Hour of Code

It's Hour of Code week. The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify "code", to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. Now many places worldwide do activities during this week. The Microsoft store at Keystone Mall hosted several hours this week centered around Minecraft. We headed to one last night with Camden and Braxton.

A third kid joined in, but they worked independently to master each level until they had programmed the Minecraft scene to do what they wanted.

Kevin and I got to stroll the mall while the kids worked. When I returned, the "teacher" looked up and comment, "She is smart. She's already on level 12." I agree, but also know she has done some of this basic coding at school.

Afterward, they played a few games on the in-store computers and declared it a great evening and worth the snowy drive over on a school night.

Camden's Cookbook

Camden is always begging to make something out of her kid's cookbook that Aunt Carole gave her.  I never seem to have the ingredients on hand to do the things she wants to do.  Last night she asked again and pulled up a marble cake recipe that is a frequent request.  It really is a basic recipe and I did have everything (Well, I had to improvise and do a chocolate cream cheese frosting since we didn't have the ingredients for the frosting in the cookbook.)

Together we measured and mixed.  Success!

She requested the chocolate to be the base with swirls of white so the marble effect is less apparent.  But it was still impressive to her and delicious to all.

Winter Wonderland: Ellis Park

It's been one of our Christmas traditions for years.  Last night after dinner, we headed to Danville for a drive through the light display at this park.  Most of the old standard displays were there, plus a few new ones.  We loved stopping to watch the tree that dances/changes to the music and got out to get a picture at the photo op.

A short drive to Brownsburg for ice cream at Wylipalooza.  We haven't had this since early summer.  Such a treat.  Another customer played several rounds of pinball, then gave Camden a quarter to try.

We made our way back to Crawfordsville and hit the big displays in this town.  Love our family time!

A Beauty

Kevin and Camden got the lights strung.

Ginger was oh so curious.  Then Camden and I went through the ornaments.  Always such fun remembering what each was from/for.

 

The tree skirt also had to get around the base.

Then the cat had to be gotten from out from under it!

Our tree is always so simple with just sentimental, kid-made (both Austin & Camden) ornaments and the yearly Hallmark ornaments we have gotten Camden.

It's so nice to sit in the darkened room with just the tree lights.  Love it!

Our Christmas Tree

We tried to get our tree on Saturday night, but the farm we went to was very limited.  So we headed to the Snowy Pines Christmas Tree Farm in Greencastle where we have gotten several in the past.

As we headed out for the search, Camden grabbed an orange snow sled, but Kevin made sure to grab a bigger cart knowing the small sled would probably not do the job.

Half the fun is searching up and down the aisles finding the "perfect" one.  This farm is right on US 231, but the setting is still lovely.

We finally found the one we liked.  It was almost 6' tall and had a nice shape.  Kevin was able to easily cut it down, much to Camden's delight.

We tried the orange sled, per Camden's request, but it kept falling off.  So it was loaded onto the bigger cart and off she flew to take it home.

 

The tree gets a good shaking and then loaded into the truck.

We grabbed some hot chocolate when we paid, sat briefly by the fire to warm up, then off we went.

Tonight, we decorate.

Back-up

Camden's beautiful glasses have seen better days.  We are trying to make it to the year mark so we can go through insurance for a new pair.  But after a recent close call of them getting stepped on (bent back to shape as best we could), we knew she needed a back-up pair, too.

We picked one of the clearance frames and the cheapest lenses.  I picked them up yesterday and when she put them on, she wanted to wear them instead of her sparkly ones.  They must feel better than the crooked pair with cracked lenses.

Shop Small Saturday

We hit downtown Lafayette this weekend to support local businesses.  We would have done Crawfordsville, but the girls wanted to eat lunch in Lafayette.  They loved going into all the small shops.

We ran into the big guy in our first stop.

In front of LBC we saw a hay wagon being loaded for rides around downtown.  We hopped on and enjoyed a 20 minute excursion.

We stopped in to McCord's Candy Store to see if they were giving candy cane tours.  We waited about 20 minutes for the next tour before we ran out of time (Sophia had to be home).  Camden (and truthfully I) wanted to do it so badly, but we plan to go back in the next week or so.