A Year with Maud

If you follow me on Instagram you will already know that I am planning a 2017 read-a-long of all of Lucy Maud Montgomery books, journals, and magazines. 

I have a lot of them. I own every novel of hers, as far as I know I have all of her short story collections. I have two of her journals, one biography, one scrapbook like compilation, and a handful of Kindred Spirits magazines.

I will be posting here and on Instagram at the end of each month to outline which things I will be trying to read during the following month. If you would like to I would love it if you joined me!

If you want to just read a few of her novels that is great! I will be finishing the Anne of Green Gables series very early on in the year but if you want to read it throughout the year I would love for you to come back to my posts after each book!

It has been way too long since I have read through her works and I have never read the 2nd journal (I just got it for Christmas). I am hoping to get to the rest of her journals later but for this year I am focusing on the ones I own. 

So, for January I will be trying to get through....

I will be starting Anne of Green Gables and hoping to get through Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, and Anne of Windy Poplars. 

I will begin the first volume of her journals but will be reading this over the course of a couple of months. 

I will be reading the Winter 2000/2001 edition of Kindred Spirits. 

As I read I will post my thoughts. I also have a new journal that I will be writing in throughout this journey and I will share the things that I record there. 

I will be posting a lot to Instagram so make sure you follow me there if you want to see that!

Let me know if you plan on joining in!

Happy reading!

Gingerbread House

Yesterday for our advent activity on our first day of winter break, the girls decorated a Gingerbread house. 

They had so much fun decorating this pre-made house I bought from Target. 

Abi was responsible for one front and side and Maddy for the other.

Maddy said her side was "winter".

Abi said her side was "spring with some snow left".

This was a very fun activity.

Van Wagenen Family Christmas party

Sunday we had the Van Wagenen Christmas party at Doug's brother Steven's house.

Our nephews are so funny and happy to see each other. 

Mark and Callie had us have an eggnog tasting. 

Doug's parents sent us some gifts from Vietnam and we got to skype with them as well. 

It reads, "Faith, Hope, Charity."

We also had a gift exchange. On this side we just have entire families. We had Doug's sister Melinda who lives in New York so we mailed her gift.

His brother Robert's family had us.

They gave us a huge box of paper, colored pencils, and crayons. It was perfect!

Another really fun family party! 

King Family Christmas part

We had our family Christmas party at my sister's house. 

It was so fun to be together with everyone. It was fun to have babies there too!

Two of my nephews have little boys now and they are so cute.

My brother Brent, sister in law Karen, and nephew Matthew did a funny Rudolph song. 

 

That made Maddy want to perform so she got up and made up a song. 

 

I was in charge of the game and we did a Christmas themed Scattegories. 

 

My sister did a game too where we passed around a huge wrapped bundle and you unwrapped a layer if you were holding it when the music stopped. That was fun. 

Maddy was sitting in the baby seat for some reason.

Then it was time to open gifts!

 

We had so much fun with all of my family. 

After it was over we took Doug to meet his friends at the theater to see Star Wars and we went to my Grandma's house for her holiday open house. Then we picked him back up and we went to dinner to celebrate our anniversary (it would be two days later).

When we got home we took pictures of our gifts. 

Abi's gifts: 

From my parents: The Lego amusement park roller coaster, a McDonalds gift card, some candy, and some little ponies. 

From my brother Greg and his family: My Little Pony Chutes and Ladders. 

She also got a couple of dollars and some candy from my Grandma. 

The other My Little Pony toy in the pictures is a late birthday gift from my brother Brent's family. 

 

Maddy's gifts: 

From my parents: The Nintendo 2DS, candy, and a McDonald's gift card. 

From my sister's family: The Num Nom Art Cart

She also got a few dollars and candy from my Grandma. 

 

 Doug and I's gifts: 

Doug received the Red Lobster biscuit mix, an Itunes gift card, and a JCW's gift card from my sister's family

I received the Soft Enough for a King set, also from my sister's family.

My parents gave us the candle, bowl, spoon, apron, towel and hot pad set, Arthur Christmas, ornament from Germany, chocolates, Grasmere gingerbread from England, and a gift card from Barnes and Noble that I ended up using to get the Fantastic Beasts screenplay (not pictured).

Such a fun day!