Unlike most people, I like January and February. (gasp!)
When there's winter weather, we do enjoy winter fun. When there's not, we try to make the best of it. I'm always inventing more excuses for us to get outside.
"Here, go burn these boxes for me."
"Go pick up all the peanut butter jars in the yard."
"Go let the ducks in the garden."
"Let's take a gander down by the stream."
Usually once they're outside, they don't want to just rush back in.
Our pace of life also slows down in the winter, so our evenings are cozier with more reading and family time. It's a time of year the Rugged Mountain Man and I have actually come to anticipate.
I like January and February too, for the effect it has on our schedule. We have more days with nothing planned. They are the "hunker down and get to it" kind of days. After the holiday hustle, I think we accomplish a lot in these quiet home days. When we combine it with getting outside, it's a happy, healthy combination.
This week has been busy. My sister had her baby and my nephew was here visiting us for a little while. Of course, the Blossoms were thrilled. He did super well, which means, there were no tears. That makes this auntie very happy.
It's now been about 72 hours and Blossom4 hasn't smoked us out of the kitchen, jumped off anything or locked anything. We're calling that progress. Big time progress. And I'm breathing a sigh of relief, because that was quite a streak she had going there.
On Friday, in the middle of schoolwork, we took a break to watch the inauguration. Then, another homeschooling family came over for lunch and an afternoon of co-op work. It was pleasant to top-notch fellowship while we work. The day was also super nostalgic for me, as it so reminded me of schooldays in my childhood. Mom always made sure we watched events like inaugurations and such for "Current Events." We frequently spent time with other homeschooling families. What a rich life this is!
Today, the Rugged Mountain Man was the family representative at a pig butchering. My dad and brother were out of town, so the Rugged Mountain Man showed up with Blossom1 and Blossom2 in tow. The people raising the pigs are longtime family friends - folks who showed us hospitality the first night we arrived from our long trek from the Deep South to Northeastern territory twenty-eight years ago. We've been friends ever since.
I figured the butchering would be right up the girls' alley. It always good to know how to butcher something, right? While cutting meat off the bone, our friends regaled the girlies on stories of me and my childhood. "Your mama used to..." and, "Did you know your mama did..."
After several hours, the girls were finally declared off-duty and sent to play with our friends' children. For being so unsocialized, they survived just fine with a rousing game of kickball and a girls against boys pillow fight. When asked how the pig butchering was, they replied with, "We had a great time; we didn't want to come home!"
I smiled, thinking of them playing with the children of those I played with as a child. More nostalgia, telling the girls of our antics on our friends' farm. These are things I savor.
Happy memories. Hearty childhoods. Homey evenings.
