Christmas Holidays!

 We started our Christmas break a week later than most schools in our area did. After all, we had a plan for the first week of January! So we had to wait a week longer to enjoy our break...but that just made it even more of a relief to be done and enjoy the time off.

 Evelyn built a helicopter out of lego. Or was it a boat? It could have been both.

 To please her father, Melanie made shortbread cookies.

 They required cookie cutters, and lots of eager helpers showed up!

 I wasn't one of the eager helpers.

 Evelyn was begging me to read a book about pirates while I was making dinner, so I suggested Matthew might. He obliged. :)

 We had several dumps of snow, and Nathan and Melanie have been getting quite organized about plowing it off.

 Synchronized plowing! They go around in circles and it is clear in no time. I guess they want me to feel making a rink is no big deal...since they are doing most of the maintenance!

 Daniel and Jennifer have a game they are playing. Usually "a game" is a form of "playing house" which has been all organized and now has been set into action.

 What a mess that room with the Legos gets to in no time!

 Philip had time off, and he had lots of company in the workshop! Matthew has gotten about ten things done in his woodworking project book that he got for his birthday. Evelyn and Jennifer made some thing each as well, and wanted to paint them when they were done too of course!

 The workshop itself is coming along nicely. Good solid walls to hang tools onto. Extra outlets to plug tools into...now the bench is getting designed.

 Tintin got a break and replaced with Peanuts...for some of the older kids anyways. New Years Eve was a low key day for us. Book reading, oliebollen and a late night for all. Christmas Eve had been really busy, and I was happy to overhear one of the kids being pleased that company couldn't come after all so we could be just us. :)

 I haven't been reading as much to Jennifer and Evelyn as I have for their siblings at this age, but seeing them with their brothers makes me realize why!

 We went for a late night skate in the falling snow.

 It was lovely out, fluffy flakes falling, the air was calm...

 but the company less so! It's hard not to get hyper when you are up late. Jennifer and Daniel were about ready for bed soon after this. But the rest of us stayed up 'til 12:05 before hitting the sack.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!