I took a two hour bike ride today. It was GORGEOUS. The weather was just right, mild and breezy. The streams were sparkly. Even the trees seemed cheerful.

Unfettered by convention

Gwen is such an original.  Today Gwen told me she was planning to wear her new sweater for the first time.  She comes down wearing it INSIDE OUT.  She liked the pattern on the inside better and she thought she looked really cool.  Can you argue with that?  No? Me, neither.

Swiss Chard

I made a delicious dish with Swiss Chard tonight.  Husband appreciated it very much.  However, the Blueberry Girls, faced with one single tiny piece, had a much more critical response on account of it being dark green.  The word "yuck"and barfing sounds featured prominently.  

My sister has two boys in the 99% percentile on the weight charts.  Her kids eat just about anything.  I am so jealous.

Ghost of Christmas just past

We just had a most marvelous Christmas.  The girls have been having a blast with the Wii that their Daddy bought them.  They have been alternating their time between the Wii and the cottage playhouse from their Grandma & Grampy.  I got lots of wonderful gifts, including a beautiful soft white sweater from Husband, bubble bath from the girls, a gorgeous recycled glass salad bowl, fair-trade ornaments, hand-made soap from my aunt, and knitting needle/crochet hook organizers hand-made by my mom.  (She did a really great job, too, and the fabric is a purple batik.  It is awesome.)

 It was a pleasantly calm, fun, relaxing day.  The clean-up is done, most of the toys are in their places.  The only thing we missed was a roaring fire in the fireplace thanks to the unseasonably warm weather.

Merry Christmas to all.

Dancing girl

I got to volunteer in Caitlin's Kindergarten classroom yesterday.  I got to read books with 14 adorable little kids.  But my favorite part was getting to observe Caitlin in her classroom.  I noticed something about her.  She dances everywhere.  If there is a break in the lesson, or the other children are still busy putting their materials away, Caitlin does an arabesque and tries to hold it as long as she can.  If she has to move to or from her table, she puts her hands on her hips and skips away like she's in her Irish dance class.   She is just a hoot!

And Gwen has some serious vocal aspirations.  We are going to have a caroling party.  Some friends are coming over, we are going to sing for a few of our neighbors, then we are going to eat pizza and christmas cookies.

Gwen has decided that her must-sing carol is Carol of the Bells a la the American Boychoir.  Not a simple tune to say the least.  I tried to explain to her that it was a multi-part song requiring, if not trained singers, at least several hours of practice.  She has reluctantly accepted my reasoning, but I can tell from the look in her eyes, that she thinks we should give it a shot anyway.  I love her.  (And who knows, maybe we'll work on it for next year.)

Oh what fun it is to ...

Gwen and I just had the best sword fight EVER.  With a used wrapping paper cardboard tube.  We were laughing so hard, neither of us could breathe.  And those tubes just make the best sound when they hit things.  Unfortunately, the cardboard tube did not not have as much fun, and is now in several pieces in the recycling bin.

This evening's spontaneous festivities have caused me to stop and ponder why I spent $$$$ on store bought toys for Christmas, when stuff like this is always the most fun.  Seriously.  We have more toys than we know what to do with, but do you know what the girls can't walk past without getting really excited?  A white-headed dandelion.  Not kidding.   And lately, the toy of choice in our house has been a very low-tech jumprope.  No lights, no sounds, no batteries, a made-of-yarn-at-a-school-festival jump rope.  Also on their list of awesome toys, the hand-made quilt they are using as an invisibility cloak.  For hours, HOURS.  And they are never tired of it.  This very evening, Caitlin, in a dead-serious voice, warned me not to touch her really super cool small gray pebbles.  Fisher-Price, eat your heart out.

Pancakes!

We made pancakes this morning, which is always a huge hit.  (Read, the children can't eat them fast enough.)  Our tradition is to make them with mini chocolate chips sprinkled on top right after you pour the batter in the pan.  For the grown-ups I make pecan pancakes.  I think any day that starts with pancakes is a good day.