Catching Up...

I can't believe that we'll be in March next week! The days have flown with activity, but I'll try to catch up on some of the happenings of the past month and a half...

Wayne has been busy with glass projects and hooked rug projects. Here are a couple of his latest...
Raven loves to test out the rugs. So far each one has met with her approval!I taught a quilt class at the Artisan Guild at the end of January. I've also been trying to finish off some quilts to sell in the shop. Captain and Raven are never far away...
As a matter of fact, the dogs are happy to hang around with any of us...Marc is continually learning to deal with the many aspects that come with being on the autistic spectrum. He came to me the other day and said, "Mom, I have another syndrome that you need to know about." When I asked what syndrome he meant, he showed me a picture of a t-shirt with the M.G.S. logo. He asked if he could get the shirt. This is one syndrome, he proudly claims! (If you can't read the writing, it says "Multiple Goat Syndrome"!)
The two little boys occasionally insist that they need to wear a 'hat' to bed. They are insisting on this less and less so we got a picture of Ian wearing a 'hat' before he outgrows this phase of being silly. (The pj bottoms make quite a fashion statement, don't you think?)
Wayne called our contractor friend who installed our stairs in December 2010 and asked if he'd be able to fit into his schedule finishing the banister railing around the upstairs landing. Wayne had hoped to be able to complete this over the past year, but his health just hasn't cooperated. Within a few days the banister was finished and now we have a lovely sitting area on the formerly unused landing. (This picture doesn't show the sitting area since it was taken right after the installation.)I've been working a lot at the Town Hall since December which has been an adjustment for all of us. The girls have really stepped up and help around the house a LOT. For Valentine's day they surprised me with this lovely cake. (They tried to write the names of love songs on the edges, but the frosting wasn't cooperating.)
We've had a very mild winter with no real measurable snow--yet. We have had a few storms pass through leaving the roads a bit dangerous. Last Saturday night was one such storm. Matthew was on his way home from work Saturday evening when he came through a rock cut along the highway. The snow suddenly came down so thick that visibility was hindered and then he hit an icy spot. He lost control of his car, thankfully avoiding several other cars around him, and took out a guard rail along the side of the interstate. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but his car is totaled . It's only a car and the best gift I received that evening was arriving at the accident site and having my eldest give me a huge hug.
We are abundantly blessed.

New Kids on the Farm

Pumpkin delivered a little earlier than we expected and surprised us Wednesday afternoon with another set of twins. We had just returned from Oneonta when Wayne looked in on the barn animals to find a brand new girl and boy in the stall with Pumpkin. As you can see, they are adorable and a big hit with the other 'kids' on the farm...
Ah-h-h to have our own source of milk again! Thank you, Pumpkin!

Raven Update

Raven is fitting in nicely with the family and has found a new favorite hang-out...the mini trampoline makes a nice bed and elevates her so she can see over the door into the main house from the mudroom.Since these pictures, the barrier to the main house is down more than up so she has free reign of the downstairs. Captain isn't very impressed, but he's adjusting.

The other night Raven came into the sitting room. Captain jumped up into my lap and started barking and growling at Raven, wagging his tail the whole time. It was as if he was saying, "I'm going to tell you exactly what I think of you, but you can't get me because I'm in mom's lap and she'll protect me!" Raven just wagged her tail and left the room as if to say, "I don't need to stay here and listen to this nonsense." They can be in the same room and sleep at our feet now without Raven trying to get Captain to play or Captain barking and growling. They tolerate each other nicely and who knows someday soon they may become friends!

Christmas

Christmas has come and gone, but the memories of being together as a family and enjoying the special day together are here to stay.

Nathanial got a special towel...
Matthew got some figures used to play a game. Here he is painting them...Legos overtook the dining room again. When the kids are all home together one of the favorite activities is to gather all the bins of Legos and see what develops from their creative minds...

Getting Ready for Christmas

A couple of weeks ago Nathanial brought home a friend from college for the weekend. Jason fit right in with the gang and helped decorate the tree.
Grandma Jackson and Uncle Dan came for a short visit over the same weekend. The days flew by, but we had a wonderful visit.A yearly tradition is Matthew leading the gang in making gingerbread cookies. They combined it with watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and other Christmas specials on the internet...
Our five guys...

Changing Weather

Wayne caught this view out our back window the other morning...We had snow one evening a couple of weeks ago. Jonathan was so excited that while I was occupied somewhere else in the house, he got his coat and boots on to go join Wayne and Raven for their evening walk in the field. He didn't care that he was in his pj's!Raven loves to chew on sticks, but sometimes her choice of stick is a bit large...

Thanksgiving 2011

This year's Thanksgiving day was very relaxed and quiet. Matthew went to New York City with friends and our friend Bob was sick so it was just six of the kids, Wayne, and I.

The day was beautiful so after our meal most of us went up to walk around Buck Horn Lake.

At the far end of the lake the beaver have been busy. Katelyn did her beaver impression...The four youngest...
Mom and her 2 little big guys...Whenever I walk along this section of the lake road, I think of it as a cathedral of trees...
We took Raven along. By the time we got home she was exhausted and happily stretched out by the woodstove for a snooze after a bit of cuddle with Wayne.