The winter season is upon us. The snow in this picture hadn't melted before the storm swept in this morning. An inch an hour is falling today. Light fluffy flakes, chilled air. Yesterday we put the rest of the back yard toys back into the sandbox and moved the rest of the things inside - except for the sled. Now that December and the snow is upon us, we have begun to do more things inside. This past week has been one busy with preparation for The Day of the Virgin, the tradition tree-decorating day in Argentina (December 8).
On Tuesday, Marcela, Maxim, and Noah, with help from Catherine, made snowflake ornaments out of popsicle sticks, pressed foam board, and sparkles for our Christmas tree. Marcela tied strings to each and every one. The next day we began assembling the tree. We have modified the traditional Christmas tree for our house. We like to build things with our hands and with random stuff. Last year we built a tree out of dowels. It was the fourth year in a row that we had made a craft tree for Christmas, but last year's tree was built to last. It is a holiday decoration and a minimalist sculpture.
Dowels of increasing diameter are inserted through perpendicular holes along the length of a closet sized dowel cut at about five feet long. The holes are offset about ten degrees clockwise from each set of similar sized 'branches.' A green string is tied top to bottom around the ends of these 'branches,' giving the outline form of the tree (ours is a spruce as well). When I first assembled it Noah said, "No, that's not a tree. I want a...I want a plant one." Maxim remembers this one from last year and enjoys the fun of assembly; she couldn't wait to hang the globe ornaments on the ends. "This is going to be the best Christmas ever," she reiterated as the tree went up. "Can we hang the other or
mament?" she asks. "I want to put a star on." Wednesday and Thursday they decorated and Marcela made a star for the top. Thursday night
it was ready to go; the lights had been put on, the star, and all the ornaments were on as well. We even had our first two holiday cards to hang on the crossing strings. Maxim thinks we should add tinsel to the 'branches' as well and we are considering it. Right on cue, the snow started coming down over night. And now a blanket of fresh powder layers everything outside. Photos of that later. Our warm house echoes with childrens' laughter and and warm spirits.
The winter season is upon us. The snow in this picture hadn't melted before the storm swept in this morning. An inch an hour is falling today. Light fluffy flakes, chilled air. Yesterday we put the rest of the back yard toys back into the sandbox and moved the rest of the things inside - except for the sled. Now that December and the snow is upon us, we have begun to do more things inside. This past week has been one busy with preparation for The Day of the Virgin, the tradition tree-decorating day in Argentina (December 8). 
On Tuesday, Marcela, Maxim, and Noah, with help from Catherine, made snowflake ornaments out of popsicle sticks, pressed foam board, and sparkles for our Christmas tree. Marcela tied strings to each and every one. The next day we began assembling the tree. We have modified the traditional Christmas tree for our house. We like to build things with our hands and with random stuff. Last year we built a tree out of dowels. It was the fourth year in a row that we had made a craft tree for Christmas, but last year's tree was built to last. It is a holiday decoration and a minimalist sculpture. 
Dowels of increasing diameter are inserted through perpendicular holes along the length of a closet sized dowel cut at about five feet long. The holes are offset about ten degrees clockwise from each set of similar sized 'branches.' A green string is tied top to bottom around the ends of these 'branches,' giving the outline form of the tree (ours is a spruce as well). When I first assembled it Noah said, "No, that's not a tree. I want a...I want a plant one." Maxim remembers this one from last year and enjoys the fun of assembly; she couldn't wait to hang the globe ornaments on the ends. "This is going to be the best Christmas ever," she reiterated as the tree went up. "Can we hang the other ormament?" she asks. "I want to put a star on." Wednesday and Thursday they decorated and Marcela made a star for the top. Thursday night 
it was ready to go; the lights had been put on, the star, and all the ornaments were on as well. We even had our first two holiday cards to hang on the crossing strings. Maxim thinks we should add tinsel to the 'branches' as well and we are considering it. Right on cue, the snow started coming down over night. And now a blanket of fresh powder layers everything outside. Photos of that later. Our warm house echoes with childrens' laughter and and warm spirits.
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