Not what I originally meant to write about. I will get to Christmas as soon as I can.

The morning started with rain. Freezing rain. There was a sheet of ice on, everything. Then little pebbles of snow and when The Goblin Child was getting her book read at nap time I had to stop to go check out the noises coming from outside. It was large wind driven hail.

That was when I went to check on the horses. My hard working husband had opened the gates earlier so they could get to the barn. They are not smart, they stood huddled behind the wind break. I have been working with Rusty on learning to go out around the wing fence and it payed off, he came running with the other two not far behind. I lead them up to and into the barn where they could be warm and dry. Onna refused. Coyote and Rusty came in but it didn’t last. I left feeling better that they knew the barn was open and they could go in if it got worse.

Immediately after I got in, it got worse. The hail turned to fine powdery snow. Visibility dropped to nothing and the drifts began to grow. Late in the afternoon I went out again. I had filled the bed of the pickup with hay in preparation and I backed it over to the barn. After going in the passenger side door because the drivers side was froze shut. The windows were covered with ice and the snow was blinding even if I could have seen out. Backing blindly across the yard was interesting to say the least.

When I got over there I was disappointed not to see the horses. Silly ponies, they were back out behind the wind break again. Wading through the snow a hand over my face to block the wind I walked out to them, convinced them to come around the wing fence again and lead them to the barn. Even Onna came in without hesitation this time. I forked the hay from the pickup in the door and spread it into many piles so everyone could eat. In their snow masks they presented a terrifying sight.

I left content once again that they were warm and safe and dry. I didn’t lock them in.

Tonight my fearless husband braved the storm again to shut the shop door that got left open when the in-laws took a pickup to go visiting for Christmas. He offered to check the horses for me. Of course they weren’t in the barn. I gave up. I wasn’t going after them again. They were in the barn, they knew it was open, they even had hay in there. Apparently they didn’t think it was too bad out.

Hopefully come morning the wind will have let up. Hopefully we will find the animals all healthy and having survived the storm. The cow heard is in the corrals with good wind break, as long as everyone came in. The calves aren’t as well protected. And the horses, well, they had their chance. The in-laws are at the cousins house, not heeding blizzard warnings they drove home in it, left the pickup in a ditch somewhere in between and managed to make it the rest of the way with the cousins. They wisely didn’t try the drive.

We have been busy around here lately, getting geared up for Christmas and with life as usual. We went in to the school over the weekend with my hard working husband to set up some microphones. The children, one in particular were more than happy to help with the sound test. I hope she continues to be as enthusiastic once she’s old enough to be in school programs and plays.

That night we stole Ava and took her along to look at Christmas lights and a live nativity. It was supposed to be a quick trip and we’d have her back for the dinner they were attending. We looked at all the lights, they were very pretty, then drove to the beautiful little country church that was having the nativity. It’s the same one that we love to go to for their candle light, with real candles!, Christmas eve service.

We pulled in and parked. Over a little hill, down a path lit with tiny white lights was the manger scene. Sheep, cattle and horses flanked the barn where a very cold group of angles, wise men and of course Mary and Joseph stood. It was lovely. And so was the propane heater blasting as much warmth in on them that it could. Not expecting it to be a get out of the car sort of thing I hadn’t bundled the children as well as I should have, it hardly slowed them as they checked out the sheep. We don’t see very many of those. Then they petted horses. Then everybody went inside to warm up with hot chocolate and cookies!

Inside the children ate and ran and played and generally created havoc. It was so much fun, and we stayed so much longer than we meant to. Ava never did make it to her supper. We probably wont be allowed to take Ava again or be invited back to the church, but they and we loved it. It really is a great little church I think we should try to get over that way more often.

We got all dressed up for church and decided it was a good time to get Christmas pictures out of the way. Here’s a sneak peak as they helped get ready.

We were glad for all the dressing up once the service was over and it was time once again for the kids to close. We were sitting in the middle and had a pretty good view for once. So of course she went and stood in the back. If you look really close you can see her between the two girls in the front row.

Play at the park and eat green chilly stew!

Sorry that was bad. But we did do both. Everyone was complaining about the cold but when we got the pickup, car also thought it was too cold, and went to get The Goblin Child from school it was so nice out! There was no wind and the sun was shining.

After lunch we ran to the grocery store and while paying and eating their suckers they asked to please go to the park. I said no. I had plans to go home get bundled up in snow suits and really warm clothes to go play out on our swing set.  But it was so nice out. So we went to the park.

They were bundled with hats and gloves. I was wearing a sweatshirt. So I figures that as long as I was warm they were probably fine. It was exactly what they needed, so much pent up energy. They ran and played and climbed and chased each other. It was great but after about an hour we were all ready to get home.

My recipe for green chili stew:

Cook a roast in the crock pot, well covered with water and with all the trimmings, carrots, potatoes, onions whatever sounds good. Eat roast for a couple of days. When you’re tired of roast smash any remaining vegetables to a pulp, they will add healthiness and thickness. Get in there with a fork and fingers and shred the meat well. To the remaining water from cooking the roast add a couple of cans of green enchilada sauce, green salsa, roasted green peppers, a can of tomatoes and chili beans. Let cook all day serve with lots of shredded cheddar cheese and Fritos.

It was so cute, 8 kept getting snow flakes on his eye lashes. He would blink lots and look up at the sky, which of course got more snow flakes on his eye lashes, then he looked at me in wonder and smiled.

It was the last warm day before we drop below freezing and stay there. While it was still warm and sunny this morning I decided we were going to the park after lunch. By lunch time the snow flurries had changed into outright snow fall. I didn’t see any reason to let a little thing like that ruin our plans.

The kids were bundled up warm in their coats and gloves. Their jeans soaked through quickly and 8 only had thin knit gloves. I was worried they’d be cold but they were running so hard they didn’t seem to notice. The slides were coated in snow and ice. 8 was the first to go down and flew off the end of the slide to land on his butt many feet away. He looked a little stunned but it must not have been too bad, he was up and at it again in no time.

They played while I tried to take pictures without ruining my phone until I decided 8’s hands must be getting too cold caked with snow as they were. We stripped off wet clothes in the car and covered up with their car blankets. Once home they cuddled and played together in front of the fire. Today, if no other time 😉 , they are entirely to adorable.

We made a rare night time trip to Chadron for the parade of lights. We were reminded why when we nearly hit a deer on the way in, but at least it wasn’t an elk. We had a quick supper in town, leaving in a hurry when a friend we ran into pointed out it was time for the parade to start.

Parking in an open spot on the highway we hurried across the street to find a spot to watch from. Before we made it far we ran into some paupers on the street corner selling chestnuts roasted on an open fire. They were dressed beautifully in period clothing with coals glowing warmly in a barrel. Handing out the toasty nuts in a cone of  news paper they allowed everyone a taste of this rare fashioned treat. They were… different, kind of mushy with some hard spots. I liked them though and they felt so good holding the warm newspaper in my chilled hand.

We meant to walk farther but the parade was there already so we sat on the corner and watched. It was good. We were surprised at the candy thrown out, discussing it on the way in we had decided there probably wouldn’t be any. In typical small town fashion there was abundant supply of tractors, more exciting than the lights for all small, and large, boys watching. I was sad not to see any horses. I said we would bring Coyote and Onna next year, cover them in battery powered lights, my husband not as positive as me that they are perfect in every way my husband has some doubts. It was a great little parade, as good as the trunk or treat.

It’s cold outside, finally, the wind is howling and it snowed a, very, little bit this morning. It feels like I never post here anymore, although looking at it I seem to get to it fairly regularly. I still think I should say something so…

The Goblin Child seems to be enjoying school. She’s so fun to dress and so hard to get pictures of. But just when I star to feel like all my pictures are of 8, and she’s so neglected I come up with all pictures of her and none of him so I guess it must be pretty even. 8 is, um, happy I guess staying home. He’s been sick for the last week at least. We all have been sharing a nasty little virus, lots of coughing and drippy noses. He slept the last two nights in a row all the way through!! It had been a while, for a good month now he was up almost hourly all night. It got a little old.

We’ve been busy having fun with Rusty. He’s far more puppy dog than horse. He waits at the gate begging to come in, wanders around loose in the yard and comes when called. T.G.C. and I took him along an a nice ride this weekend. I write more about him on his blog than I do the kids here, part of the reason I thought I should write something now 😉 His blog is here in case you haven’t found it.

For Thanksgiving the school had a special lunch and invited parents and any other family to come eat with the kids. I got a kick out of the parking lot when we pulled in. It was full with a semi and pickups with trailers. Gotta love small towns.

We went on our yearly Christmas tree hunt and bagged a good one. I enjoy it so much and I think 8 did too. We might be the only ones. The Goblin Child decided she was terrified of the woods. She went through a period of great interest in mountain lions and we talked about how she didn’t have to worry about the because they live in the hills and trees, pine cone trees as she calls them. We were in the pine cone trees and she’s not stupid.

My perfect Christmas tree hunting husband was stressed by the need to find the perfect tree in size and form. On top of being quite sick. 8 and I were roaming happily, playing on the hills and in the draws. The trees all look good until closer inspection shows that each one is two or three grown together. We searched until at last the proper one was found. Then it was home for naps and setting the tree up.