chistmasy weekend

oh what a weekend!



it snowed and snowed and snowed and snowed.

and snowed.



we spent lots of time inside with blankets and Christmas movies.

chili and cookies.

we made our "Christmas List" of all the activities we want to do over the next few weeks.



we received a very special invitation that read:

"mom and dad you are invited to a Christmas dance party at 6:30."

It looked like this.

friday senses

a look at our week......

feeling: colllllllllllld. We are below zero at night all week (-18° when I woke up yesterday morning!) We bundle up in layers and layers and have cocoa and tea every chance we get. But it's BEAUTIFUL. The sun has been shining, the sky so blue, the water is steaming, and there are tiny ice crystals covering trees and floating through the air like little diamonds.
It was

comfort + joy

ahhh winter. 

It made a grand entrance this weekend 

as it drifted from the sky in big fluffy pieces. 

It fell and it fell and it fell allllllll day long.

It piled up high and left cheeks rosy.

The snow entertained them for hours. 

Angels and forts and a tiny little snowman.



I always forget how much I enjoy winter. 

I have the hardest time letting summer go each year--I am so nervous

dear february (take two)

Dear February,

I'm sorry I was so rude in last week's post....let's try it again, shall we?

You're not.....that bad. You do have some good qualities going for you.....like the fact that you are only 28 days long.

Way to go February! You have finally done something right.



Dear  My Voice,

Where did you go????! I woke up Friday morning and you were nowhere to be found. NOWHERE. Saturday you

when it's cold outside...

zero.

as in, degrees.

fahrenheit.

you know, collllddd.



Growing up on the blustery plains of Montana, icy cold winters are something that we experienced every year....but you still never get used to it. Waiting for the school bus in below zero temperatures, nose freezing shut and fear your face will never thaw.



School was only canceled if the buses wouldn't start or if the roads were too

how we weekend

Last Saturday we braved 11° temperatures and headed out for a few hours to enjoy the snow. The trails were pretty packed down (but more snow is happening NOW!) but it was just nice to get out and escape our dirty winter air.



I only had my camera out for a few minutes.....just too cold....so here are your three pictures







and a few more from my phone.....



In November I started the #

Christmas was here

  oh why oh why does it go away so quickly?!

 We couldn't have asked for a better few days--we even got snow! Crazy big and beautiful flakes flying down all day on Christmas Eve. 

We played outside 

and delivered treats while snowflakes stuck to our eyelashes.



We snacked on cheese....mmmm......cheese.

gouda

brie with chives

spanish manchego

peach jam, grapes, pears

an assortment of

summer dreams

all images from summer, 2011
dear summer, 
 I had a dream about you. I was floating on a lake. sleeping, almost.the heat of sunshine on my face, cool water on my back. You were there.all around. in the water. sky. clouds.reaching down. to me. and then I fell through the water. crashed back down into my bed, where the nights are long.and cold. You were not near.still far away. I know.
But ever

how to play outside: snow play

It's been mentioned before.....I like to be outside. With sunshine and blue skies over the weekend, we couldn't even think of being cooped up in the house.........so we headed out.Miles and mountains of sparkly snow. Meadows to roam through and forests to hide in.Finding animal tracks, and following them over, around, under and back again.As we all ran down a hill, arms flailing and snow flying, 

minor adjustments

aaaahhhh the weekend. 

Gone again too quickly.
This weekend was funny.
You see, Robby and I had a Super Date planned.
We were to hit up my bi-annual doctors appointment in San Francisco (par-tay!), and then spend the night/day exploring Big Basin State Park, while the kids were busy at Grandma's.
I had been dreaming of wandering though the Redwoods for months....and just TWO days before we were

dear january

new year's evedear january,you came in with a bang. well, I guess literally for us, you came in with a sparkle. But you've been absolutely charming and whisked me off my non-snow-booted feet.....what with your 50° sunshiney weather and all.
dear feet,how much are you LOVING all this non-sock weather!??! It's great!
(ps. dear socks,I am not a fan of you.weird, right?)
dear snow,did I offend you? I

a small start

here I am......"swinging" into the new year......bwahahahahaOne week into the year! 
Twenty Twelve they are calling it. 
I remember Y2K like it was yesterday, and I just accidentally dated a bill 2003, so it boggles my mind that it is 2012...you know, the year the world is ending, and stuff. 
Did you make big resolutions? Have you kept them for the past week? I think as a "blogger", it is my duty

winter to spring

spring 2010
Now I realize that it's not officially spring. I know that we will still have snowstorms, freezing temperatures, and doubts that spring--let alone summer--will ever come. But hey....it's March!! Which to me means that I defeated another winter. 
I took a short run around the neighborhood last night and couldn't help but notice spring everywhere. The sun was shining, bouncing of my

winter wednesday

winter survival tip #8:
if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
"'em" being the snow.
I promise you, bundle up, grab a sled, climb up a hill and push your babies down it.....you'll feel great!





happy wintering!

winter wednesday

I don't know about you, but for our family.....not a lot happens in winter. We're kind of boring. No big family vacations, no camping trips, no all day festivals with parades and fireworks, no soccer games, no races.....nothing. 
So instead, we celebrate the little things.
Family movie night.Trips to the Library. The Children's Museum. Lunch with daddy.
An almost-60° day. This one was kinda a big

winter wednesday

I have really great news to report this week.
The end is near. 
Well....not super near......but it's coming, I can feel it.
Winter Survival Tip #6: look for signs of spring (=death of winter)
Now depending on where you live, your signs of spring will be different (sorry sister who lives on a mountain top)....but no matter where you are, if you look  you'll be sure to notice something. 
Today we

winter wednesday

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. A little secret that will make you 1000x happier. 1000x happier is aLOT more happy, and we all need aLOT more happy in the freezing month of February.
Is it cold at your house? Mine too. The kind of cold where you want to stay inside and do absolutely nothing.
So do just that....nothing. It feels really good, and I like to think our bodies need it every

winter wednesday

thanks everyone for all the fun birthday messages!!! I felt the cyber love all day--I wish we could all have one giant party!

Today's winter tip is something that I've been keeping to myself for a while.....but the time has come to share the news. 
The super duper exciting, screamed-when-I-found-out, delicious news. 
So far, this winter is flying by for me.....not dragging out like in past

sunday supper

-roasted chicken (very simple with onion, lemon, and rosemary)-wilted chard-roasted root vegetable gratin
celery root, rutabaga. 
both in season. 
both delicious (my kids DEVOURED this dish)
Roasted Root Vegetable GratinJen's recipe from last weeks cooking class

-6 lbs root vegetables (any combo of potatoes, fennel, celery root, rutabagas)-3TBS butter-a few sprigs of sage, leaves only, roughly

winter wednesday....bonus round

This bread is awesome. I just had to share the recipe (adapted by Orangette found via Summer) the only thing I changed was the molasses to honey.
Oatmeal Sandwich Bread
w/peach jam from summertime

1 package (2 ¼ tsp.) active dry yeast3 Tbsp. honey2 ½ cups whole wheat flour2 cups bread flour1 cup rolled oats4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly2 ¼ tsp. table salt, or to taste
Grease