(In no particular order!)
1. Owen running around like crazy with the free ranging chickens. Especially when he was getting chased by Peepers. Hilarious!
2. Ara eating literally ANYTHING you put in front of her, notably garden tomatoes off the vine, beans, and her current favorite mandarins from Graham's Pear Shed.
3. Owen trying new foods recently, somewhat motivated by the bribe of Chris or I doing a backwards somersault. (Corn, salmon, fresh fruit!!!)
4. Meeting James Taylor. Yes. Oh yes. That happened this year. It was AMAZING!!! I kissed his cheek, talked to him, and sat next to him for 15 minutes. In case you missed out on knowing that tidbit of information. AND I've been mildly obsessed with him for 15+ years. So....
5. Traveling around California: Tahoe, Cisco Grove, Morro Bay, Bodega Bay, Escondido, San Diego, Disneyland, Glamis.
6. Owen shining through his hospital stay, making it through like a champ, and having so many family members and friends holding our hands and hearts the whole way.
7. Starting monthly dinners out with Chris and I. We have a fantastic sitter JUST for this purpose. It is quite fun to go anywhere just us!
8. This year Ara crawled and walked for the first time, and now runs and dances everywhere. Witnessing the developing child is just mind-boggling sometimes!!
9. Cousin time! Owen and Ara have had so much fun playing with their cousins Zoey, Mat, Elise, Ava, and Lily this year. Tahoe and Morro with Aubins and Disney with Mat was a magical experience for all. Hearing Zoey say A.Mae and Owen for the first time was super special!
10. All of the time spent with our close family. We have created so many memories this year with our family and we are beyond blessed to have most of them live closeby.
11. Life is good. This was really hard to actually narrow down into 10 memories.
Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind, Memories, sweetened through the ages just like wine, quiet though come floating down, and settle softly to the ground.
Like golden autumn leaves around my feet, I touched them and they burst apart with sweet memories, sweet memories.
Happy New Year, May the year ahead be light, shiny, happy, and healthy!
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Homemade holidays
This This Christmas was just awesome! I've decided not to break down every last celebration as I usually do because I'm seriously pooped! 5 Christmases in 2 weeks is a lot, plus fun work parties and other family birthdays leaves the kids hungover on toys and other homes and is just hungover. I kid!! We have gotten a glimpse of decent sleep (talkin a 5 hour stretch once a week, wahoo!!) I'll take it!
This year I really attempted to make some gifts.... Last year with a new baby and limited mobility and owen on lock down I did a heck of a lot of online shopping. That happened this year as well but I also got crafty like it was my job !
Homemade sauerkraut
Mens shirt toddler frock and bow
Granola & bean soup mixes
Nanas reversible apron
Room scents to boil
Vanilla Rosemary lemon & thyme mint (from the property of course;)!
Vegan tart chewy and beautiful
This post was fun to put together but the crafts were more fun! I would like to say I met my goals but I didn't... I wanted to make a few frocks, a few sleeping bags, but the evening time was limited. So much fun to share homemade goodies!
Friday, December 26, 2014
Saturday, December 13, 2014
That Magic Moment
To quote the drifters.... there are many a magic moments these days. The magical moment last night was when Chris and I emerged from each child's bedroom with them on their way to dreamland. It's that feeling of relief, exhaustion, and happiness that comes when the beloved kiddos are asleep simultaneously. Let's face it, it is still kind of rare! And last night, they stayed asleep until 2 ish so we had some adult time! (not that we stayed awake that long, let's get REAL! We were up until a little after 1030).
I truly appreciate the teamwork on nights when Chris is home. The 3-4 nights a week that bedtime is my solo responsibility I really miss him! In all truth most nights I'm thankful that we have 2 babes and no more, ha!! They work me, challenge my energies like no other, even though I know I will look back on these nights (hopefully soon) and laugh at how busy they "were". But for now, it's a little chaotic, a little emotional (not just the kids, ha!), and not always smooth.
I really (don't) love when people tell me "She should be sleeping through the night by now" or "Why was he/she awake?" I really don't know. Believe me, I have changed the routine, changed the jammies, burned sage, eliminated foods, done my version of cry it out ("figure it out" I call it, with short timed amounts of some crying/talking yet not hysterical/escalated crying).... It gets better for a little while then gets loco again.
I'm pretty convinced that poor sleeping habits are genetic, as cousins were not good sleepers either...
The other magic moments lately...
Ara's receptive language is blowing our minds daily. She follows directions very well. It's super fun to ask her to "go grab the green toy," "follow brother into his room," "Grab your shoes please!" "Give brother a hug/kiss" Her words so far are: uh-oh, hi, bye, diaper, dad, mom, dog, pop, hot, hat, tick tick tick (tickle)... Not a lot of talking but wow it is seriously magic to watch her understand what you're saying!
Owen really enjoys the Christmas spirit, and learning about different holidays and celebrations. He is thriving at preschool, always commenting on the weather and nature. I just love his observations "Mom, it's such a beautiful morning....Mom, look at the moon. Wow, what a gorgeous sunset today." He always asks us "How was your night, mom? and Where are we going today?" He is very inquisitive... "But what would happen?"
I may complain/describe too much about the lack of sleep happening over here but as silly as it makes us it's proportionate to the love and enjoyment that these littles provide. So that's a BIG plus!!
I truly appreciate the teamwork on nights when Chris is home. The 3-4 nights a week that bedtime is my solo responsibility I really miss him! In all truth most nights I'm thankful that we have 2 babes and no more, ha!! They work me, challenge my energies like no other, even though I know I will look back on these nights (hopefully soon) and laugh at how busy they "were". But for now, it's a little chaotic, a little emotional (not just the kids, ha!), and not always smooth.
I really (don't) love when people tell me "She should be sleeping through the night by now" or "Why was he/she awake?" I really don't know. Believe me, I have changed the routine, changed the jammies, burned sage, eliminated foods, done my version of cry it out ("figure it out" I call it, with short timed amounts of some crying/talking yet not hysterical/escalated crying).... It gets better for a little while then gets loco again.
I'm pretty convinced that poor sleeping habits are genetic, as cousins were not good sleepers either...
The other magic moments lately...
Ara's receptive language is blowing our minds daily. She follows directions very well. It's super fun to ask her to "go grab the green toy," "follow brother into his room," "Grab your shoes please!" "Give brother a hug/kiss" Her words so far are: uh-oh, hi, bye, diaper, dad, mom, dog, pop, hot, hat, tick tick tick (tickle)... Not a lot of talking but wow it is seriously magic to watch her understand what you're saying!
Owen really enjoys the Christmas spirit, and learning about different holidays and celebrations. He is thriving at preschool, always commenting on the weather and nature. I just love his observations "Mom, it's such a beautiful morning....Mom, look at the moon. Wow, what a gorgeous sunset today." He always asks us "How was your night, mom? and Where are we going today?" He is very inquisitive... "But what would happen?"
I may complain/describe too much about the lack of sleep happening over here but as silly as it makes us it's proportionate to the love and enjoyment that these littles provide. So that's a BIG plus!!
A German Christmas
We had a fantastic Christmas celebration with Dad, The Heusers, Erik, and the Aubins. Minus one painful part in the day when Dave slipped and dislocated his elbow, and broke his radius!! Wynt beat feet and hustled him to the ER. NO FUN for them, but we relaxed and held down the fort. They arrived back at home with some pain meds on board and ready to eat some amazing food.
Papa and O being sillies
Uncle Erik and O on our way to the school on a nice afternoon walk
Sweet family
Gorgeous day
Seconds before Uncle Dave went to kick a ball and slipped...
Snugs with Auntie Lori
My Bro Cuz!
The kids had a relaxing technology filled afternoon
Buttery, made with love German food
The crew
Love!
Gift exchange
Our Menu was pretty amazing
Red cabbage
Homemade Sauerkraut
Brussels and shallots
Two kinds of verenix (like perogies) Apple and Potato
Schnitzel
Spaetzle
Streudel
It was the best spread yet. We always pick a theme and roll with it, we've done soups and salads, pizza, Italian, and German food. The soups and salads year was much healthier but this year was seriously grubbin'.
The good news is that Dave won't need surgery, whew! What a random injury, it was pretty bad, but grateful they still made it back to feast all together.
Our Menu was pretty amazing
Red cabbage
Homemade Sauerkraut
Brussels and shallots
Two kinds of verenix (like perogies) Apple and Potato
Schnitzel
Spaetzle
Streudel
It was the best spread yet. We always pick a theme and roll with it, we've done soups and salads, pizza, Italian, and German food. The soups and salads year was much healthier but this year was seriously grubbin'.
The good news is that Dave won't need surgery, whew! What a random injury, it was pretty bad, but grateful they still made it back to feast all together.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
We decorated our tree yesterday, and today is our first Christmas celebration of the season! This time of year always brings back so many fond memories of growing up. My parents did a fantastic job of emphasizing tradition, highlighting the nostalgia that comes a long with the holidays.
Decorating the tree growing up was quite a task. Once we had settled into the house on the hill Dad decided he wanted to get a big gianormous tree to fill up the entryway. And he did just that. I think most trees were 22-26 ft... So just getting the tree in the house and secured was quite an ordeal. It can be an ordeal even with a 6 foot tree!
After the tree had been tethered down to random points in the entry way with twine we started to decorate. With a ladder. Tinsel too. On my dad's side many ornaments were passed down, meaning many from Germany. Since his parents passed when I was very small I always felt like when we opened the many ornament boxes their spirits came out as well and helped us decorate. I would like to go through those boxes of ornaments someday and experience that again.
Our Christmases are a little more simple here. We have a 6 foot beautiful tree. We have 2 plastic tubs that house our decorations, christmas books, towels, and holiday wrap. I was thrilled last year to only have 1 tub of decor but then I wised up and packed up all the other stuff (towels, wrapping) that I didn't use throughout the year, so I am okay with having 2 tubs.
Owen really enjoyed looking at all of the ornaments, finding photo ones of himself "when he was a little baby". Ara had fun chewing on the fake fruit ornaments and putting them by the tree.
Today is the Schledewitz German Christmas at the Aubins and Erik has flown in from Texas! So excited to gather today!
Decorating the tree growing up was quite a task. Once we had settled into the house on the hill Dad decided he wanted to get a big gianormous tree to fill up the entryway. And he did just that. I think most trees were 22-26 ft... So just getting the tree in the house and secured was quite an ordeal. It can be an ordeal even with a 6 foot tree!
After the tree had been tethered down to random points in the entry way with twine we started to decorate. With a ladder. Tinsel too. On my dad's side many ornaments were passed down, meaning many from Germany. Since his parents passed when I was very small I always felt like when we opened the many ornament boxes their spirits came out as well and helped us decorate. I would like to go through those boxes of ornaments someday and experience that again.
Our Christmases are a little more simple here. We have a 6 foot beautiful tree. We have 2 plastic tubs that house our decorations, christmas books, towels, and holiday wrap. I was thrilled last year to only have 1 tub of decor but then I wised up and packed up all the other stuff (towels, wrapping) that I didn't use throughout the year, so I am okay with having 2 tubs.
Owen really enjoyed looking at all of the ornaments, finding photo ones of himself "when he was a little baby". Ara had fun chewing on the fake fruit ornaments and putting them by the tree.
Today is the Schledewitz German Christmas at the Aubins and Erik has flown in from Texas! So excited to gather today!
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