Together

We made 2016 bread to go with spaghetti for lunch on Jan. 1st with one of the kid's cousins, who spent the night!  There's nothing like spending time together with family and friends.

Paul got some little boats, which we tried on as shoes, for fun...he has taken a few baths with his new boats.  My oldest daughter, Hannah bought me this beautiful sweater, while we were in Portland.

We celebrate Christmas twice...once on Dec. 25th and again on Jan. 7th (which is Dec. 25th on the old calendar)!  That's tomorrow!  Here is one of my favorite homemade gifts we got, this ornament has tiny letters sewn on for each one of us, plus a little bird, mandolin, flower, teapot and heart - 5 symbols that represent each member of our family.  ♥ 

Horse back riding

 Let's go for a ride...

 Ready? 

 My aunt Sarah and son, Gideon, came from Vermont to visit.

 They went on a trail in the woods. 

Thanks to my sister, for organizing this fun day!

Buckwheat pancakes and smoked salmon

I made these savory buckwheat pancakes earlier this week, and we ate them with smoked salmon for lunch.  I'm using more Bob's Red Mill products, seeing the place where the grain is ground and hearing how they get non-GMO products only and do not allow them to dry out, but retain the natural oils, all for our better health...sold!

 

 Paul holding a candy cane!

Here are some photos from Olivia's ugly sweater, in progress...

The girls made 3D paper snowflakes and marshmallow snowmen using pretzels.

 Edible markers for the face...

Sunny and in the 60s.  The girls all jumped on the trampoline after having hot cocoa and marshmallows.

G

Grammie gave the girls and Paul their gifts on St. Nicholas day.  They read The Poky Little Puppy together. 

 

What do you do on a rainy day?

It was quite rainy, but we kept dry.  Mostly dry.

Bob's Red Mill tour

That's a spurtle.  What's a spurtle?  It is a Scottish cooking implement used to stir oats (porridge) as they cook.  Read more about it here:  http://blog.bobsredmill.com/featured-articles/myrtle-spurtles/

 Bob played the piano.

 By one of the grinding wheels with our tour guide.

This book inspired Bob...it reminds me of the Little House on the Prairie books.

 They had buckets off all kinds of grain for us to have a sensory grain experience.

We all ground a little wheat, like the Little Red Hen and her chicks.

My lunch at Bob's Red Mill.

Hello from Portland, OR

We are crocheting a rug with the scraps we bought from Pendleton wool...

Tao of tea was really neat...we had lunch and tea.

Inside Pendleton...

Powell's bookstore

New socks...they are made in the USA.

( I found them on Amazon b.ella Crystal Womens Cotton Crew Sock ( Gold - Medium ) at Amazon Women’s Clothing store:)

 Hope you're keeping warm today.

Smiles for Daddy.