Christmas joy...

Christmas day at Tara and John Mike's. Their house is so creative and calming. I can't even express how precious it was to see Sam, Amelia and Echo together. They really,really love each other and had SO much fun. There was lots of handmade goodness flowing around from Robin's calendars to Tara's tie dye to Mama's knitted Gnome hats...lovely,lovely,lovely.




We spent Christmas eve morning at my Granny and Papa's house. I think I'll always remember Sam's complete awe over his train set and Amelia sitting and stuffing a pack of gum in her mouth and looking like a little gopher. Oh my. Mmmmm, and Granny's Christmas dinner. Their tree is always so,so,so beautiful!





We celebrated with the Hunt/Zink clan on Christmas eve eve:) I just love the lodgey, homey feel of the Hunt's living room (and the Hunt's themselves:). We had fun singing carols and (quickly) reading the Christmas story together. Of course, I'll never forget Tim and Shanyn trying on their zip up jammies either!:)



So many moments of joy sharing this Christmas with family. Thank you everyone for making such special memories! Jen

" My twampoline in the Forest"

Amelia is asking everyday now to go back to her twampoline in the forest. Really, what could be more fun? Not much according to her. She just jumped and jumped on this trampoline on the land where my mama lives (thanks to Janet and boys for sharing:) . She kept saying," This twampoline makes me laugh!" Sam loved it too, though he was much more interested in collecting little, white shells in the dirt next to the tramp. Such fun times in the Hill Country!

" My job is to allow their feet to walk the paths of wonder..."

"... to see that they form relations to various things, so that when that habit is formed, they will carry an appreciation for nature with them throughout their lives." * Quote from Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola.

Sitting in my mama's cozy cabin watching the babes sleep on a makeshift bed made from two couches pushed together, covered with many blankets and books and dolls and trucks. I feel so thankful as I look at them sleeping. Thankful to be spending so much time with my family, thankful to be in this warm room rocking away while the rain drizzles down outside. Thankful that the babes have been sleeping so well in all of these new places. Thankful for the new library of rich and enlightening books I got for Christmas...books are such treasures to me. They inspire and inform and encourage and entertain and uplift...oh do I love them. At the moment I am reading one called, "Pocketful of Pinecones" about studying nature with your children. It is written as a fictional story of a mother who is homeschooling her children in the 1930's using the principals of Charlotte Mason. So, the book is meant to be a practical picture of what Nature Study and Mason's other ideals look like in day to day life, but is also a sweet story about a family. So far, I'm loving it. It isn't a great work of literature or anything (I'm sorry if the author happens upon this someday), but it is giving me some great ideas to remember for our future studies.

I guess I'll close for now. The warm fire is making me in a rambling mood and I could just go on forever. I'll just say that we have had several wonderful Christmas celebrations and I have just loved spending time at the Hunt's,at Anna's, at Shanyn and Tim's, at my grandparents, at JM and Tara's, at Bub and Robins, and at my mamas. Such unique and special experiences at each home we get to spend time in!
Jen

Echo D, our baby bee....

is not much of a baby anymore! My cutest niece ever turned two yesterday and we got to be at her magical Alice in Wonderland tea party! It was so much fun and, of course, so creatively prepared by her mama. I love you Echo and am so happy to be your Auntie:)

He really, really loves them...

His daddy's old toy trucks that is:) Shari has a basket full of Joel's little metal trucks from when he was young and Sam is just in truck heaven.

He eats with them and sleeps with them and plays with them all day long. It is really just so adorable and so sweet to know that Joelie loved them just the same when he was Sam's age.

All for now, Jen

She really, really loves him...

Her cousin "baby Isaac" that is:)
Sammy loves him too and is introducing him to the wonderful world of trucks,but he just isn't quite as demostrative about his love. Oh Amelia, she is an affectionate one! We are having a great time here in Texas so far. I would like to see some sunshine, but the babes had a good ol' time splashing in big puddles today with their grandpa Jim so I guess I won't complain:) Hope you all are well and enjoying this holiday season wherever you are! Jen

Swirling colors...

As the snow is piled up outside, we chose to have a art filled morning inside! We were equipped with new paint from IKEA and an art cabinet that I finally pulled together last night in order to have supplies ready and waiting for use. Oh how this cabinet makes me excited for future homeschooling days:) I just love organized learning supplies! Anyway, they had a fabulous time swirling paint and telling each other, "Oh, good job." I overheard that they were painting planes, rainbows, rockets, and cats.


They were very messy afterwards and so I plopped them in a bubble bath and started folding some laundry (yes, we fly out tomorrow for Texas and yes I should be packing that laundry and yes I am procrastinating:). I went over to the tub to scrub them and Sam said, "Get out of the bafroom!" What?! Um, what?! I knew the day was coming when they would want to play without mama getting in the way, but up till now they ALWAYS wanted me near them. To the point where I would complain about it and say that they were not very independent and wondered aloud if they would cling to me forevermore. Why do we always want what we don't have? We do we always want the next stage to come and then so often wish we could go back? They have been playing so much on their own the past couple of weeks. With their cars and blocks and animals and such. Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. Growing up before our eyes.

All for now. The next post will probably be from Texas (where it better be getting warmer for my arrival:), Jen

Ready or not...

Winter is here. Winter is here and every year that we have lived in SLC, I get the same feeling. Dread. Dread of being indoors, of feeling cooped up with two energetic children who are happiest when outdoors. But, again, I have a choice to make. I can choose to worry and fret and dread and feel sad, OR I can appreciate the beauty and get creative about indoor activities and spend a little more time planning our days. I really do set the tone for our days, and the past week or so the tone has been pretty grumpy around here. Snow is sticking and we have been under the weather and, in the worst of times, there has been lots of whining, crying, growling, and picking on each other. But, there have been sweet times as well. I captured some of them and want to remember that there is always joy to be found, no matter the weather!

So, here are some of our best moments this past week:
Venturing out to a friend's house (though we pretty promptly turned around and came home when the whining/crying continued in their house:)

Made a big tent and played in and around it for a very long time.

Made gingerbread cookies--yum, yum:) We also made peppermint, red and green play-doh today!


Practiced skills like pouring their own milk:)

Read lots and lots of Christmas books and sang Christmas songs....precious times!


So, I know it isn't even officially winter yet, but it is for us and these are the memories and quality times I want to keep having together. I know there will be frustration and challenges and that I will be ready for sunshiney days for sure, but I don't want to miss out on the beauty. It's there to found every day, Jen

Sammy Settles in...

There has been lots of movie watching these past few days with everyone around here feeling yucky:( I walked in today to find that Sam had arranged this little set-up with the stools all by himself. He was a little close to the screen, but looked so comfy with his legs crossed and snacks and water set up, I just left him there!

Glimpses of our days...

Here are some video clips of the past month. November was really so mild and beautiful...ahhhh. I did leave in Sammy starting to melt down to confirm for you that it isn't all sunshine and granola over here all the time:) Anyway, enjoy!

"Who made it?"

This is the question Amelia asked as she tried on a new hat I bought today. "Ummm, looks like someone in Peru made it", I answered while thinking what a surprising question that was. Then I smiled as I thought about it and realized that so many things that are special to her were hand-made by people in our family. Their barn and several chairs and trucks and other toys were made by their Grandpa Jim, Grandma Shari embroidered a special pillow case for Amelia and shirt for Sam, she cuddles with a blanket made by her Mammy, her Auntie Tara has made them all kinds of goodness...the list goes on (but does not include their mama--boo!). Anyway, it makes me happy to think that in her mind, "things" are made by people she knows and loves. It's something I hope to keep as a reality as much as possible. Not only with "stuff", but with food as well. Because really, it's a question we should all ask, isn't it?
_____________________________________

For these three blessings...

and many others, I am truly, daily thankful. Happy Thanksgiving to you! Jen

Shhhhhh, don't tell Sammy...

but he is getting a train set from his great granny and papa for Christmas! Do you think he's gonna love it?

I can't get enough of that little voice saying, "Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!"
Jen

Mama said there'd be days like this...

It started with Sammy figuring out how to peel a banana, and peeling about eight of them and smushing them into carpet, hiding them, eating parts of them and leaving other parts elsewhere...all before mama and daddy even woke up!

Then nap time. Let me back up and say we are trying something new at nap and bedtime. No more rocking:( It was taking hours, Sammy started waiting until Amelia fell asleep and then wanting to be rocked but would not fall asleep...uggg. It was frustrating us all, and yet was so sweet at times and I already miss it:( So, I went Supernanny on Amelia last night and took her back to her bed about 50 times before she finally fell asleep around 11:30pm snuggled up next to Sam.

So, nap time today. At the end of two hours in their room, I thought they were so quiet they must have finally fallen asleep. Nope. They were playing with poop. I won't go into details, but it was not for the faint of heart. When I saw the crime scene I burst into tears. It was a bit melodramatic, but what can I say, I was really tired. I shoo them downstairs while I start cleaning their room.

They are really quiet for a while. I get scared. I go downstairs to find them COVERED in chocolate milk powder. It is all over the kitchen floor, cabinet, and themselves. Chocolate is smeared all over their faces. I laugh, because they do look really cute and guilty and what else can I do? Then I see Amelia's feet. They have poop all over them:( I took her upstairs and stripped her down and she immediatley peed on my sweater (that I had ripped off b/c my body heat went way up when I saw poop all over their room).

We get out of the house. We drive to the airport to watch the planes. We laugh and talk and start to feel better. We come home and I write this cathartic post while they stick sticky notes all over the fridge and color pumpkins with markers.

I look forward to an early bedtime so that I can work on a talk about hospitality I am supposed to give on Friday. Our house smells like cat food (?!) and poop and really doesn't feel like an inspiring place to think about hospitality, but beyond the smell there is laughter and there is forgiveness (on their end and mine) and there is hope for better days, and I think that is what home is all about.

Thanks for being a listening ear on this craaaazy day:) Jen

Though this picture is obviously "old", I feel exactly like this right now:)

Moments of wonder...

The other day it was snowing pretty heavily when Amelia came downstairs from her nap. She excitedly exclaimed about the snow and snuggled up next to me on the couch to watch it. I started singing a song and she asked me to sing a different song, "bout snow". All I could think of was "White Christmas" and so I started singing it. I looked over at her a minute later and she was looking up at me with the cutest expression of wonder I have ever seen. Her eyebrows were arched, her eyes were wide and she was trying not to show the smile waiting to burst forth. It was a look that said, " Why have I never heard this incredible song before?!" Even now, thinking back I get tears in my eyes. It was just so sweet and so magical, and it is those moments that make all of the mundane, frustrating, tedious moments (and there are many) of mothering fade away.

All for now,
Jen

Becoming a home...

Little by little, our new house is becoming our home. Ryhthems are being established, play spaces created, new friends made, old friends joining in. I still feel like there is a long way to go before it feels like our "nest", but I am trying to relax and create as I have the time, energy, and inspiration. Here are some pictures of a (unfinished) space I created during nap time...I think they approved:)





By the way, the dollhouse was supposed to be our Christmas present for Amelia, but it was found this morning (Merry Christmas in November, sweet girl!). I happened upon it at a children's consignment shop on Saturday and almost died. It is made by the same company (Elves and Angels) that created one of the barns Grandpa Jim based his design off of to make the babes' barn. The dollhouse was a fraction of the price that the company sells it for and came with tons of furniture. I felt like I had found a secret treasure. If they don't spend lots of time playing with it, I will.

We also opened up the dress-up suitcase yesterday. Amelia insisted on wearing her heels all day today:)


In fact, she wore them this morning as we walked to McDonalds to get "ice cream" (fruit and yogurt parfaits). While we were ordering Amelia said, "Melia would like live here." " Melia have fun live here." Hee hee. I couldn't believe it. It doesn't even have a playground and she doesn't know what Happy Meal toys are and so I don't know what she thinks would be so much fun about it:) She got several smiles as she click clacked around in her fancy heels!

One of the things I am working on is trying to create little times of individual nurturing for them. Sam's is walking to the train tracks every day and sitting next to each other talking about the trains. (Amelia is there, but not really into it:) She is quite the baker and I have been trying to bake with her when she wakes up from naps as Sam always sleeps longer.



So, slowly, slowly we settle in. There are good days and challenging ones, just like in every home I guess, but as we feel settled I feel our good days becoming more frequent and for that I am very, very thankful.

All for now,
Jen

He said, She said.

Sam: Look Mena, there's a plane.
Amelia: Where the plane?
S: I don't know plane is.
A: Where?
S: I don't know plane is Mena.
A: Where?
S: I don't know Mena. (This sequence times ten at least--finally they moved on:)
A: Where Becky? (We drove by friend's house and they weren't there)
S: I don't know Becky is, Mena. At gardens.
A: No, not at gardens.
S. In Texas.
A: No, not in Texas.
S: There a building.
A: That's true. There's a storm plane (?)
S: That's right Mena. There's a storm plane.
A: Where's God?
S: I don't know Mena. We're goin down, down, down (we were driving down a hill)
A: That's true Sambo.

Joel and I sat as quiet as little mice in the front seat just dying with how adorable their little conversation was and not wanting it to end. Their little voices, hearing them figure out how to construct sentences, their affirmations to each other....so precious.

Other funny conversations:
At breakfast:
Sam: This is old (granola).
Amelia: No, not old, just crunchy!
Sam: No, not crunchy. It's old.
Amelia: That's crazy!

In the car on the way to the "Forrest" (park w/ woods):
Sam: Sambo wants to go to the forrest. Sambo wants to go to the forrest. Sambo wants to go to the forrest. Sambo wants to go ....
Amelia: Alright, Alright!!

That's all I can think of for now. Just had to record these while they were fresh on my mind! Jen