Flashback Friday

January 2009. 

I don't know how many times I've reminded myself that we didn't have to go through a pandemic and regular health check ups during this age. 

We drank in the germs.

The Nebraska Bun

Nick and I set up out make these from a public school lunch recipe from my childhood the other day. 

The Nebraska bun, if you're going out to grab one from a drive-through, you are getting a Runza.

All set after a little math to make sure we downsized the serves 90 recipe correctly.

And then we laughed so hard because we basically served everyone a loaf of bread for dinner.  

Apparently, rolling that dough incredibly thin is key...

Man, they tasted good though.

Happy New Year

Because everyone should go ahead and throw on a swimsuit on New Year's Day. 

And warm themselves by the fire after their polar plunge. 

And run inside as fast as possible after the show. 

Because it was cold in there. 

But even colder outside. 

Family Time

Growth

Of course, with all of the growth of people around here this last year, we cannot forget this plant, which will not stop growing.  Ironically, Nicholas knocked it over about 2 years ago breaking its pot, and the larger container was all we had to put it in.  Since then we have a Jack and Beanstalk situation we can't seem to get over. 

Pilot Mountain

On the way home from WV, we stopped at Pilot Mountain in the border of North Carolina. 

Racing against an ortho appointment for a broken brace, we did the quick drive up tour. 

So the dog was allowed to go and terrorize all along the way. 

All pictures by from up there were from the safety of holding on to some piece of ground.  This one, found on the web. 

A Reprieve in the Woods

A cabin in the West Virginia woods between Christmas and New Year's.

It sounds like the beginning of a horror movie, but never fear due to the awkward schedule, we had the dog with us. 

A dining table that fit more than us!

And orange soda for breakfast since we forgot orange juice.

And a little snow with an afternoon hike. 

To a lookout tower. 

I was actually holding on to the middle railing during all photo taking. 

Elaine was not as scared. 

Then snow forts with smiles built in. 

Come On Spring

My birthday gift arrived the other day. 

And now I am ready for morning coffee and my hyacinth to bloom.

Back to School

And school lunch and home school and all things from home. 

Back to the new grind, until we can go back to the regular grind, which we are waiting for with anticipation at this point.  We don't yet have a date for in-person school, or in-person driving classes, or an end for our endless internet usage here. 

But, we are hopeful if not confused.

One started remote again 4 January, still finishing first semester; one starts remote again 5 January, beginning second semester; girls don’t go back until the last week of January. Neither of them have a class schedule yet, so don’t even know what courses they will be taking.  All are remote until 18 January.  Then one starts going in and out every other week.  The girls start one week in and two out at the end of the month.  And, one, I have no idea except he is supposedly going to go on a similar one in two out schedule in two weeks, but I don’t know yet if it will match the girls.  But he also has to go one day next week in person to take one final exam that doesn’t count toward his grade.

Calories Complete

Wait patiently for my oven to prepare dinner. 

But the girls made these, 

To go with Chocolate mousse, which was the perfect way to ensure we had all of our Christmas calories.  Now we must plan salad for the next 11 months.

The Christmas Food

Turn this 

Into this

And get an hour of family time and good cheer together.

Candy Cane Bread

Prepare the cherries

Prepare the dough

Deploy the sweet dough giving to the neighbors, and perhaps eat a piece or two  ourselves.

Happy New Year

A decade ago. Happy New Year!

Ten years later, a pretty good looking crew. 

Sending Christmas videos this year to those we cannot spend time with.

What a long strange and beautiful adventure.