Winter Break

Winter break - the kids lived their best slug life while Amy and Adam worked: sleeping in, eating their first meals around 11 and snacking constantly on popsicles.  Luckily, the kids did not stay up too late as Amy and Adam still had to work!  We hope that our family and friends are doing well!!

The kids playing Minecraft together - building worlds.

On Wednesday, there was an amazing flock of snow geese that stretched from one farm road to another.  It was incredible to see the geese!!

Addie schooling Adam and Ayson at Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza:)  Addie is moving so fast that her hair is a blur in the picture

Naturally, the hands slapping the table slapped increasingly harder after a few losses.

Crazy Thunder sleeping on Adam's glove.

On Thursday, we went to Ms Annie and Mr Bob's house to sell girl schout cookies AND to initiate Annie to the card game.  Of course, Card Shark Addie won!

We did a bit of galivanting Thursday evening in Syracuse including dinner at Tully's and the kids had room for dessert!  Check out the massive ice cream sundaes!

The kids helped Adam make homemade mac and cheese (requested by the kids - they did admit that they still like Craft mac n cheese...sigh.).  Note - Addie LOVES grating cheese :)

Ayson wanted to learn what the fuss was about when cutting onions.

Ayson does NOT love cutting onions :)

 

We made our own candles on Sunday with a fun kit the kids received for Christmas.

Melting the wax

Adding color and scent

Addie with her finished (tiny) candle in the square mold

Ayson's turn!

Time with Friends and Family

We hope that our family and friends are doing well!  The kids were so excited to be inching closer to winter break!!  Addie had a friend sleepover on Thursday night (to help a mom friend out while her husband and other daughter both had planned [but big] medical procedures within 3 days of each other).  Amy drove the kids to school Friday morning so that the friend would not have the 1 hour bus ride in the morning:) 

We had separate but fun weekends with Adam cutting firewood for Grandma Collene (for next winter) and Ayson went with him to help.  Meanwhile, Amy and Addie spent time with friends!

The mild weather has been great for early evening walks around the yard and gardens!

Run!

Ayson went on a walk in the orchard by himself on Tuesday and picked up cans (and 1 full can!).  While out on his walk, he sketched areas of interest.

Ayson's map - note the little squares in a row - the bee hives :)

Happy Valentine's Day!  Thank you for the cards, Grandma and Grandpa Roe!

Addie's spin top that she made in school.  She indicated that HER top spun the longest out of all 5th graders (2 minutes!)! 

On Friday evening, Amy and Addie hung out with Kate and Emilia while Kate's boys were in PA for a hockey tournament and our boys were at Grandma Collene's cutting firewood for Grandma for next winter.

Addie had fun teaching us a new game:  Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza :)    Apparently, she is also the best at this game in her class...she certainly beat us Friday night!!

 
Saturday morning started the sale of "Early Bird" Girl Scout cookies - Addie is hiding behind the sign.  IF you are in need of cookies and don't have a local Girl Scout, Amy can set up on line ordering so that you can get your cookie fix!

After her shift was over selling cookies, Addie and Leena played Saturday afternoon.  Leena is also a horse lover and ALL of the horse sets got set up - yay!

Gorgeous day to jump on the trampoline!!!

The girls checking out NEW mermaid fins and tails :)

A picture of Ayson and cousin Curran practicing how to shoot after working on firewood Saturday.

On Sunday, Amy and Addie went over to Kate's house to learn a new craft: water felting!  We made felt easter eggs :)

We also ate watermelon (thanks, Kate!) and then fed the rinds to the chickens!!

Kate managed to lure us in to another craft with wool - the needling method of making felt.  

Yay!  Thanks for the wonderful afternoon and evening, Kate!!!

Shadow was happy to see Ayson on Monday afternoon when the boys arrived home :)   Amy and Addie were glad to have the boys home too!!!

A gorgeous new bar of soap!

The Count Down is ON!

The days are flying by and the kids are counting down to winter break so that they can sleep IN!  

All is well with A^4, except we wish we had snow on the ground to play in (there is snow on the ski hills but that is it!).  We hope everyone is staying healthy and having a wonderful February!!

Just by Ayson's pose, can you guess the movie reference?!?!

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade! - Ayson made the "Holy Grail" in art class - the chalice that would grant eternal life.

On Friday afternoon, Ayson went skiing and we chatted with friends at the bar:)  Check out the smoked Old fashioned (that someone else ordered)

On Saturday, Addie went to her ice skating lesson while Adam and Ayson went galivanting.

The boys were done before Addie, so they came to watch Addie skate.

Ayson wanted to make a chocolate cake with oreo topping - so he did!!

Saturday afternoon was Winter Fest and the ice skating rink was actually frozen (well, the top few inches were frozen)!  Addie had fun on the rink - yay!  Ayson is on the right side of the picture in the black winter hat with orange stripe (Ayson did NOT want to wear a hat but Amy made him wear the hat...or there would be consequence! :)

She confidently skated around the bumpy ice!!!

No snow so now horse drawn sleigh rides BUT there was a carriage ride with horses!!!  Addie and her friends.

Addie confirming to Amy that the horses were side stepping as they navigated the corners.

There was a food truck and Adam bought a Philly cheese steak empanada :)

We ended the afternoon with fireworks at 6:30!

Ayson frosted his cake Saturday night and crushed up Oreo cookie wafers for the topping.

We had cake for our after breakfast treat!  Thanks for the yummy cake, Big Guy!!!

Ayson was very pleased with how his cake turned out!!