Anti- Perfectionist Christmas

This year I have let go of the inner perfectionist a bit and it is so liberating. :)  See my stocking hangers with yet again no photo inside (5 years?), usually I hang three but couldn't find the third and didn't bother to look for it (though I have all the stockings).  One thing I love about Christmas is that decorations don't have to be perfect because they are temporary!  I love how homey and cozy my house feels, especially at night, during the Christmas season. 

My hubby, who has been a little distressed by my attitude this year, has taken on the role of perfectionist in my place.  He spent some good time creating a Christmas letter like this classy vintage example and it looked fabulous (I was going to send the photo card out without a letter, this was heresy in his mind, so he took over the job, which in fairness, he did last year too).

In place of neighbor gifts, we got together as a neighborhood and donated to a charity.  This has been a relief, though I do love giving neighbor/friend gifts and hope to be back up to the task at some point in the future.

For a fun tradition we did last year, called "Gift from the Heart," see this post.  It was such a good experience we are doing it again this year (late as usual).

 The tree with no star and eclectic ornaments and a line where our arms could no longer reach.  With no presents underneath the tree yet.  Normally we try to get them wrapped in advance for increase of anticipatory childish delight, but we've been behind this year.

 One of my favorite ornaments, an egg we bought in Prague at the Christmas markets when Isa was a baby.  And note the gold-ish plastic ornament we paid pence for :) in England when K was a baby; we didn't have hooks so we used paper clips which are still in use.

 I love all the ones with photos on them!  Cute sideways smile.  So fun to see how they've grown, though it makes me sad, too.

We get ornaments from family in Maine each year, these are some of my favorites too.

 Vintage decorations that were my grandmother-in-laws. :)  And some seconds we bought at the Spode factory in Stoke-on-Trent.  And quintessential Dickens.

 This is what my living room looked like on one busy day this month.

While little ones play happily, oblivious to the mess.

My very favorite decoration, given by my mother-in-law the Christmas before she passed away.

What are your favorite traditions?  Do you have a pretty tree or an eclectic tree like we do?  Or maybe you can pull off pretty and eclectic? 

Happy Birthday to Me

This picture just makes my heart melt.  And my frosting.  And my candle wax.  And just in case you are wondering, those cute little sticking out candles correctly represent my age-- the big 3-6.

I've been having a little mini mid-life crisis (nothing major, I promise) over the last few months, though I haven't mentioned it to anyone.  I have never had a mid-life crisis before, this is a first for me. :)

Up until this year, I always told myself that relatively speaking, I was still young (and still am! I hope to live to a ripe old age).  That I have lots of opportunities still ahead.  And I have reminded myself of all the people who have accomplished important things in their 30's and beyond (this woman inspires me!).  But for some reason, turning that leaf over into the upper 30's has had me panicking a bit.

It doesn't help that I have started having arthritis in my hands.  I wondered why my joints frequently felt achy and stiff until it hit me that I am already getting arthritis.  Ug!  Already?

But seeing my kiddos being so sweet and thoughtful makes me realize that it has all been worth it.  (remember last year?)  Aren't they so sweet?



Here for your laughing pleasure, a poem I wrote the night before my 30th birthday.  I never have been able to tweak it quite enough to like it (except for the end), but you get the picture. :)  Any suggestions appreciated, as always.  :)


On the Eve of My Thirtieth Birthday

I held you till you fell asleep

Your little body curled up to mine--

Still.

Then, reluctant arms

Put you to rest;

I looked over to

Your sister, sleeping

Like an angel

In her three year-old

Dreams.

When I looked in on

The big(ger) boy,

His legs propped like the poles of a tent,

Red cheeks from the uncomfortable heat

Of winter colds.

I held his hand for a minute

Or fifteen,

Smoothed his soft-straw hair,

Remembering our

Buddy-hood.

Felt his little heart beating in his chest,

Remembering the first time I heard

That sound,

An inauguration into the most

Beautiful

Awe

Of Motherhood.

Life Lately

I've been so busy!  New calling and a busy time of year!  But it's a busy good.  I've actually really, really simplified this year.  Or just really lowered my standards. :) It has been such a relief.   Going to blog about it some time before I die.  But not today, because my photos are uploading so slowly.  Even with the simplifying or the lowering my standards down to the bottom of the barrel, my feelings of peace alternate with mild panic attacks.  Prepping Christmas, especially with five kiddos, is a big deal. 


Went to see downtown all decked out for Christmas.  A cold but enjoyable night!  The kids loved riding the train.  :)


Aunt time over Thanksgiving.  This one is a precious commodity since we don't get to see her much.


This little zombie bookmark has been sitting around since Halloween until I recently put him away.  He makes me smile.  So cute!




Somebody got strep.  Poor girl.


Sick.  We got to have a quiet Sunday afternoon nap together.  You all know how good I must have looked.


First time to the Symphony.  It was magical!  The little girl on the right had a skip to her step and kept smiling.  She probably enjoyed being in the city at night.  We got seats on the highest balcony, and she ate it up.  Didn't hurt that they were playing Debussy and Ravel.  Ahhhh... It was so beautiful. It was a bunch of classy elderly people and....us.  Just to be fair, we got fussed over a couple of times by said older people, some of whom drew in a sharp breath of surprise when they found out it was this girl's first time to the symphony.  And we got super cheap seats ($9, right?) through Travelocity (what?  seems a little weird, but I'll take it).  Great even though two of us were sick.



Simplifying by making ginger people (this one is literally a ginger person...just for you Tia) instead of a house this year.  Was easy--my husband bought kits and the big kids each decorated their own with very little help.  Fun memories.

What is one of your Christmas traditions? 

Thanksgiving Number 1, Part 1

I have been putting off posting my Thanksgiving photos because I have been too busy to sort through and edit them.  But still feeling a little sad over the weekend's news, I remembered that many of the Thanksgiving photos were of my six year-old.  Been feeeling extra thankful for all these little ones.  Enjoy some photos of just plain old childlike play-- they are therapeutic for me. 

Are you ready for Christmas?  I've sure enjoyed this busy but wonderful time of year.

I found these girls anxiously awaiting the arrival of their dad, with all their self-packed things.

A little boy in heaven at Grandpa's farm with train in hand.

 In Grandpa's new self-made greenhouse.  It was nice and toasty warm and my kids were fascinated with it.  Notice they took toys and coloring things because they wanted to play inside.  I love these photos of childlike, quiet play, without realizing they were being observed.

 Don't be jealous of how glamorous I look when I sleep.  Ug.  Thanks to my hubby, I got a nap on Thanksgiving!  He helped with the cooking, too.  Is there anything hotter than a man in the kitchen? 

I heard some muffled cries for help.  They had gotten locked in. 

More to come later! 

Our Hearts Are Broken

For the dear families who lost loved ones in last Friday's tragedy.  Our hearts and prayers go out in love and support to those affected.   Have cried more than I'd like to admit-- it's a little close to home with all the little ones around here who are so dear to me.  

I'm inspired by this video of one girl's father. 

In honor of his family, and all others affected, I'd like to dedicate this month's charitable donation to the victims of this terrible tragedy.  If you'd like to join, here are two links:  Sandy Hook School Support Fund (through United Way) and the Emilie Parker Fund (to help defray costs for family of the young girl mentioned in the video, to be buried in their home state of Utah).

Baby Dancing

I have been looking for this video I took of the baby, around Halloween time-frame-ish, and finally found it!  I have been trying to capture his little dance moves for a long time and this one does the trick.  Don't you just love baby dancing?  I love it.

This video is only 39 seconds.  Enjoy!



We've been a little under the weather around here, how about you?

Funny Little Sayings, Take 22

Some funny little sayings around here lately.

E., who is now 19 months (not fair, going too fast I tell you), and who has never been interested in more than a lick of TV (5 minutes his whole life), has suddenly become obsessed with Bob the Builder.  He usually finishes out the night in our bed, or I finish out the night on the floor next to his bed, so I know the first things that come out of that little cute mouth.  One morning, while he was still in the act of sitting up, bleary-eyed, he said: “Bob!  Maia.”  Then he ran breathlessly off to his sister’s room, found her in bed and said “Maia!  Bob!  ‘Mon! (come on!)” with the cutest little fingers- curling-toward-his-little-chubby-wrist gesture.  He has learned to enlist his sisters any time he wants to watch “Bob,” which is a lot.  The morning after his first Bob awakening, the first thing out of his mouth was “YEH HE TAN! ("yes he can!" from “can he fix it?  Yes he can!”...said right before he tumbled off the bed to go find his sister)  Right now he swaps out all his “c” sounds for “t” sounds, so car is “tar,” you get the picture.  It is so stinkin’ cute. 

My three year-old had a dream that she grew a mustache and couldn’t remove it.  Then she ate a red  tortilla chip and her whole body turned red (not her clothes, she said with great emphasis, just her skinnn).   She turned purple when she ate a purple chip; even the underside of her tongue was purple.  This is the same child who just asked for a bow and arrow for her birthday (more later this week). :)

This same three year-old, taking a cue from her older sister, asked for a pony for Christmas.  When I gave her the same answer I had given her sister (maniacal laugh), she said "okay, then, I'll take a baby horse.  Not a wicked (she is the one who added the emphasis, not me) baby horse, a nice baby horse, that I can ride on." (where in the world did she learn the word "wicked"?)

This very same girl, just last night, prayed that she wouldn't have any bad dreams-- she prayed that she would only have dreams about something cute or funny.  Just moments before, in our family prayer, she prayed that her tooth wouldn't "get blood."  Thats it, the end.  The bloody tooth was the whole prayer. (sisters with minor flossing trauma a few minutes beforehand)

My nine year-old is getting over a case of strep throat, poor girl.  When we drove to the pharmacy, she noticed a new building being erected.  She asked me what it was for.  Then she said, “don’t they know they are killing like 40,000 animals?  ……Including the fleas?”  I didn’t know that she cared about the plight of animals or fleas, for that matter, or connected the dots in regards to building and animals, but I was pretty impressed. (maybe she witnessed me hyper ventilating when we went for a beautiful drive along some wetlands and saw a bunch of duck hunters carrying whole giant burlap bags full of dead ducks!  I couldn't handle this sight--ducks?  Why ducks?  But not to worry, gatekeeper man told us, there is a plethora of ducks because we are taking all of their habitats, so they would be dead anyway....stab me to the heart, why don't ya?  Ducks?  I love ducks!  Go ahead and kill the deer (with moderation, mind you, and then only if you are going to eat them), but not the ducks!  My husband had a good laugh at my expense, seeing as this was my first time even realizing that real, modern people hunted ducks by the dozen like that)

I'm kind of a softie when it comes to killing things (see here.)