Winter Magic

Boys playing with bubbles at The Montshire.

 Been busy every minute.  This winter has been hectic but good so far.  Between work and kids and school and projects, appointments, family and friends, the weeks have flown.  I haven't felt even the slightest bit of seasonal depression...maybe a smidgen of depression from time to time, yes, but not seasonal anyway... just the regular poor-person-with-an-over-extended-schedule-who's-a-worrywart kind of depression which I've always had, but I would say my stress level is generally far lower than it was for the majority of my adult life.  Thanks to the great therapist I've been seeing for quite a while now, I've been able to eliminate a lot of negative emotions I was carrying around, and am starting to heal.  I'm doing the best I can, taking every day as it comes, and learning to be content with that.  And life is so beautiful, my boys so wonderful, how can I NOT be grateful?  When I'm down, I remind myself that every day we wake up is a day we get to BE ALIVE.  We might as well make the most of it.  Nothing has been easy, in fact many things have been downright torture, but it's no use dwelling anymore..or being angry...or feeling sorry for myself.  What a waste to lose more time feeling that way!    Anyway, here's some shots of from the last couple weeks...enjoy!    

    Snow storm up at the horse farm where I work mornings.

 The boys have turned into terrific little skiers.  I was extremely proud of them last weekend, zooming through the slalom course Grampa Butch made.  Eli is ultra graceful and has super form and Ira is fearless.  Incredibly fun to watch, even if I have to spend a bunch of the time being the ski lift...

 Lots of family birthdays this month. Seems we've had a get-together every few nights!

 Ira loves drawing.  Just got their second quarter report cards and they are both doing terrific in school and enjoying it!  Eli is reading waaaaaay above grade level, which is pretty impressive seeing how he came to public school basically without any of those skills.

                                                           Silver Maple view.

 I've taken up the mandolin again...not that I ever really played, just fooled around with it a bit in high school.  I'm still pretty bad, but I've gotten to the point now where I don't actually have to stare at my fingers to hit the right chord, so that's something, I guess!

 I babysit Finja most mornings.  She's a sweetheart.  And very cuddly!

 We've taken quite a few snowshoe hikes, although not last week, it was just way to cold to be outside very long in the sub-zero temps!

 
 Matt and Jen bought snowmachines, so along with the boy's small one at home, they've had a few fun rides over at Chez Loftus!

Sledding a few times at a friend's house has been a highlight!  And Amy makes the most fantastic post-sledding doughnuts and cocoa around!

Vacation!

A few older photos from vacation...my blog is weirdly posting out of order for some reason today, sorry!

Sick

Spent the whole night laying perfectly still while the room spun, trying to convince my body that the tummy bug wouldn't get me, when really, it already had. Glad that night's over! And glad it's a quickie, this bug. Ira had it last week and it was a 24 hour thing, thank goodness. I never, ever throw up, don't know why, just never have. I think I can talk myself out of it. I'm terrified of vomiting, it sounds so violent when other people do, I can't even listen...it's one of my worst phobias, although my father claims throwing up actually makes you feel better. I don't believe it. No way. It sounds like hell. He once gave me a tiny shot of brandy as a small child when Mom was out shopping because I couldn't throw up whatever was making me sick. It worked that time, but not since. I think that's possibly my first memory: being three or four and barfing all down the unfinished, rough-wood stairs of our Hartland house, while Dad looks on as if his plan had backfired somehow. Ha. That's what you get Pops.

Oddly, I can sit right there and hold my kids when they're sick, but the thought of someone else, well, I get shivers down my spine thinking of it. Poor Ira, he was mostly in my bed for the duration of his pukes, with his little bucket, but at one point he decided to go sit by the toilet for about an hour. He said it felt nice and cool, poor Bub. Luckily I had just given it a good scrub. Anyhow, knock on wood, we're on the mend. January thaw's over and now it's back to winter...skiing, skating, sledding, snowshoeing and all that jazz.