14 June

I mentioned in my last post that I have some knits for baby finished up. It took most of these ages to block due to ridiculous humidity! In the meantime, I actually completed the final two!

Anyway, here is my little layette for baby. I ended up knitting it all in shades of white and green. I kept thinking of trying different colors, like a nice blue, or the gold I've liked for baby knits in the past, but I just kept being drawn to green, green, green! I only bought two skeins of yarn for these projects, everything else was something I'd had on hand for a few years, actually, most likely intended for some other project at some point.

First, another picture of the little diaper cover I knitted up as the first knit for this baby. I worked on it in February and March. I thought the button placement was weird at first, so I moved them the other day and I think it will fit better now.

A longie for baby! I used my favorite longie pattern and Malabrigo worsted, which I love for newborn knits. More details here.

{my belly kept wanting to get into the shot, so I just did this one on purpose!}

Sweater number one. This is the Milk Infant Top, and I love, love, love it, despite the crochet edging being much too hard for me. Thank goodness for good friends who can crochet and help me! I still want to crochet a granny square blanket for our living room but I need lots of practice first. Anyway, this is the knit I am most excited to see on the baby.

Sweater number two. This is the Baby Boy 5-hour Sweater, and I've knitted it once before. (Even though it's called "Baby Boy", I think it can be for either. We don't know what we're having.) I love this pattern although this time I did the sleeves as written instead of picking them up to knit in the round afterward and I liked them less this time. First of all, I don't like the seam down the arm, it feels bulky, and second of all, I still had to do sewing up around the armpit, so it didn't eliminate all end-weaving like it's supposed to.

Bonnet. This was made from the scraps of the 5-hour sweater and the booties I knitted in March. (I was going to share more pictures of them here but when I washed them, they dried funny, so they look weird in pictures. I guess they'll have to wait until there is a model for them!) I was pretty nervous about having enough of the white yarn left, but I finished with a couple of yards to spare, so it worked out perfectly! In the end, I actually think the bonnet looks big for a newborn (I knit the 0-3 month size and it grew with washing), so I think I could've actually gone down to the smallest size. Pattern and yarn info here. 

Everyone wants to know how I'm feeling. Physically, I feel pretty good. No signs of labor yet, and I'm mostly comfortable. The last two days have definitely found me feeling grumpier than I had been, though. This was the first really hot week we've had this year, the combination of which with pregnancy took me by surprise (with three winter/spring babies, I had no idea how hot I could be!) So, I have been finding myself feeling grumpy and more impatient than usual. But we are so close to the end! I'm excited!

4 June

It occurred to me yesterday or so that this baby is really going to be born, and quite soon (in the next month, anyway). I haven't spent a lot of time preparing for the baby, or for his or her arrival. It has seemed kind of theoretical to me, and with three other children to focus on, it just hasn't been the central focus of my days. Which is perfectly fine, and probably made the time pass faster. But now, I realize, things are going to happen whether I'm ready or not. So we washed some baby clothes, and I lanolized diaper covers last night. I made a lasagna and a great big casserole for the freezer. Some things that I had thought sounded like good things to accomplish before baby are probably not going to happen, due to time and/or cost. But I think the basics will be in place. Of course, there are always the woolies that I've wanted (either to purchase or finally knit) with every baby and ended up telling myself "maybe next time" -- but with a summer baby, there isn't a lot of need for newborn woolies. Ah, well. I have knit a couple of things for this Junebaby of mine and I'll share those here as soon as they are dry from their blocking (happening now).

Tomorrow is my home visit with my midwives, that 36-week milestone that seems so momentous to a homebirther. It seems like once the home visit has happened, everything shifts into watching and waiting mode. (I tried doing a search so I could link to maybe an informational site about what the home visit is but only came up with forum threads. I was trying to explain to someone the other day about the home visit and how it seems like a big deal. Anyway, it's a prenatal appointment that's done at home, where you go over all the details of the birth, with everyone who is expected to be there for the birth. It's kind of an exciting appointment.)

This summer we have a neighbor girl with us during the week, which is such a good thing -- it keeps my kids busy and occupied, and that  is so helpful. And it's contributing a small amount of income for us, which I have to say is much appreciated.

James is going to start baseball at the rec center. He and Fiona will have swimming lessons, and there will be a day camp at our church, too. And then, the baby! I can't believe it. I really can't.

20 May

Hi friends. Many of you have, by now, heard our bad news via the Uncommon Grace Facebook page. My husband learned in March that his contract at his current job would not be renewed for next year. Almost right away, another opportunity fell into his lap. It was a seven-week interview process in a new career field. We felt optimistic and hopeful the whole time. He breezed through the entire interview process until the very last step. We still don't know what happened, but it was not to be. Since then, the reality of the situation -- of facing unemployment while preparing for the birth of our fourth baby -- has hit us hard, and we are reeling. 

Everyone says these things ultimately work out. To keep our faith. We've been inundated with career tips, some helpful and some less so. He's looking at different options, applying for what little is out there in teaching (so very little), researching alternatives. I'm trying to think of things I can do -- with a newborn and three homeschooled kids. An overwhelming prospect. (Perhaps something online. Probably not anything craft-related.)

I know, at the end of the day, we will be "OK", although I'll admit that some days, I don't exactly know what "OK" even means. Sometimes I feel a sense of peace (like right now, which is why I'm even able to write today), and sometimes I am struck with such overwhelming anxiety that I feel absolutely paralyzed. 

My husband has had a long road of career disappointment. He seems to be one of those honest, hard-working people who never "catches a break". The proverbial hamster wheel, I guess. It's hard to see how some people seem to have success thrown at them while others work hard their whole lives only to face disappointment again and again. 

The pictures are of our plum tree, last month. The blossoms were destroyed by snow a few days later. This week, our cherry trees finally bloomed. I meant to go out and take some pictures of them, but looking out the window right now I see that they have all faded. They're so ethereal, like anything in life, I suppose. Things come and go, opportunities appear and fade, and we just have this one life. It's all so big and important, and never easy. 

Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers!

Eleven years old!

Today my firstborn is eleven. Wow, that went fast.

One year and she'll have all the candles in the birthday ring lit! Two years and it will be teen.

I can't even say how I love this shining-eyed, poised, mature, funny girl. Although every year in childhood is one of transformation and change, I have been especially amazed by the change over the last year. While she's still very much a little girl, preferring to play outside much of the time, I have been noticing more and more over the last few months how she is coming into "herself" more. Little comments she makes here and there tell me that she is thinking of herself as more independent ("I like this, I feel that, I do it this way," etc.) and thinking about what that means, to have her own opinions and ways of looking at things. I remember feeling that way, too, realizing that I was me, not just "a kid".

James made this card for her. He instructed her to open it over her head "for the full effect"! 

She's helpful and wise. She is developing more focused interests. She is building friendships beyond "playmate". I'm really excited, if a little nervous, about where she's going. And like every developmental phase in parenting so far, I'm surprised to discover that we are ready for it. It's easy to dread things that haven't come yet, but I am learning that once you are there, it's not as scary. We know our daughter. She's our eleven-year-old, not someone else's. Parenting her has not been "easy" (she's sort of a classic "high need" child), but every step along the way, we have gotten to know her, and we've grown right along with her. I'm proud of her and confident that as she reaches the teen years, our relationship with her will continue to grow and blossom, just as she will.

Oh, Elisabeth. Thank you for coming into our family, for making your daddy and me into parents, eleven years ago. We love you. So much!

1 April

Light snow is in the forecast for tonight and later in the week. But just now I smelled the unmistakable scent of earth and sun and growing things that means spring is around the corner and I'm so excited!

Last week was busy and a little chaotic here. We had a ridiculous comedy of errors trying to get everything done that needed to be. And then we discovered Saturday afternoon that the puppy had destroyed all of my shoes -- and I do mean all of them -- within the preceding 24 hours. She's so sneaky. It's kind of funny but of course not that funny, too, because all of my shoes (and I am not a big shoe person, I only owned 5 pairs total) were expensive. I wear a size 12 and have plantar fasciitis (which is way better now than when it developed 8 years ago, thanks to wearing good shoes), so I have to be careful about what I wear on my feet, and of course, what I can get is pretty limited due to my size. (Being as tall as I am is mostly great, but the challenges come in when you are on the largest size of generally available shoes.)

Anyway, that was a bit of a digression. Friday night found us at our church's always breathtaking Good Friday service. We are blessed with what I am convinced to be the best music director of any church of any denomination I have ever witnessed. In three years, he has transformed our slightly rag-tag group of singers into an amazing choir, who perform beautiful pieces from Gregorian chant, to Thomas Tallis, to contemporary choral works. It's impossible not to be brought to tears with our music director's musical setting of the Reproaches. Being a musician, nerd, and highly religious individual, I fully admit to looking forward to this all year.

Saturday was, as always, a quiet day for us. We did some minimal prep for Easter dinner and then rested in the afternoon. After the alarming shoe discovery, we set out to the Easter Vigil. (One pair of shoes was intact enough that I could wear them with the addition of a grocery store insole.) It was extraordinarily beautiful. Fiona slept for about the first hour, but was up for the rest, and the other two children took turns sitting in the aisle so they could see better. They were all quiet and did beautifully the whole time. The Easter Vigil is long (about four hours at our church, this can vary), but so beautiful and transcendent. I wish I had better words, but I guess this will have to be enough. We got home at about 1:30am, and my husband had to be up at 6:00 to go play in a brass quintet at another church's services!

(Note: I made my dress, based on some basic ideas I saw on DIY Maternity, using fabric from Girl Charlee. I am not going to take full-body pictures of it because even though I like it, I don't feel the need to share full shots of my pregnant self on the internet. More about my rosary here.)

The rest of us spent a slow morning. Elisabeth and I gradually prepared our Easter dinner in spurts, between my resting and the children playing outside with sidewalk chalk and bubbles. 

My husband arrived home at about 1:00, and my brother and his wife arrived at 3:00 for dinner. It was a sunny, beautiful day, so restful and perfect. Keeping it simple and doing most of the prep in advance made it easy for me and my helpers. I never host holiday meals because generally that's the territory of my mom and mother-in-law, but this year it just worked out for us to stay home (with the addition of my brother and sister-in-law). It was so nice. I hope over time to have the chance to host a few more things!

Last night, I got my three overtired children and exhausted pregnant self into our pajamas at 6:00. I read each of them one chapter from their latest books. Fiona was asleep by 6:30, James by 7:00, and I think Elisabeth managed to hold out until 8:00 before falling asleep. They all slept in until 8 this morning, too, so it was well-needed rest!

Well, this is may be my rambliest and most pointless post ever, but I'm happy, so happy, that Easter has come -- I've been so looking forward to it this year! -- and that spring is around the corner. Soon enough, we'll be getting ready to welcome our baby. What a season of goodness lies ahead.

18 March

I mentioned about six months ago that I had finished knitting Ginny's Sunday Sweater for Fiona. Oh, how I loved knitting this, and the finished sweater is one of my favorite knits ever. Unfortunately, all this long winter, I have had a certain little girl who has refused to wear it, or any sweater (whether handknit or not, she just didn't want the extra layer), which was rather annoying to her mama.

However, the tide seems to have shifted (I say, ever so tentatively) and she's been wearing this sweater on cooler days lately. Last week I convinced her to let me take some pictures of her wearing it, and was so relieved that she obliged. (It was snowy but not that cold.)

I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking. Details about the sweater are here. (If you are thinking about knitting this, you should. It comes in a wide range of sizes, the pattern is written in a very straightforward manner, the little design details are thoughtful and lovely, and it's a fast and easy knit.)

Seven Years Old!

{Sorry about the confusion in yesterday's post. Today is actually James's birthday, not yesterday! I was just reminiscing on the eve before his birth.}

James was born at 8:40am on a Sunday morning after only one hour of labor(!). It was snowy, but much like today, not frigid. (I love March snows for this reason. Wet and not too cold.) I still remember those first moments with my tiny boy so clearly. It's hard to believe it was seven years ago!

What can I say about my little man? He's so gentle and empathetic, so willful and strong, so affable and generous. He's sensitive to anything "scary", but he's courageous, too. He has strong boundaries and knows his limits. He's smart and sassy and loud and so much fun. 

Seven years with this boy! I'm so thankful for every one of them. He has pushed me beyond my limits so many times, and we've both always come out stronger. 

I love my boy, more than words can say.

11 March

This moment seven years ago, I was basking in the afterglow of my blessingway and heading out to supper with my husband, my almost-four-year-old little girl, and my friends Gina and Rachel. It was snowing then, as it's snowing right now. The next morning, I woke up and had a baby!

In other news, I have been feeling crabby today, had a slight headache, and snapped at my children. It was altogether not a great afternoon. 

Saturday night, after a long day playing out in the snow (snowmen were made), we made my favorite soup, Pasta Fagioli. Or Pasta e Fagioli for the fancier people. 

My parents used to go to this restaurant ages ago, it reminded me of the type of fine dining establishment you might see in the Godfather movies. I mean, it was really nice, but it was definitely that old school, urban Italian-American feel. There used to be a few of those places in the city where I grew up but they all seem to have disappeared with time.

Anyway. If you went to this lovely little Italian restaurant, they brought you out a bowl of this soup to start. My mom was able to get the recipe by a slightly mafia-esque maneuver (exaggerating! I'm exaggerating!), and now I'm going to share it with you, only slightly updated to include canned beans because I never remember to soak mine the night before. Bad crunchy mama. :)

Pasta Fagioli Soup

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup finely diced onion
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced celery

(We made a double batch this weekend and to save time we used the food processor but oh, it's so much better when you dice by hand.)

4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground black pepper (please take my word for it and don't skimp on the pepper)

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz can small white beans, rinsed and drained (Great Northern or Navy beans)
7-8 cups chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth if you'd like a vegetarian soup -- also, if you use reduced sodium broth, you may wish to add salt to the soup)

1 cup small pasta (tiny bow-ties are traditional, or you can use little macaronis. We had to settle for large pasta this time which wasn't quite the same)

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Make a mirepoix with the onions, carrots, and celery. When they are richly fragrant (about 8-10 minutes), add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Add the basil and pepper, give it a good stir, and then add the tomatoes, beans, and broth. Simmer for at least 20 minutes, preferably longer. 

Add the pasta, bring to a boil, and cook until pasta is done.

Serve with bread, grated cheese, or whatever you like.

Best soup ever.

1 March

We've had a little something going on behind the scenes this winter. Well, "little" in size but big in other ways! 

We have a new baby on the way, due in late June! It's hard to even put it all into words, but we are absolutely beyond excited about this new little one! 

I've been feeling quite awful, as I always do during pregnancy (compounded by my series of colds), but everything is well with the baby and now, past the halfway point of the pregnancy, things are beginning to seem more real. 

With a summer baby, there's not much to be knitted for those early newborn days, but I'm starting to feel the urge to make things for the baby. I started with this little diaper wrap and moved on to booties yesterday. It is so exciting to have baby things on the needles again.

I'm a little amazed thinking that in only four months, we will have someone to wear them!

Four years old!

[neigh-neigh cake!}

{a snowy birthday for Fiona!}

{Jenny's Birthday Book}

She really is the loveliest little lady I know.

Happy birthday to my sweet four-year-old! 

35

Today is my thirty-fifth birthday. First, a little bit of honesty: I have been dreading turning 35, for a long time. Probably ever since I turned 30. It seems silly to say, especially because I'm married to someone ten years older than me. But this was the first age I wasn't looking forward to. (Some people it's 30, some it's 40. For me, 35.)

But you know what happened? The days just kept progressing towards it, and now here I am. 35 full years on this earth. And you know, they have been 35 pretty great years. 

On Saturday, I received a package from my friend Ginny. Sweetest thing ever. I'm so looking forward to starting this next cross-stitch adventure! (Also, she wrote the funniest thing in the card about researching hobbies appropriate to those who have reached "advanced maternal age" [what we've been calling 35 for the last year as we both approached this age with some trepidation], and cross-stitch being the best. So funny.)

It snowed a foot yesterday. Today everything is sparkling and white and beautiful.

Last night, I enjoyed a homemade cherry pie with 35 hand-dipped beeswax candles. (I teach until late tonight, so we opted for birthday celebrating last night.) I blew them out in one breath.

And today I don't feel nearly as bad about being 35. 

22 February

When I was a little girl, every time we'd go to a new physician (which happened a handful of times -- retirements, moves, insurance changes), my mom would say, "Look at my daughter's tonsils. They are the size of large grapes. I don't think they are supposed to touch each other and inhibit her breathing every time she gets sick." The response was always the same: "Well, they are really big, but tonsillectomies have really fallen out of fashion."

Thirty years later, I still get sick more than most people I know. My kids catch a cold or two each winter; Fiona usually throws up a few times. My husband usually catches one serious bug and a couple of other minor ones, but he's a teacher -- he's exposed to "everything", right? It makes sense he'd catch a few more things than our healthy, homeschooled children. But I catch everything. And it lingers and lingers. 

Today, I'm on Day 14 of the worst cold I've had this season (and I've already had a few). It's probably going to progress to bronchitis. Last year, the year before, and a couple of years before that, I had bronchitis that progressed to pneumonia. (I understand and fully appreciate the reluctance to prescribe anitbiotics these days, with more and more antibiotic-resistant illnesses. But it's hard to get anyone to believe me that I probably need them, even when I have been coughing for 6 straight weeks. My children have never had antibiotics, so I'm not a "drug seeker". Ha!)

I don't know if it's really my tonsils. But I do know I have a long and irritating relationship with winter colds. And I am so tired of it. 

Two weekends ago, my husband and I had the chance to go to a nice hotel for a night (we had a gift certificate). My mom had the kids, and we were so excited to spend the evening out, enjoying dinner out, listening to live music at our favorite place, room service in the morning. Within a few minutes of checking into the hotel, I was hit with my cold symptoms from out of nowhere. We ended up staying in, I was asleep before 9:00, my husband had to run out to Walgreens for palliative measures. It wasn't fun. I'm tired of being sick.

I know, this is just a downer blog post right before the weekend. But I've got nothing else. I've spent the last two full weeks in bed, 4 of those days with serious laryngitis. My spirits are down.

I'm going to the doctor today. I hope they can do something for me. We have birthdays next week! I want to be well enough to enjoy them. 

{Oh! By the way! My blog has its own domain name now. You can get here via www.uncommon-grace.com now! The Typepad address still works as well. Please note the hyphen in the name. My "actual" domain is still owned by evil GoDaddy and they want over $4,000 for it!}

5 February

Today is a lovely, sunny, spring-like day. Being a rare day we don't have anything on the schedule, it's also turning into a lazy day.

It's been quiet, most of us on our own today. Elisabeth has been reading and practicing piano, James has been working on a few art projects and playing with his trains. Fiona has been sitting with me on the couch while I study for a test this week. There are so many -- so many! -- dishes to wash, and I want everyone to get outside and play. But mostly we've been having a nothing day, which is a good thing. 

Last summer in my towel post, I alluded to the fact that I have lots of opinions about bridal registries. I was surprised that a few people chimed in about wanting to hear what those were. Then the other day, Mackenzie and I started chatting about it, too. It seems like a funny thing to talk about in this space, since it's not my usual subject matter, but Mackenzie encouraged me to write about it since it's actually an interesting thing to think about. Anyway, I thought I might do a post about that this week. It seems funny and random, but also I think something that a lot of us could have done better back in the day -- maybe some brides-to-be would find it helpful. :)

For now, I'm back to my lazy day.

1 February

Wow! I had no intention of letting a whole month go by without a post. January is a tough month for me (like August) -- the transition times after a school break leave me feeling like we are limping along without a routine. We've also had a series of viruses run through our house. Thankfully, I think everyone is healthy now. Last night I slept with my mouth closed (like, because I could breathe through my nose) for the first time in a couple of weeks. That was nice. 

We've just been quietly hanging out, hoping for snow. It did snow one time in January, this past Monday. We got about 3 inches which was noteworthy for this sad, sad, dry winter we're having. I'm used to having a lot more snow than this! It seems disappointing.

The fun of a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle was discovered and everyone in the family has been variously addicted to working on it. It's nearly complete now (more than in these photos). My husband picked up another one the other day, which makes me grin.

The house is starting to feel a bit more settled. We've been here for about 8 1/2 months. We still need to get things up on the walls. And we need baseboards downstairs. Then there are the big projects that remain -- exterior paint, new windows and doors, moving the laundry room to the basement, updating the kitchen and bathrooms, re-installing the coat closet that was removed to make a shower in the powder room. (We don't need a main floor shower -- or a handicapped toilet -- like the last owners. But we sure do need a coat closet!) Someday there will be a sewing room with egress windows in the basement for me so that one of our children can have the fourth bedroom upstairs, but that's further down the road. And I dream of repairing the fireplace in the family room and putting in an efficient-burning insert. And maybe a small woodstove in the living room, someday. There is lots to do, but I'm beginning to feel more at home just as it is now. I feel that the living spaces are pretty, the bedrooms are spacious, we are comfortable. This house is just the right one for us. That feels reassuring, after the long search, choosing something that needed so much work, and so on. 

In one of the photos above, you can just see my completed Winterwoods sampler in a frame. The matte is too small for it so I'm going to change it out before I take another photo of it, but I am so happy to have it! It's perfect for the living room. 

I think that's about it for today. I'm so happy that it's February. Goodbye January slump! Hello birthday season!

3 January

It's still officially Christmastime around these parts. We keep the decorations up until after Epiphany (I usually surprise my husband by taking them all down on one of his first days back to work after break), and this first week of the new year is quiet for us. We've been reading, playing Christmas songs on the piano (a little me, mostly Elisabeth now), and playing with our gifts. I wrote and sent our Christmas cards -- although late, I figured it was a necessity since we moved this year.

I ended up making one major gift and a few smaller ones this year (more on those later). But what turned out to be the big handmade project this year was something I hadn't planned on doing. A few days before Christmas, Daisy (our puppy) mauled Elisabeth and Fiona's dolls. After I lot of finger crossing and breath holding, I plunged in and repaired their little faces. My repairs were pretty successful, and inspired me to try and clean up all three dolls and make them all new clothes for Christmas. It was a last-minute project and very time consuming. Looking at this picture, I realize Claire and Peter (the older dolls) could've gotten even cleaner, but it was a huge improvement still. Claire got new hair, and in addition to the plastic surgery on faces, they all needed other minor repairs. I was so excited to set them out for the children to find on Christmas morning and they were so happy to see their dolls so freshened up. It was wonderful.

I'm looking forward to a few more quiet days before plunging back into the normal schedule on Monday.

(PS: We did have a little snow -- just an inch or so -- on Christmas morning. It was just what I'd hoped for.)

24 December

Well, we have made it to Christmas Eve. The last couple of weeks have seen me busy trying to do too many things at the last minute, a bit of sickness, and just crazy scheduling. I'm so happy to exhale here on Christmas.

I wanted to write a favorite Christmas books post again this year, and I even took these cute pictures of Fiona with that in mind, but the unfortunate reality is that our Christmas books (with the exception of a few stragglers) have been missing since we moved. I have a dread that I almost don't dare to speak, that they were left behind or somehow lost when we moved. Hopefully, with this week the first that my husband has been off all semester, they might be found in a back corner of the garage or something. We'll have to take a rain check on that post until next year.

Tonight when we stepped out of church, snowflakes were just beginning to fall. It seemed like a Christmas miracle.

Wishing you all a relaxing, magical, peaceful, and very merry Christmas.

10 December

Yesterday we watched the sky expectantly, waiting and hoping for the promised snow to appear. My husband's evening gig was canceled early in the day in anticipation of the storm. But it never materialized. All of the waiting, expecting, and hoping amounted to nothing in the end.

As the day progressed, we were all feeling crabby and out of sorts. The lovely snowy afternoon spent putting up some of our decorations, listening to music, and drinking hot cocoa that I had been envisioning all week didn't happen. My husband took a nap, the children were otherwise occupied, and I was left thinking about my own expectations. 

I was thinking about the things I do, the things we do in our family, during this season, and asking myself (in a moment of self pity) why we(I) even bother. I sullenly thought, "I'm the one doing all the work and I'm the only one who seems to care, anyway." And then, just as quickly, I realized that I do all of this for the same reason I do anything for my family. So that they will have a foundation when they are no longer in my nest. A foundation of faith, a foundation of family, a foundation of celebration, a foundation of seasonal rhythm and observance. 

When I think about the human beings I hope that my children will be, and I consider the things I can do to help them grow into those people, it can seem remarkably intangible and definitely overwhelming. I realize I've opened the door onto a very big subject, one that I can't fully tackle here in this post. But I think the lesson from yesterday for me is that even the rituals that can sometimes feel like a lot of effort, when carefully and thoughtfully put into place, really make a huge difference, whether it seems obvious at the time or not. 

In the end, we did all sit down to a supper of waffles, whipped cream, and fruit. We prayed together around our Advent wreath. The things that really mattered were there. Things are not always idyllic around here, and I do have to adjust my expectations. But I feel that the framework is here, and my family are all working and growing and thriving within it. 

5 December

{Some people have wondered why I didn't finish out November this year. I guess the answer comes down to quantity vs. quality. I know that in blogging, quantity seems to be the holy grail ... the way you get and keep readers, etc. How often you post. But when I'm posting throw-away posts, just to have something up, that doesn't make me happy, it doesn't make me enjoy being here, it doesn't make me feel like I'm accomplishing something worth doing. I'd rather a two-week absence and fewer daily hits than throw-away posts. I've had fun doing the everyday posting thing before and maybe I will again, but this year, it came down to quantity vs. quality.}

Advent is here, and I'm feeling kind of sad that it's a short one this year. I think this year I could use a bit more time to prepare my soul for Christmas. 

But things are underway and they are good. They are beautiful. We're doing a Jesse Tree for the first time and the kids love it. Really, I think it's the thing they've been looking forward to the most each day. I really wanted to make our Jesse Tree ornaments in the vein of Alicia's Christmas ornaments -- large, 3D-ish, stuffed, embellished -- but for three years, I pondered this and finally realized that while I have the ability to construct those, I don't have the ability to do the original drawings. Drawing is not one of my talents. So after spending a lot of time trying to find other drawings that I could adapt into my Alicia-esque Jesse Tree ornaments, and not finding anything suitable, I decided to compromise with myself. Actually doing the Jesse Tree was more important than the ornaments, and late this summer, I found this pattern on Etsy. I like the patterns, and they have even been a good jumping off point for me creatively (I've decided to blend the list with the one in The Catholic Home, so I'm creating a couple of my own designs!) I also decided, in order to get a bit of that 3D look that I like, to put the symbols onto background circles, which I'm lightly stuffing. They are coming out beautifully and I'm really excited about them.

Last weekend, I made our front door wreath with my friend Kim. I love how it turned out, although the hawthorn boughs we used started shedding their needles within an hour of completing the wreath, so there are some bare branches on it. Still, it's beautiful and I don't really mind the look of the bare branches.

We haven't done very much decorating yet, besides the nativity, the advent stockings, the wreath, and the Jesse Tree. We'll gradually add decorations throughout the coming weeks. We've been so busy, so many things going on on weekends, so we'll get to it when we can. It's been so warm (today in the high 60's!) that I honestly haven't felt that Christmassy. I think we may get a dusting of snow this Sunday and I have a feeling more of the Christmas boxes will come out then. For now, sparse and bare is just about right for the season -- lots to anticipate!

Tonight, our shoes will go out before our front door, and for the first time in this house, St. Nicholas will pay us a visit. The simplicity and predictability of our traditions, no matter what the other details of life are at the moment (slow or busy, enthusiastic or a bit uninspired, warm or snowy!), ground us and carry us. I'm so grateful to be able to celebrate in our own special, small ways, with this little family of mine.

19 November

OK, this post is going to make me feel a little foolish. I finished this sweater on Janurary 31 of this year. I had it blocked within two days, and photographed on February 3. I originally uploaded the photos to Flickr on March 6. (I just changed the upload date so they'd show up first in my stream, but they really were uploaded for almost 9 months.) It has taken me that long to make this post. I don't know why. I guess my priorities have just been elsewhere, especially with moving and doing renovations on the house and whatnot.

Anyway. Ravelry notes are here, including the link to the pattern that this sweater is extremely loosely based on. In reality, I made my own top-down pullover using my own gauge and numbers. The only things I did that were the same as in the pattern was the short-row neck shaping and the same type of increases for the raglan sleeves. I used totally different math everywhere else, I added stitches under the arms where there weren't any in the original pattern, and I did something different with the garter stitching on the front. However, it's still heavily inspired by the original. The yarn is Quince & Co. Puffin in Parsley, my most "James-y" color. I love, love this color for him.

I really love this sweater and it looks great on James. It still fits him, thanks to my careful washing and blocking. He proudly tells people that "it's a sweater that can be used as a coat." It's very thick and warm and really is like a light coat for him on chilly days. I'm glad that it still fits him because it's a really useful garment.

There isn't much else to say about the sweater, except I love it.

And I love seeing the snow in these pictures, can't wait for more snow like this!

18 November

Slipping this post in just before midnight, to say... Today was another glorious autumn day, spent reading, playing with our puppy, puppet shows, early bedtimes (for the children, anyway), knitting, hot chocolate, and a movie. So nice. I wish more days could be just like this one.