A monkey. A squirrel. One happy family.

Westwinds Park is located right behind our house, and it offers up a few gentle hills just right for sledding. The temperature got up into the low 40s today, which made excellent wet snow for packing. We rode down the hill in the toboggan, threw snowballs at each other, made snow faces on trees, and built a snowman. Annie in particular worked up quite an appetite, and when we got home she devoured a cheese sandwich, an entire grapefruit, and a bunch of carrots. This snow play is hard work. Now there is chicken soup simmering on the stove, and Ella is practicing her times tables and studying various polygons for a math test that was supposed to happen last week but got postponed due to the weather. There is more wet stuff in the forecast for this week, but we are prepared. We have plenty of milk, bread, and butter and flour for baking. And beer. (Priorities, right?) Our snow angel. Our other snow angel. Frosty! I hiked the short distance back home for the carrot and ...

Snow started falling just after 8 this morning, and it hasn't stopped. We are down to one car, so Spencer had to leave work, pick up the girls, and retrieve me from the library (which shut down after opening for two hours). It took him nearly an hour to get back to the radio station, and we are not sure if he will attempt to make it home tonight. But for now, everyone is safe and warm. Baking and snuggling are on the agenda. Ella wants to say that "a triceratops made script Ohio in the front yard!" But that was a couple of hours ago, and now those tracks are covered up again. The paleontologists will be disappointed. Annie made a single snow angel and then decided she was ready for hot chocolate. Smart cookie. Stay warm, all!

Ella is in her third year of ballet. Ms. Stoy, her instructor, doesn't teach the children routines with an eye toward a spring recital, complete with expensive costumes. Sound, careful training is this studio's mantra of sorts, so classical ballet movement, balance, control, and discipline is what these students learn. In lieu of performances, Ms. Stoy has an occasional "watch day," where family members and those special to the students are welcome to sit in the studio and enjoy the day's lesson. Here are some pictures from Ella's class earlier today. Ella at the barre. Pointed toes. Annie took this artsy shot of the dancers' feet. Pas de ciseaux (scissor jump). After about 45 minutes, Annie had had enough of watch day. They end each class with a curtsy and "thank you" for their teacher.

I used to say that I wanted to write for a living, and in my life as a librarian, I do get to do an awful lot of writing. I'm so lucky! One of the library blogs I write for is DBRL Kids. This morning, we posted my article about our house being overrun by dragons. Ella and Annie are kind of obsessed. Their Uncle Aaron should be proud. Read the article at DBRL Kids .

Ella is 9! How did this happen? She is one year away from double-digits, as her Uncle Marty pointed out, and halfway to 18. Adulthood. Old enough to leave home, get a tattoo, and jump out of an airplane (and you know she will - Mom-Mom Lindy will have to take her). My favorite thing about Ella's 9th birthday is how much her friends seem to get her. She has had a bumpy time with peers this year, being the target of some teasing. So, when her birthday party buds presented her with adventure/fantasy books, card games, dragons, a blinged out locking diary complete with feathery pen, and a HOBBIT ROBE (I know, right?), this mama's heart was warmed. Also, there was a dragon cake. "Wait!" You are saying. "You skipped Christmas!" Yes. Yes, I did. Christmas was amazing and lovely until it wasn't. Again, we were knocked over by the generosity of our parents and other family members. We had multiple celebrations, received incredibly thoughtful gifts. and en...

We managed our annual trek to Starr Pines Christmas Tree Farm , and our wreath is up on the front door, but two sagging pumpkins still sit on our porch. The poinsettia shares space on the coffee table with a few gourds. Each new holiday seems to arrive before we have let go of the last one. (Annie is still occasionally wearing her koala Halloween costume.) It seems only appropriate that since it is almost Christmas, I should share our photos from Thanksgiving . Puzzles with Grandmother Linda and Pop! See the whole photo album online . We spent the holiday in Houston – a long overdue trip to see our family there. I am especially glad for some quality time spent with Mami Taylor, Spencer’s step-grandmother, who passed away this month. In spite of an ice skating incident that left Spencer fairly incapacitated for most of the trip, we had a grand time, putting together puzzles, talking around the table, visiting the zoo, and sharing each other’s good company. We are rich i...

A few days ago, Annie laced her fingers with mine and said, "Our hands are a puzzle!" I am so grateful for these funny, healthy, smart, strong girls. Happy Thanksgiving!