The Busy Season

This has been the busy season.

Every year, just as the start of school comes around, so does the extra-curricular activity.

Basketball begins in September for Carrie.

She had a small team this year...only 6 girls.

Six very special young ladies.

She celebrated the end of the season 

last night at her basketball banquet.

Her Senior banquet.

Hard to believe.

Carrie has also been busy at the piano.

She has practiced, memorized, and performed, and competed in order to be ready for her college auditions.

This is also the busy season for Robotics.

William began his season in September and has spent a lot of time building the robot to meet 

the specific challenge for this year's game.

He and his friend, Jesse, have a team 

called the Bot-E Builders.

Planning, building, competing, modifying, competing, rebuilding, and competing again.

That's what a season of robotics looks like.

Today he is heading over to take the final pictures 

with this year's robot.

His end-of-season party will be in just a few weeks.

This spring, William, Josh, and Matthew are also involved in Upward Basketball at our church.

William is the assistant coach for Matthew's team.

This is Joshua's first year in Upward.

He is a Cougar!

He has really enjoyed practicing and playing and is looking forward to the day when they start keeping score.

His height is one of his biggest assets.

This is Matthew's second year playing Upward.

He is a Bulldog!

Matthew really likes playing too.

Especially since he gets to play with his best buddy, Eli.

It really is hard to believe that another 

busy season is winding down. 

I enjoy the busy season activity but am always ready for the slow rhythm of late spring and summer.

And then, right on schedule, I'm all rested up 

and ready for September again.

For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Snow! Snow! Snow!

Deck the Halls

according to Matthew

Deck the hall with boughs and hollies!

Fa la la la la...la la la la!

Tis the season to be jolly!

Fa la la la la...la la la la!

All us now our Dave and Carol!

Fa la la... la la la...la la la!

Fa la la la la...la la la la!

I'll be pretty sad when he learns the real lyrics.

 Here comes the snow!

We are all anxious for the 8-10 inches that are predicted!

We decided that we better go out and 

play in it while we can.

It's supposed to get to -13 degrees by morning.

That's the actual temperature...not the windchill!

Charlie loves the snow as long as we're outside with her.

She's looking up at the snowflakes.

They are huge!

Absolute joy!

Paul was making really big snowballs
and throw them up in the air.

Charlie was trying to catch them
and then bite and eat them.

It was a really wet snow.

Perfect for a snowman!

The kids' snowman was inspired by the snowman,
Olaf, in the movie "Frozen."

Except our snowman had a zucchini nose.

Here he is!

This home protected by our pistol-packin' snowman!

Then back inside for chili and cornbread!

Real quick...I have to share something else Matthew said this week, because if I don't write them down somewhere, I'll forget them.

He was holding in one hand his big Hershey Kiss that he won at Eli's birthday party.  In the other hand, he had a penlight he got for Christmas.  He held out the Kiss and said, "Dark Chocolate!"  Then he turned the light on the Kiss and said, "Light Chocolate!"

He's a funny guy!

Enjoying this snowy day,

Patience at 225 Degrees

One of my favorite "Christmas Goodies" memories is from a snowy, blowy evening when we got a huge tray of Christmas cookies and candy from Mrs. Kuhns.

Dad had just bought a snowblower for the back of his tractor, so he was regularly hired by Amish friends who needed their lanes cleared out before the milk man came.

Payment was usually in cash, but one evening, right around Christmas time, Dad brought home a big tray full of a variety of candies and cookies from 

Roman and Martha Kuhns. 

One of those scrumptious candies 

was homemade caramels.

The caramels were Dad's favorite, 

so Mom got the recipe from Mrs. Kuhns.

Since Dad celebrated his birthday on December 17, she "surprised" him every year with a pan full of caramels.

One of the funniest memories I have of the caramels was when Mom shoved the finished tray into the oven before Dad could see them.  

She forgot that they were there, 

and that evening turned on the oven.

Melted caramels are really just as good 

as those that are all set up.

Spoon candy.

Here's what I didn't know about the caramels.

They take a tremendous amount of patience.

It seems that the first 220 degrees goes pretty quickly.

It's the last 20 that will test your patience completely.

They are so pretty when they start out...

Here we are holding at 225 degrees.

And holding...

and holding...

Finally!

We hit 240 degrees and get to add the vanilla!

 Hi Carrie! 

Ahhhh...gold!

Now we just have to wait for them to cool!

Unless you want to try them on some vanilla ice cream.

Hmmmm...

Patience, Jodi!

Enjoying Christmas Goodies,

Wooly Bear and His Boy

This is Matthew.

This is Wooly Bear.

See him in the back of the truck?

Makes me think of "The Mouse and the Motorcycle."

Especially when he is reaching his head up over 

the cab of the truck as far as he can.

He really does seem to be enjoying himself.

 For a boy who didn't really want to touch 

the wooly worm...

he sure has changed his mind.

Wooly Bear is now hanging out with a stick 

and some water in our butterfly farm net.

Matthew is determined to keep him as his pet.

And when I start to protest and his big blue eyes 

start to tear up...

well, I am deemed completely helpless.

So...congratulate me!

I am now the proud owner of a Wooly Bear.

Enjoying the tenderheartedness of my little boy,