Caroling, Chores, and Crafting

 Yesterday, Sylvia, Ayla, and I joined our homeschool coop for caroling at two different retirement centers.  My favorite part was listening in on a conversation between the residents about Christmas memories from when they were children.  One man didn't have Christmas trees growing up because pine trees didn't grow where he lived.  You didn't just pop down to your local big box store parking lot and pick one up.  Another woman remembered family arriving to visit on an actual sleigh with bells on the horses :)  That, and I adore hearing Sylvia sing along to Good King Wenceslas.

Today I felt the need to be outside, Sylvia didn't really.  So, I tried suggesting fun things to do outside to entice her.  "Wanna hike down the valley?"
"Nah."
"Gather sticks for kindling?" (She usually enjoys this.)
"Nah."
"Um...clean the chicken coop?"
"YEAH!"
"Really?  OK."

  So we did.  Even Ayla helped spread the clean wood shavings around.

 When one of the hens came to see what's with the clean coop, Ayla pointed at her and demanded "Egg!"  Then she started laughing and laughing.  The hen looked bewildered.

mossy bark

  After spending a couple hours outside, puttering around with chores and delight, we came in to have yummy egg sandwiches and do some holiday crafting, which turned into Sylvia creating a train and cargo car out of cracker boxes, construction paper, and jar bands.

 And a track out of kindling.

 There was more crafting, and card-making, and elving, and gift-wrapping, and reading aloud by the woodstove, but I shan't share much of that with you.  I do love the gift wrap on this gift for one of Camille's classmates.

I wish joyful anticipation and simple love for you and your family during this Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, holiday merriment season!