Merry Christmas!

While the photos are lacking while I'm away from home, I'm still here! We have snuggled into my parents' home and are settled into the steady hum of craziness that is holidays around here. We spent the first few days in preparations. There's something wonderful about hanging your own terribly ugly childhood ornament creations on your parents' tree and getting to witness the backyard extravaganza of lights that my Dad puts up for us every year. There is a wild amount of delicious food, orchestrated by Aunt Tinie and Uncle Jake, including at least 9 kinds of cookies, various breads, and other snacks. If the record player isn't on, someone's ipad is playing their choice of music, or there's an impromptu concert put on by whomever is feeling the music. On Christmas day, there was rarely a moment when Colette wasn't ambling about with a treat or snack clutched in her little hands. I'm so grateful for this time together with my family, and while it's hard to be away from the work I have to do at home, this is good, really good. It is important to me that despite the fact that we live over 500 miles away from my parents, that my girls are as comfortable with them and with my siblings as if we lived in the same town (thank you, skype!) Happiness is watching my littles snuggled up on laps, reading stories, and begging treats from every and any adult hanging about. It's a good life. Merry Christmas!

St. Lucy's Day III

This past Saturday, we had our third annual St. Lucy's Day tea party. (You can see the first year here, and the second year here.) Because it was a Saturday, it was the largest group we've had yet, especially as this was the first time Daddies came along.

The girls wore sweet white dresses with red sashes (or some variation of) and made their own Santa Lucia crowns with (paper) candles. They were quite proud of them this year! Colette took to wearing hers upside down... so it's looking a little forlorn, but, still, so much fun. We attempted a Star boy crown for our one young man, but I had forgotten the right shape for it, so maybe next year!

I made a braided cinnamon bread (to represent St. Lucia's crown) and lussekatter (saffron buns). I did manage the cinnamon bread homemade... so I am quite proud of that. The "saffron" buns are actually pillsbury orange rolls (we also really like the Immaculata brand, but they were out). Right color, and nice and simple so I didn't make myself entirely crazy getting ready for something that is supposed to be a celebration. I bought a new book this year, Lucia, Saint of Light. I love it! It explained a few finer points of the celebration I didn't know, and has some recipes as well as a St. Lucia song in the back. I definitely recommend it for any of you that want to know more about the celebration! 

 While we had discovered the song in the back of the book, we stuck with the simple "Happy St. Lucy's Day to you", for the sake of including everyone in the singing. The littles quite enjoyed getting to blow out candles, eat yummy food, and chase each other around. Happy St. Lucy's Day!

Prayer to Saint Lucy

Saint Lucy, your beautiful name signifies light. By the light of faith which God bestowed upon you, increase and preserve this light in my soul so that I may avoid evil, be zealous in the performance of good works, and abhor nothing so much as the blindness and the darkness of evil and of sin.  By your intercession with God, obtain for me perfect vision for my bodily eyes and the grace to use them for God's greater honor and glory and the salvation of all men.  Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. Amen.

365 Photos in 365 Days: Week 48

Getting to snuggle a sleeping Colette is a rare and sweet treat. She randomly spiked a fever, and it made her quite cuddly and sleepy. I felt bad about the fever, but my mama's heart was thrilled with the extra snuggles.

The next day, we decided to go whole hog decorating the Christmas tree in order to battle a super crankerific morning. Usually we take the Christmas decorating a little slower, but since we'll be gone for the end of Advent and much of the Christmas season, we're bucking tradition a little this year. Plus, we have a brand-new tree this year, so the extra two plus feet of tree to decorate is an exciting concept around here.

 

The weather finally turned warm, so, despite a lingering cough in the eldest, and sniffly noses on the rest of us, we shoved outside as often as we could over the next few days.

I love St. Nicholas Day! I have such fond memories of finding our stockings when we were little, hung from random places in our house, always filled with apples, oranges and chocolates. (My mom always made sure I got oranges, they were always my favorite.) Continuing that traditing makes me so happy!

Annnnd, the girls have matching "fancy" coats. It's the little things, my friends. The little things.

The little gal in the middle has been best buddies with Anni since she was born. Now that she has a little sister, we have quite the foursome! Anni in all of her little mama ways, was so sweetly thrilled to get to snuggle the little lady.

And this. Today there was more scrubbing, and dusting, and moving Mary and Joseph on their travels. Anni is such a helper, and such a snuggler. She took such delight in getting to pull more pieces of our nativity set out today, ask me who they were, and find them their own spot. And Miss Colette? She picks them and finds them new places, until someone catches her. It's a happy time.

365 Photos in 365 Days: Week 47

365 Photos in 365 Days: Week 46

My week started out with a long drive to the hospital (long only because I went to the wrong place first... woops!) to meet this little sweetie. So worth getting lost to see her darling, chubby little self!

And then there's this face. This is after Daniel tried the first sip of his home brewed beer... except the kit made an American light beer, which really isn't his favorite. But still, lots of fun! 

 

Remember Miss Anni's room in our last apartment? We've moved since then, and I keep meaning to do another post on their room, but it was never "perfect", so I never did. The other day I decided to take a photo when it was mostly cleaned up, even if it wasn't perfect (it never is). So, yes, the humidifier sits on a step stool, and Anni's letters need to hung up again (the string got shredded), but, still, I love this little room. It's cozy and sweet, and already has some good memories wrapped up in it in the past year. It's going to go through a whole new set of changes pretty soon as Anni is almost too big for the toddler bed (well, she really is too big), and we're looking at a bunk bed that Anni would sleep on the bottom of until Colette moves out of her crib. 

That weekend, I went to visit my sister and her son in OKC while her husband was at the Nebraska game and my sainted husband was taking care of the littles... including the one being weaned. She pointed out all the fun mid-century architecture (and then we later googled all of Frank Lloyd Wright we could handle.) My favorite part of the visit was getting to sit up late chatting and scheming with my big sister. My second favorite part; though, was getting to go wander an art gallery. So much fun! While I'm a bit of a disgrace to my degree with how little I recall in art history (one of my absolute favorite things to study), it just felt right. My nephew's favorite thing was the Chihuly glass exhibit... with good reason. It was amazing! Below is the entrance to it. 

And then there are two photos of this little beauty, from one day, because, well, I missed a day. We had a little cookie time, and then later, when the girls were playing quietly, I peeked around the corner to catch her sitting in a toy bin, just hanging out.