how kind you have been to us this year. the slant of the afternoon light through the windows makes me grateful each and every time. the smell of woodsmoke in the morning is heavenly. the twinkle of lights throughout the town brings a smile to all of our faces.
the hustle and bustle i could do without. the necessity of gifts and presents not my favorite.
looking for the meaning at this time of year is good. figuring out how to give the gift of handmade instead of buying well, i love this. finding treasures and supplies in my own studio even better!
you see December, somewhere in the midst of all the flurry and blur you bring beauty. my littlest dons a red and white hat around town. my children want to create more. knit more. sew more. there are gatherings with friends both new and old. places to explore while music and laughter dance in the air. and there is chocolate. i mean we can't forget that.
it's all there. if we choose to find it. the fun. the love. the creative joy. the handmade. the doing more with less. really, it doesn't take much if we put our minds to it. joy knows no limits. giving when least expected is grand.
there are so many places to give throughout the year. this year i have pondered it more than others. the need for help is there even in February. and July. showing my children this really is the gift i've already received this year. a plan to bring into the new year. opportunities.
today i feel excited about the journey into this month. the possibilities for warmth. maybe a meal out. some hot cocoa. something dripping with holiday spirit. fun. how great would that be!
so...thank you December. for all that you have already brought. and all that is yet to come.
This holiday break brought an unexpected visitor on Christmas afternoon. "The fever" hit the first of the four children after a trip to the park and an epic snowball fight. "Twas a mean one too lasting three days for each child plus recovery time.
Our entire vacation has been an adventure of one fever ending as another started. Many pots of soup were made. Loads of vitamin packed fruits and vegetables were turned into appealing forms. Books were read and naps taken. As though to add to the adventure the big daddy flew out of town before New Years to be present for family who needed his help. We are so grateful that he could be there though he was missed. The first turn of the calender year that we weren't together in sixteen years.
Our new years included a quiet evening with neighbors and the children without fevers. New Years day we ate black-eyed peas and cut out snowflakes to decorate the house. The white confetti strewn on the floor proof of our efforts.
I feel as though I have tripped and stumbled into 2013. With so many posts planned and dropped as yet another fever spiked I've had to re-evaluate and be patient. Quiet. Recognizing what is right in front of me. Tend the fever. Stir the soup. Read a pile of books. Tuck the children into bed early. My mantra.
I've loads of things to share. I'm not sure whether I'm happy about the break ending so soon. When was the part where we played? Crafted? Skied? The lazy mornings and pajamas a welcome event, or the only event, as the case may be.
Today we moved out the christmas tree. The lovely lady who stood and sparkled since November 28th. The walls now seem a bit bare but the open space has allowed a bit of breath.
Slowly but surely I will live into the new year. "2013". The feeling of being "behind the ball" will fade. All the children will feel more themselves every day.
Life is, after all, unpredictable and exciting all rolled together. Truth be told I agree with the line in the "Parenthood" movie---I would much rather take the roller coaster of life than the merry-go-round every day. The adventure proves more about who we are anyway.
The snow flakes started to fall with a whisper on Christmas eve. We had dinner and drove the children around town taking in all the sparkling lights as we watched the wipers swish to and fro. It was magical.
Fresh children from baths donned new cozy pajamas, per tradition. Hot chocolate by the fire as giggling filled the air. Stockings were hung and four children were tucked into bed.
We awoke to pitter patters on the stairs and hushed voices discussing whether it was too early to wake us up or not. The big daddy and I wore exhausted smiles. It was, after all, a special day. We tromped down stairs to see what magic had been brought.
'Twas a delightful day. Quiet. Just as we had hoped. Gifts were opened and shared. Our handmade holiday gifts exchanged (more to share later). The children giddy with the day.
Grateful. So very grateful for my little family. Simple was the best part of the holiday season.
Hope your holiday was lovely.
Kellen
***This post we meant to arrive after the Holiday. Instead, I scheduled it for December 28th 2014 somehow. oops.***
As you read this the children are on the floor by the tree playing together. There are books and lego's strewn across the carpet. Dinner cooked, eaten, and honored. Ginger cookies and chocolate for dessert. The sky a brilliant orange with a glimpse of the moon earlier. Holiday break has officially begun! There are projects in high gear. Tomorrow, I suspect, there will be pajamas, creating and lots of play.
We plan to make the most of this time. Wishing you all wonderful celebrations. Thank you for visiting and I'll be back to check in with you next week.
The smell of ginger cookies winds it's way into every corner of the house these days. Our holiday cards have been received by loved ones. The errands are done. Late night knitting sessions by the fire, result in the last stitches. The whir of the sewing machine echoes from the studio. Equal parts wool, wood, and fabric are used to create gifts that get tucked beneath the tree. The arrival of snow and colder temperatures bring wool scarves and snowsuits from closets. The lights twinkle all through the neighborhood. Tomorrow is the children's last day of school and will include an assembly and lots of cookie eating.
The excitement is building. There are many, okay all of us, who can't wait for holiday break this year. Time to play. Time to honor. Time to create and give. Time to sled. Time to wear pajamas all day. Time to work on puzzles while sipping cocoa. Time to be a family.
Yes, I have to say, it's getting mighty festive over here...
Yesterday we awoke to a light blanket of snow on the ground. The children bundled up in warm hats, coats, gloves and snow boots and trudged off to school. I drifted toward the kitchen and the breakfast dishes grateful that the big daddy was on school drop-off duty and the little one was occupied with reading books. Warm water and bubbles filled the sink as I rhythmically dipped each dish in, washed, rinsed, set to dry. The kind of known rhythm that you don't have to think about. Similar to how I feel about knitting...click click click.
The feel this time of year varies from busy, too busy, to calm and quiet. As I dried my hands and thought about what I "needed" to do that day I let my mind wander to what I would "love" to do that day. Just a moment of bliss. I'm pretty sure it included a fire, some knitting, good friends, a latte, a nap...not even in that particular order. Though I ended up doing those "other things" throughout the day, I did think back to that earlier moment and smiled. I realized that sometimes it's just acknowledging what we love rather than dropping everything. Then, who knows, the opportunity might arise and I'll know just what I want to do.
This past weekend we attempted our holiday card picture. You know the one where you hope to get all four children looking in mostly the same direction at the same time. It proves to be a challenge, I mean opportunity, every year. Though somehow in between the "look over here" , "no not at your sister", "smile everyone", "not that smile you imp" I have to laugh. Laugh and know that these are the real moments of family. The things they will look back at and hopefully find humorous.
My three brothers and I were subjected to many, many holiday photo shoots. Although I've frequently wished for the video of between the shots it is something we talk about often. The smiling faces of the four of us forever captured. My mom doing a dance/snapping/arm waving to get us to smile.
The day we chose for the holiday photo was COLD. Red nose kind of cold. The kind of cold that had the children smiling fast so we could get back to the car. It all worked. The moment captured.
The irony of that whole adventure is that I'm finding that my favorite photos are the ones where the children aren't looking at the camera. Rather they are giggling at each other or laughing as the big daddy danced behind me. Those are the photos that really tell the story of us.
It's the moments you see. That is what I want to remember. That is what I will treasure.
Sometimes a gal has to admit when she's beat. Sometimes she has to understand that no matter how far behind she is with posting the only way to remedy that is to actually post something. Sometimes a gal, meaning me, has to just stop thinking and start writing.
So, Hi! It's been awhile. I've been living, and journeying and adventuring with this fine gaggle of four that we have. It's been fun and challenging and just as it should be. Now with birthdays still to share. Adventures I've been on. Holidays with lovely family who visited from afar. It's full. ya know? So full that I've decided to skip it for now. All those stories will still be there and we can visit them another time. Like an old friend that you pick up conversation with where you left it last. That way we can move from this moment. This story. Does that sound good? Yes, to me too!
I've been wondering what you all have been up to. Are you planning, knitting, baking, scheming? I am too. It's kind of exciting to think of those few special things isn't it? We are planning on our family name draw again this year. Third year running and so far it's a hit. Also, I'm subscribing to the rules of gift giving that I've seen floating around the blogging world.
1. Something they want
2. Something they need
3. Something to wear
4. Something to read
It's a sweet little thing don't you think? It's so easy to get caught up in the buyers flurry when you go out into the world. All the twinkling lights, holiday music, puffs of breath seen as you bundle your scarf around your neck...it's easy to fall into the magic and forget that you want to keep things simple. Simple because most days your children can hardly keep the few items they already have put away. <think lego piece in the middle of the night and bare feet---oooouuucchhhh>
I'm enjoying the challenge. I believe it really is more of a challenge to do less than more. Do you find that to be true?
Oh, and this past weekend we hiked up a mountain per tradition and found our tree. Early? yes. Excellent? absolutely. Usually our tree lasts far past the holidays and I have such a hard time taking a living, pine cone blooming tree out to compost. So this year she has more time to flourish. She is officially up and decorated. I'm staring at her while I type this little post to you in fact. And, she's pretty. Some may call her sparse, as most trees from the mountains that would be cleared by rangers usually are, we just call her understated. Decorated with homemade ornaments from years past. I love this more than the most elaborate tree because every piece on it has a story. That really is what this season is about don't you think? Creating a story.
There you go. That is what I'm currently doing. Not what I was doing. Or what I soon will be doing. Rather what is directly in front of me. I'll admit that there is some thought to a dear friend of mine who is due to deliver a beautiful baby girl in the next few weeks and I do think ahead to that. But, who wouldn't right?
As the children are tucked into their beds, dreaming of sleeping all-the -way-through-the-night, I see holiday boxes that will need to be put away tomorrow. I'm listening to the dishwater do its nightly tune and I'm watching the fire dance and the lights twinkle on the tree. I'm grateful for all that is this moment. The season of going inward and tending to the warmth inside.
What are you doing?
p.s. Notice all the questions I'm posing? I'm hoping for more of a conversation between us. Like good friends. I want to know about you as well. What do you think?
His day...was sweet. simple. The morning filled with fresh baked lemon zucchini muffins and a few gifts. The afternoon held a small little "woodland" party for him. Since his sister and brother had gnome and faerie parties years back it seemed only right that my five year old have a woodland animal gathering. He loves animals. Loves being outside. My child who seems so at home in nature and is a master grasshopper catcher.
The couple of friends he invited to his party were quiet and oh-so-agreeable. They were happy to sew little capes and don acorn caps for their dolls. Play games. Eat snacks, especially the squirrel snack of nuts and berries. They adored the cupcakes and were found outside in the yard playing when their parents came to fetch them. It may have been one of the simplest parties we've given.
They went home with a bulb to plant and a wee bear and notebook. All were happy.
My birthday boy spent time at the park biking his next favorite thing to do after catching grasshoppers. We ended the evening with a delicious-daddy-made cake with chocolate mushrooms. A good day.
Now my boy is five and it seems as though it were just the other day he was bundled up in my arms. Oh how time does keep moving.
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