hibernating in January

January was a good month for hibernating...

reading, puzzles, knitting, and games.

These four books have been sitting on my night stand 

for longer than I'd like to admit ...I'd even started two

of them!  But this month gave me time to cuddle up

and read ...finishing all four of these books!

Now I'm tackling a pile of Focus on the Family

magazines that didn't get read when they arrived in the mail.

When winter began early November, we pulled out the

puzzle table and started this 1000 piece puzzle.

We didn't pay much attention to it from Thanksgiving 

through the New Year, but we tackled it in January.

All four of us participated in putting together

this tough but beautiful puzzle.

We hope to frame it!

Grace and I have been working on knitting 8x8" squares

with coordinating yarns off and on for the past year.

Our goal was to make 30 squares to send to Love Squared

so they could make a whole blanket for 

a homeless child in Toledo OH.

January gave us time for knitting and we got them

finished, boxed up and sent to Love Squared.

(just sent yesterday 2-5)

I love the feeling of completing projects ...

those books, these squares and the hard puzzle!

It is rumored that I spend my days in my pj's, drinking coffee and

knitting or reading...although it may seem like that was

all we did in January ...don't worry, we got out and were active!

There were a few games of snow football in the front yard.

We went on an invigorating 7+ mile family hike in the 

hills of Petroleum Center here in Oil Creek State Park

on MLK day.

Grace started an indoor youth soccer league and

Nathan started a youth archery league on Saturday mornings.

(pictures to come later)

And we've been learning ...

World Geography Highlight

A friend told us about Postcrossings.

We send postcards of our country to people around

the world.  In return, someone else sends us 

a postcard from their part of the world.

We have a map to mark sent and

received post cards.  And all of our postcards

received are hanging next to the map.

This has been really exciting!

And just in case you have any doubt that we 

are NERDS, doubt no more...

Our family was SO excited to watch 

Jeopardy's Greatest of All Time tournament

(like giddy excited!) and we led

a Family Trivia Night at church this month.

And January ended with celebrating my birthday.

Look at this beautiful picture Grace painted 

for my birthday gift.