Living, Loving, Learning

We had a truly wonderful peaceful Christmas. We spent 3 days not leaving the house (well mostly, there were some walks and Bruce was on-call) and just enjoyed each other. The kids could not have been a better ages for this and they marinated in the magic of the season. They loved having Granny and MorMor (who am I kidding, we all did) there! Many hours spend talking, eating, playing games, reading books, opening presents. Just how it should be. (No one tell Bruce I put this picture of him with crazy bed head on the Internet!!) Bruce loved his mug, painted by Lucy! I hope your Christmas was filled with love and just as good as you imagined it could be!

The house is decorated, the first of four types of cookies are baked, presents wrapped, grocery shopping completed...I am ready to relax and enjoy this beautiful time. We are all so excited to welcome the Moms this evening and spend the next 4 days together. From our family to yours, Merry Merry Christmas. Here is a video that I just saw on this cool blog . What a great attitude to take with us into the New Year! Enjoy!!! MC Yogi - Give Love (Giving4Living Mix) from MC Yogi on Vimeo .

I met all of these wonderful women and their delightful wee ones at our library's story hour. First we sat by each other and chatted, then our kids worked beside one another at craft time and then over time, one by one, a friendship was made. Now we get together for lunch every week after story time, go on special outings and host each other in our homes. These friendships mean so much to me, each of these women are so unique and special, as are their children. Our time together is so rich, sharing tales of child-rearing in the trenches. I feel really really grateful to have them in our lives. Today we had our big Christmas party and it was a really wonderful afternoon. I am going to share (a lot) pictures here...you may not find them overly fascinating but I know these ladies will enjoy them. Myles and Griffin Lucy Jenna and Jacob Ava Jenna Jacob (in rhapsody over his new Ben 10 book!) Gabe Deanna and I Myles and Carlie and Brandy Carlie Gabe and Jenna Cassie ...

Griffin calls me into the room and they both start singing..."She's a pillow, she's a pet. She's a pillow pet!" It is good to see smiles on their little faces. We have been sick, sick, sick up in here! It started for me on Sunday afternoon, after playing in the snow. I basically couldn't get out of bed until Tuesday morning to go see the Dr. Thank goodness school was cancelled on Monday and Griffin was around to help me with Lucy. He was sooo super attentive and helpful with Lucy, he even read her books and put her down for her nap!!! After a steroid shot in the butt and a z-pack, I am feeling a ton b etter today... definitely on the mend. The kids started feeling sick Tuesday afternoon and they saw the pediatrician (Who suggested we keep giving them lots of clear liquids "like Sprite and ginger ale." What??????? These kids still do not drink any soda EVER and the Dr. is suggesting it when they are sick and while seeing them both with water bottl...

Griffin's totally awesome teacher, Ms. Wright, has put in place a really great reading program. The kids read books at home and then take comprehension tests in the classroom. There are points assigned to the tests. Ms. Wright sets a goal for each kid and if they meet their goal they get to attend a monthly "Cookies and Milk" party. This party is hosted by Griffin's good buddy Logan's Mom, Lisa. Griffin has been able to go to each party and they are a HUGE motivator for him. Lisa has gone above and beyond each month...I am sure Ms. Wright was picturing a sleeve of Oreos and a gallon of 2% when she first concieved this party!! Last month the kids decorated and ate sugar cookies. This month Lisa made them each a gingerbread house and let them decorate it. Griffin had an absolute blast doing this and was so careful to bring it home in one piece. He told Lucy as soon as he got in the car at school, "Look what WE get to have for a snack." I love...

Unlike most of the midwest, we only got a little dusting of snow, but we are mighty thankful for it. This was Lottie's first snow and she lived up to the Lab genes in her and LOVED it! She fits right in with the rest of us. The kids were so excited to play with her in the snow and test out all their new snow gear! Thanks Moms!!! Happy kids....happy parents. 'Course, we finished the playtime with hot chocolate, Lucy's first, and all were happy and tired and warm. Soooooo happy to spend my Sunday this way.

I am sooooo super excited and thankful that Lucy is a wee artist. She loves to paint, color, sculpt....all kinds of crafts. She has a super long attention span when she is creating, which is totally awesome! This feels like something that will be a HUGE part of our journey together. This week, some of the Mommy Brigade headed up to Evansville to make some Christmas gifts at the pottery painting store. This is something I did with Griffin in Michigan and was stoked to get an opportunity to do it with Lucy. She had a really awesome time, just picking colors and painting to her heart's content! Mandy and Carlie had a great time too. A big thank you to Mandy for driving us all up there together in her new fancy ride!! Especially since Lucy peed in Mandy's car seat when she fell asleep on the way home - LOL !! Brandy and Myle made some super cute items too. Myles liked painting but LOVED the little bowls of water! It was fun to hear all their great stories from their recent Dis...

We had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving. The Marinos arrived on Wednesday night, just in time to enjoy Gabriella's birthday lasagna dinner. She even had help blowing out the candles in her tirimisu!! Thanksgiving day we spent relaxing...the kids enjoyed the parade on t.v. And cooking, and EATING. Of course, we all ate till way more than normal...but hey, it's only once (or twice) a year! Mostly, we spent the weekend at home enjoying being together, enjoying the kids and the puppy. Good solid family time. Can't wait to do it again soon. Once Lucy realized that she could lure people into her playroom for lots of coloring and puzzle time, she became quite the aggressor!! And Griffin, sweet as always, doesn't realize he isn't quite lap size anymore. Ahhh well, enjoy it while we can I guess, that will be over soon enough. Had to give you one of the main event. No the turkey isn't burnt....it's FRIED baby, that's how we do it in 'Tucky.

Imagine a Woman by Patricia Lynn Reilly, M. Div. The poem that inspired the book Imagine a Woman in Love with Herself. Imagine a woman who believes it is right and good she is woman. A woman who honors her experience and tells her stories. Who refuses to carry the sins of others within her body and life. Imagine a woman who believes she is good. A woman who trusts and respects herself. Who listens to her needs and desires and meets them with tenderness and grace. Imagine a woman who has acknowledged the past's influence on the present. A woman who has walked through her past. Who has healed into the present. Imagine a woman who authors her own life. A woman who exerts, initiates, and moves on her own behalf. Who refuses to surrender except to her truest self and to her wisest voice. Imagine a woman who names her own gods. A woman who imagines the divine in her image and likeness. Who designs her own spirituality and allows it to inform her daily life. Imagine a woman in love with h...

Well, I didn't see the bloggity blog break coming, but here it is. Feeling really full, really busy, really focused on each moment right now. And I just don't have any inspiration for blogs right now. I am going to respect my needs and go with it for the moment. So, until I am back here again next week, I hope you have a really wonderful Thanksgiving. I give thanks for my amazing family, overflowing with love and unconditional acceptance of them. I give thanks for my friends, so thankful that they are REAL and OPEN and PRESENT with me. I give thanks for all we have, our beautiful ease of living each day. I give thanks for my journey, for my peace. Shanti

Hey Friends!! Seems like it's been a bit since I've logged into the ol' blog here. We've had a bit of a tough week around here. Griffin's been sick, Lucy is not sleeping well and getting me up 4 or 5 times a night, having some car issues that are going to be EXPENSIVE to fix (terrible timing with the holiday's hot on our heels!), I have over-committed myself and have so many things to do/make that I am struggling to not feel constantly overwhelmed and Bruce has had to go into the hospital 3 nights this week which makes me miss my partner a ton. Top that all off with my step father being extremely scary ill and spending the week in the ICU, and it has been kind of a crap week. But you know, BLESSED is this LIFE! That is the mindset that I want and need to stay centered in - CELEBRATION of life. I have so much to be thankful for not least of all, it looks like my step-dad is turning the corner and going to make a recovery. Griffin will get better, all this...

My Mom just sent me a link to this video and it had me sobbing into my coffee this morning. I LOVE videos that show communities coming together, especially through the arts. There are 650 singers that posed as shoppers until the music began. I Love the shots of the people singing who DON"T have the choral buttons on...that would have been me. I love this song and it brings back all kinds of cozy holiday memories for me. I also miss living in a place where things like this actually happen. Although, I got to tell you, it would have been more impressive if they did this in a Walmart! ;)

We have had an awesome weekend. The Moms came in on Friday night for a quick weekend visit and we sure kept them busy. On Saturday morning Griffin had TWO soccer games and I had a quilting club meeting. We came home and packed a quick lunch and jumped in the car to drive 1.5 hrs to Bowling Green, KY. We met up with the Lowbridge/Solise family at an awesome place, Chaney's Dairy Barn . It was a crisp beautiful fall day and we all had an excellent time. Griffin had an absolute blast playing with his friend, also 6, Madeline. Talk about birds of a feather, those 2 were inseperable the whole day! We had enough in our group to warrant a private tour so we were able to jump right on the hayride and head over to the cow barns. They had a brand new calf there that we all fell in love with. She was really really sweet. It was especially exciting for Lucy and 1 yr. old Lily to be able to pet her! The farmer then gave us an awesome talk about farming in todays culture and econo...