January in pictures

We brought the New year in together as a family feasting on potstickers :)

Making potstickers for our New Year's eve feast. This is a December pic I know but I didn't get a pic of the potstickers before they were devoured lol

Daddy helping Bug with some bookwork

Bug playing with her new anti gravity car she got at Yule

The anti-gravity car that Bug got for Yule has inspired many conversations on gravity, vacuums and space. I love it when toys inspire so much learning :)

Bug working on her first mosaic. A kitty

We started a Art/History unit on mosaics. I found a neat kit with 4 different mosaics to make at the Dollarama. We spent a few days surfing the net looking at different styles of mosaics and learning about the tools and some terminology. We made a few different mosaics, learned their history and how mosaics allow us to see what our ancestors saw and found beautiful.

Excellent little book on the history of Mosaic art

Bug making a glass tile mosaic

King Connaher writing a story

I wonder what we are up to today?

Gramma and Bug making suet for the birds

January can be bitter cold in Canada and the little birds that stay here for the winter can sure use an extra energy boost to help them get threw till spring. We have always fed the birds what we could.

Bug did not like this part at all

 We saved the fat from the big mutton roast we had done in the fall. We rendered it down then let it cool and rolled the pinecones in it. Then we rolled them in birdseed.

Bug rolling them in birdseed. She didn't mind this part so much

 The pinecones then had string tied onto them and were hung on the trees.

With the left over rendered fat we added bird seed then put it in the fridge till it was hard and cut it into blocks to go in the wire cage feeders outside.

Bug in the Orbeez foot spa

 Taking care of oneself is very important. In today's world de-stressing and de-toxing on a regular basis is just good sense and yet so many people do not take the time to care for themselves. The Minions have been taught from day 1 that we must take time for ourselves and we take regular time every week to have spa and relax time. They also do yoga and meditate which also falls into this category of self care.

Willowtree studying herbs

Glow in the dark sand art fun with Bug and Zed

Zed helping Bug with her bookwork

Polymer fun. This unit gets re-visited often. Bug just loves slimy science!

Cool book we found. Another tool in the ongoing learning of our worlds geography

the next thing in art we explored was sculpting on a cage

We didn't quite use this kit like the directions said, we used the cages and Bug and Willowtree freehand sculpted onto them.

Movie theater popcorn

Homer's donut LOL

A rose

A lucky find by mom makes Willowtrees day :)

Her first creation

Drying apples for the birds. We string them and hang them on the trees.

Willowtree and Bug making bracelets

Some of the sistertime bracelets that they made

Bugs turn to make lunch

Fruit salad yum!

We celebrated Daddy's Birthday

Willowtree working on a new piece of art for her room

King Connaher got this for Bug for Yule. It is a very neat game she loves. It allows her to draw and make art on our big screen TV threw the PS3.

Bugs new kitty paws

 I think all of the Minions would agree that the highlight of the month was at the very end, when we took in the Taste of Animeathon in Edmonton. The costumes were amazing!! The minions all saved up money so they could buy things at the booths. They can't wait for the next one in the summer.

Alice and the Mad hatter

Bug and Willowtree at Taste of Animeathon

Willowtree with a fuzzy

At the Full wolf moon we gathered in our grove and consecrated scrying bowls.

I came across a saweet deal on black glass bowls!! This witch automatically thought OMG scrying bowls so I promptly bought one for myself and the older minions, my sister, mom and some covenmates LOL I am telling you this deal was awsome. When we gathered for the full Moon I cleansed and consecrated them. Willowtree did her own :) I gave them to my coven sisters as Imbolc gifts. The Minions were excited to have scrying tools of their own.

Ingredients for Master Tonic; onions, garlic, horseradish, ginger, spicy peppers habenaros and jalapenos and apple cider vinegar

 We also made Master tonic on the Full moon. It is an excellent cold and flu fighter amongst a ton of other health benefits. It will be ready in three weeks.

Master tonic steeping away in the cupboard

We had our usual cold snap in January tho it only lasted three days instead of the normal 2 weeks. It got cold and the birds were very thankful for our gifts of food. We have been watching the birds threw the kitchen window most of the winter and Bug can now confidently identify the Chickadees, Sparrows, blue Jays and two kinds of woodpeckers. I am hoping that the Minions continue to love watching the birds as it is a passion that spans generations in my family :)