1 May

OK, so I failed at A Week in the Life. I don't know what happened, I just couldn't get into it! 

Anyway, we have been packing and packing and packing. I'll admit that pretty much all that's been accomplished is the basement (my sewing/craft room and the kids' toys, along with almost all of our books). I have been told by a reliable source that the craft space and toys are the two hardest areas in a house, because there's just so much stuff to deal with. So hopefully it's only going to get easier from here. 

It always seems like when you start packing, things get messier, rather than tidier. I don't know why it is, because you'd think with things being packed away, there would be less mess. But now I remember from the last time we moved. It's kind of crazy!

I have, however, found some things that I thought we'd lost forever, so that has been fun and exciting, and I cleared out a whole ton of stuff that was the kind of last "random" stuff to get shoved into boxes on our last move (things that have just been sitting in boxes ever since then!) So, it's going pretty well, altogether. Moving is such an odyssey!

26 April

I only took one picture today. 

Last night, after I finished my homework at 1:00am, I discovered that the printer was out of ink. So, this morning before class, I had to rush out to get another cartridge. But somehow, I thought I needed the blue cartridge, but it was actually one of the other colors that was out. Oops.

My husband had taken James with him to work today, and the girls stayed home alone (for the first time!) while I went to class. I was nervous about it, but they were fine, and my class is less than 5 minutes from our house, anyway.

Class was wonderful; the lecture was on the book of Ephesians and it was beautiful. My teacher this year has a way of lecturing that is so illuminating, convicting, and edifying all at once. This is my second year in my program and so far both teachers I've had have been amazing. I'm so looking forward to the next two years!

When I got home, I found out that my stent removal, which was supposed to be this afternoon, had been cancelled. I was really disappointed, because I've had a stent now for more than 6 weeks and it's really painful. It turns out that they can get me in tomorrow morning, and while less convenient, I took the appointment.

I had a terrible headache most of the afternoon (so unusual for me -- I tend to only get headaches every couple of years!), and after Elisabeth's piano lesson, I ended up taking a long nap while the kids ran wild out back. We had nachos for supper.

There was a spectacular rainstorm this evening after the sun went down. It smelled amazing!

Hopefully tomorrow, after I get my stent out, I'll feel more energized.

25 April

I decided to do a Week in the Life series again this year. I had forgotten that this week was the week for it until I saw a few of my Facebook friends talking about it. A few people also decided to start today and go Wednesday to Wednesday, so I committed to joining them. I enjoyed it so much when I did it last year (although I petered off at the end of the week), so I knew I really wanted to do it again.

Fiona was eating chocolate chips here.

These are supposed to be for my fabric and other sewing stuff.

I woke up this morning feeling kind of down. Yesterday was such an objectively good day. I felt pretty well, and my husband surprised me by coming home from work early (something he is basically never able to do as a teacher). (Funny aside: he really surprised me, as I was in my room reading a short story by Edgar Allan Poe -- something I should know better than to do these days, actually. When he walked in, I just about jumped out of my skin!) Anyway, we spent the afternoon as a family and it felt so relaxed and slow and idyllic. So when I woke up today, I just felt really down. By 11:00, when I remembered that I was "supposed" to be documenting the day, I hadn't taken a single photo or really even done anything besides feel sorry for myself.

After that, I oversteeped my tea, spilled it all over myself, and forgot to take James to an appointment. Fortunately we were able to reschedule that for the early afternoon. 

After that rough start, I decided to waste time by painting my toenails, and then I did what anyone who was feeling out of sorts would do: I went and smelled my husband's pillow. (Actually, this is something I have never done before. I don't know why I did it, because although I love my husband and am definitely affectionate to him, I'm not sentimental about him or about our marriage. I'm definitely not a pillow-sniffer on ordinary occasions.) 

I had planned to spend the day sorting fabric in my sewing room and packing most of the room up. It's probably the "hardest" area of the house so I want to tackle it early in the packing process, but I never did get down there. I really dragged my feet about it all day.

I did end up getting three loads of laundry washed and dried, but not folded. I think that means that everything is clean for everybody right now, which is a good feeling, despite not folding. I also contacted Livie & Luca to get replacement insoles for Fiona's sandals (she pulled them out and lost them already), and they responded quickly, which was nice.

We went to James's appointment, then hurried back home so Elisabeth could get ready for swimming. The day was hot, but overcast. It threatened to rain for much of the day; a few times I felt sprinkles. After swimming, I visited with a good friend whose daughter swims with Elisabeth year round. I told her about our move and that it would change our swimming plans for the summer and that was a bummer.

We came home, made a very simple supper, and I tried to get ahead on next month's meal plan but lost interest. My husband got home at about 7:30 (with beer and hard cider, too!), James took a bath, Elisabeth and I played Yahtzee, and Fiona fought bedtime.

It wasn't a bad day in any particular, specific way. But it was my attitude that was bad, in the end. It really felt like one of those stereotypical "nothing" days that you sometimes hear housewives complain about, a day that seems to mean nothing. A day that some give as a reason why being a housewife is a cage for a woman. But to be honest, I very rarely have days like this. I think the problem today was that the previous day seemed like an unexpected piece of heaven, and there was no way I could make this day measure up in my mind. It ended up being a lesson for me: a day is only what you make of it.

Now it's 11:30pm, and I have homework to do for the morning. Good night!

21 April

Oh, my poor little neglected blog. I have a milestone birthday to write about, and will, but for now at least wanted to pop in and let you all know how I'm doing. 

In the last 5 weeks, I've had three visits to the hospital and two surgeries for my kidney stone. It doesn't seem like a kidney stone should be that dramatic, but this one apparently was. There was a slight complication with my second surgery and I'm still not feeling that great. Hopefully by the end of next week, when I get my stent out, things should start to look up.

Also, we lost our Lucy-dog on March 24. The grief I've experienced has been beyond words. In fact, I find myself speechless, even 4 weeks later, about what or how to express it. She was the most faithful, gentle dog, and it just makes my heart ache to think about her.

Finally, it looks like we are moving at the end of May! Such a bundle of mixed emotions there for me, too. I'm so excited about our new house, the potential there, about having a place of our own again after renting for the last 8 years. But it's always bittersweet to leave behind a place where you've lived and celebrated and struggled and just known so well for a long time. I love our current home's open floorplan, its ample storage (so many cabinets and cupboards all over this house), its huge yard, its old, tall, tall trees, and the wide open feel of the neighborhood (made possible by wide streets, large lots, and only one-story houses). I will also miss its convenient proximity to highways.

I will not miss having only two bedrooms for our entire family of five. I will not miss having no fireplace, the basement that floods when it rains, the tiny dining area, paying rent, a cantankerous property manager.

I'm scared and excited and nervous. And I can't wait to share our new space with you!

In the meantime, there is a 10-year-old in my house (?!), there's a bit more recovery for me, oh-so-many plans, and packing, and summer dreaming to do!

See you soon, friends.

30 March

18 days ago, my baby boy turned six. (The next day I went to the hospital with kidney stones, more on that later, but it explains the lateness of his birthday post.)

This boy. He lights up my life, and terrorizes it, sometimes, too. This is going to sound funny, but I think I can already notice a little change in him since his birthday. He seems bigger, more sure, a little more patient. And he learned how to ride a two-wheeler last weekend. 

Happy Six, buddy! You are going to have the best year, I can feel it. 

Three!

Here I am, here I am! After more than a month of sickness (antibiotics were finally procured yesterday, in desperation), a broken toe, a 30-hour power outage, a great deal of snow, the beginning of Lent, exhaustion, and just keeping afloat, I wondered if I'd really ever be back here. And in the midst of that, we had our back-to-back birthdays on Saturday and Sunday. I turned 34, and my little lady, well, she somehow turned three.

Three. I don't know, it seems like a good number of years. I look at my little one, so expressive, honest, independent, as she transforms from a baby into a little girl, and I think she might be the prettiest of my three, and the hardest to predict. That's saying something, because I'm partial to the looks of my older two. And they are nothing if not spirited and unpredictable. But, ah, that's how it goes with these littlest ones, I think.

I have so much I could say about her, my lovely little lady. She's quiet but not shy; she's feminine but not prissy; she's strong-willed but not overbearing. She's opinionated, but unlike her siblings and me, not high-strung in the least. I am utterly amazed by her.

I cannot believe that in three more years she will be six. Bittersweet. So very bittersweet.

In other news, I have several finished knits to share in the coming days. 

Hoping that this month that I spent away found all of you well -- happy, blessed, and healthier than I!

xo

25 January

I have been sick, sick, sick lately. Trying to lay low, but oh, it's been hard to keep up. It seems like we've had something scheduled most days; not much time for me to rest and try to recover. I ended up staying home sick from church on Sunday, something I haven't done in years.

I did upload the last nine days of my "366" photos today. I'm sharing some thoughts about the days on each of them. I feel like it's such an intimate way to share, even though Flickr as a whole is really so huge and public. But it's just one photo, just a few thoughts. So do click through, I love to hear from you, whether here or over there. 

12 January

We packed up and put away all the Christmas stuff on Tuesday. It's so bittersweet, don't you think? I love that season, those decorations, the music and fun and spirit. And the house seems sort of strange without it. But brighter, and bigger, somehow. We were all ready; no one complained about it at all.

I've been thinking, in the nearly three weeks since Christmas, about Christmastime and its celebration. I've observed over the last several years a real desire for people, both religious and not, to observe Advent in a more meaningful way. Whether a meditative time of prayerful preparation, or a time to spread out the season and mark the time in a more conscious way, it seems that more and more people are embracing Advent. This, then, begs the question, "What is Advent? What is Christmastime? And is there any difference between the two?" And this is a challenging question. It can feel a bit frenzied and even discordant to thoughtfully prepare for something while simultaneously celebrating it. I haven't struck a perfect balance between the two.

But it has occurred to me recently, even as some people loudly clamor for less Christmas celebration during Advent and more celebrating in the two weeks after Christmas, that for mothers like me, there has always been a necessary overlap. Though the world is certainly more connected and commercial than ever before, it's not like the date of Christmas has been a secret for the last 1500 years (since its date has been marked on the calendar), and surely since there have been celebrations, women and mothers have been preparing their homes for them. If there are evergreens to be brought indoors, then they must necessarily be gathered in advance. The house must be readied for their arrangement. If there are gifts to be given, then they must necessarily be made or otherwise procured. If there is a special meal, then it must be planned, ingredients must be assembled, etc. All of the "things" of Christmas cannot magically arrive at 12:00 midnight on December 25. So, it seems natural that some of these ordinary, household preparations would have moved into the weeks preceding Christmas -- perhaps bringing with them some of the festivity of Christmas.

I don't know, those are just my rambling thoughts. What I'm saying is that in our home, we do try to observe a prayerful Advent, but we also delight in everything that has come to be so joyful about December during this time and place where we live. And as much as I sometimes wish that the weeks following Christmas were more like the weeks preceding it (in terms of activities, crafts, baking, and merriment), they really aren't. My sister and I were talking about this recently, and I think we were both feeling the same thing, but neither of us could really find the right words for it. We both love the weeks between Christmas and Epiphany, but they feel different. They are magical, but in a quiet way. We're more likely to stay home under quilts and read our new books than we are to go out for ice skating and cocoa. 

I'm sorry this post is kind of all over the place. I've been thinking about what I wanted to write about this for more than a week, but I'm still finding it hard to find just the right words. But I'm wondering, have you experienced the same things? What do you think about this, having just wrapped it all up? I'd be so interested to hear!

7 January

I haven't already dropped out of my photo challenge! I just haven't been good about uploading them. Here are the photos from the last three days.

Some of my thoughts about the days accompanies each photo on Flickr (click the photo to get to them). I'm trying to keep them brief, though I'm not limiting myself to a work count or anything. Sometimes, though, saying less really is saying more. 

Though, on the topic of saying more, I have been thinking a lot about the close of the Christmas season over the last few days and I want to share more about that with you on Monday. 

I hope your weekend is going beautifully!

3 January

Right now I'm enjoying a brief moment of complete silence. My eldest child is occupied outdoors. My middle child and his daddy are enjoying a day out, a kind of city expedition, I think. My littlest one is napping cozily.

I'm thinking of trying again to do a photo-a-day project this year. I've been thinking about it, and then reconsidering, over the last few days. Last year I took photos through most of March but only published them through about February. The uploading was a hassle, honestly. But after seeing this, from last January, I think I'm going to try again. 

These images are so warm and happy and joyful to me. Looking at them, I'm so glad that they're here, collected together. And they've helped me to remember so much about that time in our lives. Looking at these, I know exactly what the thrilling news on the 14th was, the small pleasures and the hardships on the 20th, the worry on the 21st, the inconvenient errand on the 29th, the chilly, beautiful afternoon on the 5th, the dinner and movie (even what dinner and what movie!) with my mom on the 9th. Oh, having these together is such a treasure.

So, starting again, here are the first three images of this year. (You can click through to see descriptions of each.)

2012, I think you are off to a great start.

31 December

Here we are, right at the end of one year, waiting to ring in the new. I am, as always at this time of year, full of so many things I could tell you, I should tell you, I would tell you if things weren't moving forward into the new and out of the old so quickly.

I could tell you about the end of our Advent season, special new traditions, successful craft projects, and our Christmas celebration, as well the celebrating we're still doing here in a quiet way even as everyone else is winding down. I should tell you about the few handmade gifts I managed to make, the many I didn't, the things I still hope to complete in the next week. I would tell you about a second tooth lost on Christmas Eve, a 15th tooth lost on New Year's Eve, and a final farewell to diapers in between. 

So many things I always want to get to on this blog in this last week of December, that I never seem to be able to. 

Because really, I'm here, quietly knitting on the couch. Playing game after came from that tall stack -- some new, some old. Gazing at the tree, cuddled under blankets, not going anywhere if I don't have to. Except to bundle up into the car to look at Christmas lights -- just one more time, and again one more time. We're still listening to the Chrismtas music; we're still singing it in church on Sundays, too, and will be for two more Sundays. And I'm so thankful for that, because I don't want to say goodbye to this time of year. In the end, it's so much preparation, both the intentional keeping of Advent, and the work to be ready to celebrate Christmas for two short weeks. Two weeks, outside of time, where only joy and gratitude exist. We wait for -- long for -- this time all year; for me as a Christian, this seems to parallel the waiting and longing we have for the real joy that Christ, in an infinitely mysterious way, brings with his humble stable birth so long ago.

Anyway, I'm wishing you, my dear friends, the most joyous, prosperous, blessed 2012. We'll have so much to talk about in this coming year -- about life, craft, art, and whatever else comes along. Thank you for being here with me this year, I can't wait to share the next one with you!

with blessings on this eve of the new year,

Grace

24 December

We're here, we're here! Christmas Eve has arrived. Ready or not, it's time.

Yesterday was my husband's birthday, and since we'd had a big snow the day before, he spent the day sledding with the kids. I stayed home and knitted some last minute gifts and enjoyed the snowy view. 

I'm sharing updates of my last-minute progress over on the Facebook page this year. They are not quite as exciting as last year because I'm not making as many gifts. My siblings and I aren't exchanging gifts with each other's families this year (because we won't be together on Christmas this time) which makes it simpler! Still, hop on over, if you feel inclined, to see how we're spending this Christmas Eve! (If you haven't yet "liked" the Facebook page, now is as good a time as any. Hee.)

Anyway, Merry Christmas, friends! 

xo, 
Grace 

22 December: Winter & Holiday Favorites, 2011 edition

Well, I've figured I need to just stop apologizing for not being here much. There are many reasons, some good, some not so good, but we'll just say I'll be here when I can. 

I toyed with the idea of not doing a winter/Christmas book post again this year. To be honest, I've plowed through many of my very, very favorites over the last 5 years. And I had a moment of doubt last week about it, thinking it just might come across as excessive. But we really are collectors, they're my favorite children's books of all, these wintery and Christmassy ones. They always have been, since my own childhood, I think. So I've decided to share a few with you again. Some of them are new to us this year (the kids always get new nativity books from St. Nicholas -- though this is getting a bit trickier as Elisabeth is beginning to feel "too old" [whether she actually is or not, that is how she feels] for picture books, but there's reallly just one book that matters on the subject that isn't a picture book), and a few have been with us a bit longer. I know it's not enough time to buy any or probably even find them at the library, but at least it's here for future reference. (As always, the Amazon links are here for your convenience; I don't have an active Amazon Associates account, so I don't make a penny from them, wherever you buy them. Support local or independently-owned booksellers when you can! My favorite is Chinaberry.)

The Night of Las Posadas I really love this one. Tomie dePaola has been a favorite of mine since my childhood, and this book is so sweet, with its mysterious miracle. It straddles the realm of a nativity book and a contemporary Christmas book. It's very reverent and beautiful.

Family Christmas Treasures: A Celebration of Art and Stories I don't recall when, why, or how this book came into our possession, but I absolutely love it! It is a huge book (15" high or so), filled with fine art images from artists as varied as Gaugin, Pissaro, Norman Rockwell, Grandma Moses, and Andy Warhol. (Also many 19th century lithographs, etc.), and short pieces (or excerpts of longer ones) from literature. Washington Irving, Samuel Coleridge, Willa Cather, Kenneth Grahame, Truman Capote, Dylan Thomas, Robert Louis Stevenson, and so many more. This is, maybe (I say, ever so tenuously), my very favorite Christmas book. Really, really, really.

You Can Do It, Sam So absolutely cute and sweet. We've had this book for probably 8 years and all three of my children have loved it. It's so very perfect for those independent toddler days, when being able to deliver a bag of treats to the front door of a loved one elicits such pleasure and satisfaction in a little one. This is a dear, sweet book.

This Is the Stable This was Fiona's St. Nicholas book this year and it has been a real winner. It's not quite as dull as some of the "house that Jack built" formula books can be, but still repetitive enough to be just right for my almost-three-year-old (!), who loves a bit of sing-song to her books.

The Little Boy's Christmas Gift I'm including this one a bit hesitantly, because it's out of print, and pretty long. It was James's St. Nicholas book this year, and I have to admit that we often don't read the whole thing but just admire the illustrations, which are so beautiful (and are the reason I'm including it). The back of the book has an author's note which talks about the inspiration for the illustrations (15th & 16th century paintings from Northern Europe). He discusses details of the paintings that inspired his, and the symbolism they used. As a piece of art, this book is a masterpiece. As a story, it's a bit slow and dull. 

Apple Tree Christmas This is a book that Elisabeth has been coming back to again and again for the past 2-3 years. It's a story, based on some true events, of a family living in an old barn (it's hard to tell the time period -- maybe anywhere from the mid-1800's to the 1930's), during one very hard winter. The older sister is an avid artist, and the family has a beloved apple tree where she likes to climb and draw. The hard winter comes and there is a lot of damage -- to the tree, to the family's way of life, etc. The way they pull through it is both inspiring and a little bittersweet. It always makes me feel grateful for what we have.

Mouse's First Snow We have a few books in this series (we got the Halloween one when Elisabeth was just a baby), and something always brings us back to them. They're so simple, and everything in them is so familiar. I really like that the father is the one going out to play in the snow with the little mouse, because my kids all really love a good snow day with Daddy!

The Story of Christmas This was Elisabeth's St. Nicholas book this year, and while the text is simply the biblical text (King James version), and the illustrations are (in my opinion) both lush and intriguing, it's a case in point: she thought it was too childish. However, I really like to look at it, ponder the words so beautifully, strangely, and yet familiarly told, and look at the folk-inspired Scherenschnitte illustrations. So, maybe not the best for that in-between time of childhood. ;) Adults and younger children will probably all appreciate it, though.

It's Snowing Oh my goodness, I don't think anything could be cuter than this little round mama and her little round baby, all wrapped up in furs and running outside to play in the snow at night. Such fun, so light-hearted and sweet. What a happy reminder to play with our little ones! 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

I hope you enjoy this year's list, as well as all the previous years' lists. (Find them here: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006.) This may be my last time to do it -- I don't want to be final on that, but I think I've pretty well gone through most of our collection at this point! I have many more winter & Christmas books on my wish list, though, so we'll see what next year brings. (Oh, by the way, I added my holiday listening list to the right-hand sidebar once again, beneath the book list, for your listening pleasure!)

Merry Christmas if I'm not back before then!

xo,
Grace

8 December

Here is a post I wrote a couple of days ago and just didn't get the chance to publish, thoughts about celebrations, in honor of St. Nicholas Day. Excuse the photos. Every year, my children wake up a bit earlier than the previous year, and this year there was nearly no daylight at all. I miss the days when they woke up at 8:00(!) every day!

When Elisabeth was born, we were the only people we knew who observed St. Nicholas Day, at least beyond a cursory nod and some candy in the shoes at Sunday school. So we made it our own, in a simple, special way. I've realized over time how important keeping things very, very simple is for my children, and for my own sanity. I think it's easy for parents to want to go all-out with everything, including lavish celebrations of every major and minor holiday. The risk with making every event more extraordinary than the last is, of course, burning out -- and missing the opportunity to experience something truly meaningful. 

(Although I do know several families who do the majority of their family gift-giving on St. Nicholas Day, in the European tradition, and that's not what I'm really talking about -- I mean more the pressure to make every major and minor holiday a huge production, which is exhausting and can make us feel like throwing in the towel altogether!)

So, St. Nicholas Day doesn't have to rival Christmas in terms of gifts and traditions and amazement. You don't have to use special shoes, or fill them with lots of gifts, several varieties of fruit and nuts, and lots of different decorations. My children love the predictability of our small celebration; we've been doing it the same way all their lives and they love that. There is one gift (a new nativity-themed Christmas book) for each of them, and chocolate coins in their shoes. And there is plenty of wonder and delight and excitement and joy. 

Last weekend, as our Advent stockings were getting underway and I was laying in bed with stomach flu, I was reminded again of the advice I have shared with so many other mothers: Could you do it if you were sick? If your child were sick? If you were traveling, or if you had house guests? Could you do it if you moved to another state, or another country? Would you want to?

Traditions change and evolve, and sometimes you find that they go away without much fanfare at all. Certainly the answer to each of these questions doesn't have to be "yes" before deciding to begin something new (or no one would ever begin a new tradition). But they are good things to ponder. 

I really believe that when we keep things simple, when we really get down to the heart of why we do them, then they become a part of us, not a burden. And that is exactly the kind of celebration I hope for -- for our family, for each of my children as they grow into adults, and for my own soul, too.

{This year's chocolates with their lovely religious images came from Emmanuel Books, and I plan to continue getting them there! As Molly said, they made exactly the kind of difference we hope for in this season.}

5 December

Well, my intention to be back on Friday or Saturday after a day or two off was thwarted by a ghastly stomach virus that took all of us but my husband down. I thought I was going to die! Seriously! But all's well now, though I'm a bit more harried than I would like, international shipping deadlines and whatnot. :)

Anyway, last night, in the midst of heavy snow, and freezing, freezing temperatures, our little merry family bundled up in our warmest woolens and ventured out to ice skate! (Though I was reminded once again how I could really use a pair of these, especially since I don't even own any pants ... it was cotton jersey pajama pants under a skirt for me and I was cold! Maybe someday....) 

Snow continued to fall, lights twinkled overhead. It was one of those beautiful, magical Christmassy moments that you couldn't manufacture if you tried. We all came home and stripped our outer layers of clothing off and hopped into bed in our woolies (or, pajamas, in my case). 

Tonight we will set out our shoes for St. Nicholas to fill in customary fashion. I am a little bit amazed how, after ten years of doing this, the traditions that we have put into place so consciously have continued to carry us. A little more about that tomorrow. 

30 November

I made it! I made it! My third year in a row to complete the November NaBloPoMo challenge. I love doing it but it's exhausting, too.

Tomorrow we'll start our Advent activities. The little stockings are ready and waiting, and our traditional first activity, planting paperwhite bulbs (they have, so far, never failed to bloom just in time for Christmas!) is at the ready. 

Right now, I'm feeling quite a bit overwhelmed. I'm finishing the last of the doll orders and I'm behind on my (self-imposed) deadline. I'm realizing I only have 24 days to complete all the Christmas projects I have in the queue. I'm anxious. Prioritizing and managing time is not one of my strengths. OK, I'm freaking out a little bit tonight.

One thing at a time. One thing at a time.

I'm taking tomorrow off but I promise to be back in the next couple of days! Lots of things to show and tell, plus another holiday book post to plan for! See you soon! 

29 November

I sat down to the computer without a single idea of what I want to write about tonight. Sometimes, that's the reality of it. We took the animals in for their shots and exams tonight, and it was expensive, and then James started throwing up. I've been feeling tired all week, and no end seems to be in sight. 

But then I realized, all month I've been keeping track of things I'm grateful for. Here is a sampling: 

My many lovely friends, both near and far, those I know well in person and those I've never met face to face.

Just enough money to pay our bills. Just enough.

Snow.

Hot showers.

The class I'm taking.

The kindness and generosity of my beautiful blog readers!

Faith.

My beautiful, sweet, wild little family.

My car. (As silly a thing as that is to say, and as expensive as it feels to us right now, it's so nice to have room for all of us and all of our gear, and a bonus is to have something that doesn't feel embarrassing to be seen in!)

Serendipity.

My mother-in-law.

Time spent with those I care about.

Lunches packed the night before.

My mom.

Being caught up.

The internet.

Sunshine.

My husband.

Naps.

Tea.

That small houses are easier to clean.

Michael Jackson.

Knitting.

My siblings.

My across-the-street neighbor's Christmas lights that I can see from my bedroom.

Butter.

My cello students.

My sewing machine.

My helpful eldest child.

My tender son.

My independent littlest one.

My life.

So much to be grateful for ... what are some of the things that make you pause to give thanks?

28 November

{I'm sorry this post didn't show up last night, I guess I actually just hit "save as draft" instead of "publish"!}

The big exciting news that I alluded to last night was that James lost his first tooth yesterday! None of us (not even him) noticed it was loose until sometime in the middle of last week, and by then it was very loose. Everyone was so excited!

By last night, it was so wiggly that he didn't feel like he could brush his teeth comfortably, so he asked me to pull it. I haven't had to pull very many of Elisabeth's teeth (maybe one or two of the 15 she's lost), so I felt a little uncertain about how it would go (would it hurt?), but it just popped right out! So I guess it was time!

The Tooth Fairy arrived last night with a gift of a tooth pouch, just as she had for Elisabeth, and her customary note in "curly letters" (handwriting so very different from mine!) I hadn't quite anticipated him losing his tooth on that day, so I didn't have the chance to go buy some unfamiliar fabric for his pouch. I had kind of a lot -- over a yard -- of this (I'll have to go check the selvedge later to tell you what it is ... I've totally forgotten) stashed away in a forgotten sack so I figured they wouldn't have seen it downstairs in my workspace, and it was masculine enough that I decided to use it. The one downside is that I won't be able to use this lovely fabric for anything else now! (My kids are very observant.)

This pouch came out too big but it was kind of thrown together without measuring! Oh, well. I don't think anyone minds. 

What an exciting milestone! I have to say, all the "firsts" of my children just keep getting more exciting over time, and with each subsequent child. Maybe it's because there are more people to be excited about them! I don't know, but it really just keeps getting better.  

27 November

Today was a very fun day, the first Sunday of Advent, and something else exciting (you'll find out tomorrow!). (I'll also share a picture of the Advent wreath looking all spiffy with its greens in an upcoming post. The pictures I took tonight turned out really badly.)

Right in the middle of the day, there was a quiet calm spot of respite, a little like the eye of a storm, with a girl and her kitty. Did I mention I am reluctantly beginning to like cats?

26 November

This morning I took some time away from the chaos and spent a few hours making wreaths with a friend; it was such a respite in what is such a busy time of year to take a morning just to make wreaths and drink tea without distractions. We both agreed it would be a new tradition!

We started with wire wreath forms and began with a somewhat sparse first layer of fir branches, going around in a spiral. We wired these on with floral wire, and then added another base layer of another fir. Finally we filled in with cedar, white pine, and holly. I love the earthy look that the spiral formation gives (rather than a more traditional "filled in" wreath). You could add ribbon or other decorative elements; I think I might leave mine plain because I like the natural look. 

Tomorrow I'll set out the advent wreath form on our dining room table and fill it in with leftover boughs of fir, pine, cedar, and holly. It smells just amazing!