I sit here listening to the quiet. Mmm. It's like sitting in a big squishy, comfy couch with a big mug of frothy cocoa and a cozy blanket.
I am so excited for Ethan to be home from school for his break. Sure, I know that craziness is going to happen, but I have plans. Not set in stone plans because, lets face it, children don't let you set things in stone. My plans are filled with fun and baking and goofy sillyness! They start Monday. Today. . . well today I have to prepare for all of this goofyness by cleaning. What a bummer! But, it still makes me eager for what will be.
If you want to be included in the fun, by all means stop on by!
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Christmas Story
So most of you know how our family does not include Santa Clause in our Christmas celebrations and for those of you who may not I will share this with you.
After James proposed to me, my sister Stephanie (who knew that I wanted to do this) asked if I was going to exclude Santa from Christmas. This was new to James and honestly I had not thought about it in years. James asked what she was talking about and so I told him.
I have felt for a long time that Christ has been left out of Christmas. Even though my parents brought us up with the knowledge that Christ is the center of Christmas, and we would even act out the nativity on Christmas Eve each year, I just always felt that Christmas was about the gifts. I did not want that for my family. So, my idea was to not include Santa and when my kids started asking questions that I would tell then the true story of St. Nicolas and let them know what a wonderful man he was and the great things that he did, but that that was a long time ago and that he had past away along time ago. The the Santa that people talk about is a story that people through the years have made up about St. Nicolas. James suprisingly loved this idea and wanted this for our family.
A couple of years ago, after coming home from exchanging gifts with cousins Ethan asked why they had recieved gifts from Santa and he had not. (He DOES recieve gifts from us) So, I told him of St. Nicolas and his wonderful story. He loved this insider knowledge and grasped the idea. He did not always relay the message in the appropriate light. When people would talk of Santa he would always yell out (most adamantly) that Santa is dead. As you can expect we have recieved many a horrified look from nearby parents. I tried to explain to him that other families enjoy their traditions of including Santa and that that is okay for them, but there is no gray area for Ethan. There is only black and white.
This year Ethan started school. When the Christmas season arrived many children have spoken of Santa and Ethan has argued his case not willing to let them believe otherwise.
A couple of days ago he came up to me rather defiantly telling me that he believes in Santa. I told him that his father and I are hear to teach he and his brother and sister the things that we know to be right and true and that he can still choose want he wants to believe. I went on to remind him why we choose not to include Santa in our celebrations, that we want to emphasize Christ as why we celebrate this beautiful season. I let him know that his decision is fine. It is not bad.
It was very interesting and suprising to see this little soul growing and thinking and discovering on such a subject. He was obviously having an inner struggle. I am proud of him for sharing this with me. That he chose to actually discuss this with me and share his feelings. I am sure that this must have been a scary thing for him. Not sharing his feelings in general, but doing it with the knowledge that it was something that he knew that I would not see eye to eye with him on.
After James proposed to me, my sister Stephanie (who knew that I wanted to do this) asked if I was going to exclude Santa from Christmas. This was new to James and honestly I had not thought about it in years. James asked what she was talking about and so I told him.
I have felt for a long time that Christ has been left out of Christmas. Even though my parents brought us up with the knowledge that Christ is the center of Christmas, and we would even act out the nativity on Christmas Eve each year, I just always felt that Christmas was about the gifts. I did not want that for my family. So, my idea was to not include Santa and when my kids started asking questions that I would tell then the true story of St. Nicolas and let them know what a wonderful man he was and the great things that he did, but that that was a long time ago and that he had past away along time ago. The the Santa that people talk about is a story that people through the years have made up about St. Nicolas. James suprisingly loved this idea and wanted this for our family.
A couple of years ago, after coming home from exchanging gifts with cousins Ethan asked why they had recieved gifts from Santa and he had not. (He DOES recieve gifts from us) So, I told him of St. Nicolas and his wonderful story. He loved this insider knowledge and grasped the idea. He did not always relay the message in the appropriate light. When people would talk of Santa he would always yell out (most adamantly) that Santa is dead. As you can expect we have recieved many a horrified look from nearby parents. I tried to explain to him that other families enjoy their traditions of including Santa and that that is okay for them, but there is no gray area for Ethan. There is only black and white.
This year Ethan started school. When the Christmas season arrived many children have spoken of Santa and Ethan has argued his case not willing to let them believe otherwise.
A couple of days ago he came up to me rather defiantly telling me that he believes in Santa. I told him that his father and I are hear to teach he and his brother and sister the things that we know to be right and true and that he can still choose want he wants to believe. I went on to remind him why we choose not to include Santa in our celebrations, that we want to emphasize Christ as why we celebrate this beautiful season. I let him know that his decision is fine. It is not bad.
It was very interesting and suprising to see this little soul growing and thinking and discovering on such a subject. He was obviously having an inner struggle. I am proud of him for sharing this with me. That he chose to actually discuss this with me and share his feelings. I am sure that this must have been a scary thing for him. Not sharing his feelings in general, but doing it with the knowledge that it was something that he knew that I would not see eye to eye with him on.
Frost
We had our first frost yesterday. I looked in the back and it looked like there was a thin layer of snow on my garden boxes. It was pretty.
Today was Ethan's last day of school for the semester. He has a full 3 weeks off for winter break. Let the sleeping in begin! Woo hoo!
Today was Ethan's last day of school for the semester. He has a full 3 weeks off for winter break. Let the sleeping in begin! Woo hoo!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thanksgiving
The past two years I have been straddling the fence on whether I like turkey anymore. Now that I have actually hosted Thanksgiving and prepared a turkey, I can say without doubt that Inot only do not like it anymore, but am disgusted by it. I can pick apart and cut apart a chicken, but just preparing the turkey I threw up and carving it I had two near misses.
I am now converted to having ham for Thanksgiving. Other than the turkey incidents I had a fun day and although I was dead tired by the afternoon, hosting wasn't as stressful as I thought that it would be. Everyone helped out and made it enjoyable!
I am now converted to having ham for Thanksgiving. Other than the turkey incidents I had a fun day and although I was dead tired by the afternoon, hosting wasn't as stressful as I thought that it would be. Everyone helped out and made it enjoyable!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Pre-Thanksgiving Campout
The past two days I have been cleaning, doing laundry, and knitting when I get a break in. Yesterday was upstairs today is down.
Sunday I thunked the turkey into the fridge to thaw. We are crossing our fingers that it will not be half frozen on Thursday.
Starting tonight James is off until Monday. We are planning on having a campfire in the back and James is going to see if he can sleep in the backyard tent (a dome tent that has been dubbed since it has been up since the summer) by himself if he waits until after the kids are put to bed. We will see. I forsee that the mini campers will suggest camping while there is a fire. They are a very persistant bunch.
Sunday I thunked the turkey into the fridge to thaw. We are crossing our fingers that it will not be half frozen on Thursday.
Starting tonight James is off until Monday. We are planning on having a campfire in the back and James is going to see if he can sleep in the backyard tent (a dome tent that has been dubbed since it has been up since the summer) by himself if he waits until after the kids are put to bed. We will see. I forsee that the mini campers will suggest camping while there is a fire. They are a very persistant bunch.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Eva's B'day Bash
My little princess! She had such a fun time!
I don't know how she was able to walk around in her heelsbut she did a great job of it!
Thank's everyone for coming and having fun with us!!Trick or Treat!
Here are my cutie pies! They were so excited to wear their costumes. Especially my cyber hero's!
They totally raked in the candy at the trunk or treat!
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