Leftovers

We delayed our Epiphany party for a couple of weeks due to sickness, but we celebrated before January ended, at least.  I have these pictures of our table-- none of our company, my drill-sergeant self, my excited children, the Buche de Noel, or the food-- just the table, a one-armed Baby, and the perfect snow globe for the feast.






A sure sign that Ezekiel was feeling better-- four water guns, fully loaded and lined up in the middle of January, exuberantly employed against everyone until he soaked his mother's bottom.  (Then she put a quick end to it.)







One lovely Mopsy on her birthday, flanked by two hooligans.







A tea-drinking Mama-shade.

The boy with the chocolate moustache.

Millie takes care that Susannah's hair is brushed free of tangles...







even if she has to tie her to a chair in order to do so.

 I was happy enough to let Millie complete an experiment from her chemistry book.  We were all happy.  Then, two days later, I was able to confidently declare the experiment a success.  A homemade blue lava lamp will permanently stain a 2' square section of one's living room carpet after Aidan Raphael gets his hands on it.

No control group needed.

Millie and Annika have been crocheting like batty, little old ladies, especially Millie.  Hats, dishcloths, booties, fingerless gloves, headbands, you name it.  The only thing I've taken a picture of, though, is Yoda.

Hood included at no extra charge.

How can Susannah be the very picture of serenity in the middle of this? 

Valentines-making occupied more than two days this year.  It was brutal, and I was only on the periphery.  Here's a handful of the finished cards; the rest will have to molder in the garbage cans of our friends without being immortalized. 

And I stole a snapshot of these boys reading before bed, because I love them.