The New Year

Well, 2015 is here and we are enjoying the first day of the New Year in the Rowe household.

Despite its being a new month and year, things are still pretty much the same around here.


Madeleine is still incessantly wearing her Olaf hat:

Julia is still thinking about the Mintz family (and has even started an American-girl like novel about them):

And every surface of the house is still covered with kiddie toys, books, and empty drink containers:

However, we do have one new and exciting development: our first fire in the fireplace ever!:

The kids had mixed reactions to this big first.  Julia appeared to forget all previous knowledge of everything:

ETHAN: Okay, listen up girls.  If you ever see smoke coming out from the fireplace into the living room, tell a grown-up right away.
JULIA: (in a panic) But what if there's NO GROWN-UP in the house with us?
ETHAN:  Julia.  When have you ever been left alone at home without a grown-up?
JULIA: Uh...
ETHAN: Also, if you see smoke coming into the living room, open a window.
JULIA: (in a panic) But I don't even KNOW how to open the windows!
ETHAN: Open the door then.

On the other hand, Madeleine became the wise old know-it-all about the fire.

ETHAN: You see the smoke there?  It's going up the chimney, which is where it's supposed to go.
MADELEINE: (with certainty) Daddy?  Another thing that smoke can be can be called is FOG, because smoke is really FOG.
ETHAN: No it isn't.

A few moments later:

MADELEINE: Wait a minute.  Did I just BURN my hand by the fire?
ETHAN: I don't see how that's possible, honey.  Your hand is not anywhere near the fire.
MADELEINE: (with certainty) Oh!  I just HIT my hand by accident, and when it HURT, I thought it was the FIRE burning it, but it was just my HAND hitting my other hand.

A few moments later:

ETHAN: (admiring the fire) Hey, that's pretty good now, isn't it?
MADELEINE: Yeah.  It's HUGE.  It's bigger than I even WANTED it to be.

Let's just put Madeleine in charge right now, folks.  She clearly knows what she's talking about on every subject.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2015!