Small Moments

I'm sitting in a local cafe' enjoying a fantastic latte' with my Peanut. She has a vanilla milk that she tells me is excellent. "They makes this really good here" she says. I'm relishing this moment and think, "I need to write this down. To remember her sweet face. To remember how straight her back is as she plays with the toys. How she crosses her little legs, clad in her Christmas dress and winter boots. How smart she is. How often she makes my eyes well up with happy tears."

So, I'm writing it down. Later I'll try to add in the picture I took on my phone. I've not done that yet. My card reader has broken and I can't upload pictures on my computer. That's one of the reasons I'm so behind in posting. So much has happened with these babies--who aren't really babies anymore! But I'm cherishing the small moments.

Commands, Demands, Pressures...

Are you feeling it? That certain "thing" in the air that makes you feel like you can't do anything right/in a timely manner/good enough/special enough? Or the "thing" that makes you feel like suddenly your home is dirtier than usual, the dinners are blander than usual, the clothes are shabbier than usual? The carpets suddenly have more stains and the smudgy windows are more apparent in the winter sunshine?

Well, chuck it! I'm not going there this season! Not gonna do it, and I don't want you to either. If it's causing you stress, don't do it. It's not worth it, and some of it may just be in your mind. You know that no one in your family has starved. You know that your family enjoys the things you make and do for them, and it doesn't matter if it was 100% from scratch. You do the best you can do and they really do appreciate and benefit from it. This time of year is magical on it's own without you having to sprinkle sugar plum fairy dust around! So let it go!

Do your normal daily things. You do them well all the other times of the year and you still can now. Yes, there will be the additional parties, guests over, school events, church events, but take the time to breathe deeply and enjoy them for what they are. They aren't supposed to be status wars, they aren't supposed to be times to showcase the hottest new boots. They aren't supposed to see who can out-do the next person.

This is a time to hold your family and friends closer, to let them all know that you love and appreciate them. To enjoy the magic of the season, which lives in all of us, not on the store shelves.

So. Enjoy it. Sunshine or snow, sleet or slush. Twinkling lights, friends and family and a hot cup of cocoa. Or warm Vernors! Doesn't that sound good? (Don't breathe in when you tip the mug!) Cozy up, hug each other. Happy Holidays--all of them! Love, Peace and peace to you all.

I Haven't Forgotten

Hi! I haven't forgotten this blog is here. It's just been...well, you know. Busy. As it is for us all. I have pictures of the girlies on their first days of school, doing adorable gymnastics, making kissy faces, in Halloween costumes. I have pictures of a silly kitty being cute and naughty. However, my computer hard drive is...full. Yep. Full. I need to do a back up on an external hard drive, but I also think I want to upgrade my flickr account and upload everything there, because we've had hard drives corrupt and the data not retrievable. I'd cry if that happened with pictures. Also, my phone has pictures on it that don't want to upload because of an error. I don't know if that's on the phone or the computer. So. No pictures.

We're already being asked what the girls want for Christmas. They want lots of junk. Mommy and Daddy do not. I'm thinking family gifts of movie passes, museum passes, open gym passes. Leotards! Ha! A cleaning service. :) Oh wait, that goes on my list.

Anyway, I'm thinking about things we can do as a family. I'm thinking about kits of things - baking, scrapbooking, crafts- that we can just pull out and do AND have it be something we'll use. Like a picture frame, wire, eye-screw things and clips to make a hanging art area. Like canvasses with paints and brushes for art work we can hang in rooms.

But who knows. It's so difficult to think about what the girls want vs. need. It's such a trivial thing when we consider the good fortune we have, the needs of so many world-wide and the real purpose for the holiday season.

For now though? Lunch. I have to keep thinking of the next 10 minutes, otherwise my thoughts get rambling. Beware you few readers, of future rambling thoughts! :)

Fairy Land Remodel

Early in the summer, the girls created fairy houses. They divided the area around the front tree into four by planting Marigolds. They made little wreaths, added "shiny things", had shells and rocks, a fairy pool. They planted little bushes (lettuce seeds). It was very cute. But as the summer wore on, the houses need sprucing up. It was decided that they'd make a whole Fairy Land this time. I added a couple touches for them. Here's a sign and an overview picture. (Pardon the Hexipuff on the sign here. I'll explain that later.) 



There is now a main entrance to the Fairy Land, with a gate and an arbor (and another Hexipuff!)




Following the path to the left takes you to the Fairy House, complete with a clothesline (says Goosie) and/or a Limbo line (says Peanut).



The side of the house is safeguarded by a friendly garden gnome, who oversees the garden area, the gazing ball and the planter-pot shelter. It's shadowed in there, but there is a fairy rug which was exciting proof the fairies had moved in earlier this summer! It was very exciting.

 

If you continue on the path, you will come to the dining/kitchen area. The girls made a table and picked some acorns and lettuce bolts to leave for the fairies. Some of the lettuce bolts were gone the next day! The fairies had a nice snack.

 

And last, but not least, Goosie asked me to make a small ball of yarn and needles for the fairies, in case they wanted to sit and knit for a bit. 

*Sigh* I think I could move in here.

A New Family Member

Last week, we went to look in the pet store, as we've done before. Oogled the fish, birds, giggled at the dogs drooling, and checked out the cats. This guy did this to us:


And gave us kisses. I texted this pic to Derek and said "Uh oh". His response? "I get to name him/her." Yeah right. No way are we getting another pet! We're checking out the wild critters, the one picking his lock, the ones that wouldn't come to us, the ones hanging on the cages.

But this one


Just kept being sweet. Then I turn around and my Goosie looks like this:



!? Honey what's wrong?! "I just want a pet! I don't care if it's a dog or a kitty, I just really want a pet!" Oh man. Quick, leave the store, but send a picture of this sweet face to Derek. We leave. I hug Goosie, and Derek calls.

"I don't care" he says.

"Dude!" I say.

"I know" he says.

Sigh I hug Goosie again and explain that we've said no more pets, but this one sure is sweet isn't he? YES! (with sniffles) We all talk about pet care, and both girls volunteer what they will do to help.

We go back in to fill out the adoption paper. We give our 3 personal references. We give our pet history. Oh boy. We get to hold "Axel", who just purrs like mad as I flip him onto his back and kisses my hand more. Home we go.

I worry that I just became "that mom" who gave into her kid because she was crying, but anyone who knows me knows I'm NOT that mom. AT ALL! Even my girls know that! haha :)

Two hours later, we get a call that we can bring him home the next day. So. Here we are, with new kitty, who is officially named Reuben. Like the sandwich. He's a sweet, sweet boy, very smart, loves Derek. hahha!

Sing it, sister!

"I am brave. I am a warrior!"

~Peanut, age 4

Hoppy Easter! In Pictures

Happy Easter everyone! We've been busy preparing ourselves for Easter in all the ways, including, of course, crafting. Here's a smattering of what we've been up to: