Winter is here!

I don't know what just happened but at about 8:45 AM winter arrived, dark, blowy and cold with a spitting rain.  Maggie and I are tucked into our little house with our little wood stove burning away in the kitchen.  She is coloring and I am trying to figure out medical insurance plans.  Well, I was trying to figure out medical insurance but, now I am taking a break and trying to embrace the coming of winter.

Let's look back at winters past to get excited...

Funny, how it really doesn't snow much here in Corvallis but, those are the fun winter pictures.  :)

I hope we get some snow this year!

I wish you all lots of fun in the winter months ahead.

Almost a full year later...

It is true that this blog was started almost a year ago and I only posted 2 or 3 times.  As a matter of fact I totally forgot the password so we had to create a new one to even get to the blog again...but I'm back and I am going to share a couple to goals out loud with you all so you can hold me to them.

1)  Communicate with people I love more often.  (For example: blog or email or call or hug...make the time.)

2)  Don't worry about getting it all done at once, just start.  (That goes for so many things.)

3)  Take more everyday pictures again.  (Mom just sent me a few older pictures and they were precious.)

OK that is a start...

Here are just a few pics to share... 

A BOY AND HIS DOG

Joey's 7th birthday is coming up.

Peanut has seen it all! 

Thanks for being such a trustworthy dog.

We love you!

how to

how to make a giant cookie
mix butter and sugar
add flour and eggs
add salt
add lots of chocolate chips
bake in the oven
added by joe bones

while the cats away

Well,
Mama bear is gone away to a girls only stag weekend with longtime gal pal mary sxxxx. It seemed the perfect opportunity to challenge the guiness book of world records "largest cookie baked in a home oven"
The resulting cookie was 12"by17" and looked like this.

The children couldn't wait till after dinner and I didn't have the heart to deny it.

"Allright" I said, "but only one."

Baby Charlie's Hat - first crafty project on the blog

Part of the reason to blog, as someone first explained it to me, is that you actually have to do things to post them.  Some people are those super achievers who home school 4 kids, make all their clothes from the cotton they grow and sheep they sheer, cook like pros for every meal and have a perfect spiritual ceremonies for every occasion...then there are people like me...who make something once in a blue moon and then are super pleased with themselves when they do.  I figure blogging will also get me to take a look at my life as if I am having company visit.  I always notice things a little bit differently when I am showing it to people who are not here everyday.  Sometimes I appreciate things more and other times I finally fix the things that have been bugging me.

Anyway, here is my first creation since the blogging has begun....it is Charlie's hat.  My sweet friend Deb had a baby boy about 6 months ago and I am finally getting a hat made for him.  I could argue that it is now winter, but really it has just taken me this long.  So here it is ...

Balls of yarn...

Lots of needles making crazy little knots (as I explained to Joey and Maggie)..

Et Voila!

Maggie has kind of adopted it but she knows it has to be sent to warm Baby Charlie's little head in the Vermont winter snow!

However, she did come in and start some sewing of her own.

Such great concentration!

I have to say a huge thank you to Claudia who delivered a care package extraordinaire last night.  She had gotten a few things for the kids and I when we were in the middle of the flu.

She showed up with NEW CRAYOLAS!  Ahhh, the smell is so sweet.

Then there were also new coloring books, Kleenex, cards, a puzzle

AND

People Magazine: 110 Sexiest Men Alive Issue! 

(What could be better...although, I will have to make it 111 and tape JC in there!)

The kids got busy...

Here is one other art piece by Maggie I must share...

It is ''my family and Lucy."