Pheasants of the World, Unite!

An actual paragraph from an actual student essay exam:

"Sebastian Lotzer's publication of the "Twelve Article of the Pheasants" would embolden pheasants to revolt against the nobility. Demanding ammends and entitlements, pheasants began a social insurrection. Resembling the challenges of the religious upheaval, the pheasants' audacity to unite for social reform would not been communicable if it was not for the capabilities of the printing press."

Forget the peasants, the real problems for the nobility in early modern Europe were caused by the pheasants! I can only imagine the flapping, fluttering, and dive-bombing involved in the pheasants' social insurrection! Good thing they learned how to use a printing press, though I worry about whatever they have that might be "communicable."

I haven't laughed so hard while grading since last semester's student essay on "Martian" Luther. The great reformer from Mars.

Sugar Sugar

Another beautiful family ski day at Sugarbush! I'm kinda liking our new family hobby. I also like that Austin found a way for us to do an expensive sport for dirt cheap thanks to Craigslist, ski swaps, and Champlain College faculty ski passes.

For all you doubters out there (mostly in my immediate family . . .) Austin managed to get a few shots of me ACTUALLY SKIING today. Wedge turns are starting to become Stem Christies and I'm beginning to take a line down the mountain rather than zig-zagging top to bottom. (The kids are happy with that -- I'm getting down faster!)

Gavin is doing awesome. He's figured out how to make his skis turn. Now he's the one zig-zagging all over the mountain. (Notice how we are the only ones on the hill? That's Lucy in the background. I LOVE the Sugar Run Trail!)

And Lucy is being very patient doing the green runs while her mom and brother learn. Gavin and I took a break so Austin could take her up the "big" mountain on the quad today. They may have to go on a ski-date or two before the season is over so she can work on her skills, too.

Now here's what's sad -- both kids have decided that they actually want to be snowboarders. I think it's the influence of all that freestyle terrain we pass on the lift. We've told them they can do snowboarding only after they become really good skiers, so that's what they're shooting for at the moment. I hope Uncle Dylan is willing to come out and teach them. Though I suppose if Lucy took Torah Bright as a role model, I wouldn't mind that so much! Yes, Mormon girls can grow up to win Olympic gold medals in snowboarding . . .

Daddy-Daughter Dance

Tonight there was a Valentine's day dance for fathers and daughters at a fancy hotel in Montpelier. Austin picked out this outfit for the occasion.

But, Lucy gave the kilt the veto so Gavin decided to try it on while Austin changed into his suit.

Lucy took plenty of time getting ready so she would look just perfect.


She and her dad practiced some of their dance moves so they would be all set when they got there.

There was punch and popcorn and chocolate kisses and balloons and music and lots of happy, giggly little girls doing the funky chicken with their dads. Then they went to a nice restaurant with friends and ordered ice cream sundaes.

We just put our little valentine princess to bed after her big night. Her verdict? "This was the best night of my life. It was heaven."

Oui Oui! We got a Wii!

A few Saturdays ago it was too cold to go skiing, so we drove to Burlington and bought a Wii. Or, as our francophone Gavin says, a "oui oui!" That means we can now simulate playing outdoor sports without actually having to go outdoors. It's great fun for those long sub-zero days. I wonder why it took us so long to get one?

Actually, there's a good reason it took us so long to get one. Until last week, we only had one tiny TV. To get a Wii, we would need a bigger TV, a major lifestyle shift for us. And since a bigger TV wouldn't fit in the same space the little TV did, we would have to find a new place for a TV. A place with plenty of space to wave the Wii wand around without the kids accidentally smacking each other with it while playing Wii tennis, bowling, or baseball. (We quickly discovered the reason the wand is encased in a cushion, and has a wrist strap!) So getting a Wii meant moving the table to a new dining room, the tan couch to the living room, the green couches to the former dining room (and back, and forth, until I was happy with the arrangement), the computer, bookcases and filing cabinets to the former TV room, and the big chair down from the bedroom. It meant buying not only a new TV, but also a new TV cabinet and a new braided rug to go under the table. It still means catalogs strewn around the house as I try to decide what new rugs and curtains we are going to need for our newly-reorganized space. Possibly the most expensive and time-intensive Wii purchase ever. But worth it. Oui oui!