goodbye January

This month pretty much flew past. We watched lots of basketball, celebrated Ally's and Katie’s birthdays, ate good food, Brad traveled to Chicago & Florida, gathered with friends and witnessed people gathering to protest our federal government. I read two good books and started another great book, had the stomach flu and now am starting to prep to host Bunco next Sunday. Brad is settling in to start travel to California early tomorrow morning. Our good friend Lynn dropped off the most incredible nap quilt I’ve ever seen…it’s a tribute to our cabin and it will be used with great pride and care. In summary, January had a lot of highlights. Thank you. 

close game

Osten’s basketball team has won one game this season. It’s not for the lack of hard work and dedication. Last night they played in Chippewa Falls and lost by 2. Keep going RF JV3! 

so cold

This is the eleventh day of sub zero temperatures in River Falls in the month of January! Yikes. So thankful for a cozy home. 

a few days lost

The stomach flu is not friendly. Late Wednesday night I thought I was not going to live to see another day. I was so sick. I had to text my principal and assistant to call for a sub. Thankfully they were able to call in Mr. Mitch. My Fitbit told me I got 1 day and 2 hours of sleep. It wasn’t straight sleep, but it was close. 

warm and wonderful

As a school wellness activity, I hosted a craft evening at the office. It was so great to have friends over to have snacks, knit, paint and weave. Takes the edge off two days of indoor recess. I work with an amazing bunch of people. 

run Joe run

Our nephew Joe loves to run and he’s doing great in his sophomore year at UWEC! 

Bunco party

My friend Amy hosted Bunco. I didn’t win anything, but I sure enjoyed laughing with my friends. 

I also prepped the office to host a wellness crafting evening on Tuesday. Everyone is feeling so heavy from current events. 

this has to stop

Minnesota has become national headlines for the ICe agents enforcing what many of my extended family members believe to be just practices according to their rants on social media. ICE agents are looking for criminals to deport in a state where there are 130,000 undocumented people (how many of these people are crazy, deranged rapers and killers?) ICE should be concentrating their energy in states where there is ten times the number of undocumented people. They should stick to their work of actually finding people who are dangerous. But no. They have killed two who they claim have been threatening deadly harm. Video evidence tells otherwise. It HAS to stop.

This is shared from a friend of mine whose conservative husband is calling for relief: 

 I try not to get political anymore.  But I am so angry f****** disgusted by what's going on.  I am a fiscal conservative and socially liberal.  I generally vote Republican (never for Trump).  But things are getting out of hand.  

Why is he spending billions to stop illegal immigration?  It isn’t a real problem. Studies show that illegal immigration actually helps the economy and illegal immigrants commit crimes at a lower rate than citizens.  The real solution would be to make it easier to immigrate to America.

ICE raids are not a very economical way to solve what is not a big problem.  And now they're killing people, government-sponsored murder. 

Murder shouldn't be political

It doesn't matter who you voted for. You should be disgusted and angry about this. 

And what ICE is doing is blatantly unconstitutional, violating the 4th and 5th Amendments.

I am disappointed and embarrassed by the Republican party, I have been since Trump ran for President.  

He is a narcissistic child, who is abusing his power to get back at anyone who ever slighted him.

The federal government has checks and balances and conservatives are always upset when Dems go to far and abuse their power.  No one has come close to abusing the federal governments power as the baby in chief currently is doing.  (Well maybe FDR abused his power but in different ways.)

finished a good book and cleaning day

I’m on the early end of this bonus day. Finished a good and confusing book. Played my solitaire, wordle and connections games. Now it’s time to clean and this afternoon I’m planning to bundle up and hike to the Falcon Center for a workout. 

Update! Got my cleaning done and my workout. Had yummy pizza and now it’s time for dinner. So proud of MN protestors today. 7 degrees below zero and protesting ICEs tactics in terrorizing and killing innocent people along with some people who should be deported. It feels like we are living in a third world country. 

hang onto our hats!

The frigid Arctic air has descended on Wisconsin. Cold walk with Petra, icy solitaire on the porch, indoor recess, and a delightful sight with my blooming amaryllis! 

School for Friday called mid Thursday so the energy level of the building was palpable. 

nature walks

Super thankful we are able enjoy nature during our school day. 

study of the noun

 

In a Montessori classroom, we study grammar.

Our first years made these cool

pyramids showing nouns can be a person, a place or a thing. 

skolstice

Tonight the Indiana Hoosiers won the college football championship and Julie and met to go to Skolstice at Viking Lakes. It was cold but very fun. 

Today I took down Christmas decor and also had a chilly morning playing solitaire on the porch. 

20

The number of reasons we love and admire our daughter Katie far outweigh her new milestone of becoming 20. We drove to Mankato to celebrate with lunch at a Sushi and Ramen restaurant, coffee at the Hag and Laser tag and arcade games at the Wow Zone. 

We cherish our time with you and are looking forward to seeing all the good things you do this year and beyond.