Ice Skating at Hickory Hollow Farm

The weather was perfect to have our own ice skating pond. We didn't realize it was a community pond. The Harnish family allow members of the local community to play hockey and skate on the pond. It is quite the operation. They have a generator for lights and piping around the rink to prevent loose pucks and we even found out that the local Amish farmers challenged the Mennonite hockey players to a duel on the Amish Pond. Jeff and I missed that. Peter did get out once, most other days were too cold, and windy. Jeff could have been a hockey legend at Hickory Hollow Farm, he could have been a ringer for the Mennonite team, but he cried like a baby that his feet hurt him.

First Day of Pre-School

Peter was a bit unhappy at his day care placement when we first arrived in Pennsylvania. Jeff and I felt he could benenfit from a more school like setting in a classroom with educational goals. We enrolled him at the Cecil County Maryland YMCA. It is 15 miles away from us, and subscribes to the Maryland State Department of Education's Early Childhood Curriculum. He knows five vocabulary words and has begun to print his name and he knows his address. He has gained so much confidence and has really found a creative side at the paint easel! Of course Peter could not attend school without a backpack. He has been asking for a school bag as long as I can remember.

New Year's Day

Karen and Glenn came for a visit. Since we moved to Pennsylvania we have seen much less of Karen! She lost so much weight. We had a nice visit, it was too cold to visit the stream, so their wall photo is taken outside of our front door. We ate well and had a mini tour of Oxford. Kahlua helped herself to Karen's Christmas gift, a box of chocolates from the local chocolatier, and some Herr's snacks.

New Years Eve

Peter wanted to get "dressed up" on New Year's Eve. He put on his bat costume and decided to take a nap in Kahlua's new dog bed.

Christmas Day

I was up before anyone and had plenty of time to enjoy a cup of coffee and some quiet. Jeff and Peter woke up around 9:00 AM. We started with our stocking first and took our time opening the gifts. Peter was so excited with his marbles and was devastated that Santa did not brign him his rocket. We found out later that Santa hid it at the very back of the tree. Peter got a lot of books and looked at each one before moving onto another present, he is such a librarian's son! Jeff got some unusual gifts from my parents, and as usual Jeff went overboard with the gifts he bought me, and as usual I took many of them back. I did keep the guitar, and I am hoping to take lessons this year.

Christmas Eve

We got all decked out to spend our first Christmas Eve in Pennsylvania alone. We went to an early church service and Peter fell asleep on the way to the church. It was a candle light service and was enjoyable. The church was Manor Presybyterian. They had a big youth group and we even saw a living nativity there.

Blizzard Conditions

Daddy and Peter Pre fat lip

Nanny and Peter Pre-black eye

Peter woke up and said, "mom there is snow on the silos."

The storm came from the south, which is always a good sign to produce some snow, but we had at least 18 inches. Ironically my parents had stopped by our house on their way to visit their favorite child, my brother and his family for Christmas. My mom had a great time sledding with Peter. We had two accidents and Peter wound up with a black up and a fat lip. He likes the snow, he doesn't like sledding now.