Crackles

This...

...has been the source of great concern lately to Slate.

This winter has been the coldest one I have experienced in Colorado.  Most of the time when people from back home comment about me living in Colorado, they usually remark patronizingly that it must be sooo cold.  Which I in turn have to try and tactfully tell them that KS is a lot colder than CO.  But, Slate's water bucket has been frozen solid for a minimum of two weeks now.  Every morning, I have gotten in a habit of pouring hot water over his water bucket before I head to work and every morning, he growls, barks and cowers from the crackling water : )  Here he is playing with a chunk of ice from his emptied bucket.

This past weekend we enjoyed lots of social stimulation : ) Friday was world relief at church.  Jake's grandma Marlene had saved many calendars through the years that she used the old pictures for picture books that she made and took to nursing homes or hospitals.  We are continuing her project and so were compiling and cutting 2 huge crates of pictures.  We hardly made a dent.  Saturday I carpooled with some friends to a brunch at Lanette's new house.  We got there around 10:30 and didn't leave til 2pm!  Her house is beautiful, we are very excited for her! Afterwards, we stopped at a shopping center and wandered around the stores.  I am appalled at the horrific styles that are being sold right now.  Going through the clothes feels like I'm picking through an 80's section of a thrift store.  I think my clothing budget will not be in danger anytime in the near future.  While us ladies were doing 'girly' stuff, Jake went cross country skiing with some other friends.  I don't know where they went but it sounded like they had great views and a fresh trail.  

Jared, Brett, Jake, Polly, Katlyn

We both got home around the same time and then the Andrej clan and Dan & Tess came over for a grilling evening.  We had been planning it for a while with Danny & Douglas and so we purchased actual good quality steaks instead of cheap as can be.  Steak, potatoes, green beans, garlic bread, home brew ..it was a taste of heaven.  Sunday my SS lesson was about the walls of Jericho.  I had made a graham cracker wall and so it made a great visual for the kiddos.  Although, later one of my little girls was asked what she learned in SS and her response was, "Cake!"  I may need to re-evaluate next time!  We went to Tom's Sunday evening for pizza and he had us look through Marlene's cookbooks. We came home with a cowboy book, a candy making book, and what all you can 'can' book.  We also found an old Betty Crocker picture cook book and it will be great for my aunt who worked at General Mills for 10+ years.

Happy Trails!