Just Playing Around

Gardner E. found these sprouts for sale, still on the stem and brought them when she came to teach art Thursday morning, so my students could see them and I could take them home to the gramerlings for Playdate. How kind. I decided to roast them right on stem . Oh my, they were delicious. Though I am a frequent conoisseur of most thing cruciferous, I have never cared for Brussels sprouts.  Those little ones on the tip tasted like candy.

You might ask why those oranges are floating about in the background.  It wasn't a science experiment on buoyancy, though it is intriguing that  they float before peeling and sink afterwards.  Just a lovely little orange life jacket that peel. No, warm oranges juice better for said juice to be sipped through a peppermint stick. Another Christmas tradition.

Gardner E. was also looking about for metal, umm, I don't know, scarf clips is perhaps the name, to hold scarfs and tees shirt corners.  She got a sack full from e-bay, chose what she wanted, then gifted the girlies with the remainder. Swee-Tee and Bugg enjoyed using them for all sorts of fashion statements with their dolls.

Bean was interested in making the worry dolls. He caught on easily and was churning them out without much help from me.  When he said he was going to make some for his guy friends, I wondered how well "dolls" would be received.  I suggested he might want to refer to them as "worry folk."  I never had an issue with boys having dolls.  All the boys in my class make a rag doll just like the girls. Well, it's usually dressed significantly different. And all my boys knit and sew as well.  I love this boy for many reasons, but one reason is his love for things crafty and his wanting to do it independently.  Sadly, to me anyway, is many boys his age are interested only in video games and sports.  I don't talk either of those languages.  Anywhoo, I don't want someone teasing him and sabotaging my craft partner, ya know?

 I loved the Over the Rhine concert with the Cpt. on Friday.

Saturday was a full day.  Since Bean and I have a standing date for "The Hobbit,"  I needed to take Bugg for movie.  We went to see "Frozen."  It was cute.  Love that sisters trumped that ol' prince for a change.  She knew we'd be going to Miss Linee's dance recital, so she wore her tutu.

 Movie candy didn't make it past the commercials.

Now, would it be Christmas without some wee girls, decked out in holiday attire, tapping their way through a carol or two?  I'm thinking not.

 Unhappy that they had to go their separate ways after the dancing was done.

I made Handy Man's fancy Christmas dinner for work- bean soup, corn bread, fudge, cinnamon rolls and chex  mix.  He said the guys had started asking about it.

Uncle Tim and I spent another evening getting the gramerling gifts in working order. It is going to be a musical Christmas around these parts.

I'm tired.  Have a good week ya'll!

I 

Baby It's Cold Outside

Sunday was our sibling Christmas Brunch and was so beautiful and yummy, though it was a bit unnerving driving through the leftover snow and ice to get there.

No, a Jewish Rabbi has not joined the ranks. Those are sunglasses on Uncle Joe's head.

Then Monday brought Uncle Tim, Aunt Bran and Ol' Mother Hubbard for some Christmas elving, laughing, and eating soup, homemade bread and lots of fudge and staying up way too late.
 All I can show of the surprise awaiting the gramerlings.

I wasn't surprised we had a delay on Tuesday, but was a bit taken back when the alert went off again at seven thirty to announce school was cancelled.  For a good bit of the morning, I did a lot of nothing.  I called Ol' Mother Hubbard and discovered she was reading in Antebellie's class in the afternoon and she invited me to go. I'd never visited their school, wanted to and figured I'd best jump on the opportunity. She had to drive by, so she said she would pick me up.
No way was Handy Man going to come home and find I'd done nothing but play all day, so I layered up and put on his water proof hiking boots and went to visit the animals.
I haven't reported on tiny farm life in while, so today is a good day to bring you up to snuff.
Strider got food, warm water and a nearly empty peanut butter jar for entertainment.

 This weather doesn't appear to concern him in the least.  The Cpt. says he's likely grateful that someone finally turned on the AC.

The occupants of Cluckingham Palace had no desire at all to join him in the snow and ice.
Chickens molt as days grow shorter and colder, and need a lot of protein to replace those feathers.

All the roos lined up.

 I took them a big serving of oatmeal and sardines in warm beef broth. Now doesn't that sound delicious?
They gobbled it up.

The girls enjoying some sunshine.

During molting, they lay very little, but that one new Ameracauna keeps churning out an egg most days.

Sadly, one girl who just has never been too robust, gave it up and I had to do a chicken removal. Ughh, my least favorite part of chicken keeping.
The bees require no attention at this time, but Handy Man did wrap a tarp around Mordor.

They've kicked out those boy drones and will spend the winter keeping Miss Queenie Bee toasty warm.  Those ungrateful bees in the Harmony hive flew the coop, no that's chickens, rather swarmed, so we'll have to get a new few thousand bees come spring.

With exception to the required deceased fowl removal, I love tending our little flock, especially when I'm off and even in the cold and snow. I loved visiting the kid's school and seeing them for a bit.
I don't know if we'll get anymore snow, but our current temperatures mean what we have will be sticking around awhile.
A big date night with the Cpt. to see Over the Rhine, a birthday gift from Aunt SuZQ.

The Polar Express

My love of the Christmas book, The Polar Express, goes way back. I think about 21 years.  I've shared the story here of my two year old nephew upstaging me at Mom's on Christmas Eve, while I was reading said book to a captive audience.  I was very excited to see the movie, but as is usual for me, didn't love it as much as I did the book. I thought the book was just a big warm fuzzy and the movie was a tad dark in places.
Well, a town not too far from us creates a Polar Express experience for children on an old train.  Ceece had tickets and the Cpt. was out of town, so I got to go.  The terrible weather the night before and more terrible weather expected made me a bit nervous, but thank the Lord, we went and returned without a problem.  Not so for the semi, overturned in someone's yard and eggs, eggs, everywhere.
So, the kiddies wear their jammies, some adults too. I just wore a Christmas sweatshirt.
Won't you join us?

All Aboard

 You have to get your ticket punched, multiple times with punches flying all about.

 The story is read and when you get to the warm cocoa that tastes like melted chocolate bars, the chefs bring you a drink and a cookie, and one girl is so happy.

 Time to dance in the aisles to one of my favorite Christmas tunes, "We Need a  Little Christmas"

 Someone who is nine, does not want to be drafted into the elfin chorus line.

 An appearance by the jolly old elf himself, handing every boy and girl a silver bell.

 And it does make beautiful music as this little sprite discovered.

 One last good-be to our entertaining elves.

 This is followed by a trip to Denny's for breakfast.  I so enjoyed watching Missy Bugg enjoy every part.  It was a fun time.  Thanks Ceece for including me.
I do wish another grandma could have been included.  Oma continues to have a very tough time.  When one thing is resolved, another creeps up and she is in real need of prayers at this time.

Still no word on the adoption scene.

Another rough, icy morning expected.  Already our principal has called a delay. I'm expecting some company to do a little elving ourselves tomorrow evening, so I can use the time.
A Gingerbread Party, trip to The Polar Express, brunch with my siblings and 3 batches of fudge has left me grateful for feeling good throughout, but ready for a big nap.

A Very Snowy Gingerbread Party

I wasn't sure the Gingerbread Party would happen this year.  We've had some unusually early winter weather. Friday evening conditions warranted a declaration of an emergency state.  I wasn't out. I was home making piles of icing and tiny houses, wondering if I'd have to deliver them during the next thaw.
Well, it turned out that most everyone made it.
Outside looked like a winter wonderland with ice coated trees, bushes and plants, with a snowy topping.

Some finish their house quickly.

Some go slower and end up with far more candy in their tummy than on their house.

Some come decked out for the festive occasion with the perfect hair adornment-crack up!

 Some wonder what in the world is the point in decorating at all when the house is perfectly edible.

One new Westerly Wind wondered what all the fuss was about.

 Aunt Tish is overseeing the Special Sugars she kindly contributes, much to the delight of the wee princesses, including her own, Missy Bree.

Oops, missed one decorator, who is of course using blue icing.

 Bree wanted to play with the Ann and Andy, then got distracted and left them with Grandpa Joe. Who had crept to  this corner, trying to stay out of the way of the littles.

You know, there aren't anymore of us than usual, it is just that they are getting so big. There is hardly a spot that doesn't have a kidlet on it.  It doesn't help that in addition to their winter clothes, they have on every piece of dress-up attire I have.

 

 Giddy-up has a tradition he wasn't willing to abandon for the sake of a party.  He likes me to help him look in a particular cabinet, the frig and the pantry to see what he can see.  He spied the mixer, which he calls a concrete mixer, and wanted to play.  I told him he could play, but on party day we wouldn't be getting out the flour, rice,etc. and he would just have to pretend.  So I cleared a spot and passed him off to Pappy.  As it goes with children, it soon attracted a crowd and he shared with his "Fwiends" very nicely.

Aunt SuZQ, Uncle Tim, and Aunt Tish are kind of neat-niks and I believe are a bit overwhelmed at the Gramerly craziness, but I think that they like bringing their own littles to join in the fray and always are such a great help with contributions and clean-up.  Probably the reasons are two fold. One, their littles have a great time and two, they get to go home.

I'm thankful to the Lord that everyone got there and got home safely.

I had time for a short nap before my first Polar Express adventure.  

Sweetest Ever

Ah, traditions.  After the turkey carcass has been picked clean, the next expected food item is turkey salad.  Rae-rae and family came to partake.  I had the most fun with Giddy-up.

That bug game I played with Missy Bugg the day before would be an excellent starter game I thought. Instead of any attempt to play by the rules with a two year old, I just asked him to roll the dice, pick a part, then I would roll and pick a part.  He did a great job taking turns and loved making his bug.

 I hate having my picture taken and can't believe I'm posting all these pictures with me in it, but here you go.  I'm an ugly crier and an equally ugly laugher, but this was one of those memories I want to etch in my mind for future reference and this seems the best at capturing the moment.
This boy misses nothing and forgets nothing and now it takes hours to get through all the things he does with Gramerly. Actually, they can't even be accomplished in an afternoon, but he tries.  We have to play a game, feed the chickens, check on the bees, swing in the swing, get out the corn seed for the concrete mixer, play in the tree fort, stand in the refrigerator and point until something looks interesting. Today it was grape jelly, followed by making a PBJ cut into the shape of a dog, which he inhaled after appropriately bow-wowing. That just names a few things. On Thanksgiving we used beads to make a necklace, so now that's added to the queue.
I told him the beads were upstairs, so up he went and within 3 minutes, with no help from me, found every place a bead was stuck.  So I hauled the beading containers downstairs and proceeded to  make a new necklace with him.
I can't remember how it came up,after the necklace was made, but I showed him a little ring pop that was a penguin-picked for him due to his love of the little Pingu cartoon.  I took it out of the package and he was incredulous.  How could it be a ring, a penguin, candy, and look like his beloved paci (pacifier)?
Of course when he said, "This is like my paci,"  I said, "Thats a good example of a simile Giddy-up, comparing two things using like or as."  I don't know what it was, but this cracked him up.  He would laugh heartily, repeat "This is like my paci," crack up again and lean in for a hug, then stick the ring pop in his mouth and do it again.  Both of us were nearly hysterical and I'd never had so many lovies in such a short time.

I wish I could bottle that joy, but I'm happy to know through word and pictures I can revisit that place.

What a precious gift- gramerlings.

Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Ceece and the Cpt. decided to go see Jimmy Buffett, so the Bean and Bugg came over to spend the night.  Handy Man already had the tree up and so we decorated together.  I don't know how I managed to take such a lousy picture, but Bugg's expression when she pulled this faceless angel out of the ornament box was hysterical.  I was able to tell her the story about her Daddy pulling it off the tree and biting her littlest angel face.  He wasn't even a year old and was accustomed to pulling off a tiny candy cane or chocolate ornament.  It left two tiniest teeth prints in her wee forehead. I guess he transferred some sticky goodness to her face, because a wee mouse found her and removed all of her features.  The little teeth prints are still there, so on the tree each year she goes.

 They did a great job and it was fun to tell them where different ornaments came from.

 Lands, the only thing this child likes better than building something, or fishing, is playing with fire.  He gets that from me, so I indulge him. He lights every candle in the house.

 Do you remember this game?  Wasn't it called "Cooties" back in the day?  Bugg is the game playingst child in the midwest.  She never tires of games.  I, on the other hand, would rather play in the candles.

 First thing after getting up Bean lit the first Sunday in Advent candle before they headed to church for the Hanging of the Greens.

Bugg finally grew into those pajamas.  Look how tall that Bean is. They are growing at warp speed.

Continued prayers for their Oma as she continues to recover and is still in the hospital. Also for Rae-rae and family as it appears we are moving ever closer to a new little lovey expected in late January.  Also for a mama having to make a very tough decision.

Worried? We Can Fix That

One morning last week, early, I got a phone call at school.  The caller ID said it was Ol' Mother Hubbard.  However when I answered, a tiniest voice greeted me.  It was Antebellie asking me if I knew about "worry dolls."  I told her that I did know about them.  Apparently, Missy Antebellie has experienced a nightmare or two, and felt worry dolls might help.  I asked if she wanted to know where to get them, wanted me to make them, or did she want to help make them.  I ask some ridiculous questions sometimes.  Of course she wanted us to make them.  Hmm, thus begin my quest to figure out how to make them before I saw her again.
I have owned "worry dolls" in the past, so I knew how tiny they were.  First I googled "how to make worry dolls" and got nowhere. I already knew how to make a yarn doll, and a peg doll, etc., that wasn't what I wanted. Worry dolls are tiny.
 Finally I googled, "How are authentic  Guatemalan worry dolls made?"  I found a You Tube of a Guatemalan man making a worry doll.  Handy Man and I thought, from looking at pictures, that they were made from sticks covered with brown paper.  That is in fact how they're made, but some have material and stuffed heads, while other are paper heads.
Handy Man fetched me a stick and I started with the one like the authentic guy made and realized that was a bit too complicated for my little missy. He made it in eleven minutes. It took me 45, but then I haven't been making them for 30 years.
 Next, since I was out of sticks, I grabbed a pipe cleaner- a real white skinny one that is for cleaning pipes and covered it with paper.  It was hard to say which I liked the best.  I liked that little stuffed head, but I liked how small I could make the paper head one.
I had called Ol' Mother Hubbard, as the change in Thanksgiving venue meant I wouldn't see her as we've been accustomed to each year.  Every year, the kids won't eat because they are so excited to play with their cousins. Then, when it's time to go home, they declare they are near to fainting from hunger.  What do they eat of our Thanksgiving feast?  Ham, grapes, homemade bread by the loaf, chips and maybe pumpkin pie.  Anywhoo, I called Ol' Mother Hubbard and invited them out for the above mentioned feast.
I was ready with the worry dolls when they came.

First you form the body

Next you make the clothes

A happy, worry free girl

The one on the right is the stick/stuffed head doll

 

 Antebellie loved them all including the one she made and then she needed a box, then more material for blankets and pillows and an hour of quietly entertaining herself with them.


Miss Linee needed a worry doll too, so we made one more.

So tiny

It was a very productive evening.