School is out

February 12 - a Wednesday - no school for our three. Most retired people don’t like to drive on roads like that so Sarah dropped them off on the way to work. It’s mostly highway and quite well taken care off. 

It was early so they wanted to watch a little tv. 

I had written in the last blog about snow ice cream. I had made a little and the boys wanted to try it. They thought it was good but I didn't think so. I gave up on it. 

We had brought the bagatelle game down from the loft where it is wrapped up on top of a bookcase. The boys are always in awe about it because we can tell them that it is probably older than Papa and may be even older than his father. We don't know. It was always in a spare room in my father-in-law's house when we visited Windsor and our girls (and I) always liked playing. 

Needless to say we had a tournament. They are quite good doing the math.

Monday February 17 - President's Day - no school

This time I was better prepared because it had been on our calendar for quite a while. There had been an offer of gingerbread cake/cookies boxes at Trader Joe's and that seemed a good idea. The boys were all in favor. Caleb was the one who wanted to mix the dough. He told be that this is how he likes to crack eggs, ha-ha.

The dough had to be in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so we had lunch first. When James and I were on our last trip we saw half-meter long hot dogs at the Christmas Markets. These were organic etc from Costco but we thought the boys would have fun. Yes, they used my measuring tape. 

After lunch it was back to the cookies. The dough (from two boxes) was divided into 4 equal portions. Since I had only one mat and one special rolling pin the boys took turns. As long as they wanted or they had their dough.

I like my rolling pin because it is the same diameter all along. I have these rings to put on each end which are color coded. The green rings let you roll out the dough to the thickness of a quarter inch. It is perfect because you can't do it wrong. 

I also have the whole alphabet in cutters and at lunch time they thought what "message" they wanted to make. Oh yes, and hearts, cats, dogs etc etc. No shortage in this house of cookie cutters.

And in case you wonder about the message on my t-shirt.... I bought it on our last trip on Peascod Street in Windsor. Could not resist. 

When there was a little time before Wade picked them up I placed a FaceTime call to my sister and luckily  her daughter (my niece Maren) was with her. I think the boys like the call to Germany once in a while and it was fun. I tried to change my camera view to get them all in and chaos arose. Here are two screen shots. I must have pressed the wrong button because Ute and Maren are not in the picture. 

Today Thursday Feb.20 we are snowed in again but without the boys. We have fun watching the birds. Even hung up a suet block in a cage I found in our reserves.

I thought the birds looked fatter than usual but of course it is because they puff up their feathers because it is so cold.

I told James that next time I look in the mirror I will just say that I puffed up my feathers. Yup, we do have fun.

Hope you all stay nice and comfy. Spring must be here soon. Our hyacinths are already looking out of the ground. Of course right now through the snow.