You better watch out

Runny nosed Christmas carols,
all the way from Illinois.



I hope Santa finds you wherever you are tonight.
Merry Christmas!

feliz navidad

i am on break!
i am free!

our final day was celebrated in mexican style,
(sombreros, serapes, robozos)
complete with Las Posadas, a procession with mary and joseph seeking an inn,
and ending with a place to stay in the gym,
complete with pinata.

our afternoon was full of christmas cards and gifts
and chipmunk christmas carols
and guacamole and salsa
and inflatable cacti, to complete the effect.
what a day.

i am so happy to be at home and relaxed and at peace.
i am ready to celebrate.

we leave tomorrow for chicago
and our days will be full of little ones
and snow
and gift wrapping
and family
and love.

what to do

what to do when your sister-in-law goes into labor a few weeks before expected?
get started on the quilt, of course.
iron.
pray.
cut.
pray.
drink homemade hot cocoa.
pray.
blog.
pray.


this quilt, for my dear friend R, was given as a wedding gift last week. i was thrilled to use the fabrics that she had given me as a gift- and i knew she would like them.


and this, this little crooked advent calender, is to remind you that we are already 18 days in.
only seven to go.


and then a few more positive thoughts and a bit more positive energy into the universe for J and K, and little baby Vanessa, on her way...

Rock On

When we studied rocks, we wrote rock stories... of all kinds.

I thought I'd share a few that I had typed up.

Its so amazing to be a teacher

and watch what these kids create.

Rocky and the Rock Band

Rocky was a dog, just a dog, until one day a rock band came by. They said “Do you want to join our band?” Rocky said “yes.” Rocky played the drums. George played the guitar. Henry played the drums with Rocky. They got put on T-shirts and hats. They got put on TV. They traveled all over the world. They wrote a song called Learning in the Car. They decided to name their band Rock Out. The End.

D's Rock Book

The bank was robbed. “It’s time for a bat case. To the Rock Mobile!” “There they are!” “You will never get us,” said the robbers. SMASH! “The robbers got caught,” said Bat Rock.

The Stolen Wife

It was night when Rockman’s wife got stolen. He was asleep. The Rock was mad. He was on the case. He found tracks which led to the mystery man’s house. Rockman took care of him. Then in happened again. He left his wife there.

first snow

It came down yesterday
and the kids were beyond excitement.
Catching snowflakes in their mouths,
scrounging snow off of benches to make snowballs.
Their energy level was off the walls,
with snowflakes melting in their hair,
and all of us traipsing back inside, wet and tired.

Last night at home,
there was a hush.
The snow still fell lightly
the tea kettle whistled
the iron steamed
the incense burned.

This morning, there is only a dusting, ice, and a two hour delay.
I am sipping my coffee
feeling rejuvenated.
It was a day when I woke up before the alarm went off anyway.
I made my phone tree calls,
greeted with excitement and negativity,
and was reminded once again, that i wish i had a waffle maker.

Now I brace myself for another day,
beyond excitement.

New Fun

in january, i made some resolutions for the year.
i am revisiting them this week, as i look back to one goal:

this resolution has many parts to it. the gist: have fun. i have discovered that i need to go far beyond my comfort zone to be social, to be active. todd and i love to be home, love to hang out together, to nap, to eat, to relax, to watch movies, to be mellow. in short, we are homebodies.
my resolution is this: have more fun. get our more. be brave. take risks. do something different. try something new each month to get out there and get active.
my first step was to invite people to our house. now on the list: bowling, church, local museums, travel to baltimore and d.c. (preferably with friends), meet someone new, find all the local thrift shops, find a book group or sewing group, take another class at the community college... any ideas?

well, we have been trying new things.
we've made new friends.
we've gone bowling.
we've joined a church.
we've done a few of the local attractions.

this week, we also decided not to make excuses,
try something new,
and go to a curling lesson with our friends, D and R.
and its a blast.
let me tell you...
it is way harder than in looks on the olympics.
its a great work-out as you run on the ice and "sweep".
and it takes a lot to get used to.
but if you've never tried it...
its worth it.
so. much. fun.




what have you done that's new this year?

turkey belated

I am not sure where my head has been,
but I have been very preoccupied,
with stress or just thoughtfulness and business.

Now, I am finally ready to share some of the fun pictures from the family visit.
It was so amazing to have everyone here for the week.
A week full of laughter and food and playfulness
and swimming and horses and cooking and more food
and parks and movies and napping and eating.

Here's the girls + Willy,
The whole family,
and then Easton and his new best friend.
He was so good with the kids, it was great to see.

And then the family had to play American Idol Karaoke, of course.
Laughing until we were crying.




And the kids needed new play pillows, so we a fun project on our hands.


Food, fun, family, and frivolity.
This is what the holidays are all about.