Let it Snow... Please...

Okay, there probably aren't many adults who say that, but we promised the boys Winter Wonderland when we were pitching this whole, "Move Away From All Your Family and Friends" idea, and so far, they haven't been impressed.

We DID have a White Christmas.  The first big snowstorm of the year swooped in 4 days before, and it left enough on the ground to count as we celebrated.  This past week, though, it warmed up into the mid-50s and rained a lot, and they've been quite disgruntled.

Mother Nature must have heard their grumbling, because she threw a bit our way last night.  All of my guys are out in the yard experimenting with Snow Sculpture right now:

Yes, Rick is wearing a Marvin the Martian hat.  I know you're jealous.

Well, I finally registered the kids for music lessons through NIU.  Seth will study piano, and Gabriel will study violin.  On Friday, we took the Family Heirloom (my great-uncle's violin that hung on Grandma's wall for 50 years -- thanks again, Aunt Becky!) to a violin shop over in Sugar Grove, and they're going to refurbish it for use.  New pegs, new strings, new bridge and tailpiece, smooth out the fretboard (there was a fancy term for it that eludes me at the moment), the works.

It turns out, though, that it's too big for Gabriel at this time.  So we have also rented a half-sized violin from them for his use -- it was surprisingly affordable.  The restoration is going to be a bit steeper, but it'll be worth it.  And hey, with two working violins in the house, maybe Gabriel can teach me a tune.

We're learning the states and capitals to the tune of "Turkey in the Straw" right now, so my ultimate goal is to have Gabriel play it on fiddle, while I back up on dulcimer chords and Seth sings.  It will be epic.  Seth wants to be a YouTube celebrity.