Christmas 2013

Our Christmas in Alabama really was lovely.  It was filled with familiar and loving and just what we needed after the big move.

The past couple of years the Santa visits have been a bit stressful for some of our junior members. This year everyone was excited and calm, and this was the best Santa! He really listened to each of the boys including when Colin was explaining that sometimes his brothers make bad choices, but he tells them not to {I was shaking from laugher, but so appreciative of Santa's caring conversation}



Nine months old is a great time to have your first Christmas.  Lydia had a blast unwrapping things, toddling around and enjoying the extra attention.



Walker, reading all the things and making momma's heart happy.


We were all spoiled with time, affection and surprises.

Pops and Grandma Jayne


The boys had some shopping ideas this year and it was really fun to watch them enjoy the giving.


There were walkie talkies with all the cousins.  They kept calling them "honkie tonkies" and again it was one of those hilarious moments no one dared correct.


It was the boys first Christmas to be trusted with fire, and to be gaining an understanding of what The  Light actually means.

And they only almost set Jason on fire once.

There were Christmas Pajamas


All the kids have been able to wear this one set of PJs.

Then Lydia spilled (cold) coffee all over herself, so now they even have that "aged" color.

Christmas Morning.  Gammy and Grin really did more than needed to give us our "just us" morning  to enjoy Santa and the excitement of the day.


Christmas morning actually began around 2am.  Walker was determined to wait up for Santa.  He set up a walkie talkie by the Christmas tree, propped it on and took the other one to bed with him.  He was awake until almost midnight.  Then at 2am he woke up, and woke his brother up to share that Santa had come.  I don't know how exactly we convinced them to go back to bed, but they did until around 7. Mommy and Daddy we super grateful for Christmas afternoon naps.













Seeing the Christmas sunrise.  While cooking the sausage and cinnamon rolls. What a blessing to have these days we will look back on with smiles and gratitude.

Cousin Time

One of the best things about our time visiting in Alabama was spending time with all the cousins.

Of course Evie technically lives in California, but we were able to be in Alabama for her birthday celebration. There is a mere three months between her an Lydia.  I am so happy they will have each other to grow up with.

Evie turned 1.  It really was a great party with so much fun celebrating this little girl's first year.













The boys love no one the way they love Hannah and Leah.  It has been hard for them to be apart.  We made sure to pack as much time as we could together during our visit.

Football watching with the cousin crew


The big kids all went to see a movie and the chief movie disturbers were left at home to play, so I made them pose for pictures.


Christmas parties are always better with cousins.  There were many celebrations, but they really just saw it as another chance to play with Hannah and Leah (and Noah, sort of, I mean he will get there in the love ranking, but for now he still prefers momma over the kid crew).


I pray their bond can overcome any distance.

Great-Grandparents and Trains

The boys, Lydia and I made the road trip to Atlanta during our time in Alabama.  I needed to visit with my grandparents and the boys always love their time with Grandma and Grandpa Hermie and their dog Hershey. {Side note: I always have to correct myself from saying, "the boys and I" and forgetting to add Lydia.  I mean it isn't like I actually forget her, I'm just so used to saying the "boys and I" that I do it all the time.}

We visited the local train museum, because of course we did.


Riding on the steam engine








The boys were not super cooperative with this pic, but I had to try to get and updated version of this one.



Same train a year and half earlier.

It felt so good to put my eyes on them and my arms around them. This year has brought many changes for my grandparents, but every minute with them is still a gift.

Thanksgiving 2013

We were blessed to be able to make the trip to Mississippi for our annual Thanksgiving reunion. I love that we have this tradition to be with so many extended family members each year.

Lydia had her first Thanksgiving.  She ate great, but was just hitting a be stranger danger age and really was nervous about all the new faces. I hate that this hit when it did.  She was fine a few weeks later, but missed out on some fantastic Brown family hugs.

Reminding Myself of the Joy

Lately I have felt more failings than successes.  Our days have felt stressed. The days have ended without feeling like many things could be claimed as victories.  But that is a lie.  Deceit from the chief lie teller who wants me to believe I am not right where I should be and on a divine mission.

Sometimes it takes stepping back and counting the victories for me to see how many their are.  Last week there was a day in the life group on instagram (hosted by Hollywood Housewife).  Many people (mostly mommas in my feed) documented their day with the things that they wouldn't usually take pictures of and post.   I was late to the party and didn't join in, but I kept feeling this nagging that I should.  So Friday I just started snapping pics of our regular day with my phone.

And at the end of the day what did I see?   I saw my kids happy and playing; my baby napping; my home as comfortable; my friends as supportive; my husband snuggling my baby; the big boys reading; and myself in a favorite t-shirt.  There was this whole list of things that were really good, like spectacular. And the tough parts weren't really all that tough.

This was my Ebenezer.  I could see The Lord's leading, support and encouragement tucked into every snap of the camera and the moments hidden in between the pictures.

This is our Friday at the end of a busy week where I needed to see the joy in the still shots.

After breakfast and the morning calmness, I laid baby girl down for what I felt was a much needed nap.

And yes her room does glow pink.  Two layers of pink blackout curtains and it still lets in the perfect pink light.  I don't mind, because you know - pink!

Colin was super itchy so into the lukewarm bath he went


Walker started his chores. He must start early because he needs a lot of grace and breaks to finish anything.


Eli and I got to work on our reading.  He has come so far just in the few months of first grade.


Turns out - not so much nap time.


So then there was this.  Her favorite toy (and sometimes snack) in the world is paper.


Then we moved onto Walker's reading time and another attempt at getting a fussy baby to nap.

See that baby standing up in the monitor? You can tell how well it went this time.

Also, these two decided to have a foot race all through the house while Walker was trying to read and Lydia was trying to not sleep.  So they were sentenced to sit in the corner until we could finish.


A hour and a half after the first attempt, she succumb.


So naturally it was time for a TV break.  In my head I have a rule that we never turn it on during the day, but in reality I need a shower and that can only happen when Baby Girl is asleep and the boys are quiet and this is about the only way to guarantee that the two happen at the same time.


So refreshed and clean and filled with turkey sandwiches we jumped back into history and writing.


Eli wanted to play Creationary so badly.  Colin agreed.  This means Eli played and Colin stood near him while he played.


So they moved onto Candyland and the kitchen floor which was not overrun with the clutter problem as the dining room table was.


Meanwhile, lunch time for the littlest.  Avocados are the only sure fire thing she will eat from a spoon anymore.


When  Colin lost his mind at the prospect of being sent back to gum drop land, Walker came and joined and tried to reason with him.  It really didn't work but within 2 turns Colin got to advance to the the ice cream princess lady - so he chilled out at the prospect of winning.

Of course no one finished the game because of those darn wild cards. It is the game that can go on for centuries.

Sister has gotten rather into the pacifiers lately, so I thought it was probably time for a good sanitizing of all the baby things. Don't ask me how often it happens, fourth kid an all.


The last one working.  Always.  Focus and quickness are not his strong suits, but his mind goes some pretty creative places along the way to finishing.


800th diaper change of the day.  Not really, that is just the way it feels.

Dear "no trash" California.  I'll check you in a couple of years.  I'm not washing diapers.

One clone trooper heading to sit out because he broke the backyard fence forcefield without permission.

So thankful for the backyard sunshine.

We are not nursing as well as we once were, but we are still marching forward. As long as she will keep trying so will I.


There was an arts and crafts Christmas show going on in town and a dear friend Adrienne had been in the morning.  She didn't think it would be a great idea to take the boys so she offered to watch them while Lydia and I escaped to find some special presents.


When we walked out we were greeted with a pastel sky with a giant moon.  The early sunsets aren't all bad.


Then there was dinner guarded by Legos Clones.


Finally footy pajamas and good night snuggles.




And the day was done.  There were the many moments in between clicks of the camera.  There was more grace and less.  There was loving kindness and raised voices.  There was learning and there was discipline.  And I was blessed to be there for it all.

Park Ballet

When did it become reasonable for an eight month old to look sixteen?  This age is fantastically fun.  She has her little personality and generally a joy for us all.

She loved being free to crawl and stand in our park with no mulch and little sand.  And she looked like this tiny ballerina and my heart nearly exploded.



And her brothers loved being able to play with her out and about.



The adoration hasn't wained a bit in her time with us.



And the joy of being together is mutual.



This hour of play was blessed like few are.  I mean, this one even looked into the camera and smiled.  No eye rubbing, no tears, just a quick happy shot between a granola bar and running back to well, running.

 

Seriously, never happens.



There was football with daddy.



And running past daddy.



The time was absolutely electric.

 

After a foggy week and staring down some days of daddy travel, this is just what we needed.

The Force Is Strong {Halloween 2013}

When Colin announced he wanted a Star Wars costume like his brothers for Halloween there was really no doubt what sister's costume would be.  How many years will I really have the option of a coordinating theme for all four of them?  Got to make it count when I can.



Costumes are a part of our every week for us, but Halloween is still fun.  When the big boys were little they really didn't do much dress up play, but around the time of Eli's "Batman year" costumes became a part of our regular play around here.  We still have weeks where the costumes are worn everywhere and by everyone. I love it.  It also allows me to consider costumes, "investment pieces," when budgeting.

We have been blessed to join a couple of homeschool groups in our area and had fun celebrating with them this week.  There was park play.



And and absolutely amazing backyard party with more adorable activities than I have seen at any party.  I mean there was so much fun that this is the only picture I got, that should speak volumes.



There was trick or treating with friends.











And while we missed going out with our the cousins, I am so grateful for the little community that is being carved out here.

This year we painted our pumpkins, because this week as been insane and painting pumpkins is about a hundred times easier than carving.



Walker struggled some and wasn't particularly happy with his outcome, but at least he did it on his own.  The others, if I'm being honest are mostly my amazing (so sarcastically said) artistic talent, but the boys were not content to leave orange enough alone so momma got it done.

Growing up I didn't celebrate Halloween and as a young adult I was ambivalent about the whole thing.  But experiencing it with my kids is nothing short of magical.  I love Halloween with our little family.  It is truly a holiday for fun and for children. It is a celebration of imagination, play and sweet treats; and those things are always worth celebrating.

And because being able to look back is the main purpose of this blog:
Halloween in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012

Golden Gate Tourist

As is the custom when visiting San Francisco, we drove the grandparents over the Golden Gate Bridge. They have been before, but it has been a "few" years.

On the way we stopped by Golden Gate Park and visited the playground and rode the carousel for the first time.

The famous concrete slides


Two-thirds of the boys had a blast running up the steps and zipping down the slides.



And there was happy baby strolling.


And also, Colin being in a sour mood

{I have never met a person more in touch with his emotions.  When he is happy is so happy and he gives smiles, hugs and kinds words with abandon.  When he is upset, well that is right on his sleeve too and he is incapable of faking it for anyone.}

The carousel seemed to turn him around (ha...ha) or maybe the promise of ice cream, either way the smiles came.

Riding the carousel


After the trip over the bridge we took the parents to Fenton's because ice cream and Disney and ice cream.


I would say we all enjoyed ourselves to the last drop.



We hated to say goodbye, but were so happy to have had our week together.  We will be visiting these memories for years to come.  The blessing of time with our family is often overwhelmingly more than we could ask for.