lately at the grovestead

It's cold here. The cats hang out under their heat lamp like the spoiled sort-of-farm-cats-sort-of-pets that they are. Elsie can be found hanging out with them every chance she gets. Which makes getting her into her car seat a bear...why would you ever want to get in a cold car when you can hang out with warm cats?

Ivar used his dump truck to haul dirty ice chunks that he found in the garage that had fallen off the cars. He took that load up and down the driveway on Monday morning when we were getting some new snow.

The chickens don't get out much anymore. We force them out for fresh air when we can, but most of the time they huddle together in their down comforter feathers.

Ivar LOVES making sugar cookies. And really, who doesn't. I can't help myself with that dough and ended up with a tummy ache. It's a crappy feeling when, as an adult, you give yourself a tummy ache by eating too much cookie dough. It's like a double insult: I feel gross and I should know better.

When I returned from putting Elsie to bed I found a few additions had been made to the counter. Ivar played with the dough until it was his bedtime, and then that cookie dough was thrown away.

Since Thanksgiving Rory has been determined to make a turkey. He thawed it for days, soaked it in a brine overnight and people, I usually do not like turkey, but I loved that bird. Something about that brine. I made stuffing, Rory roasted some vegetables, we opened a can of cranberries and we ate like kings on a low-key Sunday night.

The turkey that changed my thoughts on turkey.

Ivar has gotten creative in keeping Elsie away. Here he made a barricade and played happily with his train while she watched from the outside. And you know, I found it to be very smart. Some days I encourage sharing and togetherness, but other days I see a sibling barricade as a wise idea that leads to peace.

But honestly, who wouldn't want to play with this girl?!!