Half of December

So I sat down this afternoon to write a blog post documenting our December for Aunt L who reads this but does not check-in on facebook.  It seemed only fair she should see the pictures of my beautiful children as she is at least half the reason they dress so nicely.

But, I was constantly distracted.  I can't blame it on the kids because Oak took them upstairs so I could concentrate.  Nope, I'm just that scattered.  I needed to download more presets for my new photo editing program (Lightroom 4), look at pictures from China, eat, install presets, look at SnapDragon's baby pictures, eat some more...

So I only got through to December 22nd.  But here goes...

At the beginning of the month we watched Christmas movies and cut-out and decorated Christmas cookies.

Sweet Pea was more interested in eating than making, and Sunflower spent a good amount of time doing somersaults, but overall a good time was had by all.

Then we spent a few weeks distracted by my dad's open heart surgery which went very, very well and he is recovering from excellently.  It included a few nights in a hotel near the hospital which was fairly fun for the kids in swimming and eating and nice to have my family close by.  Sweet Pea did NOT sleep well away from home and I took no pictures, but in all other ways it was a great mini-vacation.

Finally on December 16th we did two of our normal Christmas activities.

First, decorating a gingerbread house with Aunt J.  She came to our house and brought the kit which means I get to take pictures and play on the computer.

 Sweet Pea spent most of the time coloring.  We didn't trust her near all that candy.

Then on to decorating the Christmas tree that Oak and the kids had picked out the day before while I was at a Christmas party with friends. 

Then the following Saturday we went to celebrate Christmas with the local family from Oak's side of the family.  I love going to Aunt J's house at Christmas; it is so pretty, with lots of lights.  It was an excellent time of great food, good conversation, laughter, and some presents for the kids.

It did lead to the battle of Sweet Pea versus the GingerBread House which I'm happy sad to report Sweet Pea lost after a valiant effort.

She would have won if Oak hadn't stepped in on the side of the house and thus ended the battle and my photos ops.

We returned home after a long and lovely party for me to create the photos that entertained my friends on facebook for weeks.  Apparently bad photography is more amusing than good...why did I think it was a good idea to go for a group shot when everyone (including the photographer) was tired and maybe a little cranky?

And that brings us to the end of December 22nd which was the beginning of a three week period full of family, friends, fun, celebrations, and joy...all of which I have another zillion pictures.  But that post will have to wait for another day.*  Today it is early to bed with the second to last Jordan novel, my husband, and the Hobbit. 

*I cannot promise that that other day will be soon.  Once I start to read the Wheel of Time again, I may not surface for weeks.  My children will go unsupervised and would go unfed if I did not have Oak.  The last novel comes out Tuesday...at which time it may be a good idea to send us pizza...my husband is also a fan of Jordan.
 

I'll Feed You

On the way home from spending New Year's Eve evening with friends, Sunflower was awake after having been asleep for a few hours.  So half asleep she started talking...

Some things about being locked in a room, thinking the clothes was a kitten and finding out that it was clothes, needing a pillow...every thought in her head pops out.  

It lead to the fact that we would be seeing Uncle B and Aunt H this next Saturday and perhaps their dog will be with them.  Now Sunflower is very frightened by dogs, shrieking, climb up walls frightened at times, but she is working on it.

Hang on...I'm getting there.

So she says she does like dogs.  Don't we remember how she fed Aunt H's dog last time it was here?

And we praised her for her bravery and courage.

Then..."I hope Aunt H's dog doesn't die."

Me:  "I don't think she will die anytime soon, but why?"

"I'll miss it." 

Now that surprised us. Sure she loves Aunt H and Uncle B...but their dog...well we don't see her very often.  

So since Sunflower was being so open, I decided to ask her a question.

"What do you feel about Sweet Pea?"

A long, long pause.

Then..."If she grows up to be a dog, I'll feed her everyday."

I don't think she could have made a clearer statement of commitment to sacrificial love. 
 

Favorite Presents

Such a fun, wonderful Christmas!  It was such a joy to be together as a family, complete.  Last year we were anticipating a match with our Sweet Pea in a few months, but we'd been waiting for that moment for 6 years.  Now she is home.  It is impossible to describe the sense of rightness that brings.

Plus I've finally gotten a handle on my external flash and am actually happy with many of my photos this year.  So many great at least to me photos of my beautiful children make me happy...it gives me an excuse to use my Christmas present; an upgrade to Lightroom 4.

But here are my 4 littles with their favorite presents:

Huckleberry:

 Relays for his robot stuff.

SnapDragon:

A DS game Kirby Attack.  He knew it was a DS game all week under the tree, but couldn't figure out which one was left to want.  He was very excited to find out it was a Kirby game.

Sunflower:

It was a bike.  This is as far as she got opening it.  As soon as she saw it was a bike she stopped unwrapping.  Afterall it wasn't put together yet.  Weather wise it will probably be a few months before it gets much use, but she was very glad to get it.

Sweet Pea:

She seemed very excited to realize that the baby she had spent the whole time riding around with and talking to in Costco was now here and planning to stay. 

A very good Christmas indeed.
  

Merry Christmas!

Fun-ish in the Snow

Yesterday we had our first snowfall of the year, just enough to make SnapDragon's school late and cancel MOPS.  Since it was Sweet Pea's first snowfall with us, it seemed a requirement that I take pictures.  Except snow is cold and wet and not much fun to be in if you ask me...and Sweet Pea.

But you can get a ton of pictures in just 20 minutes outside, so here goes.

Oh, what is this stuff?  Is it food?!

 My feet appear to be trapped!

 I'll just explore where I'm at.

 In fact, I'll just sit down to explore.

Hey!  No one said this was wet and cold!

Well, I know how to make the best of it.

 Sunflower: "Kick, kick, kick...snow at Daddy."  Me: "Hey, stop!"

I think this time I'll just look at it.

 Okay, Daddy.  Is it time to go back inside?

 No?

Please?

A few more minutes.

Okay, fine.

It's fun!  I promise!

 You just need to use your...

 Feet...

 ...and Hands.

 Okay, one more try.

 Success!

 Where exactly does this come from, anyway?

 Now, lets go inside!

 Aw, much better.

15 Years

15 years ago Oak and I stood at the altar of the church I grew up in and exchanged traditional marriage vows.  4 kids, several losses, and a few jobs later, I would do it again.  I am immeasurably blessed in my partner in life. 

We would probably use the same song in our ceremony as before also though there have been many songs released since then and this song was obscure even then...but the words are what completes our promises to each other...

I Could Never Promise You
I could never promise you on just my strength alone
That all my life I'd care for you, and love you as my own
I've never known the future, I only see today
Words that last a lifetime would be more than I could say

But the love inside my heart today is more than mine alone
It never changes, it never fails, never seeks it's own
And by the God who gives it, and who lives in me and you
I know the words I speak today are words I'm going to do

(Chorus)
And so I stand before you now for all to hear and see
I promise you in Jesus' name the love He's given me
And through the years on earth and as eternity goes by
The life and love He's given us are never going to die…

(Chorus)
And so I stand before you now for all to hear and see
I promise you in Jesus' name the love He's given me
And through the years on earth and as eternity goes by
The life and love He's given us are never going to die
The life and love He's given us are never going to die
 
Words and Music by Don Francisco, 1977

We also danced our first dance to this song.  As I tell my friends, my favorite song is the song I know.
 

Turn that Frown Upside Down

Somedays it feels like everything is annoying.  I could spiritualize it a little more and say "so much is weighing heavy on my heart."  But reality is I'm just really annoyed.

Some things are actually big issues like my dad's open heart surgery (from which he is recovering very nicely), a sweet lady dying of cancer, and a friend's baby born early, but a lot of little things annoy me, too.  Like babies coloring on walls...again*...,children screeching and crying,  rain, overcast, dark skies, delayed signatures, laundry, laundry, and more laundry, yada, yada, yada.

And while dwelling doesn't help matters no one will let me crawl into the bed and pull the covers over my head.  So lets...

Accentuate the Positive...

Sweet Pea says "thank you" anytime you hand her things...though when my dad gave her a cookie she wouldn't say it until she had tasted the cookie.  Oh, it's good...now I say "thank you."

Sunflower has a very cute fake cough in the hope she'll weasel a cough drop from one of her parents.  She also informed us (after we said something about Huckleberry and chili) that "Huckleberry can't have children yet!  You have to be like 10 or 11 for children."

SnapDragon is looking forward to starting piano lessons after the new year.  And even though sometimes it is hard for him to use self-control when asked to do chores, today after seeing Sweet Pea's drawing on the door he got out the magic eraser and cleaned the door.  He also cleaned the downstairs bathroom tonight.

Huckleberry made dinner and did a ton of chores with me this evening, so now I'll go to bed with an almost clean house.

I did get to my Bible reading plan today after a week of missing it.  

Oak took the girls to Costco this evening so the rest of us could work in peace, but now they are back and Sweet Pea is blowing bubbles in her milk with a straw (which I'm sorry to say makes us all laugh because she finds it just oh so much fun!).  

I am absolutely positive that I have the best family.

How can you look at their sweet, laughing faces and not find a reason to smile?

 * The size of the drawing was quite impressive as earlier she had been brushing the walls with a hairbrush and I confess I did not quickly notice when she switched to using a pencil.