After what felt like the longest January ever, it is finally February! And it snowed! We have been waiting forever for a real winter walk with gently falling snow and we finally got one. My hair smelled like a cold winter woods, Billy had snow all in his beard and eyelashes and Wyatt’s little cheeks were so rosy. It was a great hike.
I am pretty excited for this month, we have some fun things lined up! Tomorrow we are celebrating Candlemas with my brother, and if I can find beeswax sheets, try our hand at making candles. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner too, with Wyatt’s classroom party and our own family celebrations. And I think Billy and I might go out on a date night too! It’s been a minute since we have done that. Wyatt is also having a little party with his cousin’s, thrown by cousin at his house. I think it will be the start of a fun new tradition. So lots of Valentine’s love happening around here!
Then later this month my brother is having our whole family over for a UK themed potluck dinner. We all have to pick a traditional dish from somewhere in the UK (England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) and bring it. I can’t tell you how super excited I am about this! Our ancestry is heavily from the UK (my DNA test came back roughly 90% from these four countries, with the most being Irish) I am second and third generation American on all sides, so we grew up eating a lot of traditional English food. I remember the first time I cut Wyatt’s toast into strips and called them soldiers, my husband was so confused! My mom always cut my toast into soldiers so that is what I called them too – I didn’t know that this was not a universal term. I am probably not taking toast to the dinner though. I am considering Cullen Skink just because I like saying the name. I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else brings as well. It should be a fun event, one to look forward to in this sometimes dreary month. If anyone has any suggestions as to what I should take, I would love to hear them!
We are also going to be talking a lot together this month about snow, worms, and evergreens as part of our Exploring Nature with Children curriculum, although I am considering saving worms for next month, when it will be the worm moon. If I do skip it, I might focus on squirrels and possums, both of which live around our house. We have been having a great time this year, learning together with this program.
We will also be continuing work on my office. This room has long been neglected and we really need to get it done and make it useful. January was super busy but this month we are going to be ants instead of grasshoppers and work on some home projects. Billy and I have a tendency to adventure more than work on things, but sometimes you have to just do them. Lol. I am also going to try my hand at embroidery this month! I have been on a crafting binge lately, trying all different sorts and having fun with them all. I have never been great at sewing though, so fingers crossed for me!
How about you guys? Any big plans for the month?
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
This sounds like a wonderful month! As you might expect, I’m pretty geeked up to hear about your UK dinner. That sounds like my cuppa tea! I have a good chunk of UK people in my DNA and of course I loved it before I even knew that. The activities with Wyatt, Valentine’s Day — they all sound good.
My February will include several things — 1) adjusting to my new gas stove as I’ve never had gas before; planning our next Cork Poppers wine tasting party here and making some valentines. I might even start that tomorrow!
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Oo I think you will like your gas stove! 🙂 And I love hearing about your Cork Poppers events! Plus that name is so clever, I love it.
I am super excited about it too. I think it will be really fun. 🙂 I am so curious as to what everyone is going to bring!
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What fun, having a UK party. With a name like “Erin,” of course you would have some Irish ancestry…LOL.
Enjoy February. I am looking forward to the birthdays of my two granddaughters, both born in February 1997! They are cousins, not twins.
Enjoy the month.
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Lol!! Yes, definitely. My brother’s name is Devin, another good Irish name. 🙂 I am pretty excited about this party!
And how cool that they were born in the same month, same year. That is really special!
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The UK party sounds like fun. I don’t know a ton about my family heritage. I think most of it is German and Russian. I hope you have a great February!
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I think it will be a lot of fun! My grandfather was born in England and came here when he was 8; my grandma was the first of her siblings to be born in America, the rest were born in Scotland, so it has been very much with us as I have grown up, at least with my mom’s family. My dad’s side were also from the UK but I was thinking about it, and I am 3rd and 4th generation on that side, so not as close. I have to be honest, I was hoping for Russian when I did my DNA test for some reason. Lol. I have always loved reading about Russian history and books set there, so I was kind of keeping my fingers crossed but nope. The remaining ten percent is French and Italian, which are cool too.
Thanks AJ!
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I read this and realized my life is so sad. My kids cousins don’t talk to us anymore, we don’t have any family we get together with and we have nothing else exciting planned. I’m sure we will do something fun for valentines since my youngest is very excited about it. It would be nice if we sold the house this month too. Other than that – ick. Nothing! Lol. But I love all the stuff you have going on, including the food event with foods from the U.K. My family is mainly from the U.K. too – Scotland but it was several generations back so we don’t have any traditions passed down, that we know of anyhow. I hope you’ll take some photos of all the different dishes!
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I have written a few replies here and keep deleting them. I don’t want you to feel sad!
Hopefully you sell your house soon – like you said in your post you are not near your family and that is hard! So hopefully soon you will be moving closer. Things might feel different then. 🙂
And you and your daughter should totally have a Paddington tea party, complete with tea and marmalade! Make cookies. Talk in an accent the whole time. 🙂
I will for sure take pictures of the food and I am sure I will do a post. 🙂 My grandma’s family was from Scotland too! My mom grew up highland dancing and I even took a few lessons myself as a child. I am trying to get my brother to get my niece to do it, but it is hard to find lessons it seems nowadays. 🙂
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Oh you didn’t make me feel bad! I just meant – wow- I have to step up my game! I love reading all that you do. It gives me so many ideas. It must be something with us that so many people aren’t taking to us. Guess I’ll have to figure that out. I love the Paddington party idea.
Oh my gosh… I’m sitting here feeling so bad because you will probably be afraid to write about all the nice stuff you do now. Lol. 😂😂😂 please don’t be afraid. I love it.
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Lol!! Ok, neither of us will be sad or upset! 🙂 And we have family we don’t talk to very much either, it just happens. 🙂 I am a total theme party nerd, honestly. I used to have huge theme parties for our friends all the time before we had Wyatt, and now that we have Wyatt it is like a license for me to go crazy.
So.. I don’t feel bad, you don’t feel bad. I am glad that you like reading about what we do though, I enjoy your blog as well, and chatting with you!
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I love that you’re exploring embroidery. Namaste Embroidery has cute designs; lots of animals you may like. I can’t believe this is February. STITCHES West is towards the end of the month. I wasn’t planning on going to the marketplace but since they’re moving venues in 2022, I want to take advantage of the close proximity. I plan to knitting gifts for Christmas this year for my niece, two nephews, my SIL, her sister, and maybe my mama too.
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I am super nervous to start! Lol. I bought a hopefully easy one. I am anxious to do a cute one though lol. I will have to check out Namaste Embroidery! You always make such wonderful things – you are so talented!
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You all have such a wonderful time, I love reading about all your adventures. Hubby & I don’t celebrate valentines as his birthday is 13th but we make extra effort for our wedding anniversary in September instead.
A UK potluck, eh? I love big Yorkshire puddings filled with roast beef – if you’ve got veggies in the family, a yummy mix of shredded cabbage & leeks instead always goes down a treat too. Spotted Dick and custard, treacle sponge and custard or jam rolypoly and custard are all yummy comfort puddings in the colder weather.
I hope you all enjoy and have a fabulous February, Erin. X
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Our Valentine’s celebrations have always been hit or miss – I am excited that this one looks like a date night! I think the last time we went out was in November! Happy early birthday to your hubby. 🙂
Yes lol. Oh man, do I love yorkshire pudding!! My grandma used to make it and it was so amazing. Unfortunately no one in my family has been successful in making it now that she is gone. 😦 A jam rolypoly sounds delightful!!!
Thanks Flora! 🙂
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You’re welcome, Erin 💜
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