December is usually the month that I finish clearing the leaves out of the yard.
We have A LOT of leaves.
This year, the last of the leaves left our yard on December 20th.
This year, the last of the leaves left our yard on December 20th.
One of the last tasks is cleaning the leaves out of the hard-to-reach places.
As I was raking some leaves out from under a tree, this little guy rolled out.
As I was raking some leaves out from under a tree, this little guy rolled out.
I thought I had stabbed him with one of the rake tongs, but he was okay.
I think I disturbed his winter slumber. He wasn't very hoppy.
I picked him up and moved him underneath a nearby bush.
After snapping a photo so I could share him with Katie and Mikey, I covered him up with leaves I left so he could cuddle up and not be eaten by Ralph.
The beginning of December was taken up by rehearsals for The Hobbit.
Katie was cast as Nori, a dwarf, while Mikey was cast as Grocery Boy, a Hobbit lad who "was not very smart". He was a little perturbed at that description. He also played a goblin.
The Hobbit would be performed in January, so the rehearsal schedule (for Katie especially) was ramping up.
One Friday, Katie was called for rehearsal and Mikey wasn't.
He was going to participate in a livestream for his high school Esports team, so I took him to dinner.
We went out and ate some potstickers and bulgogi/kalbi bowls for dinner.
Katie was cast as Nori, a dwarf, while Mikey was cast as Grocery Boy, a Hobbit lad who "was not very smart". He was a little perturbed at that description. He also played a goblin.
The Hobbit would be performed in January, so the rehearsal schedule (for Katie especially) was ramping up.
One Friday, Katie was called for rehearsal and Mikey wasn't.
He was going to participate in a livestream for his high school Esports team, so I took him to dinner.
We went out and ate some potstickers and bulgogi/kalbi bowls for dinner.
Mikey loves potstickers.
The high school had a Winter Market.
At the market, student-made items were sold to fundraise for their clubs.
In between college essay writing and filling out applications, Katie made earth cookies to sell at the Winter Market for the Climate Action Club.
Right around this time, the high school FINALLY received signs installed with its name.
It only took three years and three months.
Sigh.
Preparation for The Hobbit sometimes happens on weekends at "work parties".
At these events, students build and paint sets, find and organize props, and work on costumes.
You would be amazed at how many hours of work goes into each of the productions.
You would be amazed at how many hours of work goes into each of the productions.
Here's Katie modeling a dwarven undershirt.
And here she is helping distress some goblin armor.
Mikey made me waffles for my birthday.
They were delicious.
Huzbend and Mikey also made me a carrot cake with pineapple filling.
Modeled after Marie Antoinette, it says "LET THEM EAT CAKE"
at the top.
There's a story behind the crown/wig.
I complain that no one ever recycles their empty toilet paper tubes.
I complain that no one ever recycles their empty toilet paper tubes.
Winter Break had started.
The kids were off of school for the next two weeks.
Yay!
Katie had another photography assignment.
This one was to get lights in the background to look like blurry dots while keeping a subject in focus.
We walked around our neighborhood and used Christmas lights.
We walked around our neighborhood and used Christmas lights.
This is a picture I took to experiment and understand what Katie had to do.
Katie decided to use Pip as the subject of her photos.
He's not creepy.
At. All.
Since we can't have Peanut Butter Blossoms, I had been wanting to make them by substituting with Sun Butter for a while.
It would be easy to make them gluten free.
The problem was dairy.
There were no Hershey's Kisses without dairy.
Well, guess what?
I found a company that makes dairy free "Smooches".
Well, guess what?
I found a company that makes dairy free "Smooches".
HA!
We got baking!
The end product.
The kids LOVED them.
And, most likely, ate way too many cookies over holiday break.
And, most likely, ate way too many cookies over holiday break.
On Christmas Eve, the kids did their traditional gingerbread house decorating.
Sadly, the company that made these allergy friendly gingerbread house kits has since closed.
So sad. They have brought many happy memories over the years.
Mikey's Side.
He takes the "more is more" approach to decorating.
Katie's Side.
Yes, that is a deceased candy cane person slumped against the side of the house.
Christmas Day late morning was spent opening presents.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Ralph got some presents too.
It took him about 5 minutes to disembowel this Lambie toy.
It's weird when your kid is old enough to get excited about receiving bookcases for Christmas.
For our special Christmas Day dinner, we had bacon-wrapped filets with a bacon/mushroom sauce, green beans, roasted potatoes and fizzy apple cider.
Mikey approved.
The week between Christmas and New Year's, the kids relaxed, read, played video games, built things, and ate LOTS of cookies.
Here is Mikey building a wood kit rifle that shoots elastic bands.
He worked through multiple bouts of frustration (actually having to disassemble it once) and spent hours and hours putting it together.
Katie is a big fan of the Great British Bake Off.
Mikey's a fan too and sometimes watches it to fall asleep because he's seen them so many times.
Mikey's a fan too and sometimes watches it to fall asleep because he's seen them so many times.
In the last season, for "Party Week", one of the challenges was to bake a "Caterpillar Cake".
I guess it's a popular birthday cake for kids over in the UK.
I guess it's a popular birthday cake for kids over in the UK.
Katie wanted to immediately make one.
I promised her that we would over Winter Break.
It was time to fulfill the promise.
It was a complicated endeavor that took a lot of research.
How do you make a gluten free, dairy free swiss roll? Swiss merengue buttercream? Chocolate ganache?
How do you make a gluten free, dairy free swiss roll? Swiss merengue buttercream? Chocolate ganache?
We got to work.
It took ALL DAY.
That is not an exaggeration.
I think the thing I am most proud of was the swiss roll.
It worked perfectly.
No baking fails.
Here is our finished caterpillar.
He was ABSOLUTELY DELICOUS.
Not perfect. Good enough.
The ultimate compliment.
This is what we felt like after spending all day baking.
On New Year's Eve, we got out and enjoyed some crisp sunshine and mud.
We played frisbee golf.
Katie joined us and took over Ralph walking duties.
I'm thinking someone enjoyed his walk through the woods.
Lots to sniff.
