After the past four weeks of Advent - I find my heart, soul, and spirit READY to celebrate Christmas for the next 11 days. We planned to have a quiet down day.....
We began setting up a game of Dominion. This is Nolan's last day off work.
Josiah called. He discovered his bank is closed due to structural damage in the quake. He was driving out to the Valley to go to the bank and stop at the Fish and Game in Palmer. Would we like to meet him for lunch at the Noisy Goose? YES - we don't go here often and I like the veggie options.
Josiah and Krista from toddler-hood through high school everyone thought they were twins. Krista is older. |
My boyfriend π |
Michael and I got home and found an eagle circling the chicken yard. Rosie likes to go out on her own - she's a Cochin and is fluffier and sturdier than our other breeds. She has feathers on her legs and feet and hardly any comb. She handles the cold better than they do. She'd also be a prize catch for the eagles. We shuffled her inside and shut the door.
When Josiah and Krista arrived, these five jumped into a game of Dominion. We have so many expansion packs now, and the game moves so fast, that Stacia and I usually opt out.
Stacia and I planned to work on a project she wants done before the family gift exchange on NYE. One thing led to another and we put the project off for tomorrow.....
Arielle and Stacia have been working on the sledding run in our yard. They built a starting ramp and packed down snow earlier....then it snowed again. They went out to start packing it down again....and to see if they could sled on it.
Arielle wins the wipe-out award!
With Dominion over (Michael won), the other Gherkins went outside to help Stacia and Arielle. There is nothing better than a big brother to get projects moving along. They built the starting ramp higher, shoveled and packed down the run, built side walls along the run, and sprayed it down with water. It will run across the side of the yard from the front to potentially the garden or woods. I can't wait for bonfires, hot chocolate and an icy sled run. It's coming.
We didn't buy sleds in time. They are all sold out. I suspect everyone else knew with Christmas break this would be the perfect time for sledding - we were slow to realize this. We haven't gone out to the hills we planned on as we're down to one sled. This will provide a bit of solace until the stores restock sleds. Surely they'll do that after Christmas. There is still a lot of winter left. We may make a few. Or I may have to pull down the sled I had as a toddler. ππ½π
The wood-stove is amazingly wonderful after an hour in the cold. They got inside just in time for us to watch tonight's Spurs game against the Denver Nuggets. This was fairly dangerous. We've noted whenever Josiah and I watch a game TOGETHER they lose in the 4th quarter. THEY WON - another Christmas miracle? The blanket-covered lump in the photo is Yuuki.
Josiah headed back to Eagle River after the game and the rest of us did our first Christmas Scavenger Gift Hunt.
Riddle/Clue: Forgotten Hooks
I missed this last year as I was in Oregon for quite a bit of Advent. I had forgotten the difference in personalities amongst the Gherkins. These two took off hunting for places where they might find command hooks or fishing hooks. Krista joined them.
Nolan sat alone in the living room. I was disappointed to think he was "adulting" and would be too old for the fun this year. HOWEVER, I was wrong. He was thinking. As they ran from spot to spot he eventually got up, walked to the exact hiding spot, found the gift, indicated that to us and waited for the others to find it.
Riddle Solution: In the back of this entry closet, there are coat hooks....behind the coats. We really aren't sure how this was used in the past. I suspect, lots of little kids and no long coats or snow pants to hide the hooks....it was a great place to hang tonight's gift.
Gift: Woodlawn DVD
It's not 2 Turtle Doves, but it will do! πππ |
We didn't feel like watching a movie. We played, ::drum roll::: FARKLE! This is all I NEED to say....this is one of my rolls. π²π²π²
I won.
Nolan has gone to bed; he works bright and early tomorrow. Alex opted for personal time. Michael talked Krista and Stacia into playing Dominion. She's hanging in there - the pace is slower tonight.