saturday // snow

yesterday it began snowing in the early early hours while we were all still nestled in our beds. eleanor was the first one awake and crawled into bed next to me for snuggles, as she usually does, and whispered that it was a winter wonderland outside. i lifted my heavy head to peak out the window to see that it was indeed a winter wonderland. there is always something magical about waking up to snow, isn't there? especially in the morning when it is completely untouched and quiet. it's so beautiful. 

we spent the morning cozy and warm inside, watching movies and grazing on whatever food was left while daddy went to the grocery store. the snow continued to fall all day. a reminder that mother winter is still here, but she doesn't mean us any harm. i imagine winter to be a lot like a grandmother laying next to you in bed, running her fingers through your hair, saying, "be still, child." 

once daddy was home, we bundled up and went outside for a winter walk. our sleds are at my parent's house, so daddy rigged a sled for wolfgang with a tupperware tub and some rope. it worked just as well and wolfgang was completely in love with it all. we walked over to the big hill in our neighborhood and rolled down, down, down. eleanor giggling through it all. i swear the earth had never been so still and silent. we were the only people living. we couldn't even feel the cold. it was as if we were made to live in snow. suddenly no longer human. just five souls existing together. 

this morning

yesterday sucked. in fact, i am erasing the whole day from my memory and giving it the farewell middle finger. it was so damn gloomy and cold and school did not go smoothly and wolfgang was fussy. just an all around shit day. i have to curse to make my point, okay. okay. 

well, last night we all went to bed wiped and man oh man we slept goooooood. no one woke up at all ... this almost never happens. it was just what we needed. this morning we all woke up in a whole new light. literally, the sun was beaming. the day began with dance moves, snuggles and songs. 

here are some photos from the day so far. we have been dancing pretty hard to devendra banhart. i still cannot get over how amazingly sexy and beautiful this video is. enjoy. side note: you should know that i did not watch this one with my children. he he. 

grandma's biscuits // a recipe

when i was a little girl my father's side of the family all went to the same church ... and they still do ... well, except my brother and i. but for years, my grandpa, my grandma, my dad's brother and his wife and children, and my dad and mom and brothers ... all went to church together. every wednesday night and twice on sundays. it was just a part of life. 

every sunday after morning service we all met up at my grandpa and grandma's for supper. my grandpa was a farmer, so there was always so much for us kids to do. a barn to run around in, a big hill to roll down, a train track and pigs to chase. my grandpa would give us a quarter if we could grab one by the tail. it really was childhood at it's best. 

my grandma usually cooked a pot roast, mashed potatoes, corn and biscuits. not always this exact meal, but she made it often enough that it is the meal that stands out in my memory the most. since growing up and moving away, i have made these biscuits off and on ... they are familiar and comforting and just what i need to not feel alone. 

my grandpa and grandma are both still living, although my grandpa suffers from dementia and has fallen quite ill lately. i guess he has good days and bad. i've never actually lost anyone before. no one in my family has ever died. they have been on my mind so much lately. my heart feels heavy and afraid for them. my grandma has begun to go through their belongings and has been sending over boxes of old photos ... she gave my dad a letter she wrote to her grandpa and grandma on march 13, 1959 .. when my dad was only one week old. she was twenty four at the time ... it was the most beautiful letter i have ever read. she was the same. i could hear her young voice as she wrote out each word. something to keep and cherish. forever and ever. 

okay ... the recipe:

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbl sugar

1 egg

2/3 cup shortening 

2/3 cup milk

whisk together dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and then mix together. bake at 375 oven for 10 to 12 mins. 

super easy and delicious. i prefer them with strawberry jam or honey. 

here's to grandparents that make a difference. grandparents who love. grandparents who fill our head with the sweetest memories. 

eleanor turns seven

this year on january 29,  eleanor isobel turned seven. SEVEN. in a way it seems as if she has been around my whole life, but it also feels like she is still a toddling babe who just learned how to use the potty and count her fingers. neither is true. she is seven. she has not been around as long as i have and she is no longer a tiny tot. she is a little girl. in the thick of her childhood. 

usually we have a themed party for her ...generally it's pink and sparkly. i make a cake and her cousins and grandparents come over to celebrate. well, this year we changed it up a bit. we decided to skip a party and go away for the weekend. we stayed overnight at an indoor water park. she. had. a. blast. her cousins were able to come along, too and it was the sweetest time. i did not get one photo of her because i barely touched my phone the whole weekend. it felt good to just exist and have fun. i did manage to take a photo of wolfgang right after he woke up from a nap ... he fell asleep on his daddy while floating along the lazy river. it was a precious sight. for the first time, eleanor went down the BIG slides. you know the really tall, enclosed ones ... oh my. i was nervous as first, but after going down it once alone she was a pro. like i said before ... she really isn't a toddler anymore. we had such a good time that we will probably do the same thing next year. swimming in the middle of winter? it was exactly what we needed. 

the day of her birthday she woke up to a room filled with balloons and a few gifts. we got her a set of fairy wings, a tiara and this. i also baked her a small chocolate cake the night before and we sang happy birthday and made wishes. i think her favorite gift was that i canceled school for the day. she bounced around the house and ate cake and wore her fairy princess ballerina costume. she was a happy, sweet, thankful girl.