You Don't See That Every Day

Someone asked me the other day, "So what did you get for Christmas?" And I just went blank. I couldn't think of anything my kids had gotten for me. I could come up with some of the fun stuff the kids got (ukulele, Lego's, art stuff, food,) but not my own. I know it was a most relaxing holiday, but I didn't realize how relaxing! I mentioned that to The Mr more than once.   I really enjoyed this holiday season this year. I saved a little bit every month setting it aside for Christmas costs. I had my gifts bought and ready a week before Christmas, and the yearly letter . . Well it only took four drafts but I managed to get that out too, mostly. I think because I had a different focus this year, I had a better time. Instead of worrying bat how many gifts I would get the kids, and how the gifts would be perceived by their friends, I planned two gifts per child, one was something they wanted, one was something I thought they needed. And the stockings were jus...

It seems like it was just Thanksgiving Day ... but now it's almost Christmas?! We've been going non-stop since turkey day .... The boy had his 19th birthday ... pretty low key this year. Welcome to being an adult, where birthdays aren't always a big deal.  We also had some fun company at our house. The niece and her new husband came for the weekend with their dad in tow. We really enjoyed getting to know the newest member of the family .... He fits in perfectly with this crazy bunch. We also had what we hope is a new tradition -- gingerbread house making. We recruited an honorary family member to be on our team too. Such a fun event at church! Swim has begun in earnest. The Girl Who Swims has had her first meet, and to me, she looks fast! She will have a couple of meets a week until February. I'm sure glad we have stadium chairs to ease our sitting and watching times. This past weekend we got our tree at the same tree farm we've been visiting for year...

Dear Brother, We missed you here at Thanksgiving holiday. The family, minus 1, got up and out to the park in the morning, ready to run. The weather was amazing. I had been praying for "no rain" on this morning, and with grateful hearts, we were able to run/walk the 5k without a rain drop. It started pouring just as we were heading back to the cars to go home. The girls really impressed me at this run. The youngest ran almost the entire thing. She did the walk/run sequence but more running than walking. The neighbors were there and their son motivated her by just being in front of him .She wanted to pass him and finish before he did. So, I stayed with her the whole 3.1. Once she passed him she would walk a little and as soon as she heard him coming, she would take off running. Our older girls made me proud. The Girl who Swims had caught a cold ((hmm, perhaps her earlier weekend travels contributed to his. more on that later)) but she walked the entire 5k with The Mr. T...

Dear God, Thank you. Thank You for a week of unscheduled time, for time off of school, and time at home. Thank You for the ways You bring us rest when we need it. Thank You for bringing our girl home safely from California. I know, I worried needlessly, but thank You for seeing me through it. Thank You for cell phones so I could hear her voice each night she was gone, and texts at various times. Thank You for the fun she had at her first time at Disneyland. Thank You for the terrific swim team she gets to be a part of and the great coaches that take such care of our kids. Thank You for the safe driving this last week as our girl started swim practices at 530 each morning, which meant being up early and driving to the pool before most people are even awake. Thank You for hearing the prayers for her to be alert and awake each morning when she drives. Thank You for the choir that my other girl gets to be involved with. She loves to sing and is so excited to be 'first soprano...

Dear Mom , Sorry we haven't been out to see you in a while... we've being taking advantage of the sunny afternoons to play while we can. Let me catch you up on what we've been doing. I took the home school girls out to Dallas Park for an impromptu picnic and exploration. This park has some of the fun 'vintage' play equipment that the kids love - like swings, merry-go-rounds, and teeter totters! You're never too old for a teeter totter.  There were plenty of leaves to crunch through too. We went across the bridge and explored the arboretum that is there. I had never walked through it, but I'm planning to go back in the spring when everything should be blooming. We saw plenty of new plants and trees (thankfully with signs to identify them) and I think it would be pretty to see when they are blooming. The creek was still low, so we went down and threw rocks in it, and saw the tiny fish that are there. Little K even discovered a crawdad (alth...

Dear Librarian, I am sure enjoying the new checkout system that our library has! You set your books down and zap, they are checked out. It's almost that easy. Ii haven't had time lately to stop at the local bookstore (to get more books from L.M. Montgomery), but I regularly take the girls to the library, so here's what I have on my reading stand this week: 1. Bess and Harry - a biographical rendering of the Truman's. Just finished this one, and I really liked it. They seem like normal people .. not like anyone in politics today. 2. The Oregon Trail, a New American Journey. - I have yet to start this one, it's about two brothers who take a covered wagon on the entire Oregon Trail, in 2007. 3. The Orphan Train Girl - I'm going to start this one later today when we have reading time. About an orphan who ends up with a lady who was also once an orphan. 4. Bing - a biography on Bing Crosby. love his movies; I wonder if I will like them still once I finish the ...

Dear Grandma ,  I wish I knew what you thought of your great-granddaughter's wedding this summer. We sure had fun! But let me back up. September has come roaring in with all its 'back-to-school' glory. Our girls went to the first football game on Sept 1st. I was just so tired to go with them. We had been gone all day, first at the farm picking the produce, and then selling all afternoon. It felt good for me to just sit and read a book. I've gotten hooked on some more novels by L.M. Montgomery; you know, the one who wrote Anne of Green Gables. This one is called Pat of Silver Bush . I can't believe I have never read them before, not with the way I haunted the library as a child waiting for the next book to be turned in so I could read it. I re-read Anne of Green Gables just about every year. This July in preparation for our road trip, we went to the bookstore where I discovered a bunch of books by this beloved author. So I've been slowly buying them and bin...

Dear Friend overseas, I haven't been too good at keeping in touch, and I apologize for that. But you know how summer gets around here! Let me catch you up on the month of August at least. I have to do that before I can post back-to-school pictures. The Cousins came to town. We're naming this summer the Summer of the Cousins. In July as I posted earlier, my kids got to hang out with all their paternal cousins - which hasn't happened ...ever. In August we had cousins come to stay at our place. Which involved the necessary trip to the Oregon coast, since it was in the triple digits at home! What a beautiful day it was too! No wind, warm and just about perfect. It also included the traditional damming-of-a-river. Some of them worked hard at it. We had the traditional fare at Mo's restaurant and ended the day with ice cream. We also spent one of the hot afternoons at a local aquatic center. I got up the courage to go down the big twisty slide, but no way ...