Snow caves

Don't mind me, but I liked the Hanukkah border best. Since Christ is from the line of David and the six-pointed star also is called the Star of David, it seems fitting to use it in celebration that my Jewish Messiah has come. Therefore, Happy Hanukkah.

If you can believe it...

It was 7 degrees outside at 8:45am. It was 4 degrees at 1:30pm. And it was 2 degrees at 4:00pm. What comes to mind is Groundhog Day, the one radio DJ says, "Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today."
The Second DJ replies, "It's coooold out there every day." Yes, it is.
I think Spring will be a long time in coming.

Choose Your Favorite Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Square Dancing Elves

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Charleston Elves

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Disco Elves

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The Best of the Bad

So I staged some pictures, because I realized I haven't taken as many pictures this year as last. With four wiggly kids, blurry images, crossed-eyes or dirty faces...5 pictures out of the 50 seems an adequate return. If I had been optimistic, I would have been disappointed with one-tenth.



Here is my little tongue girl. If you look closely you can see I removed my fanciful crystal chandelier. It already moved to Texas. Ben and I hung a less exciting but pleasant chandelier.


Fritz wanted to wear my grandfather's bow tie and Alex chose a man's clip-on which explains the length. All men with two arms should know how to tie a tie...clip-ons are for little boys. In case you think I'm jabbing at my husband, I'm not. Ben has only real ties.

For some reason, Emily's eyes are the size of onions. She is expressive.


Clustered together. I love how Jane posed herself. Chubby little hands and elbows.

English plurals

As I teach my kids, I realize irregular plurals are perplexing. I came across this funny poem in Alex's English book.

One fowl is a goose, and two are called geese;
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a whole nest of mice;
Then why can't the plural of house be hice?
We speak of a brother and also of brethren;
But though we say mother, we never say methren.
So nouns and their plurals, it's easy to see,
Make an interesting study- I think you agree.

-Source unknown

A side note: Today I know the term brethren is antiquated. However, my children need to know that a group of Quakers are not being slandered by calling them Brethren. And when they read the KJV of the Bible they should understand that "brethern" refers to those related in the Lord.

I'm glad I'm a native speaker. Otherwise, I fear I would butcher the oxes and put the sheeps out to graze with the deers.

Thursday Sledding

We had the golf course to ourselves. It made sledding less treacherous. It really was as cold as it looks. The temp was around 20 degrees and my camera hand was in excruciating pain when I got home.




Sparky, who came home with us this week, tried sledding too. However after one ride down Sparky told Fritz he preferred to sit in the car.

Partially Moved

Our new backyard is a reminder that southern Texas has no seasons. We were amazed how hot it was over Thanksgiving. Packing the Uhaul in the snow made us think down south people will be wearing sweatshirts. Haaa. For example, our huge whiskey barrel flowerpot was frozen solid when it went into the truck. When we took it out the soil was loose and moist. Bizarre...where did all that ice go?