Merry Christmas, 2007

We had a lovely Christmas, with most of the family coming to us in Kansas.....we loved hosting them, creating new traditions, and sharing laughter, music, love, and good food!

(We also missed Katie's family, celebrating in Uraguay)

Flickr Slideshow

I know they are a little fuzzy, but I love the joy in this picture.

They are growing up so fast!

Advent tree

My friend Vanessa and her husband Arlyn designed and created this wire tree as part of a a display in our church. I asked them if I could borrow it over the Christmas season, and have turned it into our advent tree. Each day in December the kids and I add a new snowflake. It has been fun to watch it "bloom." I so much appreciate an advent ritual that requires me to add, to build, to create more....

Thanks Vanessa!

Christmas program at Shalom

It was a beautiful evening. My favorite part was the huge intergenerational, eclectic orchestra who accompanied several hymns and the grand finale of "Go tell it on the mountain." I feel so privileged to be a part of this talented and loving community.



and of course my choir was fabulous!

My little elf

Andy did a wonderful job in his school program, despite his Mother's concern for the explicitly Christian themes in the very public elementary school....when will we learn?

We can't have Christmas until.....

we build the first snowman!

(according to Lydia)

A good day

No pictures today, but I wanted to record some of the memories....

sleeping in with all kids....cuddling until 9!
Aaron's baked oatmeal with blueberries and pecans
sledding for hours in the fresh snow
holding Josie on my lap in the sled
shoveling the walk
family work time (in the basement)
cuddling with Andy by the tree
chicken fettucine (for Lydia)
watching Lydia dance
watching Andy fiddle
sharing the stage with them
singing Silent night from the catwalk
dumping balloons down on the audience

what a good day it has been!

The light shines in the darkness

Tonight we lit candles, prayed, and sang, making a human advent wreath. We all (including the dog) walked toward the center to become the Christ light together.

May the peace of that light spread to all of you.

A sad girl, by Abby

a student who grieves the loss of a child
a friend who misses her mother
the loss of hope
the war growing
death and disease
emptiness
love lost

it is time for Christmas to come

Happy Birthday Aaron

Aaron celebrated by making another traditional Mexican feast. We enjoyed spending the evening with friends-the biggest party we have had here yet!

What I love about Thanksgiving...

walks in the cold, crisp air
listening to aunts and uncles tell stories by the fire
amazing, endless food
soccer and capture the flag
cousins-by blood, marriage, or association
sleeping in
leftover wedding Mimosas
the best pickles in the world
no television
pie-all kinds
laughter
love
love
love

No more shag...

Andy decided today to transition from his 70s shag to an almost 80s cut.

First letter to Santa

Squirrel food

Both of Abby's preschools have sent home squirrel food. New Creation had the kids create glue sculptures for the squirrels, and Abby was thrilled when IT WORKED! She has been scouting the squirrels in our front yard and catching them in the act all week long.

Bedtime cozies

gentle brother









moments of peace









stories of kindness









grateful for the love.

Not the creative type...

Oh, how I admire all of you bloggers out there that are creating homeade wonders and activities for your children. I must admit, this has never been my forte. In fact, according to my personal dna assessment, I am creatively/aesthetically challenged.

However, I recently ordered myself a coat from Lands End, and the inside of the box was a cool Holiday coloring page for kids. Now, this I can handle! I ripped open the box, pulled out the glitter glue, crayons, and markers and the kids went to work.

Thank you, Lucy

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, when the house is empty all day long, Josie gets to go have playdates with her friend and mentor, Lucy Zook Siemens. When I pick her up, she is ecstatic after a full day of play. She crawls into her bed and falls asleep immediately.

Thank you, Ms. Lucy and the Zook Siemens family for your generosity!

Sick

I am so very sick and miserable. There is not much I enjoy about being sick, but there are a few comforts that I want to remember, and that have brought me relief while I lie in my bed.

echinacea tea with honey
Grossmama's garden soup with beef broth
a warm feather comforter
Bert's Bees lip balm
treasures my kids bring to me to cheer me up
Mama's homemade socks
the sound (and smell) of someone cooking dinner
green bean soup from the Breadbasket
someone holding my head or my feet
listening to Talk of the Nation
a steamy bath or shower
extra soft (the expensive kind) kleenex
extra strength Tylenol
a quiet house
slipping in and out of sleep
special snacks brought to my door
staying connected via my computer (because talking on the phone seems to hurt)
lavender oil
flexible work
children who can take care of other children for a moment
toast with honey, cut into triangles
a good dose of pity
a kiss on the cheek

While I haven't received all of the things on this list, just thinking about it makes me feel a little better.

A Poem by Lydia

Lydia
musical, loves the outdoors, likes to help out
animals, likes to read and write
sister to Abby and Andy
lover of Michigan, outdoors, and camp
who feels happy when my room is clean
who needs more free time on the weekends
who fears rollar coasters, snakes, spiders, and
heights
who would like to see all the people real from High School Musical
Chappell Deckert

My friend Josie

I spend A LOT of time in the kitchen, and she is always with me. When she was a little puppy, she always slept across my feet. Today, she still squeezes in between my legs and the cupboards, and she will cuddle up against my feet. It is quite cozy, now that it is cooler.

To do this weekend....Sat night update

I am feeling quite sick, so moved slower than expected and had a longer than usual gathering with friends in the morning. So here is an update on my progress....

-connect with Lydia
Aaron did this-rake some leaves
-start some Christmas baking
Done, thanks to Alco-find slim pants for Lydia
-clean the bathroom
-grade a big stack of papers
Yes, a few phone calls-work on the church Christmas program
Making a dent on this project-lots of laundry
Done-celebrate birthdays
Done-practice the fiddle
Done-grocery planning
Done-try to exercise Andy and the dog
Well, I took one-take at least three carloads to Et Cetera
-re-read Unconditional Parenting
Done-blog about something
Coming later this evening-watch "Shut up and sing"
-call my mentee

To do this weekend....

Thought I would record what is on my mind to accomplish this weekend.

-connect with Lydia
-rake some leaves
-start some Christmas baking
-find slim pants for Lydia
-clean the bathroom
-grade a big stack of papers
-work on the church Christmas program
-lots of laundry
-celebrate birthdays
-practice the fiddle
-grocery planning
-try to exercise Andy and the dog
-take at least three carloads to Et Cetera
-re-read Unconditional Parenting
-blog about something
-watch "Shut up and sing"
-call my mentee

Wish me luck!

A weekend away

Aaron went with his former modmates on a camping/fishing trip in Western Kansas. He was to be gone all weekend. So, to entertain myself and the kids, I decided to go stay with my only Kansas relatives in Lawrence. It was my first time staying at their new, beautiful home, and I had such a wonderful time!

It was a gift to be in a home where there were so many things that reminded me of home......where I was fed, loved, and accepted for who I really am.

The kids enjoyed each other, and we took in the sights of the KU homecoming parade.

Thanks, Ben, Marike, Felix, and Calvin for a lovely weekend. I look forward to many more!

Halloween

We had a wonderful Halloween, blessed with several of our good friends coming over for soup and zwibach before trick or treating. We walked all over the neighborhood and hit the candy jackpot at the college.

Lydia was a spy early in the evening, and then morphed into a rainforest scientist...




Andy and his friends were jedi knights...



And then there was the green witch...

Abby's pets

Abby has had a few important pets this Fall. The first was a caterpiller named Fuzzy. She loved him, and made him a beautiful home in a mason jar, all with home decoration (art on the wall). When he died, she initiated a funeral for him. I walked outside to hear her say, "He was a fuzzy little fella."

Later, at the wedding she collected caterpillers in a cup and came up with too many to handle.....

Dia de los Muertos

In honor of dia de los muertos, we brought out this picture and lit a candle, celebrating Barbara's life. She would have been 59 on October 31.

We miss her presence in our lives.

Trip to Dallas

We spent the weekend with Aaron's family at a wedding in Dallas. We stayed in a luxurious bed and breakfast, with a jacuzzi tub and cushy bathrobes.....




Aaron is an only child, but these cousins were his "siblings." In fact, the bride introduced him as her "third brother" to her new husband. The love, the belonging, the joy was remarkable.




The ceremony was beautiful...all outdoors in the courtyard of the bed and breakfast.



We laughed, we danced, we played, we drank wine and enjoyed wonderful food, we listened to older cousins share stories of those past. It was perfect!






Thank you, Leroy and Janette, and the cousins for embracing Aaron, for such a fun-filled and memorable weekend. We love you!



...and on the way home I got to stop here...