Crafting fun

The kids decorated this gingerbread house on Monday. The candy was truly disgusting, which cut down on the eating of the supplies. Guess where we bought the kit? Walmart, of course!

Christmas Cactus--finally

After babysitting this Christmas cactus for many years (it was a tiny start from my Mom's original), it has finally bloomed appropriately. For most of its life, it has not bloomed at all. Then, three year ago, it bloomed 2 blooms at Easter. The next two years it bloomed closer to Valentine's Day, each year producing more blooms. After returning home from our trip, I was pleasantly surprised to see the darn thing covered in buds. And at the correct time.

CVM

We'd like to introduce CVM a.k.a Crabby Vest Man. It seems that a certain Grandpa earned the original title, but Jon was eager to join the club when he discovered his own vest in his closet. The latter CVM looks a little cuter than the original.

Christmas tree hunting

After returning home last Saturday at 1:00AM, we still decided that we MUST have our Christmas tree that very day. We set out (for Farmville) about 3:00 PM. Happily, we discovered a great tree farm that had many varieties to choose from--we chose a Grand Fir. Or maybe it's a Canaan Fir. Anyway, the best part of the whole experience was that it snowed on us. And I mean snowed! By the time we left for home, there was nearly an inch on the ground. We had a nice dinner at our favorite restaurant, Charlie's, in Farmville. Our window seat afforded us a view of the falling snow. Now, if I could only find some presents to put under that tree.......

A flurry of sewing

Between overcoming a certain amount of jetlag, getting back into the routine of school, and just settling in, we haven't had much time for anything this week. Madeline and I took advantage of some unseasonably warm weather and spent an afternoon outside (while the boys played) sewing these cute bird ornaments. Easy and fast--my kind of project.

I'm leaving, on a jet plane

You know, that's one of the only songs that I know all of the words to. In fact, the ONLY songs that I know the words to are Peter, Paul, and Mary songs. My poor children have all suffered through my rendition of those songs. Maybe that's why Jack cried so much as a baby?! Anyway, that has nothing to do with this post. This post is about leaving. Leaving on a jet plane tomorrow morning at 8:00. I do know when I'll be back again though. (It's December 5th.)

Bill says he much prefers the John Denver version of the song. I say, "Yuck."

The Fort

Jack has been working on a fort in the woods for almost a year now. He has just recently finished it. So he went down in the woods and came back with several pictures, because of several blog reader's requests.

Wood burned signs.

Camouflage sidings.

The inside of the building.

The gate that leads inside.

And finally, a view of the outside.