This is why Yoli was so insistent on having one long, uninterrupted countertop space — even though it may have violated the sacred “kitchen triangle” principle.
Baking with the kids.
Ludi and Josie each had plenty of room to work on their own dough balls. They had fun shaping them however they liked (mostly abstract).
And we all had fun eating them this morning! (I had mine with honey)
Tonight Jadzia participated in the Vogt Elementary Christmas program. Here is her account of the night:
I liked singing on the risers. My songs were “’twas the night before Christmas,” “Ring those bells,” and “Hear those bells.”
I wore my new dress with a new sweater and a new hairstyle.
My Nanny and Grandpa came to the show.
I was on the top riser and I could see my family way in the back.
The end.
Most nights when I come home from work, Yoli has stories to tell about what the kids were up to. Stories of mischief, of cuteness.
Today is the tale of the girl in the tall box.
Now that we have drapes in the house, we no longer need some of the tall, empty boxes we had been using to achieve a modicum of privacy. But Yoli set aside one particularly large, tall box so the kids could use it as a play house for a while.
Today she cut out some windows, turned it longways on its side and let them have at it. Jadzia and Ludi were monopolizing the box, not letting their younger siblings have a chance to go inside. Eventually Jadzia got tired and went to do something else.
Later, Yoli noticed that Ludi had been quiet for some time. That usually means mischief is afoot. Yoli went looking, and found that the box had been turned right side up (vertical). Guess who was inside?
“I can’t get out,” Ludi said pitifully, sucking her thumb.
Okay, so the title of this blog post doesn’t really mean anything, but keep reading anyway.
We have been in our renovated home for about 2 weeks or so. It is lovely: the rooms are all painted, the floor is refinished, our kitchen cabinets are great. But there were so many little details that still needed to be done. Chief among those was the hanging of drapes. You may recall a recent entry in which I explained how Yoli had built a big cardboard-box wall in our bedroom to add some privacy.
Well, I am happy to report that the drapes are now hung. Take a look at the before and after:
Many other things have been taken care of, as well. We have a new front storm door, several light fixtures in the dining room and kitchen were moved, safety brackets were installed, and much more. We’ve had a handyman taking care of all these things for the last three days.
This coming week we should get the final pieces for our kitchen: pulls for the cabinet doors, some decorative paneling for the sink cabinet, and a display shelf.
There are still many, many boxes to go. We also need to buy china and silverware and bookshelves and such things. But it’s getting closer and closer to being “home” again.
This year, the final day of our anniversary falls on the same day as Thanksgiving. There is much to be thankful for, so much of it obviously connected with the tornado that wrecked our house in April.
We are thankful:
Yoli made a top notch chocolate cake for our eighth anniversary. It had layers of hazelnut creme between chocolate crepes, and was covered with a chocolate glaze. To top it off, she made candied hazelnuts.
Wow!
So here’s a cute photo of Ludi reading to “little” Joseph.
How’s about we play a little game?
What do you think she’s saying to him? Add your funny caption idea in the comments.
Yeah, we’re still unpacking. It’s going to take a while.
But I didn’t find Darth Maul inside that box. That means he use be on the loose. Watch your backs.
Well, you do what Yoli did: Build a big wall of cardboard boxes.
(This isn’t just any wall, by the way. The large box on the left is supported by a sort of bridge which allows air to come up freely from the vent underneath)
Friday marked the return from exile of the Renaud Empire to its imperial family compound. See how the prince and princesses reacted to their “new” digs in this short video.
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