Lights, Sparkles, and Snow

I’ve been waiting for this day for too long not to make a grand entrance out of it. I picked out the outfit and the hair dye a few days ago, and I don’t want to say it’s a look I’m more invested in than I was for prom, but it’s up there.

On the porch of my pool house, I’m the only dash of red in a landscape of peaceful blue sparkles.

The Magic of Winterfest Eve

The night has fallen at last and the myriad of lights around shine brightly in the clear air after the snowstorms. It’s a snowy fairy wonderland, a truly enchanting time. You simply cannot pass by our house and not break into Winterfest carols, which is how you know that everything is perfect, even if the singing skills are not.

It’s Winterfest Eve!

(Also, we maaaaaay have gone overboard with the decoration.)

A Walk in the Neighborhood

Spooky Day is tomorrow. All the neighbors have caught up and decorated their houses and yards for the day. The air is crisp and fresh, and the night has this special autumn glow, with a dash of magic like you only see on the most special nights.

It’s the perfect time, and the perfect atmosphere for a stroll in the neighborhood. I get the umbrella out again and, with the smile of someone who’s been blessed by the Ancients, I walk up our blocks of houses. And then, down again, to the very end of the street, taking in all of the lights, and the spooky beauty.

Walking in front of our house, I can hear the twins screaming in Cyril’s room. They decided to watch Vampiric Activity, and they apparently find it terrifying.

The neighbors at the very end of the street have this ginormous mansion, and these decorations are really the only sign we have that someone lives there at all. They’re pretty secretive.

But as big as their house is, I still think ours is the prettiest.

Spooky Lights

Three days until Spooky Day.

We’re still the only house in the neighborhood with the proper spirit.

Spooky Decor

If I wasn’t excited about Spooky Day before, well I am now!

The Fall of the House of Stewarts

A warm autumn evening.

Naomi’s Herbology Shop

Near the water in Windenburg, you’ll find a quaint little house. It looks like a cottage and it has a vast garden full of exotic and rare flowers, herbs and trees.

This is Gram’s herbology shop, that she built after entering retirement, and where she’s been spending most of her time since my grandmas died. She takes care of her plants, and brews remedies from them in the back of the house.

Today, for Family Day, she’s proposed that the twins and I come join her. She would like to introduce her to one of her passions, and the thought of spending a day surrounded by greenery and hanging with our great-grandmother sounds pretty much perfect. Cyril is not really into the idea of gardening at first, since he’s not fond of dirt, and dirt getting under his nails. He also dislikes crowds — and people in general — so the clients scare him. Really, Cyril doesn’t care much for this holiday dedicated to gardening.

He loves Gram dearly, though. So he only pretends to complain for a while before agreeing to come with us.

So in the early hours of the morning, we join her at the shop.

Hannah’s Poolhouse

Because she’s stepping into adulthood soon, Hannah gets the poolhouse. She still has to join us for meals at the main house, but apart from that, she has everything she needs in there — including her archeology table and a chest to hold all of her discoveries.

Hannah’s New Groove

Hannah got moved into what was the guest bedroom; we remodeled it for her, broked down a few walls, starting with the wall that used to shelter the closet. I have to admit Hugo and I are glad to get rid of this closet, we’ve done too many things in there to be completely comfortable with the idea of it staying intact in our kid daughter’s bedroom.

Anyway her bedroom is fully remodeled after her tastes and preferences, and though it’s a downgrade in size, she loves it. And tonight, for the first time, she gets to sleep in her very own double bed.

Still a small human, such a gigantic bed.

“So I am going to be a big sister? And they’ll have to do what I say?” she asks me in the living room we were much too lazy to strip of its decorations the day before.