Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Candyfest - er - Halloween 2017

This year, we had a movie theme. Princess Poppy from Trolls decided to show up at our house.

And from the Hunger Games trilogy, the valiant Miss Katniss Everdeen.

Wonder Woman also showed up to save the day! The girls had fun. The weather was COLD (and snowy!) And there was much chocolate to be had.





The Final Race

Dayna finished her first cross country season in swampy conditions. But through rain, heat and wind, as well as changing terrain, courses and distances, she manged to keep a consistent mile time. She worked hard, and I'm so incredibly proud of her!

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That Fateful Storm

In October of 1997, a young graduate student spent a Saturday evening with two of her friends, watching movies, eating something that was probably not very healthy, and generally enjoying a break from her studies.

Little did she know that 13 inches of snow was about to dump itself on trees that hadn't changed color, much less lost their leaves.

For 5 days, she was snowed in with her friends. No power. Creative eating. Candlelight Monopoly. Gas station burritos (the only place on the block with power.) This snowstorm marked a deepening friendship with one of them. And twenty years later, we are happily married with two beautiful kids.

Here's to snow!





October Projects

It's probably not a surprise that I happily got a lot more canning done this month. I did, however, run out of canning jars twice! And I still have chili beans and broth to put up. But I'm so happy to have chicken again.


I also managed to freeze 7 pints of pumpkin puree.

This month also saw (finally!) the completion of my second pair of socks for the year. I think I'm slacking. The yarn was purchased in Ashland, Oregon. The pattern is "Farmer MacGregor" from the book "Socktopus."




2017-2018 School Pictures

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Budding Musician

Annie loves to sing. Everything. With big vibrato. Case in point - bedtime story for her doll, Lotte.



She also spent over a half hour one night with Dayna creating her very own tambourine performance, complete with alternative notation.


Apple Day - 2017

Our annual trip to the orchards in Nebraska City, with some fun family photos to boot.

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More Vala's Fun

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MKMEA 2017

Dayna has been joining me for MKMEA conferences since she was a baby. This year, she participated for her third and final time in the MKMEA Honor Choir. She was also selected to be one of three soloists. We're so incredibly proud of her. I was also able to prepare four other girls from town to sing this year. They were such a fun group!

Folk dancing - with the amazing Tom Michalek





Fun times in the pool with another friend

Middle School Fall Concert

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