January Days

Especially up here, winter starts to get long at the end of January. Next month we will begin to see the sun come up over the mountains at a "normal" time, and before we know it, the mountains will be green instead of white, and then it is almost impossible to remember the snow. Now it is almost impossible to remember the green.

Agnes has started using her hymnal.

New Elsa dress

Agnes didn't like being left out of the picture. She would later steal the new Elsa dress and demand to wear it to bed.

Elsa definitely has to take off her gloves to play piano.

Cool cat enjoying some tunes.

20+C+M+B+18

My mom helped the girls and me make prune tarts for a starry Epiphany treat.

 A Saturday Morning

Daring to touch a dragon fruit.

Daring to pet a dragon fruit pet. We did eat it and it was...ok.

Princess Loretta (whose name was actually Princess when we got  her)

Irene got a sprouts-making kit for Christmas. 

Upside down sleeping picture. 

Loretta seems to like thee new Little House paper doll set. Also why do I take so many pictures of the cat?

Ice skating!

Last year we were in Chattanooga for Grandma Becky's birthday so we made her a birthday cake this year but decided it probably wouldn't make it all the way to Tennessee.

Kyle and I went to a Lieder concert, though we left the German experts at home.

I'm pretty sure we never taught any kids how to eat a banana but maybe we have to start.

Smile!

Christmas, Birthday, Epiphany 2018

For the first time in a few years we celebrated Christmas with just us. We had a great time, but certainly missed having other family and friends around. We had four Christmas Eve services to keep us busy (though didn't go for midnight), so it was nice to have a bit of a relaxing day in a messy house after Christmas Day service. The girls made out on gifts spectacularly as usual, including a Trip to Disneyworld (in September)from Grandma Becky and Baba, and a new electric piano from Grandma Carol and Pop Pop. The girls got each other gifts from the thrift shop, and had a lot of fun buying for each other and really found perfect presents for everyone. Agnes did a good job of helping us open our presents and also cried and didn't want to open some of hers so that was fun.

I don't think--I already can't remember--we even ate a proper Christmas Dinner, but snacked all day and called it good. 

I managed to get the flu a couple days later that kept me in bed for three days. Then after church on New Year's Eve, we drove down to the homestead* for a nice party and then Evangeline's party the next day. 

Kyle and I drove back alone--on purpose--as the girls stayed down at the Homestead for a few days. We hear they got to go swimming at the pool twice in that time, and both Irene and Evangeline jumped off the diving board after passing the pool-length swim test and Agnes got her uncle Eli to take her down the waterslide many times. Also Evangeline lost a tooth.(Boy do kids have a lot of teeth!)

Back at home,  I got the place ready for our two Epiphany parties (Kyle went to an installation in Juneau for a few days during this time. I'll have to get him to post some Juneau pictures), one for church and one for the pastors and their families. We had both parties on the same day, one after church and one in the evening so it was basically party time from 12 noon to 12 midnight with a three hour reset in between. Kyle did beef, moose, and caribou skewers for the dinner party which I was very impressed by. It was so fun and tiring and I hope we do it again next year. This was our third year doing these parties so maybe next year we will really have the hang of it.

*The Homestead trip almost didn't happen because of weather. Kyle had bought all of the fireworks for the party, and we were meant to bring them down there. But there was a storm and all reports said travel was "difficult to impossible" and to bring survival gear if you should decide to risk it. After hours of checking the weather, talking to people who had driven through it, checking the weather again etc, we decided it seemed that the storm had passed. It had. There was a little snow but it was definitely not a difficult drive. We were glad we did it. We surprised my parents and were the heroes (not really) of the New Year's Eve party. 

Cutest dresses sent from Grandma Becky

Still Smiling

Agnes drained the caviar supply at the homestead

She really is 8!

I didn't get a good picture of the gaggle of girl cousins this year, but they were there to celebrate.

8

On our drive home we had to pull over and have a picture-taking contest

First Day of Christmas Break!

The girls are nestled all snug on the sofa, eating pancakes and sausage, and watching Frosty the Snowman. Kyle is out for a wintry walk. I am enjoying the surprising quiet of a morning with all the kids here. The sun is up over the mountains. We are eagerly looking forward to more light, though the dark has taken on a very cozy feeling this year and the girls have been reveling in what the tilt of the Earth brings to us in these Northern parts. It is almost too easy at this time of year, in this place, to talk about Jesus the Light of the World...but there you have it. He brings light in so many ways as to astound us.

 11 am December 22.

I "made" them watch Frosty the Snowman. Turns out they didn't think it was too bad. Also, Irene is on the verge of reading, and takes every moment to practice.Evangeline is so good at reading that she is happy to reverse the effects of literacy with TV watching.

Early Christmas present from Grandma and Pop Pop

Advent Midweek 2

Agnes carefully held little baby Jesus while the choir practiced. In addition to piano lessons, Evangeline is learning to sing parts with the expert alto section.

Auntie Gingerbread

Miranda's very sweet Christmas present to the girls was to make gingerbread houses with them. Agnes napped throughout (I went shopping by myself throughout), but that didn't stop her from getting in the picture right at the end. And eating a lot of candy from their houses.

Birthdays, Bears, Sushi and Santa

After a near-tears hour, I discovered it is actually super easy to get my pictures on here. I expect I can find and even easier way.

I decided Irene's birthday was a far back as I dare go in pictures, lest I open a box of summer, and that's just too much.

Right now I am sitting at the table with Agnes, looking out the window on a blustery 45 degree December day, watching the snow melt and the wind blow. This week is going to be full with church, concerts, rehearsals, caroling, and who knows what else, so it's nice to take a minute to stare out the window while Agnes is not crying and saying things to me I don't understand and then crying because I don't understand.

Irene surveying her birthday decorations. German flag colors.

6-Year-Old

 Birthday Friends

Painting is better with both hands. That French bulldog agrees.

4 seconds after crying me into putting on this backpack and helmet.

Irene is into counting. This was by her bed. No wonder she was so tired in the morning.

Evangeline reading a cat book to Loretta, who is eating the snack Evangeline brought her.

If I had ever imagined the first book Evangeline would check out at school, bring home, and read within a day, this would not have been it. But well done, Evangeline.

Irene stayed home for a few days with strep throat and scarlet fever. She didn't go blind.

Agnes assured me this wouldn't be too scary, and just cute.

Kyle got me a warm coat. It is my first one since we moved here, and when I wore it for the first time I thought "Hm. I'm not cold."

This failed Advent photo session took a really long time.

Evangeline's head as flame.

Extra mystery flame on Agnes.

Two pastors.

Irene: "Reindeer are Caribou. We could eat this"

I took Irene and Evangeline out for sushi/tempura/teriyaki after the Christkindlmarkt. Christmassy.

The chef was kind and sent us over some tempura oreos. I made sure they ate enough raw fish first.

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