Winter Break

During Christmas break we were quarantined so I tried to do some fun things with the kids so they wouldn't feel so sad about it.  (I was sad about it.) So on the very last day of the break I took them sledding at the city's sledding hill.  It's out at a state park about three minutes from our house.

I'd just like to say on my last ride down the hill, (I was bringing down Jubal and all the coats and stuff kids had shed--it was hot once you walked up once or twice) I was able to make it all the way from the top to the gate in the picture. Yep, I have sledding skills!! (Unlike my children who don't know how to steer.)  I did teach Sebas to steer before I left and he got the hang of it.  

Efraim is a speed demon.  He loved it!

I snapped these couple of pictures, walked up the hill, Isabel, Sebas and Elena went down first, their sled veered sharply and they went flying off this huge jump--and Isabel got a concussion. So that ended that. Actually I put her in the van after watching her awhile and took the little boys down four times before taking her home (Sebas and Elena stayed with some friends who arrived as I was walking Isabel to the van). Then Isabel threw up on the three minute drive home, which made Jubal throw up as well. So all in all a win of a day. It was beautiful though, and that hill is awesome, can't wait to go back!





If you look on the left of the sledding area you can see the shadow near the top of the hill (just to the left of the highest electrical pole), that's the jump the kids went off of. They flew!!! A bus load of kids had arrived and were walking up just as they were sledding down and I could hear them all gasp even from the top of the hill where I was.



My friend (sort of more acquaintance) let Elena and Sebas stay with her and her family.  Brigs, her son, and Sebastian are twins according to their elementary school teacher.  Anyway, she sent me these two pictures.









I made play dough and that actually kept them happy a couple afternoons.  We colored a lot too--they got a huge pack of colored pencils and sketch pads for Christmas--I forgot to mention that, but their last ones from about four years ago were completely used up.



And then I bought some  gingerbread kits on clearance after Christmas and that was a huge hit as well. I tried melting sugar to hold them together and ended up burning it.  It did work to hold them together like iron, but it looked not so nice.  Isabel and Jubal were supposed to be working on theirs together, but Jubal informed me he was fired.  Hee. Hee. Apparently he was just eating the candies.