Trying to dry in between the outdoor adventures

Wishing

:: I peeked out to check on the kids sledding and caught Neko standing guard at the fence. I think he wished he was out there too.

Snow Much Fun

Snow finally made it's first appearance this winter.  While we did not receive the 14-18" as predicated we did receive about six inches.  Plenty for Neko's first experience.  As as we anticipated our wooly dog loved it.   There was romping, sniffing, and general goofiness.  Paul said it reminded him of watching Bambi's first Snow.

The howling winds and below zero temperatures could not persuade him to come in.  Welcome to winter my snow dog. 
 

A Very Merry

We celebrated a wonderful day of gift giving, playing, visiting, and eating.

 

 

The Perfect Ornament

:: The most perfect ornament for our tree. It was purchased at this store. It looks so much like him. I'm just loving it.

I'm a winner!

::  I'm giddy over winning a $50 gift certificate from Soule Mama to Lisa Leonard Designs.  How will I ever choose?  Maybe the captured heart necklace or the you are loved necklace or the open circle necklace or maybe the be still necklace .  Too many gorgeous choices.

:: Because you are never too old to swing on a rope.

Drumming

::  He's been waiting for years to take these out of storage. Watching him play, I wish he hadn't waited so long.

A Friend Over to Play

::  Callie's family went away overnight giving us the opportunity to spend some time with her again. Neko was very excited to have her over.

Winant Park Trails

:: Stopping to take in the view during our afternoon walk along the Winant Park trails.

Calling me

I am trying to finish a pair of long over due socks that I would like to deliver to the recipient tomorrow. But these two new books are calling me....

Weekending

guitar listening -- Paul learning to play Hotel California

leaf raking - hopefully the last of the season

dog park visiting

door bell shopping

Toy Story 3 watching

tenant finding 

happy dancing about the tenant finding

food shopping

running into and catching up with friends while food and doorbell shopping

paper cutting and sorting of school cook book

hats, gloves, cowl bundling for Neko walking

sock knitting

bird feeder filling

Post Secret reading

Family  Favorite recipe eating

Pop's birthday shopping 

wishing we had stopped at the market to get our favorite smoked Gouda

eclectic dinner music listening courtesy of St. Paul's School WSPS Radio

too much laundry sorting, washing, rack drying, folding

 

Trying to Get My Attention

:: I heard a heavy sigh and turned around in my chair to find this face.

 

:: After the heavy sighing, the howling started.

::  The howling continued.

:: Then the look of "Please come play with me."

:: How could I refuse.
 

Muted Colors and a Pop of Color

:: A rainy damp day of gray and old yellow outside with a pop of color inside.

:: A Day With a Few of My Favorite Things

 

:: knitting socks (long overdue gift I am hoping to complete by Thanksgiving)
:: listening to the audio book - At Home by Bill Bryson
:: warmth of the fire
:: ceiling high book cases
:: Butterscotch Oatmeal cookies - recipe found on the Tollhouse Butterscotch chip package

Oldie but a Goodie

I was thinking about this video of the Special Skunk News Broadcast that Alix recorded about 3 1/2 years ago.  It cracks me up every time I watch it.  Towards the end when her and Chance are running away is priceless.  She is such a goof-ball.  Chance looks so young.  (Not too happy with his stick throwing though.)


Enjoy!

Because.....

Because there was Egg Nog in the dairy case at the market.  This is a family favorite for dessert or breakfast.

Egg Nog Cake

1 18.25-ounce pudding-added yellow cake mix

Vegetable oil, according to cake directions

Eggs, according to package directions

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Egg Nog, substitute for water according to package directions

Eggnog Glaze

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

Egg Nog - enough for desired consistency

Preheat oven to recommended temperature on cake mix package. Spray sides and bottom of a bundt pan with cooking spray. Combine dry cake mix with oil, eggs and nutmeg. Add eggnog. Mix and bake according to package directions. Cool.

In a medium bowl, combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough eggnog for desired consistency. Glaze cake once it’s fully cooled.

Babies

I highly recommend this sweet movie.  We watched it together as a family.  The movie follows the first year of life of four well-loved babies in Namibia, Mongolia, Japan, and the United States.  I loved that there was very little dialogue just a wonderful film score.  The cultural differences were very interesting; but for the most part babies are babies anywhere in the world. 

Waiting for Superman

A friend and I went to our local independent movie theater, Red River Theatre to see Waiting for Superman  and to listen to a discussion panel which included:

Jim Forsythe, NH Senator Elect, District 4
Eileen Liponis, Executive Director, NH Public Charter School Association 
Rick Trombly, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, NEA-NH
Beth McClure, Founder and Principal, Strong Foundations
Emma Rous, Chair, House Education Committee, Representative.  



I am still formulating my thoughts on the movie.  Emotionally it was powerful, shocking, anger inducing, heartbreaking, and moving.

I realize how lucky my family is in having been able to make the educational choices we've made.  In the past we have homeschooled and currently C is in a public school and A is in a charter school.  I am grateful we've had the opportunity to find a good fit for each of them. 


A friend sent me the link to this video: Changing Education Paradigms
This animate was adapted from a talk given  by Sir Ken Robinson, world-renowned education and creativity expert.

A Reminder

:: Some days my actions and words need a reminder.  It seems as though those days have been popping up more than I'd like.
 
 

Darkness Arrives Early

::  The clock read 5:45.  

Weekend Reading

:: More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson and Anna Williams

:: Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That by Ina Garten

:: The False Friend by Myla Goldberg

:: All Over the Map by Laura Fraser

He Waits

:: A glimpse out the second floor stairway window of the library reveals Neko patiently waiting for our return.

::  bill paying
::  coffee drinking
::  paper shuffling
::  budgeting
::  wishing I was doing something else

A Fall Day

::  Temperatures in the teens left its mark on the Rainbow Chard.

::  Macs called out to baked with double the amount of brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oats.  A topping of vanilla ice-cream made for sweet lunchtime treat. The house smelled of Apple Crisp even hours later.

::  The leaves poured down leaving a yellow hued blanket of crispness.