is this thing on?

I haven't had much to say.  Really. 

The weather has been gorgeous. I did a lot of sewing and knitting. We schooled and unschooled and field-tripped. The Mister is enjoying his dream job, and we have been enjoying having him at home two days a week now that Christmas is over. 

Jack has taken to wearing one of two black hooded sweatshirts constantly, inspiring Henry to wear any of my wool sweaters that he can squirm inside fastest. Elliott? Well, he would prefer to get dressed and never, ever change his clothes, NOT! EVER! And speaking of not ever? That never changing his clothes is not ever going to happen.

It's odd to have started a hibernation of sorts while the weather has been so balmy, but now that it's cold and snowy and actually doing things that seem like winter outside, I'm in full hibernation mode. Lots of school happens on or near the sofa, buried in heaps of quilts, with hot cocoa and popcorn. The cocoa and popcorn make it a Hip and Fun School Party and not Boring Drudgery, or at least that's what I am trying to get them to believe.

I've discovered that a three-inch-long cuff on mittens is not nearly long enough to protect the tender arms. I think I'm just going to knit knee-length tube socks, and add a thumb hole. And by knee-length, I mean The Size To Fit From My Knee To My Toes, Even For Elliott. I am also going to only knit them in one color and size, so that there is always a pair.

Does anybody else struggle with mittens? They make me crazy. We seem to be able to keep our hats, but it's the mittens that give me problems. I just know they have formed a little mitten conspiracy and are planning to go into hiding. Stinkers.

A fuzzy-footed little man has just climbed into my lap, asking me to "daw a bawoon pease." I think I'll oblige him.