While I was trying to do a million other things today, Catherine was begging me to make some new clothes for her doll, Lily. Moments like this are exactly why I hold on to the undamaged bottoms of my jeans legs even when the rest of the pants have breathed their last.

With one cut of the scissors, one seam and a length of elastic I was able to whip up a brand new skirt AND satisfy one 8 year old’s desperate need for doll clothes. At least for now!

{any resemblance between this doll and any Duggar daughter is completely coincidental!}

It took a month for the snow to fill our street and three hours for the trucks to cart it away. Just on our corner alone.

Luckily, there was an Esme nearby to oversee the work.

Welcome Frog is a bit wearied by the snow.

Things are not looking good, or warm, for my 6am wake up call.

Heat Wave!

34 degrees out when I returned home from the Y this morning. I was perfectly comfortable shoveling our latest snowfall in my shorts!

These movie makers were working in full force today. Animals, dolls, costumes, sound effects, and vague plot lines were all liberally employed.

If the quality of their films is directly proportional to the amount of giggling than they will definitely win awards. {I’m afraid the opposite might be true, however!}

We did a little bit of babysitting today. Catherine experienced the pure bliss of having a baby fall asleep in your lap and Esme had a grand old time playing with her old toys and sharing some favorite old shows.

I hope you had as much fun as World World and Bristle Blocks today!

And yet, in the midst of this snow filled winter, there is warmth and light and community.

All the lumberjacks of the North Shore, the actual and the ones dressed to fit, gathered at the Peabody Essex Museum this evening. We wielded axes, used the best manscaping kit for our beards, watched lumberjacks compete and even got to try our hand at the cross cut saw. We took in art about trees, danced to the bluegrass punk music of Tigerman Woah, and enjoyed the company of friends.

It was a late night for the girls, and they barely complained as they stumbled into bed, but it is events like this that make me grateful for our flexible lifestyle. I love that we can join with such a varied collection of people and that these kids handle themselves so well in adult company.

Catherine stood and watched the crosscutting for a long time. She hemmed and hawed about giving it a try. She watched the line get longer, and then shorter again as the crowd dispersed. And, all on her own, without pressure from us, she decided to give it a try. She came back to me with a big smile, which I returned, not because she did well with the saw, but because she was true to herself and honored her feelings, but ultimately took the risk. Well done, LumberGirl!

I won’t lie- when I discovered a hole in these pants this morning, my first thought was that I would have to go out to Target and replace them before tomorrow. I am quite disappointed in myself that I didn’t first take a look to see if they could be repaired. Because, of course, they could.

So, tonight, I set about the task and within minutes had sewing the hole back up and had saved myself $15. Next time I will save myself even the idea of a shopping trip and head straight to the good ole Singer.

The snow itself is lonely or, if you prefer, self-sufficient. There is no other time when the whole world seems composed of one thing and one thing only.
~Joseph Wood Krutch