When I asked

what Abby's hobby was, the five year old Abby confidently replied, "Looking in the mirror!"

So over the last 2 years in an attempt to develop a 'different kind of confidence' in my self-assured daughter we have tried to develop new hobbies.

Luckily she received, from her grandparents, a wonderful sewing machine for Christmas.

So far she has sewn her American Girl Doll, Jamie, a new blanket and pillow.

Amazing how much time there is in a day, when you aren't spending it looking in a mirror that is.

Our White Christmas Came Too Late.

70 degrees the weekend after Christmas and now THIS! Wow has it been cold. The kids (and Chuck) have been home from school for both Thursday and Friday because of our Arctic Clipper. My vocabulary is certainly changing since moving here. I use to think Wind Chill was a made up word. Not a phrase that you need to use in California, but as I walk the kids to school each morning with the snow or freezing rain pelting me in the face I am definitely experiencing the full meaning of wind chill. The kids have been begging to play in the snow but it is too cold!

Hopefully this week it will warm up so there can be more of this

And this

While I am looking out the window with this