Wednesday, December 22, 2010

A Good Day

Baby C crawled in bed with me at 5:54 AM. Her downy soft hair tickled my nose.

Leasie serenaded me with "Up on the House Top" on her violin as I made my bed and got ready for the day.

Husband stayed home from work. He cut the grapefruit for breakfast.

The children caught the bus! (Barely!)

My husband and I attended the holiday sing along at the best elementary school ever. Baby C be-bopped and twirled on the gymnasium floor to the delight of her siblings and their classmates.

Breakfast at Panera with Lisa and Molly Kay. Egg bacon souffle.

Workout date with husband at our favorite gym. 40 minutes cardio and weight lifting. (The only down side was when he encouraged me to do a push up, which I completely flopped - literally).

Lunch with husband. Followed by afternoon kisses. There was also some laundry folding and dish washing. But both were much more fun with company.

The mailman delivered eleven Christmas cards, two packages, and a check.

Talked to my parents on the phone.

Wished my baby sister a happy birthday.

Grilled ham and havarti cheese on ciabatta bread for dinner.

Carolers sang and delivered delicious cookies.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Old Rules, New Rules

When I was young, our family rule was "You can't get your ears pierced until you're 18." Whoa (I know). But honestly, I don't remember ever feeling like it was an unfair rule. And by the time I was sixteen, I dated a boy who thought it was cool that I didn't have my ears pierced--that I was unique. That's all it took. Eighteen came and went, and I chose the clip-on earring route (enduring sore ear lobes and poor selection for the past 20 years).

Fast forward to 2010. My girls wanted to get their ears pierced. My husband and I don't prescribe to the 18 year-old rule. We think 9 is plenty old. So on Saturday, in celebration of Leasie's 9th birthday, we got our ears pierced!!
(Here's Leasie's "before" picture)
We drew quite a crowd when people realized a mom and her daughters were getting their ears pierced. I went first. It didn't hurt - really. Leasie was next, and Madi was last. The girls chose their birthstones. We held each other's hands for the actual piercing and then looked up with relief when it was done - it really didn't hurt. The crowd that had gathered clapped at the end. So fun!

And here we are with newly pierced ears.

I had two thoughts as we walked out of the store into the cold. First: Why oh why did I wait so long? And second: I'm glad I waited...so I could share this moment with my girls.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

First Snow

It lasted just long enough for us to watch with wonder as the gentle flakes fell from the sky and dusted the roads white.
Just long enough for Baby C to rush to the window.
Just long enough for us to run outside, leaving footprints.
Just long enough for us to scoop the snow off the walk way with our bare hands,
and taste the snow.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Christmas Moments

Don't you love December? I do. I love the decorations, the twinkling lights, the music, the food (which deserves its own entry), and of course the traditions. With all the hustle and bustle of this season (which I also love) there's a good chance this month with slip by with very few entries.


But I have a few minutes and wanted to record a few moments...


Singing with the Pickwick Singers!

We gathered in the old Sona bank at the corner of King and Market Street for Leesburg's first night. We were hard to miss, with our colorful Dickens' dresses and the men in top hats. And yet, it felt just right, singing old English carols, a cappella. The notes of "Coventry Carol" and "In the Bleak Mid Winter" reverberated in the vaulted hall. After our scheduled performance, we walked the streets of old town Leesburg. People stopped us to take pictures, and we performed two more times by request (once at a Hot Dog restaurant - a rousing rendition of "Wasail" and "The Boar's Head" were quite fitting). Our breath puffed visible clouds of white as we sang on the street. I loved linking arms with Michelle and Robin to keep warm as we shivered and walked briskly to the car.

Cookie making!
We made gingerbread men...well, I made gingerbread men. Madi, who wanted to help, made gingerbread women, ducks, dogs, and her masterpiece: Calvin the Cat Head. We were dusted in flour, and the house smelled so delicious and christmasy. It was a complete mess. But oh so fun.

Oh Christmas Tree!
After decorating the Christmas tree, the kids turned off all the lights (which you can't really tell in this picture because I don't have a great camera...hmmm, Santa?). They plopped down on the floor. Baby C wasn't sure what they were doing. She cocked her head to the side, almost like a puppy, trying to figure them out. Then as though it was choreographed, she plopped down at the end of the line to join them.
They stayed there, looking at the lights, listening to soft music, until bedtime.




Wednesday, December 1, 2010

November Loves

Top 10 November Loves:
10. Thanksgiving dinner with friends. (I didn't have to make a turkey!)
9. The Hale family stuffing - three kinds of bread and sausage. I had thirds.
8. Time with friends. Loved being with Lisa and her family. And had a lovely surprise by the Harris family Friday afternoon - got to go on a hike to Bear's Den in the blustery weather.

7. Harry Potter with Madi and Jen.

6. Long runs in the crisp autumn weather, my feet crunching on the fallen leaves. Watching the trees go bare and spindly. (Downloading my favorite Glee tunes for the runs).

5. November rain. And fires in the fireplace.

4. The school bus driver who says hello to Baby C over the loud speaker every morning (Baby C thinks busses talk).

3. Sunday morning snuggles with my husband before being joined by the kids.

2. Decorating for Christmas. Doing our chapter book read aloud with pillows and blankets under the Christmas tree.

1. A chance to reflect and be thankful.