Windows

Snowmobile

Logan's new set of wheels...skis.

For years I've wanted to take a snowmobile ride. Last week I did. It was just as exhilarating as I anticipated. 

Quarter after dark

It's dark when I leave it the morning, but sometimes I am treated to a glorious sunrise as I drive to the university. 

New hat

Morning

My job

A sign at Walmart

Sanctity of human life

Photographer

I'm not the only one climbing on chairs to get a good shot.

Tea basket

Julie brought this basket home from Zambia for me. 

Working

Update

I spent part of my Christmas vacation standing on a step ladder wielding a paint brush. (Here's what it used to look like)

Sheet cheat

My dryer isn't hooked up at the moment, and sheets are too big to hang on the drying rack in front of the pellet stove, and it's much too cold to hang laundry on the line, so I've been using the cheat method to dry my sheets. Wash the sheets in the morning and simply lay them on the bed to dry. In the evening or the next day, check to make sure they are completely dry and make the bed as normal. 

Light

Snowy Cookie house

Pouring tea

Smooth start

The first stack of essays for the semester

The start of this semester has been unbelievably smooth. When I walked into my 8:30 class on Monday morning I had

• a schedule (that hadn't changed since I had gotten the official copy the previous Thursday)
• books
• classrooms with lab assignments 
• syllabus and schedule and rubric
• electronic learning site with grading set up
• Turnitin account set up
• up-to-date class rosters

By Tuesday I had signed my contract.

When I left campus on Thursday afternoon, support service preparations were nearly complete (I had submitted a request to update the electronic data tracking system for the tutoring room and lab, which wasn't fulfilled by the time I left). But, I had completed

• tutoring schedule
• tutoring flier
• tutoring sign up sheet
• tutoring recommendation form
• open lab schedule
• open lab flier
• workshop schedule (including room reservations)
• workshop flier
• classroom visit schedule for the upcoming Tuesday

As I said, it's unbelievable.

I'm so excited about my schedule. I'm teaching two sections of writing and I don't have evening classes!

Windows

My dad and brothers came over on a Saturday afternoon and installed four new windows in the sunroom.

Winter roads

Aaron has a new job driving a snow plow truck for the county. 

Never stop improving

A view of the new door from the outside. 

Pillows

I added a few more pillows to the sofa over break.

Black and white

End of vacation

Julie packing to return to Pennsylvania.

We've had a lovely vacation. Julie had four weeks of "home ministry" and all of the students and teachers had breaks. It was wonderful, but now it's time to return to regular life. On Monday Julie returns to work in Pennsylvania, and Brian, Libby, Logan and I begin another semester. 

Practice

Jack, the farm dog

Pizza-game night

 As usual, Judith created pizzas for our annual pizza-game night. I joined Kaelyn, Janessa, Grandpa and Aunt Julie for a couple of hands of Uno.

Preparations

The seamstresses are busy sewing for Betsy's April wedding.

Bath time

Sadie came along with Joel, Judith and the kids for a visit over the Christmas holiday. Before heading home to Pennsylvania, Judith gave her puppy a bath. 

Blue

It's notable when the sky is anything but gray this time of year.

Readers

Julie and I watched the Lang girls on Monday so that Jimmy and Carmen could get away for their anniversary. Before dinner, I noticed that all five of the girls were lined up on the couch reading stories. 

Meals

Thai Chicken Soup

I've cooked more meals, baked more cookies, hosted more friends, and spent more time with family  in the past three weeks than I did in the previous three months. As a result, I'm almost out of dish liquid. 

Storytime