Hardly a Holiday Hiatus

 

We are in that subtle lull between the holidays of Christmas and the New Year.  Christmas this year similar to the last couple has lasted about a week and a half and ended in full exhaustion and only minor colds from depleted immune systems.  The Christmas tree made its exit yesterday morning and again I wonder why I allow such things in the house and quickly remember it is because Sophia wants it.  The tree this year was so dry I was afraid that the heat from the LED lights would be enough to turn the whole house into a blaze.  They are truly some botanical version of solidified gasoline.  But alas, Sophia wants a real tree and not an artificial one so a real tree it is.  This years tree looked quite awful by the time it was taken to the back yard and left for the birds, it was missing so many needles that it appeared to have some version of pine mange.  Tree disposal aside we have been busy.  Christmas gift came and went and it appears that this year's hit was small tub of bath drops that change the color of the water.  We are currently filling colored water into latex gloves and hanging them outside so that they freeze like big hand pops, so we will be all set when the packy/snowman snow arrives.  Plenty of down time on the couch but also getting outside a lot as well.  The kids have really taken to cross country skiing, it is clearly in their Nordic blood and yesterday we were able to do about a two mile loop.  Sophia's boot laces needed to be replaced but fortunately she had a spare pink set in her bedroom that fit just fine for her three-pin boots.  Merrick is using learner skis that strap right to his boots.  I am already thinking next year I will get them upgraded equipment as it is just a great way to spend some time outside during these months.  Yesterday was also "National cut-out snowflake" day, so we made sure to show our patriotism and fill the kitchen floor with paper scraps and the windows with lacey flakes.  Today Sophia has a friend over and while they were playing "summer" she thought it was a good idea to pose in the snow and grin past the incoming cold--life with Dad--I thought it was a great idea too.  Later this afternoon I think we are off to the water park for some splashing and water slides as well as completing our newest science experiment.  Merrick received a "Gross Science" kit for Christmas which includes petri dishes, so this morning we prepped the petri dishes.  We are going to culture his armpits and between his toes before we swim and then again after soaking in the chlorinated pool and showering--again life with Dad.