Friday, February 10, 2023, MN

I’m sitting here in Ben and Jill’s family room, looking out the huge windows into the woods, watching the squirrels running and playing - they sure have been active.  I’m not sure what breed they are, but the color is reddish and they are real small. I’m here for the weekend, watching Yoshi and enjoying the views and the wide open spaces while the family is off to Lutsen for a weekend of skiiing.  We just got back from a 40 minute walk in the 27° sunshine and I’m looking forward to much warmer temps on the weekend.

I made a chicken and rice hot dish to share the family on Tuesday evening, then picked the girls up after school.  They did their homework and then we proceeded to work on their Valentines boxes.  They are using the ones they have used for the past several years, but wanted to update them a bit.  I brought along some valentines paper that I just bought, some ribbon and bling, and we wrapped the tops in red paper and they decorated.  They all turned out real cute! Charlotte is all about the Axolotyl (a Mexican Salamander) these days, so her box was decorated with them. 

I finished making their valentines before I left home this morning, added an origami heart made with a $5 bill to each envelope and set them on their boxes with a note, “Do Not Open 

Until February 14”.  Instead of stitching cards, this time I did watercolors. Here’s how they turned out.