Cold?

We check on the chickens several times a day and bring in the eggs regularly. But with the current temps in the negatives the eggs are still freezing faster than I can bring them in. This makes for neat cracks along the eggs and a little wait time before you can use the egg.

Avery likes to play with it as it thaws.

It also means the water heater can't keep up with the cold, so the water is freezing anyway. And yesterday the plastic was too cold and brittle and simply cracked. Ugh.... Who's idea was this chicken project? Off to spend more money on these little birds.

To do list

Perhaps I need to

1. Teach my children to shut the car door and

2. Clean out the car.

Then this might not happen. It kinda stinks to be driving to school and hear your 3 year old say "I smell chicken poop." Pun intended.

I said I never would

But I'm going to.

We are taking a family vacation to (gulp) Disney World with my parents. Honestly, I think it will be fun. (ducking my head in shame.)

We are introducing the bazillion characters to the little girls and trying to watch some of the movies with the older kids. (If they ever get tv privileges back!) But the dilemma it is creating for Meryl is amusing. Meryl just can't decide which character to hug first. She likes Mickey Mouse, but his clothes are yucky. But she doesn't like Minnie Mouse even though she has a beautiful dress. Sigh... what to do, what to do.

Hello? What? This hasn't been updated in a while? Well look at that lovely winter scene on the mantel above. Isn't that sweet? My kids did a nice job. Just don't think about the fact the photo has been there since late fall of 2009. Okay? Okay. Have a nice day now.

If only...

they were always this peaceful! When I left them for nap they were each in their own bed. After they'd been quiet for a while I checked and found this-

When I went to wake Meryl, I found this-

End of a Season

Avery's soccer season has come to a close. It was our most successful organized sport thus far. It was fun to watch her run and smile with abandon. No self-consciousness, just a focus on the job that needed to be done. But then she'd break into a skip during a lull in the action. Avery doesn't smile like this all the time.

The right time and place for aggression.

Battling the same kid, who also happens to be a friend.

Her coach was amazing. Personal emails after every game telling us how awesome Avery is! Very intense but enthusiastic and positive. I think maybe every parent got a personal email in addition to the group email!

Finley and Meryl enjoying the final game! The slept through the entire thing.

Morning