Sheer Joy

Sewing Class

Today Bethany and Tess had sewing class again and they made these little baskets. They turned out really cute and I think the girls will use them to put hair things in -- though Bethany says she is putting candy in hers. Hmmm. I don't think she is going to fill it with candy. 

Cooking Class

We have missed doing our cooking class for several weeks -- not that I haven't been reminded quite a few times by Tess. So, I realized we needed to get back to it and planned on doing it today. I meant to run out and get all the stuff we needed but somehow never got around to it yesterday. So, rather than totally miss it we just decided to make something with the ingredients we had on hand. We chose cornbread -- easy, and we had everything we needed. 

We made it in a cast iron skillet because I remember my grandmother doing that and she made cornbread almost every single day. The kids all looked shocked when I pulled out the skillet and were certain it would not cook right, but it did and was really good.

They said it was so much better than the boxed mixes we usually use. According to them it was delicious!

Sisters

My girls play so much together and so well. If it is warm enough they are outside running around playing. They all get along so well together. Sisters. They love each other, they play and sing and get a little bossy and they are best friends. It all makes me happy. 

Today And A Year Ago

Yesterday was the first day of spring and today we have this.

I was so hoping it would start to warm up and the kids are even getting kind of tired of this cold weather. I decided to look back through my pictures of this day last year and it looked a lot nicer then. 

One year ago to the day -- a few pictures of Bethany, Bella and Tess. Piper was inside recovering from surgery. I don't know what everyone else was doing, but it sure looked like a nice day. 

Oh, and today was World Down Syndrome Day -- and I did post a picture of Bella swinging. 

It Won't Work! It Won't Work!

John stopped by with Liam and Evelyn early this evening for a little while. Evelyn found the bubbles and took them outside to blow them. I went out to watch her and she was blowing and blowing and couldn't seem to make any bubbles. It was really kind of cute as she kept saying, "It won't work, it won't work!" 

I see some bubbles so I guess it finally worked!

A Little Warmer

I complained about the cold weather and expected more cold today, but we actually had a fairly nice day. It got up to about 60 degrees -- still a lot cooler than I like it, but not bad. The kids stayed out for hours and it was so nice to see them running and playing. I had to call them in for dinner and they begged to go back out and play a little more after they ate. It was so nice. I can't wait for really warm weather. 

Boring

Boring -- that is pretty much what we are right now. That is also the reason I have not blogged. It is cold and we have pretty much only done school, read every morning and afternoon and the kids have played. I am just so ready for warm weather. Today I decided it was time to update the blog a little so I ran outside into the cold and took a few pictures of the kids. They didn't even stay out long as they said they were freezing. 

We decided we could make some cornbread together since we were having soup for dinner and the kids thought cornbread with it sounded good. So, we did that. We have definitely been pretty boring here, but I just know it will have to warm up soon and we can go to the Farmer's Market. I can't wait. Of course, the kids have had their new dollhouse to play with so they have had plenty to do. 

Zola got a new duck to replace the one the fox got and she won't let the kids mess with him yet because he is pretty afraid of everything. So, I let the kids stand back and look into the duck pen while I watched, so Zola would not be upset. She loves those ducks so much. 

We did have a pleasant afternoon making cornbread together and talking and enjoying the sun coming through the windows -- making it seem like it was a nice warm day -- which it wasn't. 

Bella is always so happy and she brings us so much joy. She just had a birthday and she just passed her 5 year anniversary of arriving in the states - January of 2013.