Filed under: pictures
Yesterday I had a little Christmas party for the kids and a few of their friends. We all had a blast; the moms got to catch up with each other while the kids ate hot dogs, drank juice boxes, decorted cookies, and enjoyed the 75 degree December weather. Here are some pics…
Apparently Burke has more to express artistically than his little sheet of paper can capture. This was his afternoon project, and below that, his penance. Bless you, inventor of washable markers!
Filed under: musings
I really love the Christmas season: pageants and ballets, music and lights, Christmas trees, hot chocolate (or peppermint mocha’s), white elephants, parties, friends and family, and of course for the Douglass family, a little thing called Christmas break (we have earned it this year!). So, I’m sure that I’ll have a bunch of pics to share over the next weeks, hence the reason this is part one.
The boys and I built a gingerbread house the other night. It was delicious — equal parts creating and eating. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of the actual event due to the mass amounts of powdered sugar and icing on myself and the boys. But, below is a picture I took as I caught Burke sneaking candies off of our humble gingerbread home.
caught red-handed
This is also the first year that we took the kids to see Santa. Up until now, it just seemed like an exhausting feat for something they probably wouldn’t remember. So, Mark and I decided to take them to a park here in town that has the lights, hayrides, Santa, shows, treats and drinks…for free. We bundled up (because it was near freezing) and waited outside in the line to see Santa. While we were in line, there was this deceptively big puddle near us (half on concrete, half in the grass). Liam walked toward it and without hesitation tried to jump over it. “Tried” being the key word — he missed and slipped onto his back intothe puddle. Everyone around us: “ooohh….” Liam was obviously embarrassed and starts crying. Mark took him inside to get hot chocolate and when he returned, he still chose to wait in the line to see Santa (now with wet pants and pj pants underneath). What a trooper.
Many times in conversation with mothers of older children, they refer to the years where my children currently are as “the sweet years.” I completely agree and understand why: their chubby-armed hugs, simple and honest conversations, lack of self-awareness, easy receptiveness, innocent naivete, and of course, the “I wuv you, mom.” But, just in case in the future I ever start to idealize (as I’m prone to do) these “sweet years,” I want to document a few other things that we’re far less likely to want to remember.
1. Living with animals, depending on the type, might be cleaner than living with 3 toddlers/preschoolers. This is after ONE meal, but indicative of every meal.
2. While you’re in the middle of cleaning up the mess above, they are busy doing something else… like rolling out all the toilet paper in the their bathroom or rubbing foot lotion and diaper cream all over each other.
3. Allowing your children to be imaginative and grow their spatial intelligence can look disastrous.
Most of you know my husband, Mark. If you haven’t met him, the truth is you might not notice him if you were in a room together. In spite of his good looks and charming wit (I did once refer to him as winsome), there is a quietness and humility to Mark that can cause him to be easily overlooked…even by me occasionally. But, not today. Today, I am boasting about this incredibly merciful, thoughtful, and kind man, who even after seven years never ceases to astound me with his insight, creativity, and many talents. And of course, it always amuses me to hear what entertains his thoughts (i.e. a story of a man and a rhino). Below I posted two pictures of Mark’s most recent projects — I mean come on, is there anything this man can’t do?
painted bamboo on the walls
busting up our walkway
I love you, Babe. Thanks for choosing me. -b.
