around here...

The Winter?

It is for baking, reading, playing games.

Every year during February 

I come to the point where I just want the cold weather to move along,

and then I have to remind myself that the heat will be here soon

and that one more game of chess

or one more chapter of a new book is a gift to enjoy

before the warm weather busy season is upon us.

Challah

I finally made it! 

This has been on my To Do list for awhile,

and just like everything else I finally do

it is easier than I thought it would be,

and, of course wonderfully yummy.

I'm currently reading Founding Mothers

a non-fiction book telling the history of the sisters, mothers and wives

of the Founding Fathers.

 It is a fascinating read if you're interested in American History.

How do the children make it through Winter?

This picture gives you three ideas:

building legos, playing cards (Solitaire is the new favorite)

and playing the piano (on which these items are sitting).

Snow Smirks...

Ella has told me that she doesn't like to write, 

however, of her own accord she is writing a story 

about being transported to Middle Earth.

Along with writing, she has also been editing.

I thought she didn't like to write...

Who needs more reading material? I do.

I came across the magazine taproot,

and back issues can also be ordered.

So for Christmas I received subscriptions of 2012 and 2013,

and come March I'll receive my first issue of 2014.

It is a beautiful magazine, full of wonderful pictures and well written articles.

If you're interested in gardening, nature, crafting, family, creativity

this ad-free magazine might be for you.

Roone and I are reading this book together. 

Oh, I do love reading with my children.

This copy of The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White

has beautiful illustrations included.

It's sweet that this copy is a hardback hand-me-down,

still in great condition,

and will be fun to pass along when my children are adults.

And not to leave Ella out, we are reading 

The Story Girl by L. M. Montgomery. 

A Kindle was handed down to us a couple of years ago,

and once we discovered how many free children's books were available

through Amazon Ella has been an avid Kindle reader. 

The Story Girl is one of these free books, 

so we are reading it on the Kindle which is a first for me.

It is, of course, a convenient, thrifty option if you can find free books 

that you'd want to purchase anyway, 

but give me an actual paper copy any day. It's just how I am.

The Story Girl is an excellent read told from the viewpoint of a teenage boy,

about living on Prince Edward Island in the early 1900's with his cousins. 

It contains silly stories that make us laugh out loud - too fun!

Today the sun is out and there has been some rain so the snow is slowly melting.

Temperatures might even reach into the 50's this week;

a walk outside will definitely be in order.