Ode to January (and Snowflakes)

So, I'm not really going to break out into a song or anything.  But I just have to give January its due.  And really, it was a lovely month.  Where has it gone already?  I know it's February already.  And that shortly, I'm going to trade some of the winter white for an inundation of red, pink, and hearts (with some chocolate for good measure).

I decided a couple of years ago, not only to try my best to extend the Christmas season all through the 12 days of Christmas, but to make January just as bright.  Though January is full of new hopes and new resolutions and goal-planning, it often hides in the shadow of November and December.  It was time for January to have its own show--at least in my house.

You see, I REALLY like those winter lights of Christmas.  They are just good for the soul.  They brighten and warm my spirit just by looking at them.  When the decorations go away, I somehow feel the cheer going with them.  So I decided that I would just change over my decor to white lights only, and give January....SPARKLE!  (I like that word...it's kind of a January synonym for beauty).

Since New Year's Day carries a little sparkle itself.....lets just say that sparkle is a great word for January!  I'll admit I'm not buried in snow like some.  In fact, we have yet to see snowflakes in our backyard this year.  But if I were, I would still plan to make it shine indoors.

I LOVE how my canvas art turned out...an idea I pinned.  I really don't want to put it away anytime soon.

A couple of years ago I made this glittery snowflake garland to hang, and I'm not eager to put it away yet either.

I decided last fall that in January I would take the opportunity to take advantage of my younger girls' fascination with "Frozen."  We had so much fun (I know I have) studying Arctic animals and caribou, Norway, snowflakes, and the northern lights, to name a few.  

Young Warrior's "Aurora Borealis" art

It has been amazing to study snowflakes more in depth.  We did this a few years ago with our introduction to "Snowflake Bentley."  

This year we learned of a modern physicist who studies snowflakes and have been enjoying the works of Dr. Kenneth Libbrecht.  They are full of gorgeous snow crystal pictures too.  And lots of scientific detail.

I think one of the most fascinating studies was not only the different shapes and all of the factors that go into creating a snowflake, but exactly WHY they can only ever be hexagonal (if they are not the straight-pin style crystals that sting when they hit your face!)

My girls started ballet lessons this month, and these ballerina snowflakes were the perfect decoration to hang.  I just think they are elegant.  My girls have taken to creating a whole winter wonderland canopy over their beds, complete with snowflakes they cut in detail themselves (we love to cut paper snowflakes!) and a few ballerinas like these, but colored up to look like Elsa, Anna, and a few other Disney princesses.  Makes me smile.

And as we've said good-bye to another January, we have been loving the bird show everyday from our back door window.  My Adventure Girl has a hobby of bird-watching and she takes excellent care of the backyard birds.  She makes suet and the birds have been delighted to come and dine!  

I'll trade the sparkle for hearts soon enough.  But I might just have to find a way to enjoin the two for just a little while longer!