Snowy Weekend

Here's how we spend a snowy weekend. We watched movies, read books, played PS3, and ground up a deer. I know. The first three were great. The last one was fun in it's own way. We stocked the down stairs freezer with ground deer, deer roasts and deer sausage. Brant added in some pork so it's not so deery. I'm excited to try out some soups and chilis with my man's kill.

We've had snow for weeks, but it's been too cold to make a snowball, let alone a snowman. Finally, today it warmed up enough to make a man. The kids made a Daddy and a baby. They are almost old enough it took minimal Mom-help this year. Sad.

Lucky Seven

Ike and Ava tuned seven. They're birthday always makes me a bit weepy. Surely they're not seven. I remember them being so small. *sniff*. Alas, seven brings on big stuff. Ava finally can have her ears pierced, which has to wait due to the date of her birthday. Isaak can whittle wood and Ivory soap with his very own pocket knife. There were many rules and stipulations with Ike's gift. An extra tube of Neosporin and some butterfly bandages are laying in waiting for any incidents that are sure to happen.

Ike an Ava always choose extreme food for their birthday feast. This year it was gingerbread waffles with hot chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Top that all off with some chocolate cupcakes for one heck of a carbo-laden, sweet fest. It's great to be seven, and we're glad to have been blessed with them.

Merry Christmas!

Santa made it through the snow and mess. He surely used Rudolph this year. Isaak received a tank that rolls over men, shoots, and makes and insane amount of noise. He is so jazzed about the mayhem he can create.

Ava finally has a Lalaloopsy. For those of you who don't know, this is the hot toy for 1st grade girls. Crazy hard to find anywhere, including online. So glad Santa is an early planner.

Paige felt like there had been some Santa letter confusion. She had wanted an American Girl kitchen. But once she fiddled around with the nano, decided that it was WAY better.

Claire loved her nano. Anything to give her a leg up into big girl world. She is a teenager stuck in a fourth grade world.

Santa even managed a bit for mom and dad. It was a lovely, quiet, white Christmas around here. Lots of food and music.

Winter Wonderland

To get to church, we have to pass over the Wabash River on this antiquated, one-lane bridge. It's so neat. On rare lucky days in winter, the fog off the water will freeze to the trees by the river. Truly beautiful. It only occurs when the circumstances are just right: wind, temperature, precipitation. The other bonus, only early rises get to see this. It melts away as soon as the sun is up for more than an hour or so.

These pictures do little justice. In real life it is one of the sparkliest, natural events. It's breathtaking. Here's hoping you find some of your own Christmas miracles this year.

Ava was Right

As I tucked Ava in on Nov. 30, she informed me that Dec. 1 meant that it would snow. She said because it was December in the morning, we would wake up to lots of snow. I tried to inform here otherwise, but she wouldn't hear of it. She knew that it would snow. Well, guess who was right? Yeah. She always is.


We woke up to a good inch of snow on Wednesday. Today, we woke up to a perfect day for sledding and snowballs. My kids (Brant included) and the neighbors are whooping it up. I'm getting ready with cocoa and cookies. I have the best job out of the deal.


Of course, this snow did ruin today's plans of putting up the Griswald, outdoor, light festival. Darn. Scrooge is well pleased, but another Hamby is sad. I'm sipping coffee and humming under my breath, "I'm dreaming of a low, electric bill . . .". Cheap, I know. It's sad.

I Caved

For the first time ever, our family purchased a real tree. I am a scrooge. Truly cheap. I figure, we have a perfectly, fine, fake tree, why spend more money? I know. I'm cheap. I did put a budget on the whole event, and we came in .50 under.

I hate to admit, but it was fun walking through the farm and choosing the perfect tree. The kids started with the 12 foot, $300 tree, and we had to firmly convince them it wouldn't fit in the house. Finally, we down-sized to a reasonable, 7 foot one that still seems to take up a quarter of the front room. I do love that piney smell that it exudes.

We did end up using my perfectly, fine, fake tree in the dining room for all of Brant's Bears ornaments. It looks nice also. I've been the brakes to Brant's Christmas gusto for years. He seems to be gaining a little ground every holiday. Through thirteen years together, we now have lights inside and out and two trees. I know, I know. Bah humbug.

Because if you have four kids. . .

Since they've been in kindergarten, Paige and Claire have asked to be KISS. They reasoned, even at five, "There are four of them, and there are four of us." I finally caved this year and let them go. All of our neighbors got the hugest kick out of them. It's funny to be KISS when you only know "I Want to Rock N' Roll All Night" and "Detroit Rock City". It would completely lose the humor if they knew the rest of their dirty, nasty songs.