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It’s been pretty dang cold here the past couple of days, and it’s just getting colder. We didn’t make it outside yesterday because the wind chill made it below 0. (“If it’s above 0 or below 100, we go outside. There’s no bad weather – just bad clothing.” – our motto.) Today we might squeak out for a few minutes, but blizzard-y weather is coming. Lloyd’s school ended yesterday for regular reasons, but other schools are calling off/called off for tomorrow already. We will still be open, of course.

Brad, if you are reading this, I can’t find your wool coat here. I don’t know who is picking you up from the airport, but they might want to bring a bunch of blankets. (Brad arrives tomorrow night.)

Brrrr. Stay warm, everyone.

Happy Birthday, Elaine! happy Belated Birthday to me, and Happy Birthday tomorrow to Lloyd! it’s that time of year again, but it’s been pretty low-key. i had errands to run and church with the CDC kids, Lloyd is sick, and i hear that Elaine broke her arm?

I started my day with a good fire and making some bread. Then Rachel came along with me to Lincoln to do our things. She had some purchases and returns, I needed stuff for gifts for the children. It was great. I worked on the presents and then had church, then was in for the rest of the night.

I absolutely don’t know what i’m going to do about my generous friends. Beth and Rachel and Sam bought me gifts without knowing what they each bought, apparently, and they were both……..

kalimbas! I love them! we had one at school, but it was a crummy little coconut/board monstrosity that sounded terrible. These are lovely! Rachel and Sam’s has so many keys and a beautiful, soothing tone. I feel like i could open my own spa. Beth’s is pocket-sized and adorable. I am going to be so annoying with these and play them all the time!

They were at a get-together that I was too tired to attend, so i recorded a message to send. This version is speeded up so it would load to this website. Elaine, today this is for you!

It’s that time of year where my class spends an unreasonable amount of time getting our parent gift ready. I spent time Wednesday morning (before my children arrived) unwrapping the wooden frames that we paint. (The children dress up like shepherds and look adoringly at Baby Jesus. I think I’ve posted about this before.) Monday we assembled the manger and cut ‘hay’ out of paper strips, Tuesday we took the photos, Wednesday we started to paint the frames (liquid watercolor – whatever they want to do), and today we’ll finish the frames and make our wrapping paper. If my old eyes can finish the photoshopping of stars in the sky today, maybe we’ll get them done tomorrow?

…. probably Monday.

I am a big fan of lists. At school I keep a daily list of class to-do/after class to-do/evening to-do/ and also a shopping list that culminates throughout the week. It works fairly well, though there are things on that list that get pushed way back. If they get pushed back more than a week, I just don’t do that thing.

At home, I’ve needed a Big List to keep track of stuff. A couple of months ago I bit the bullet and bought a dry-erase board. It has been quite handy for writing things down and actually doing them. The only drawback is that since it’s dry-erase, the items get erased instead of crossed off, so I lose my sense of accomplishment. That’s ok. Forward movement is good enough.

Right now it’s leaning on the piano, which is not the best place for it, but at least I actually see it and work on The Things.

Lloyd and I went to Omaha on Saturday. The primary reason was to give blood. This was the first time either of us had been to a dedicated Red Cross building, and it was so different from going to the VFW or a church. We had actual lounge-style chairs instead of padded tables, and it just felt so official. I warned them that I was going to be a slow bleeder – 7 to 8 minutes, but guess what?? Three minutes and forty-seven seconds*! That is a new personal best!! I couldn’t believe it! I think the lesson I’m learning is to donate from my right arm, with it’s beefy veins, not my withered, useless left arm.

Afterward, we had some errands to do. Ahead of time, I had printed a paper map and marked the places to go and planned the route. I didn’t think Lloyd cared until near the end of the day when he said, “You’re doing a great job getting us where we need to go without backtracking.” I beamed.

One of the stops was a Thrift World in Omaha. Flushed with last weekend’s success, I knew I would be disappointed by this trip. Lloyd looked at the books, and I weeded my way through the two looooong aisles of sweaters, trying to identify the material. He joined me when I was nearly done, and I was explaining my process: scanning the weave, trying to identify if it might be wool or cashmere, then checking the label. I had been wrong on several sweaters. He grabbed one and said, “Like this one?”

It was cashmere.

It was the only sweater he touched.

I hate him.

I did buy it, but it is even smaller than the first. I wore it for Council Fire this morning before church. Ahhhh….. smokey cashmere………

My kids came up with some gems this week. One boy told me (excuse the grammar problems – that’s one thing we work on): “Did you know that there’s plates under the earth?” Someone’s parents have been talking about geology, but forgot to clarify about the dinnerware.

Another was while we were drawing nativity scenes. I show them a very basic method to follow and then they can do what they want. My youngest boy was putting an angel in the sky and said, “I’m making a zombie.”

“……. there are no zombies in the nativity story.” That’s something I never thought I’d have to say.

My last is about this particular group’s eating style. Again, this is something I’m working on. I have several children who eat cuties/mandarin oranges like apples. No peeling of the segments – just peeling then biting into the side. What?? I also have a boy who eats his trail mix feedbag-style: holding a handful up to his face and munching until it’s gone. I redirected him later to use his finger and take smaller bites, but he kept giving me sidelong glances and shoveling it in.

*sigh* Happy Friday.