Beginning of December

274th Day of Quarantine.

The high today was 54F

For dinner I laid out a simple charcuterie spread of meat, cheese, fruit & crackers.  I've been doing this since the kids were little, but now it is super en vouge and has a fancy French name and everything!

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273rd

The high today was 43F.

Billy and I are watching our way through the twilight saga.  It's been several years for me, and with the new book release I had a renewed interest.  Billy had never seen it and is enjoying it enough.

I got a call from Eaton county that 3 years ago they never came to do a 'final inspection' on our carport and someone will be out next Tuesday.  I just have this terrible feeling that they are about to make me very angry.

I heated up leftovers for dinner.

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272nd Day of Quarantine. 

54F was the high.

In nature study we decorated solstice cookies!  We found that on our winter solstice, we will only have about 8.5 hours of sunlight. = (  So, each of us decorated two (12 hour) cookies with 4 hours marked on each, to represent our tiny window of sunlight.  I'm already ready to start heading out of winter, and we haven't even officially started yet.

And, with the extra (homemade) chocolate icing, they were able to make an extra Natural History 'cow spot' marshmallow!

Since we are studying the Iroquois in American History, I finally pulled out the boats and teepee that Aunt Wanda sent us.  The kids were delighted!

 For dinner we had Spaghetti.

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271st Day of Quarantine.

47F.  It was very chilly, but not as bitterly cold as yesterday.

After school finished up today, we played pig mania.  We even talked Alice into playing a round with us!

Billy bought another gun. I bought a water filter system that just uses needs two buckets.  Preparation in the fear of the unknown is comforting.  What exactly we are preparing for I couldn't say, but it feels nice to have several contingencies planned out (interrupted utilities, temporary food shortage, etc.)

I made sugar cookies in anticipation of nature study tomorrow.

For dinner we had chicken teriyaki with rice.

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270th Day of Quarantine.  We are still, mostly, mostly, self isolating.  There are some guidelines in place, so some things like movie theaters and indoor dining in restaurants is currently not 'allowed.' but most thing are open, there are no curfews and no one official is enforcing things on the average citizen.

37F was our high.  No snow outside, but it is cold, so I made a marshmallow/popcorn snack scape & hot cocoa for my crew when they came inside from recess. = )

For dinner we had a late cheesy chicken and rice casserole.  It was late, because I was late in leaving for the pharmacy and bank, since when I went to roll William's trundle bed away, it wouldn't collapse, because the kids were jumping on it and bent it. grr.

So, Billy and I spent time fixing that before I left, and even though I started on dinner practically straight away, the chicken needed adequate time to cook.  It all worked out, and we were able to eat before Ms. Charlie cleaned the dining area (but she had started on the kitchen already.)

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269th Day of Quarantine.

36F was our cold high today.

Our morning was the usual subjects, but a little faster.  I left a checklist for the big girls with all the work that they needed to finish in our absence.

We made a trip up to Grand Rapids for an ultrasound for Juliet, bloodwork for all three, and a 6 month follow up with the endocrinologist.  We brought school work, and I envisioned us sitting in the cafeteria, but we were not allowed in. = (  Since I always pack a lunch, this was not a huge blow, but it was not nearly as comfortable working on their lessons in the car.

The drive home was uneventful, and Emily defrosted the hamburger meat for me, so that I could make up hamburger helper for dinner.

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268th Day of Quarantine.

30F was the freezing high today.

The kids enjoyed their nikolausstiefel treats.

Emily came with me to the grocery pick up, and then we went to the thrift store.  We shopped for a long time, but didn't buy much.

Grace helped me address all the Christmas cards today.  I was thankful for her help putting on the stamps (and drawing special pictures for all on the envelopes!)  Sadly, this unexpected task cut into my reading time, and I did not finish Midnight Sun.

For dinner we had chicken noodles soup from a can, so that I could have a little leisure reading time.

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later days

Goodbye November

267th Day of Quarantine.

36F was the high.

Still reading Midnight Sun.

Quesadillas for dinner.

The kids put out lists of "forgotten items" (usually we forgo the letter to santa in a mailbox, and simply send it during nikolausstiefel, but this year, they had a candy cane tree, so we went to grab one and send off the letter.) in their shoes. 

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266th Day of Quarantine.

42F was the high.

I embroidered Janie's name on a stocking for Deb, and while we were out, we delivered gifts to Abby and her sisters, Nick, Willow and Zoey!

I started Midnight Sun today, and am totally loving it.  I know that Twilight is known for being corny and ridiculous and I really don't care.  In fact, I spent my time following along in both books so that I could know what Bella was thinking (since Edward can't read her mind.) = 0

We had enchiladas for dinner.

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265th Day of Quarantine.

The high today was a partly sunny 44F.

In my dream last night, we were raising an alligator (to eat) in a barn with 6 doors that I couldn't find the key to lock.  The alligator needed to be kept under the drizzling shower head, and I was annoyed that the kids kept letting it out. = )

We went to our nature spot to sketch a winter solstice observation (we are still running a bit early in the course.)  The big girls were tired and gave me a bit of pushback. The littler ones enjoyed getting out of the house, and seeing some of the fun things in nature this time of year.

We had other errands to run too.  We went by the pharmacy in a failed attempt to pick up William's prescription toothpaste, then to the candy cane tree & Santa letter drop off!

Then we went to pick up some of my mops supplies for tonight, drop off a white elephant gift for our next meeting, and to pick up Avia.  Since Billy was back a day early, we were able to return Sarah's truck that she kindly lent us to sit in the airport parking lot. (So that I wouldn't be without access to a car that fits everyone, since my car is still at the mechanic, but that's another story.)

For dinner we had spaghetti.  It was simple, quick and well received.

Grace received a big package of goodies from her friend Zoey and was very excited.  Poor Juliet was sad, understandably so.  Sometimes it's tough to be a twin.

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264th Day of Quarantine.

47F was the expected high today.

The kids set up a pleasant tea time today.  My plate display is displaced because of the Christmas decorations, so we 'made due' with just a fancy plate. = )

Beef and broccoli for dinner, since it's not a dish that Billy likes and he wasn't due home until after dinner time.

Billy came home a day early, and I am so happy to have him here!  I do not sleep well when he's gone.

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263

35F was the high today.

Avia and Seven came by.

In science, the big girls were working with the Kinex set that I bought just for the purpose, and so I pulled out the small garage sale set that I picked up last spring for the other 3. Fun was had by all. = )

I packed up my Secret Santa gift: cupcake topper numbers!

Lasagna on the menu for dinner.

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262nd day of Quarantine. Kind of, Billy left today, on a small plane bound for Georgia.  The house feels too big and kind of empty without him here, despite the number of children I have running around. ; )

33F is the meager high we saw today.

We got our first snow of the year, which made for a fun recess time for the kids. = )

It wasn't a big snow, but they managed a Texas sized snow man. = )

For dinner I made a crockpot roast & roast sandwiches, since it is not one of Billy's favorites.  Many of us enjoyed the roast, but WGJ all ate their slab of roast on buttered bread instead.

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261st day of Quarantine.

41F.

Online church this morning, followed by grocery pick up.

Shots since Billy was heading to Georgia tomorrow. = (

Tree lighting, virtual

Tikka masala for dinner, before Billy leaves. = (

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later days