The never ending winter

We've been spending the last month reading "On the Banks of Plum Creek" by Laura Ingalls Wilder for our read a loud and all of the chapters on their long winter, unending storms have echoed strangely in our own home.  The end of February and beginning of March have brought snow and though we are more than ready for spring to arrive, there is still a certain wonder to the lacy ice that blanketed our land. In between romps outside we've spent endless hours reading books.  It is one of the sweetest gifts ever to see the girls reading together. I don't know why I ever worried about them loving to read as I do.  Now a days the conversation is more like: "you have to stop reading and put clothes on to go to church" or "your food is getting cold, save that chapter for later".  

February days

This week was a fun week according to these little people.  We had a Valentine's party at our Homeschool Co-operative, homemade pink playdough, tulips from sweet friends and roses from Papa, a fancy lunch together where we practiced our manners and some crafting projects to brighten our rooms.  It seems that February is always a search for color and this week it was pink and red!!  

The winter of being ill

It has been the oddest winter I can remember. We've had freezing temperatures and 1 degree mornings. Today was a balmy 57. We also seem to have been sick from October onwards.  Cabin fever is an understatement and we've taken to bathing suits in the bath and picnics on the floor just so we can stop crawling the walls.  Trips to the local greenhouse help us remember green plants and breathe "fresh" air. Suffice to say, with inside time we've learned a lot. We've learned about deciduous trees, mushroom varieties, planned our Summer 2019 gardens, worked on letters in rice boxes, had a piano recital and continued to grow together in the Lord.  We're also so thankful to share the news that coming July 2019 Baby Dieffenbach is scheduled to arrive.  Thus Mama has also been quite sick. As we enter the month of February we're continuing to take our Elderberry Syrup and sit in pockets of sunshine. Here's hoping for an early spring and fresh air all around! 

Remembering our Ginger Cat: Claude

This last week we had to say goodbye to our beloved Maine Coon cat, Claude- faithful friend for the last eleven years. This little milk nosed kitty was more like a dog than a cat and had lived probably 100 cat lives. We mourn his passing but will always be thankful for his place in our lives- our faithful greeter, gentle friend, and "special" kitty, how we miss you. He was our fox cat, our ginger boy and Claude named after the music theorist Claude Palisca when we were both studying for masters and Phds. We will always love you. 

 As January comes in all of it's dismal greyness we seek color wherever we can find it and in our hibernation plan summer gardens, learn our sums and recite our poems, drink tea and cuddle up.  Since we've been sick since basically October we're learning to be creative in home play, even when climbing up the walls.

 Ballet and Co-op started up again and Papa is building us a new kitchen table- dates to the wood store are very exciting!