Spring School Pictures 2009

Thought I'd throw in last years, so you all can compare.

Art from Izzy & Tori

I just did a post about Isobelle winning an coloring contest. Here's a drawing she did of herself as a baby.

Isobelle was inspired by the "making of the Lord of the Rings" DVD's John and I were watching a few days ago. She decided to make herself a suit of paper armor and an orcs mask.

Here's one Victoria did with her true love as the theme.

Crossbills and other Beings

We were so pleased when our feeders started being visited by crossbills in late March. The first couple arrived. One male (red/orangish) and one female (greenish.) The following days, more and more came to join our usual clan of redpolls and pine siskins, with the occasional nuthatchs and chickadees.

This is a video of last years pileated woodpeckers. We are lucky enough to have one that is around annually, for the past several years now. This day, we caught two of them dancing around on a tree.

Here's Joony catching a little nap.

And here's Joony being bugged by Dad.

The Snow Fort

I'm guessing around January sometime, John snowblowed the yard into one big pile. Good fun! Then he and Isobelle carved out a snow fort, that the girls played on and in for months. Unfortunately, but inevitably it flooded when spring hit. The dogs also used it frequently, if you get my meaning.

Isobelle Wins Art Contest!

Our local coffee shop had a coloring contest for the holidays. Isobelle won 1st place, which was a $10 gift certificate. Way to go Izzy!

A Bunk Bed

The girls sharing a room has been going well. Beginning last September, the girls moved into what was Victoria's room and John and I took Isobelle's room. We squeezed two twin beds in there, with only a 12 inch (or so) path in between. It was tight - they didn't seems to mind. All this left for very little room to play. So downstairs, where our room was previous, we turned into a play room. They liked it for a while, but then it got cold. And stayed cold. It's Minnesota, after all. They definately didn't enjoy being down there when the cement floor makes your feet ache with cold. It became a toy dump!

With homeschooling beginning soon, we needed a place for a class room. The play room is it! There is heat (we didn't keep it on regularly, but will now!) and a window air conditioner for the few hot days Minnesota hands out.

The girls got a new bunk bed, so they can reclaim a little of their room for playing!