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Fun with grandparents
14 years ago
Friday, December 25, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Brighter days ahead
I have been so busy taking naps, eating the wonderful desserts that friends have been bringing us and trying to protect the baby from six little hands that constantly want to touch her nose and ears that I almost forgot to recognize that this is one of my favorite days of the year!
It's the first day after the Winter Solstice. Starting today, we will be getting a little extra sunlight each day until June 22. After Christmas Day and the summer solstice -- the longest day of the year -- this has to be one of my favorite days.
Oh, I can be realistic and face the fact that spring doesn't come to this part of the planet until late May. But at least the promise of more sunlight gives one hope, doesn't it?
I can't believe we still have two full days before Christmas. The reason I can't believe it is because I have barely done any shopping (I actually only left the house one time and only ventured in to two stores), and yet I feel like I'm ready for Christmas. Online shopping has been my friend.
I'm excited to be at home this year snuggled together with a new baby and our family. I'm looking forward to seeing our kids unwrap their gifts. And although I wish we could be with our extended family, I'm excited to be here, doing things at our own pace.
We have started a few traditions with our immediate family, but I would really love to start a few more. Would you take a minute and tell me in the comments section about your favorite family tradition at Christmas?
Here are a few things that we try to do:
We add handprints to our Christmas tree skirt. I'm having a dilemma though, because our skirt is almost full. I could squeeze this year's handprints on, but I'm thinking I should start a new tree skirt now that we have a new family member.
On Christmas Eve, we get out our Playmobil nativity set, and the kids act out the Christmas story. We also read through all of the pages of our Advent book.
We don't make a big deal about Santa at our house, but we do put out a cookie and cup of milk for him. I love seeing the reaction on the kids' faces when they see the half-eaten cookie on Christmas morning.
We open gifts first thing in the morning. When I was a kid, my parents would let us get up at 4 a.m. to open gifts. We usually wait until 6:30 or 7 a.m., but we definitely do it first thing.
I also like to have cinnamon rolls for breakfast. I need to find a good recipe to make them from scratch.
Since it's just our family here on Christmas Day, I'm trying to decide what type of meal I should make. I'm also starting to think about what we should do on Christmas Eve.
What are your family traditions? I would love some creative ideas!
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It's the first day after the Winter Solstice. Starting today, we will be getting a little extra sunlight each day until June 22. After Christmas Day and the summer solstice -- the longest day of the year -- this has to be one of my favorite days.
Oh, I can be realistic and face the fact that spring doesn't come to this part of the planet until late May. But at least the promise of more sunlight gives one hope, doesn't it?
I can't believe we still have two full days before Christmas. The reason I can't believe it is because I have barely done any shopping (I actually only left the house one time and only ventured in to two stores), and yet I feel like I'm ready for Christmas. Online shopping has been my friend.
I'm excited to be at home this year snuggled together with a new baby and our family. I'm looking forward to seeing our kids unwrap their gifts. And although I wish we could be with our extended family, I'm excited to be here, doing things at our own pace.
We have started a few traditions with our immediate family, but I would really love to start a few more. Would you take a minute and tell me in the comments section about your favorite family tradition at Christmas?
Here are a few things that we try to do:
We add handprints to our Christmas tree skirt. I'm having a dilemma though, because our skirt is almost full. I could squeeze this year's handprints on, but I'm thinking I should start a new tree skirt now that we have a new family member.
On Christmas Eve, we get out our Playmobil nativity set, and the kids act out the Christmas story. We also read through all of the pages of our Advent book.
We don't make a big deal about Santa at our house, but we do put out a cookie and cup of milk for him. I love seeing the reaction on the kids' faces when they see the half-eaten cookie on Christmas morning.
We open gifts first thing in the morning. When I was a kid, my parents would let us get up at 4 a.m. to open gifts. We usually wait until 6:30 or 7 a.m., but we definitely do it first thing.
I also like to have cinnamon rolls for breakfast. I need to find a good recipe to make them from scratch.
Since it's just our family here on Christmas Day, I'm trying to decide what type of meal I should make. I'm also starting to think about what we should do on Christmas Eve.
What are your family traditions? I would love some creative ideas!
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Saturday, December 19, 2009
You haven't seen Christmas cookies like this before
The past 19 days have been a blur. A comfy, cozy, cuddly, sleep-deprived blur.
The days and nights are a never-ending cycle of naps, feeding baby, changing diapers and staring into deep dark baby eyes, sprinkled with home school, taking turns holding baby and trying to sneak in a shower sometime before bed.
On Friday, I looked at the calendar and realized Christmas was a week away. I have only left the house twice since coming home from the hospital to attend the Christmas programs of the kids.
I haven't wrapped a gift. Or purchased a gift. Or baked a cookie. Or read the Advent book. Or purchased Christmas cards. Or even located the Christmas music.
So, I went online and made a few purchases. I found the Charlie Brown Christmas CD. And I sent my husband to the store to get some ingredients for cookies.
While I was holding and feeding baby, I asked CapableDad to make some cookies with the kids. I gave him a simple recipe: Holiday Wreath Cookies.
They are basically Rice Krispie Treats, but made with corn flakes and green food coloring.
I couldn't believe how they turned out!
The recipe said it would make 18 cookies. They managed to make 10. Have you ever seen Holiday Wreath Cookies that looked quite so... so... um... so... gloppy?
They were soooo gooey. And green! And wow! That was a lot of red hots!
They were definitely the best wreath cookies I have ever tasted. The bright green marshmallows were stuck to our fingers and hair afterward. Really? How can you go wrong with a recipe involving marshmallows, cereal and butter?
I immediately ate three, which would have been six cookies of the normal size. I'm saving the rest for breakfast.
I just showed my husband the cookies in the photo.
"Ohhhhhhh," he said. "So, THAT is what they were supposed to look like?!"
Um. Maybe I should have let him see the picture in advance.
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The days and nights are a never-ending cycle of naps, feeding baby, changing diapers and staring into deep dark baby eyes, sprinkled with home school, taking turns holding baby and trying to sneak in a shower sometime before bed.
On Friday, I looked at the calendar and realized Christmas was a week away. I have only left the house twice since coming home from the hospital to attend the Christmas programs of the kids.
I haven't wrapped a gift. Or purchased a gift. Or baked a cookie. Or read the Advent book. Or purchased Christmas cards. Or even located the Christmas music.
So, I went online and made a few purchases. I found the Charlie Brown Christmas CD. And I sent my husband to the store to get some ingredients for cookies.
While I was holding and feeding baby, I asked CapableDad to make some cookies with the kids. I gave him a simple recipe: Holiday Wreath Cookies.
They are basically Rice Krispie Treats, but made with corn flakes and green food coloring.
I couldn't believe how they turned out!
The recipe said it would make 18 cookies. They managed to make 10. Have you ever seen Holiday Wreath Cookies that looked quite so... so... um... so... gloppy?
They were soooo gooey. And green! And wow! That was a lot of red hots!
They were definitely the best wreath cookies I have ever tasted. The bright green marshmallows were stuck to our fingers and hair afterward. Really? How can you go wrong with a recipe involving marshmallows, cereal and butter?
I immediately ate three, which would have been six cookies of the normal size. I'm saving the rest for breakfast.
I just showed my husband the cookies in the photo.
"Ohhhhhhh," he said. "So, THAT is what they were supposed to look like?!"
Um. Maybe I should have let him see the picture in advance.
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Friday, December 18, 2009
A star is born...
For five of the past six years, one of our three older children has attended the same preschool.
Every December, they put on the same Christmas program. It's a sweet little re-telling of the Christmas story with the 3- to 5-year-olds singing songs like, "Bells are Ringing", "Happy Birthday, Jesus", and "What Did the Cow at the Manger Say?". (OK, that's not really the title of the song, but anyway...)
Each year, the classes are divided up into two groups: half are angels and the other half are shepherds. A few select students are chosen to play the roles of the angel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph and the three wisemen.
Our oldest son was an angel two years in a row. Our second son was an angel one year and then a shepherd.
Oh, but this year? THIS YEAR?!?!
Oh, yeah. Guess who was Mary?
Could I possibly have been more proud of my preschooler?
And Joseph was played by none other than her buddy from church. OK. I know it's hard to imagine that two little actors who have zero lines could actually put on more than the same average performance of every Mary and Joseph from year's past.
But I must tell you that these two were fabulous.
They took their job very seriously. They rang their bells right on cue.
They hopped on their broom horse when they were supposed to.
They pulled out the doll baby Jesus and placed him in the manger without any reminders.
They remembered all of their sign language motions for the songs. They sang loud and clear. Very loud. And very clear.
And they even added a few of their own motions to jazz up some of the songs.
It was the best. Christmas. pageant. EVER. OK... at least I thought so. And I could be a little biased. Just a little.
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Every December, they put on the same Christmas program. It's a sweet little re-telling of the Christmas story with the 3- to 5-year-olds singing songs like, "Bells are Ringing", "Happy Birthday, Jesus", and "What Did the Cow at the Manger Say?". (OK, that's not really the title of the song, but anyway...)
Each year, the classes are divided up into two groups: half are angels and the other half are shepherds. A few select students are chosen to play the roles of the angel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph and the three wisemen.
Our oldest son was an angel two years in a row. Our second son was an angel one year and then a shepherd.
Oh, but this year? THIS YEAR?!?!
Oh, yeah. Guess who was Mary?
Could I possibly have been more proud of my preschooler?
And Joseph was played by none other than her buddy from church. OK. I know it's hard to imagine that two little actors who have zero lines could actually put on more than the same average performance of every Mary and Joseph from year's past.
But I must tell you that these two were fabulous.
They took their job very seriously. They rang their bells right on cue.
They hopped on their broom horse when they were supposed to.
They pulled out the doll baby Jesus and placed him in the manger without any reminders.
They remembered all of their sign language motions for the songs. They sang loud and clear. Very loud. And very clear.
And they even added a few of their own motions to jazz up some of the songs.
It was the best. Christmas. pageant. EVER. OK... at least I thought so. And I could be a little biased. Just a little.
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Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Christmas Tour of Homes
It's been fun looking at all of the beautifully-decorated houses that are part of the Christmas Tour of Homes this year. More than 1,000 bloggers have joined the carnival, hosted by The Nester, to show off their holiday decor.
I've been wishing I could participate, but, honestly, with our fourth child born on Dec. 1, I'm just happy we even put up our Christmas tree this year.
I didn't bother to get out the nativity set, the Christmas village, the outdoor lights or even the wreath for the front door.
When you walk in our home, you are greeted by this most days.
It's like we have a volcano in the center of our living room that spits out coats, boots and gloves.
But, that's OK. We're all snuggly and warm inside, especially when we get to cuddle up with this precious gift that came to our home this month.
I used to be very picky about how we decorated our Christmas tree. I would carefully hang glass balls and ornaments that looked like jewelry. This year, we gave the kids one small box of ornaments -- most of them made by their own little hands in preschool -- and let them hang them wherever they wanted.
It's not beautiful. But we don't care. We're all too preoccupied with this sweet bundle of joy.
In past years, I draped my dining room table with a pretty table cloth and set in the middle a glass bowl full of ornaments. This year, our dining room table is cluttered with books, paper and pencils we use to do home school.
And that's OK. Because we're all learning how to take care of a baby, enjoy the moments and live at a slower pace.
Our home is not decorated with pretty things this year. We don't have piles of gifts under our tree. But we couldn't be happier.
And really? What could be more beautiful?
** To see more homes taking part in the Christmas Tour of Homes, head over to The Nesting Place. **
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I've been wishing I could participate, but, honestly, with our fourth child born on Dec. 1, I'm just happy we even put up our Christmas tree this year.
I didn't bother to get out the nativity set, the Christmas village, the outdoor lights or even the wreath for the front door.
When you walk in our home, you are greeted by this most days.
It's like we have a volcano in the center of our living room that spits out coats, boots and gloves.
But, that's OK. We're all snuggly and warm inside, especially when we get to cuddle up with this precious gift that came to our home this month.
I used to be very picky about how we decorated our Christmas tree. I would carefully hang glass balls and ornaments that looked like jewelry. This year, we gave the kids one small box of ornaments -- most of them made by their own little hands in preschool -- and let them hang them wherever they wanted.
It's not beautiful. But we don't care. We're all too preoccupied with this sweet bundle of joy.
In past years, I draped my dining room table with a pretty table cloth and set in the middle a glass bowl full of ornaments. This year, our dining room table is cluttered with books, paper and pencils we use to do home school.
And that's OK. Because we're all learning how to take care of a baby, enjoy the moments and live at a slower pace.
Our home is not decorated with pretty things this year. We don't have piles of gifts under our tree. But we couldn't be happier.
And really? What could be more beautiful?
** To see more homes taking part in the Christmas Tour of Homes, head over to The Nesting Place. **
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Tuesday, December 15, 2009
I'm a fan of...
If you are on Facebook, you probably know you can become a "fan" of lots of different things: stores, potato chips, restaurants, TV shows.
My teen-age nephew and niece always make me laugh because they become fans of the most hilarious things. Many of them you can only truly appreciate if you are in high school, I'm sure:
Well, I've been finding myself becoming a "fan" of a lot of things lately, too.
First, there are the things that I took for granted before I was pregnant.
I'm now a huge fan of:
And since we brought Miss Baby home from the hospital, I've really become a fan of a lot of things:
And mostly...
I'm a fan of cute little bald babies who wear a pink hat when they sleep.
What about you? What are you a fan of right now? Do you ever stop to become a fan of something you once took for granted?
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My teen-age nephew and niece always make me laugh because they become fans of the most hilarious things. Many of them you can only truly appreciate if you are in high school, I'm sure:
- Having a 100% sarcastic conversation with someone who thinks you're serious.
- Why learn algebra? Finding X is only useful if you're a pirate!
- When teachers get off track and tell you stories about their life
- Teacher's call it copying?? we call it TEAMWORK
Well, I've been finding myself becoming a "fan" of a lot of things lately, too.
First, there are the things that I took for granted before I was pregnant.
I'm now a huge fan of:
- Sleeping on my stomach
- Tying my own shoes
- Painting my toe nails
- Walking in high-heeled shoes without feeling off balance
- Walking, period
And since we brought Miss Baby home from the hospital, I've really become a fan of a lot of things:
- Sleeping more than two hours in a row
- Taking a shower before Noon
- I just changed your diaper, did you seriously poop again?
- Accomplishing anything in a 24-hour period
- Getting my sense of humor back
- Awesome friends who bring us dinner
- Driving myself where I want to go (I'm not supposed to drive for two weeks after leaving the hospital)
- Giving my husband a list and being pleasantly surprised when he comes home with everything I wanted
And mostly...
I'm a fan of cute little bald babies who wear a pink hat when they sleep.
What about you? What are you a fan of right now? Do you ever stop to become a fan of something you once took for granted?
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Friday, December 11, 2009
Love sick
I have a confession to make.
Everyone in this house has gone a little crazy. We're all love sick.
Our big excitement of the day revolves around this little person and her nap schedule. When she wakes up, it's a mad dash to look at her.
The kids keep one ear on her "walkie talkie" (the baby monitor), waiting for it to light up with the sounds of being awake.
They are starting to learn how long she typically sleeps and that she rarely stays awake more than an hour. It's fun to hear my oldest son do the math, "Let's see... She woke up at 1, and it's 2 now. She's probably ready for her nap."
They wait for her to sleep, eat, and get her diaper changed. Then, we start passing her from one person's arms to the next.
I'm the lucky one. When she gets fussy or tired of being held by little arms, I can use my magical mommy touch to quiet her. I feel so blessed that she just knows she is with mama again.
Our second born probably has it the worst.
"Oooooohhhhhh, she's soooooo cute!" he says. "I just love her soooooo much!"
Oh, yeah. She's got us. We can't get enough of her.
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Everyone in this house has gone a little crazy. We're all love sick.
Our big excitement of the day revolves around this little person and her nap schedule. When she wakes up, it's a mad dash to look at her.
The kids keep one ear on her "walkie talkie" (the baby monitor), waiting for it to light up with the sounds of being awake.
They are starting to learn how long she typically sleeps and that she rarely stays awake more than an hour. It's fun to hear my oldest son do the math, "Let's see... She woke up at 1, and it's 2 now. She's probably ready for her nap."
They wait for her to sleep, eat, and get her diaper changed. Then, we start passing her from one person's arms to the next.
I'm the lucky one. When she gets fussy or tired of being held by little arms, I can use my magical mommy touch to quiet her. I feel so blessed that she just knows she is with mama again.
Our second born probably has it the worst.
"Oooooohhhhhh, she's soooooo cute!" he says. "I just love her soooooo much!"
Oh, yeah. She's got us. We can't get enough of her.
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