Cold and wet outside, cozy and pajama-themed inside.
Wandering up and down the street like I have time to do these days, this is where I find Alexe and the kids after school. Turnage Drug Store, getting ice cream cones.
The cold and wet gave us a few breaks, but never both at the same time. This was a strange moment when the cold lifted, and the rain stopped for a little while. We went in search of frogs.
And then our under-exercised little ones found their legs just couldn't get them back up the hill.
Our chickens have turned into prodigious egg layers, and we've fallen behind in our egg consumption. Alexe whipped together this delicious pound cake in an effort to use up some eggs. And to have cake.
The evening had been picture perfect. Family fun was had, dinner/homework/bath time had gone by pleasantly, and the kids were in their jammies and having their last frolic before hopping in bed. Caspian was riding Annaliese in a game of horse, we think, and she collapsed, bringing his eyebrow down on the rounded corner of the hot-chocolate table. Lots of blood, lots of wailing, but when we got him cleaned up and calmed down, it turned out it was a mean pinch that had torn, rather than a gash.
A few minutes later we got him to smile.
Though he didn't relinquish the "tragic victim of a vindictive universe and older sister" role entirely.
Annaliese, who had not done anything wrong other than collapse under her little brother, who weighs a pound less than her, turned into a mother hen, like she does when her brother is genuinely upset. (We've heard from other people in the community that in social situations when we are not around Annaliese dotes on Caspian, making sure he never feels left out. Which is wonderful to hear, considering what she puts him through at all other times.)
They had a sleep over in his bed, and she read him many books while he ate a late night snack of apple.
The next day he proudly marched into school to show off his blooming black eye.
Just hanging out. Possibly watching Doctor Who on a cold afternoon.
The second home-born animals on our farm, three chicks! The first hatch did not go well, with three young chicks born, and 20+ fully formed but unhatched. After much research I believe our humidity level was too high, so we have a new hygrometer and we'll be trying again soon.
On one of the many snow days, Annaliese went to work at the BTC, and Caspian requested a boy date in Oxford. Off we went.
The chess club has started meeting at the BTC. So fun to see the booths full of young minds thinking away.
Yup. Someone took a bite and replaced it in the cookie jar. People are weird.
Alexe and Caspian walked home; Annaliese and I followed in the truck later, and ran into this road block.
Grouchy children on a Saturday morning. I walked them the full length of the town and let them play on in the park.
By the time we made it back up town to the BTC, they had worked themselves out.
A sunny Saturday, Alexe working for another couple hours, two smiley kids, what to do? We loaded up a collection of old fire extinguishers, drove out to a friend's land, and had our first hunter safety course. Caspian's fingers are not quite long enough to comfortably reach the trigger, and he is more interested in collected spent brass. Annaliese's first shot with a Browning 22 handgun at 35 ft:
The kids set an alarm, got up on their own, and made this breakfast-in-bed for Alexe Sunday morning.
And then Caspian asked for a chore and went to scrub the sunroom floor.
They were sweet and helpful all day. We planted a few fruit trees, picked up around the house, and generally refused to get out of our pajamas. Followed by a family nap in the afternoon.
The next day we hopped in Boatie and headed South.
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