keeping the 'burr' in December!

A polar vortex by any other name still feels as cold.  The temperatures had settled into record setting lows and we are inside more than we are out.  We did venture out to Baird's creek, as bundled as we could, to break the cabin fever of the post Christmas lull. With balaclavas and hand warmers to fight off the frost bite we took in the beauty of the winter landscape and Dog-O enjoyed the time to stretch his legs a bit too.  We did head back inside and ended up in a movie theater to watch a hot, humid jungle themed action movie while stuffing our bellies with popcorn.  Munkly Arky was in town and while Ella headed off with a friend for another movie Grace cheered on the Gamblers to shoot out loss.  Amy and I are finally getting our heads around cribbage, a game we have tried to learn for several years off and on.  We called in some experts to spend an evening with us and tutor us through it.  The kids were intrigued and caught on much quicker than our old minds did.  Inside, outside it doesn't matter...we have fun and find ways to keep laughing.  On to a new year!

family ties

  

The snow has come and an instant winter is upon us as we close in on winter break.  We spent an evening singing all the Christmas carols we knew while ringing the bells at a local grocery store.  We don't actually know that many carols, but the patrons pass by quickly enough so as not to notice our single verse memories and extra choruses.  Ella impressed a packed house with her new clarinet during an evening band and jazz band concert.  We headed back to Eau Claire for a gathering of the Kans and Christmas cheer and bought out about a third of the movie theater to watch the new Star Wars film.  Grandma dozed off and Grandprize was caught snoring but the 3D action kept everyone else entertained on a Saturday afternoon.  Back home we spent Christmas eve backing treats and decorating cookies before a traditional spaghetti dinner.  With Herbie the elf heading back to report to Santa the kids dozed off and were ready to rip through the paper of yule time glee.  With bellies filled with bacon, eggs and hashbrowns from my new griddle and the house with the smells of home it was time to spread cheer to the south and we headed to TR.  The families all checked in for laughs and good-natured ribbing and the Christmas rat was even dug out to put in his proper place.

'tis the season

We hit the woods amidst a barrage of kid events from basketball, birthday parties and soccer games to cut a tree for the Christmas season.  It was the most perfect tree with natural and unshapely boughs to hang the multitudes of ornaments from years past.  The kids wanted to cut a much larger tree but paying by the foot and plans of hauling it out on my shoulder put the kibosh on their illusions of grandeur. St. Nick's day has come and the kids eagerly got up when I awoke to empty their stockings and find Herbie.  The dog days of summer have been holding fast and even allowed for a determined dandelion to bloom earlier in the week in front of the house.  The forecast is set for cold temperatures to blow in soon so we are expectant of some snow to play in.  Oliver is fast learner and the kids are spending time teaching him tricks from sit, shake, bye, kennel and roll over.  As always life is good.