Sunday Morning Visitor

Reagan looked out the window this morning, and saw something sitting on a branch near the tree house.

Reagan:  "Mom!  Dad!  There's an owl out there in the tree!"

Dad:  "That's no owl.  It's a crow."

Reagan: "No!  It's an owl!  I know it!  I love owls!"

Mom and Dad finally hauled their carcasses off of the couch to go look, and sure enough... there was a beautiful white owl, sitting amongst the snowy branches.

My pictures turned out horrible, because they're taken through the window.  We didn't want to scare the owl away by opening the door, so these don't even begin to do it justice.  It really was beautiful!!

Preparation for the Ice Mass

The faith formation students at church are doing their part in building the ice-chapel for the winter carnival Ice Mass this year.  We're making ice-votive candles!  Let's hope they turn out....

Colby Drumline Clinic

Colby attended his first ever drumline clinic, hosted by the Keweenaw Bridgemen.    Man was it cool.  I love a good drumline, and I hope this is something that will continue on and inspire a love of marching in my son!

The downside of a small body and an enormous drum... 

Warm Up:

The Performance:

Skiing the Porkies with Dad

Quinn, Reagan and Dad spent a day at the Porkies enjoying the absolutely BEAUTIFUL 47 degree weather skiing!!  How we need these mid-January thaws to get us through the rest of the long winter!!

Sunrise in the winter.... taken by Colby

My Favorite Kid

While Mama was at work, Reagan took advantage of the thaw to build me a snowman.  And then, since she was on a roll, she built four more, and dubbed them "the Aho family".  She knows that a snowman family in the yard will make her mama uber-happy, and she is right!

Afterwards, on my way home from work, I got a series of texts from "Rob":

It makes me laugh out loud that Reagan was trying to pull off that she was Rob by throwing in a "Go Trumpy!"  HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  It almost worked, too!  Until the emojis let loose..... she almost had me fooled.  Also???  Rob NEVER calls me "lover".  :)

Happy 10 Year Anniversary to this blog!!!

It just occurred to me that I have been blogging the Aho life for TEN YEARS TODAY!!!  This all started when DSL finally arrived on our little road, and we no longer had to worry about dial-up and slow connections.  Happy DSL anniversary, little blog!!  And I was inspired to do a family blog by my friend Renata, whom I shamelessly copied.  I have to say, this blog has been my one consistent hobby.  I love to write.  I love to take pictures.  And I love my family.... so, there's really no better way for me to spend my free moments.  Readership or not, this is my "external memory", and I'm thrilled that I've managed to document 10 out of the 20 years Rob and I have been married, 10 of the 13 years that Quinn and Colby have been alive, and ALL of Reagan's life, starting from the moment we found out she'd be joining the Aho club. 

For your viewing pleasure.... the first entry I ever wrote, exactly 10 years ago today.

A lot has happened in 10 years, but they have overwhelmingly been GOOD YEARS.  We are blessed.

Happy birthday, "Essentially Aho!" 

Adventures in Orthodontics

Reagan was all excited to miss school today, and then.... probably because I had bragged about the weather on this blog not three days ago... we were hit with an ugly snow storm and school was cancelled anyway.   Figures.  The show must go on when one is getting braces, though, because the Mama had arranged to do my own bloodwork at the same time, and finding the time to travel the 6.5 hours round trip it would take is not easy.  We headed first to Minocqua, Wisconsin on HORRIBLE roads, and then to Kingsford, MI where it had all turned to rain.  After braces, we headed home on TRULY HORRENDOUS roads after the rain flash-froze into ice.  But we made it.  We're back.  Alive.

I am blessed that my husband decided he really didn't want to lose a wife and daughter in one fell swoop, so offered to drive us in his 4-wheel drive truck.  THANK GOODNESS!  My little Impala would've made it about 1/3 of the way to Wisconsin before diving headlong into a ditch, or under a semi-truck, I'm sure. 

Did I mention that Reagan has lost the retainer that she got exactly one week ago today?  Yeah.  It lasted two days before it disappeared.  The orthodontist is going to see how well braces by themselves work before charging us for a new retainer, thankfully. 

 One last view of the under-bite, before it's hopefully gone forever!!

St. Robert, the Lion-hearted, braving snow-storms, black ice, and low-visibility for an all-day stint as a chauffer!

Yes.  That bad.  There's a road in that mess somewhere.

During.... Reagan picked out "winter colors" of blue, purple, aqua and teal as her rubber-band colors for her new braces.  Must match the season, you know.

AFTER!!!

She couldn't tolerate to eat much more than some cheese and applesauce for dinner, but she's still smiling!!!

Skiing the Porkies

Can I get a HALLELUJAH from the audience????  For multiple reasons, this was a day to celebrate.  First... DOUBLE DIGITS for the first time in weeks!!  Finally warm enough to step outside without our nostrils freezing shut!! WOOT!  And second... Mama can SKI!  Last year at this time, I was flat in bed, and the ski season wafted away without a single time on the slope for this lady.  Not today!  WOOT WOOT!  And third... we not only were able to ski as a family, but were joined by friends, and had just a bang up good time. WOOT WOOT WOOT!   MAN it feels good to be outside and enjoy the stunning views of Lake Superior!  We need to do this again very soon.

Feast Day Fun: Feast of the Epiphany

Epiphany fell on a Saturday this year.  Which means there was TIME to really do it up, which is thrilling around here!  Even more... our local Walmart had their Twelve Days of Christmas plates on sale for 75% off!!!  This was just too much fortuitous circumstance divine intervention not to buy a whole set of 18 place settings, to be used on Epiphany forevermore :).

We invited over some good friends, feasted on broiled chicken with pear chutney (partridge in a pair tree... get it??), wassail, star-shaped scalloped potatoes, Three Kings Bayabel cheeses, star-shaped cucumber salad, epiphany springerle cookies, and fruit salad. 

For dessert, I had tried to make a king cake in the beautiful bundt pan I co-own with my friend Renata (shared custody!), but I must not have done the dance just right, because the thing would NOT come out, despite my following the incantation just as I always have (real Pam no-stick spray, boxed cake mix, cook thoroughly, let cool upside down, tap bottom).  HHHMMPH.  So at the last minute, I made a cheese cake, which didn't look very "king"-like until I remembered that I have 12 days of Christmas chocolate molds that would work very nicely!!!  Viola - crown shape!

We read about the Magi's visit from Matthew, and learned the "secret" meaning behind the 12 days of Christmas.  After dinner, three children found gold coins in their cakes, making them the three "kings" for the day.  Each read their part of the collect from the Epiphany mass.  And then we spent the evening laughing and merry-making, and just thoroughly enjoying ourselves!

Christmas.... is OVER!!

Orthodonture

It begins.  Today, a retainer, then next week, the addition of braces for the next year.  This all started sooner than I anticipated for Reagan, but her under-bite reportedly needs treated sooner rather than later - regardless of how many permanent teeth she does or does not have!  She is not a fan of the retainer, as it doesn't let her close her mouth entirely, and gives her a decided lisp.  I told her that this might be the start of decreasing the amount of talking coming out of her mouth, but she was certain it wouldn't slow her down a bit!