Oh. I don't even know where to start.

 We moved, we Christmased, we Carolyned and Lonned, Granted, and Abbyed for a while, and then we started to homeschool again.

It's so hard when you've taken a month off. It's been taking a good chunk of the day to get in the swing of things again. Especially when it's snowing outside and your children have either never seen snow or hardly remember it:

Seriously, I have completely forgotten what it's like to live in a cold climate. Ruby and Elliot jump in the snow the minute they are outside, completely unaware of the cold. But I am all too aware.

Fun with science: now that I'm living with my father the chemist again, he's taking over a good part of the science teaching for me. It's super nice. And my mom is taking over the music teaching.

See? He can show complicated equations I certainly don't know.

Carrie was here with her husband and kids for a few extra weeks. This is mom and Carrie taking down decorations.

Baby gates abounded over Christmas. The twins and Grace had to be contained. And so did Ruby.

A contest between the spouses: who will make the better dessert for Elliot's birthday? Carrie made a lemon cake (Elliot's request), Lon made ice cream. Yes, made.

Little man watching his cake bake.

Party time! Ta da!

It wasn't a super creative birthday. But I did write little poems on the gifts and had them hidden throughout the house; a treasure hunt.

The big hit was this pirate ship. See, Joe, it's okay that I buy excessively at Christmas, because then we have gifts for the rest of the year for birthdays! Speaking of Ruby's birthday is next: the big 3. Happy 6th birthday, Elliot! We love you! I promise I'll get into a more regular rhythm of blogging again, after I get in a more regular rhythm of living.