Winter so far…

Winshaw in winter.

It’s been gloomy, wet, and most of the time warmer than normal this season.

Every time it is warm enough we do try to get the kids outside. This time we had a long walk through the woods, and it was just too much for Alan.

The long evenings of winter call for lots of lamplight…

…and lots of baby snuggles.

We’ve been staying busy with our internet business – here we are, me, the kids, and the chickens all taking a load of packages to the mail box.

As always, squeezing sewing in a bit at a time where needed. It really is lovely to have a sewing room where my in progress items can just be ‘paused’ and undisturbed in between sewing sessions.

This winter has seen several bouts of sickness for all of us. I wonder how many cups of hot tea we have had so far?

Marian is thrilled whenever she gets the chance to accompany Jordan to check his trap line in the mornings.

(the chickens always follow a little ways to make sure they are not missing a feed)

Silly pictures with Mom….

Marian has become quite the tea drinker. She kept wanting drinks of my chai tea, but since I didn’t want her to have the caffeine, her new favorite has become her “own, own” mix of chamomile, milk, and honey.

Winter baby naps are the snuggliest.

Lots of laundry goes on the line whenever I get weather that is dry enough, which never seems to be often enough to stay caught up!

But at least I have the two cutest helpers.

Marian wants to do everything I do. I tried to sneak in some water-coloring in one day while she and Alan were playing happily – but it didn’t work. Marian was soon in my lap ‘learning’ to paint, and thoroughly enjoying it.

Both of the kids love their ‘Daddy time’.

It’s not always warm enough in the downstairs overnight to raise bread, but when it is I try to have some going.

Love that soft winter light.

Guess who is almost a year old? I can’t believe I don’t have a baby anymore… Alan is getting to be such his own little man, with such a vibrant, driven personality. His favorite thing already is being involved in anything ‘real’ – as in anything but baby toys. He especially loves getting to go outside and do ‘work’ with Da-da, make tractor noises, and hold any sort of ‘tool’.

We have had a very quiet winter so far, not going from home very often. I feel like I can never get enough time with my two little darlings – they almost sometimes feel like little strangers because they are changing so fast, and always surprising me.