We woke up to another dusting which called to the kids. They were out playing in it as Chad and I did dishes, made breakfast and heated up hot water. They are so darn cute!
Hannah made a little snowman family.
Then she showed me what was left of her snowman from the day before.
Eve finally got dressed and ready to head out as the big kids were coming in. So I filled a bottle with hot water to help them keep their hands warm and they all headed back out.
The kids came in to hot drinks with their oatmeal candles lit on the table, Christmas music and declared it was the very best day of their whole life.
After breakfast we packed two boxes with stuff to be mailed home and our first load of things to go to goodwill (including Caleb’s keyboard, but with no stand for it, it did not get played. I’m sad about that.) While Chad was out he returned all of our library books and paid the $0.20 we had in library fines. We resorted through our school supplies tub and are pairing down even farther. The kids each had a big three ring binders that were pretty cool but they rarely open them. Instead they have been using skinny spiral bound notebooks to do their homework in. So the binders are out. Most of the flash cards are too, except the alphabet ones which we do use a lot for Eve. The states and presidents ones as well as the stars and galaxies and even math were just taking space or we didn’t use them often enough to justify the space it takes up. I kind of wish we could get rid of the rest of the kids toys as they don’t really use them much. Instead they like to draw, read and play games that require acting and props, but you all might think I’m an abusive parent. As it is they have a stack of toys that they plan on leaving in Salem when we swing through at Thanksgiving. The Legos that we have been keeping in a cupboard in the kitchen so that they don’t keep them spread from one end of the house to the other have been out of sight out of mind. We told them they can play with them they just have to pick them up when they are done and I don’t know that they have asked even once. I think the big pile of books that we got for free from the library sale is going to be the hardest to sort through, there are too many good ones in there. The kids are all in bed now and I should be too soon enough, so I had better get back to work there is more sorting and organizing to be done!
Owens Endeavors 