only went to the houses on our street, mind you on one acre lots, so not close together, they came home with their pumpkins over half full!  Way, WAY too much candy!  Lucas had apparently overheard Shane and I discussing how country folk often drive into town for more candy opportunities.  He informed us as we walked around our road that the country was the best place to trick-or-treat!  More fun and not too much candy!

Atta boy.  Indoctrinate them early, I say.

An Art Lesson

Fridays are the easiest school day of our week.  It was designed that way on purpose!  We love to have Fridays for extra reading time, science experiments, history projects and most especially: Art!

I chose a simple curriculum for art this year called ARTistic Pursuits.  It's a basic introduction to the visual arts, and is expressly for kids.  Each lesson is based on something an artist does, then what artists see, and where to find art.  Today's lesson was about how artists LOOK.  After we looked at a famous painting that gave attention to detail, we tried to remember everything we could see from the living room window.  Then we went to the window to see what we had missed.  That was illuminating!

Then for the most fun of all, we went outside, and tried to draw something in nature while paying particular attention to some detail.  Julia drew a beautiful castle complete with tooth fairy before I realized that my directions needed to be more specific.  Lucas threw a boo-hoo tantrum(because he can't draw exact replicas), until I became inexorable and would not let him off the hook.  Once we were clear on the lesson and over the tears, we had a LOT of fun!

Here, Aidan draws a juniper tree, or two close together.  His detail was the leaves of the juniper.  His special touch was a very elaborate play house that "Mom is going to build here soon".   Oh.  I believe that is a chimney I see.

Julia drew a tiny Alberta dwarf pine that has barely survived in the chicken yard this summer.  Her detail was also the needles, but I have to say, I like the detailed root system she's got going on underground.  

This is what Lucas was trying to draw: an ant hill with some sticks beside it.  He left out the truck.  But the boo-hoo part was that the ant hill first was drawn too small, then too tall.  And these ebony pencils brook no eraser!  Interestingly, he had tried to draw a grasshopper first, but he informed me tearfully that it had hopped away.  Shocking!

 I'd say ya did good, Son!  He included darker spots and depressions in the hill for his details, and I was pleased with his efforts!  We just need to do this more so that he can learn to master frustration in order to enjoy life.