Random

Hannah's dollhouse is coming along.

 After staying home sick for a week she's made even more progress that we'll need to document.  It's looking more and more like a real house.  I love the colors that she has picked out for her rooms.

 Drew has decided that he likes to sleep in his caterpillar costume - he says it keeps him warm.

 We have been living in a winter wonderland.  It's beautiful.  I love to look out the windows.  I really enjoy shoveling.  I love being able to send my kids outdoors and they don't get muddy - just a little wet and worn out.  

 What you see below fell in one day - right after most of the previous snow had disappeared from our yard.  I shoveled twice that day - 4 inches once, and 6 more in the afternoon!  The last couple of inches that fell were left to melt on their own.

 Everything looks prettier with a blanket of white on it!   I was especially tired last week, though, and I realized that it is much more exhausting to haul two little ones around in the snow.  Our bumpy van rattles around more on the ruts in the road (and rear wheel drive is TERRIBLE) so my nerves get more shot, little 3 year old legs walk slower in the snow, which means I am carrying a heavy baby carrier around for longer, and having difficulty pulling out from my own street onto a secondary road is not a lot of fun.  I am grateful for the moisture and grateful for every day that I can either enjoy it on foot in my yard or from my windows!

 Drew is 100 days smarter!  Congratulations on your 100th day of kindergarten!

 Family night was in need of a revamp.  I asked Callie if she'd make a chart for us.  I found a simple one on-line and she completed it in an afternoon.  We're a little better organized and I really like how our last two weeks have gone.  After an hour together as a family with a short lesson, game, and a treat, we tuck in the youngers and sit down with the older girls for a discussion and then another game.  It's been great so far.  And I love having a cute chart to look at that can also keep us organized - thank you Callie!

 Callie has a term project to create The Game of Life for the U.S.S.R. under Stalin.  Of course this topic thrills her dad and he gave her a little light reading to help her figure things out.  I like the pictures she took:

 Jacob earned his Bobcat award at his first Pack Meeting.  This was a much anticipated event.  He has had to wait awhile to go to a Pack Meeting since previous meetings have been thwarted due to weather, illness, holidays, etc.  He works hard on cub scouts and we spent a lot of time together researching the country of Russia so that he could present for their "Respect for Other Nations" theme.  It was a lot of fun.

Drew wanted to jump in the picture - completely by accident I caught him looking up at his brother.  He loves Jacob and looks up to him so much.  We took Drew to Pack Meeting with us and left the youngers at home in bed under their studious sisters' care.  Drew thanked Jacob over and over for letting him go to Pack Meeting.