A Cabiny Christmas

It may seem like months ago now, but our Christmas at the cabin was utterly delightful, as usual.  Our full house gets fuller every year, and having four boys running around (and one toddling between aunts and uncles) made things even more fun...and maybe just a tad more chaotic!  I will confess to a moment or two of panic that the next time we have Christmas together, Jason and I will be the ones chasing down a toddler and trying to keep him from climbing the stairs, climbing into the fire, eating candy off the counter by the handfuls, etc.

Cooper gets ready for some Rock Band.

Inches of snow is no problem for sledding!

People are always saying Christmas is better with kids (usually it goes something like, "Christmas is only for kids," which I think is ridiculous, but whatever), and this Christmas WAS better with kids.  Mason and Troy have joined Cole in being old enough to gleefully open stockings and get excited about every gift they opened.  The extended grabbers (which Cole named "gribby grabbers," I think) were the kids favorite...and the adults least favorite.

Heavy load, Cole?

 

Best buds Troy and Mason

  We spent the whole week before Christmas in Idaho, most of it in the mountains.  We did have a big ol' family breakfast with the Grahams Wednesday morning, which was as fun as it has been for the past thirty-some years.

Fightin' words.

Snow angels with Granny

Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of snow in McCall this year--usually we have a couple of feet, this time we had a couple of inches.  Made for a rough sledding hill (just ask Kim!), but we made the best of it.

Piles of pah-resants!

Christmas morning

Kade in a bucket

It was Christmas as usual--The Littlest Angel, the seafood feast, the Lord of the Rings viewing.  All wonderful.  And then we headed down the mountain to catch our plane...which was delayed so badly that we would have missed our connecting flight.  So we rebooked for a little later...and then had another delay.  It gave us an extra night with my parents, and when we left the next morning, we were bumped up all the way to DC!  The plane from Chicago to Dulles had those fantastic seats that lay almost all the way back...mmm...best hour and a half flight ever.  I almost wanted to go all the way to Moscow just because I was so comfy...

End of Year Thoughts

My hair is standing up on end.  I've finished a book (good riddance) and drunk tea but am still in pajamas (don't tell Jason--he should think I've been very productive this morning).  I've "cleaned the library," which apparently means that bins of sewing projects, fabric, and piles of DVDs to rip down are all over the floor and desk.  And so is brown sugar, which is clearly what I was doing before I got distracted by all the blog posts I haven't read since we left for Idaho.

It is clearly that weird week between Christmas and New Year's.

Here are a few of the things going through my head:
*  I love having friends over for New Year's, but I am balking at the idea of hosting a party.  Or making a big dinner.  Or staying up until midnight.  Yikes.  What to do.

*  We are packing up our entire upstairs for a vicious construction project (which is why Jason needs to think I've been productive), and it is very, very weird to pack up all my suits with February still a'comin.  It's not like they fit (this week, NOTHING fits--I so wanted to be that cute pregnant woman with the little round belly and adorable attire, but instead I already waddle and have fallen irrevocably in love with my sweats), but it is still weird.

*  In the mornings, the Spare Oom is my favorite place in the house--all clean and white and yellow and sunshiny, with its east-facing window.

*  Have you ever gone to rip down your own DVDs (or maybe one you borrowed from your mom) so that you can eventually watch them on your iPad, but before you can stop it the first thing that pops up is the FBI warning that you are breaking the law nine ways to Sunday, and you suddenly feel guilty?  Yeah, me neither.

*  I bought a paper planner this year.  It seems like a weird thing to do, what with google calendar and the iPhone and what have you.  We'll see how it goes.

*  In spite of the five fantastic nephews, every once in a while I am caught by panic that I don't know what to do with boys.  Like when I read about this.  Or when, say, I look in my lovely, clean, white covered spare room and think that life will never be the same.  Last week I had to remind myself a lot that I am starting with a teeny baby and not a three-year-old-boy.

*  Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies really are a healthy, perfect post-Christmas-binging breakfast.  Really.

*  When I typed www. into the whachamacallit field where you type the site name, our blog immediately popped up.  Apparently the world wide web thinks I don't blog enough.  And clearly, since I have not told you about our construction project, our ultrasound, or, for the love, a lick about Christmas 2011, it's probably right.  More to come, as soon as my hair is no longer standing up on end, I have found a pair of jeans to wear, and I can prove to Jason that I have done more than finish a library book and eat cookies this morning while he is working.

December Calendar

Apart from having fun company and a bad head cold (which I blame for the fact that I'm just now posting these pictures), here are a few of the things we did in December:

Right off the Bat:  Twinkled
It has been a really mild winter so far (with a few abruptly cold 30 degree swings), so we took advantage of a 65 degree day to put up twinkle lights.  Such fun to come home to, as always.  I made the mistake of telling Jason that you are supposed to leave the lights up until Epiphany, not realizing that Epiphany is January 6th and not late January like I thought.  The lights came down on the next 65 degree Saturday, but so worth it in the meantime.

Also, this was my favorite Christmas decoration of the year, which Jason brought back from Germany last spring.  (Somehow he keeps going to Germany without me, and yet I'm the one who speaks German, what?)  

December 4th:  Much a'did
Embracing what may be our last chance ever to go to the theatre, we hit DC's wonderful Shakespeare Theatre in early December for a showing of Much Ado about Nothing, my all-time favorite play.

December 5th:  Visited the White House
I'd never actually been to the White House at Christmas, so MJ took me as her guest of honor.  So fun to see it all decorated.  And for the record, since I'm posting this more than a month later, it is weird how not-pregnant I look in these pictures.  No wonder the security lady wasn't sympathetic enough to let me use the bathroom.

December 9th:  Decorated our own tree
Our poor tree stood in our living room in nothing but lights for two weeks.  I pretended it was because Hudson and Carter were coming over to play and I didn't want to tempt them with our not-child-friendly ornaments.  That only made me feel better for a week, though.  Our tree was the perfect size this year.  So nice, in fact, that I was actually a little sad to take it down after New Years.

December 17th:  Christmas Caroled
We actually did go Christmas caroling with friends this year (no pictures, sad), which was so fun.  I love that our friends want to make these things a part of their children's lives and they let us tag along.  But we also went to see A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theatre with Kevin and Missy.  As usual, it put us in the perfect Christmassy mood.

We also, you know, passed a federal budget right in the nick of time, wrapped Christmas gifts just before we headed out of town for the holidays, and lit the Advent candle in church...which required just one too many dress-up maternity outfits for the week.  December absolutely FLEW by, but what a fun whirlwind of celebrating family, goodwill, and, most of all, our Savior's birth!

Three Bumps

Steven, Amy, and Hudson came "back home" to visit this weekend and stayed with us--fun, lazyish weekend of basically eating and then sitting in our living room and talking until way too late in the evening (that's why I look gross in this picture).  To our eternal enjoyment, it turns out that Tilly, Amy, and I are all pregnant AND all due in May 2012.  Ridiculous. 

A Virginia Thanksgiving

We had a really nice time hosting Thanksgiving for the whole Small family this year and were glad to take some of the load off of Lynda, who is working her way back to full health after finishing six months of chemo (yay!).  We particularly enjoyed having Justin and his girlfriend April stay with us--I think I've said before how much fun it is to have our siblings stay with us, now that we are all grown up.  Fun fun.

We spent the weeks before the meal planning menus and buying groceries and prepping ingredients, so it was super fun that the food all turned out just right--Jason's cider-brined turkey was seriously the best I've ever eaten...in spite of the raw meaty brine spilling all over the counter and floor at just the wrong time the night before!

"These mashed potatoes are so creamy!"

Cider-brined turkey, golden and delicious!

We ate:

• Cider-brined turkey with cider gravy
• Sausage, apple, and sage stuffing
• Garlic-thyme mashed potatoes
• Roasted Brussels sprouts with grapes
• Green bean casserole
• Tapioca Salad
• Pies and sugar-free chocolate trifle

Gathered around the table

We spent the rest of the weekend doing a variety of things, including visiting the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum and trying to find a solution to our major Thanksgiving Day plumbing situation--thank goodness for Justin and George!  Fun visit and great people with whom to celebrate all we're thankful for!

At the Air and Space Museum

Thanksgivingness

I've been learning to practice thanksgiving this year, particularly after reading One Thousand Gifts this spring (Most Significant Book of 2011, so far).  I'm not very good at it yet, but I am recognizing the truth of what the author says in the book--that when we look for ways to thank God, joy pours into our lives.  She says that "thanksgiving is the manifestation of our Yes! to His grace."  I love that.

I also love this:  "When we lay the soil of our hard lives open to the rain of grace into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows."

So I've been practicing--a few things each day that I'm thankful for, a practice I started in June and have kept up (unfortunately) sporadically since then.  Here are a few of the things on my list so far:

* Pigeon pose at 6:15 a.m.
* Pictures of Krystal with us on vacation.
* Heavy Carter asleep on me.
* The sound of Jason awake upstairs.
* Jenny.  And her prayers for me.
* Irish breakfast tea.
* Ecstatic news about Lynda's cancer.
* A flock of green beans hiding under broad leaves.
* Recess hours.
* Skinny jeans (who would have thought?).
* The downward slide of the week.
* Peaches in the CSA.
* Polyjuice Potion in "Luminos" font.
* Mason on the phone.
* Long dinner talks on the deck.
* Amy's birthday playlist.
* My iPad.
* War movies without papers.
* Jason's hand on my hip in bed.
* Anne of Avonlea.
* Red Robin french fries.
* 165 beats per minute.
* Bouquets of sharpened pencils with Dawn.
* Tapioca salad ruby-red in Aunt RaVae's footed bowl.

I hope you have a moment to look for the things you are thankful for today, as well.

Good morning!

It's 7:56 a.m., and, after a trip to the doctor yesterday, it is the first night in at least week I haven't kept both of us awake with my coughing.  And I only had to get up to go to the bathroom once last night!  Hooray for a whole night's sleep!

It's a good thing, too, because I have so much to do today to get ready for Thanksgiving guests tomorrow.  My list includes:
* Figure out how I am going to set the table...and find the china...
* Make pies (it's a good thing I love to eat them, because I do not love to make them).
* Decide what to do with the box of winter clothes not yet in my closet that aren't going to fit me much longer anyway.
* Decide what to do with the box of maternity clothes in the basement (thank you, sisters and Andrea!) that don't fit me quite yet.
* Go boot shopping (because that is a priority right now...).
* Clean the whole house, in hopes that Justin and April stay with us for the weekend.
* Work out.  Just once.  Come on, you can do it!
* Make someone's Christmas gift.  Because starting homemade gifts in late November is the best way to keep the holidays stress-free?
* Go to Costco.
* Eat breakfast.

I actually really do need to eat breakfast--my stomach is growling, and I finally feel like drinking warm beverages again (tea, oh how I have missed you!) and have delicious, (fatty, sugary) chocolate-caramel coffee creamer in my fridge, calling my name.  Pretty loudly.  But instead I am sitting here hanging out on the internet.  I'm reading a few blogs--a new one I like so far here (suggested to me as a fashion blog, because I put the worst outfit together yesterday...and then went shopping and to the doctor and to dinner and to Bible study in it.  Yikes.), my favorite one of Dawn's here (if you are not reading this blog yet, you are behind the times, my friend)--and then imagining I have time to make something like this during the afternoon (you'll note it is not on the list, so I'm not optimistic).  It is really the opposite of being productive.

This entry is really random, but I am going to start trying to let a little less time elapse between posts.  That probably means a little more randomness.  Be prepared.

10 Year Flashback

Here's the thing:  it feels like it's been 10 years since I graduated from college.  A lot has happened in 10 years, and I have started to learn things about being a real grown up--things like how to apologize when I'm wrong, how to show up to work early and stay late, how to put together a budget and stick with it.  It's been a good decade, but a decade nonetheless.

Class of 2001

Classic Senate Pic

But then we all got together in the lobby of our junior year dorm and ate the amazing donuts our RD used to make every Wednesday night, and time kind of melted away.  Ten years has apparently been good to my college class, which made my 10-year reunion extra fun.  Of all the reunion groups at NNU's homecoming, we had the largest, and yet I got to talk to most of my former classmates and felt like there was still a genuine connection.  Over 10 years I have learned to appreciate the common ground I can start from with these people.  I was very, very glad I made the effort to go!

How well do you remember your roommate?

with Marbs and Andrea

There was the official reunion lunch--complete with the newlywed-esque Roommate Game AND the afore mentioned donuts--and then there were the fun side events.  Amanda hosted a lovely book club tea at her house.  Andrea and I squeezed in a really nice coffee break.  Kristy had a large group of people over for dinner and laughing and a little Rock Band.  I like how boundaries between groups and people have loosened since our five year reunion.  So fun.  The only thing I missed was Krystal (and Jason, the party pooper).

Rock Band at Kristy's

Since NNU is about 15 minutes from my parents' house, I also got to spend a stolen weekend with the fam.  Love those boys.  It was full of activity but very, very fun.

Coop and I, doing what I do best these days.

Thanks to Marbs for most of the pictures, since my camera broke within 15 minutes.  She is as dependable as ever. :)

If I have to be at a desk...

... at least this is the view from my window.  Pretty spectacular.  I came home yesterday to the most amazing fall day--mid-60's (a nice break from the frigid Idaho mornings!), sun and blue skies, golden leaves practically glowing on the trees.  Nate, my window-sharer, and I have been looking forward to this lovely moment all summer.

The Egyptian Flu

Apparently my dad announced my pending arrival to my grandparents by telling them that my mom had been a little under the weather and seemed to have the "Egyptian Flu."  When Grams seemed concerned, he explained:  "She's going to be a mummy."

Apparently Grams fell for that joke again about 18 months later, before Shaanti was born.

Jason told a similar story yesterday to our Sunday school class, something about me not feeling well lately and the doctor saying something about being 13 weeks pregnant, due in early May. 

We are very excited.  We've been waiting a long time to publish this blog post.

I have never seen or heard anything more amazing than that 165 heartbeats per minute in my whole life.

Low Light Shoot

A while ago we bought a Living Social coupon for a photo class.  We finally got around to signing up--on Sunday, thank goodness, instead of Saturday, since it SNOWED on Saturday (for the love).  We learned some new tricks about shooting pictures in low light...and wished the whole time that Steven was teaching us!  Here are a couple of pics that we took:

Prague

I toyed with the idea of titling this blog "Czeching out Central Europe," but it just seemed too kitschy for what was really a gorgeous and amazing city.  I have this dream of two weeks spent meandering through Central and Eastern Europe--Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Romania (so want to go to Romania)--but so far we haven't found two weeks and available flights at the same time, so this past week we decided to at least get Prague out of our system.

Prague from the Charles Bridge

Old Town Square, with Tyn Church

The historic Clock Tower

Charles Bridge

Prague is the most beautiful city I've ever been to (which is why there are a million photos on this entry).  It did not hurt that it reminded me very much of Oxford, one of my favorite places.  And it is fall, and crisp and lovely, and we absolutely loved our trip.  Apart from what felt like the longest plane flight ever (I swear worse than going to Kenya), our trip was utterly fantastic.

Our side (Little Quarter) of the Charles Bridge

The John Lennon wall

More Charles Bridge

 

The famous clock in the Old Town Square

We like to walk around cities, and Prague was a fun city to walk around.  Since Britain and France basically handed it over to Hitler, it was never destroyed during WWII, so all its historical, Medieval glory still exists.  We loved the beautiful Old Town Square, the statuesque Charles Bridge, the amazing Prague Castle, the Jewish Quarter, and the historic Wenceslas Square, where the Czech people toppled Communism in 1989.

 

The other Lenin, at the Museum of Communism

Wenceslas Square

We spent particular time in:

The Old Jewish Quarter, which was home to Prague's Jewish population for centuries.  Before WWII, 120,000 Jews lived in Prague (all in this tiny space), and only 10% of them survived the Holocaust.  We visited the Pinkas Synagogue, onto the walls of which the names of all those people who were killed were written, covering every space.  Looking at the enormity of it made it a little hard to breathe.  We also visited the Old Jewish Cemetery, with it's piled, topsy-turvy graves--for years and years Jews were only allowed to bury their dead in this small spot, so the graves are piled deep.

Pinkas Synagogue, covered in names.

Old Jewish Cemetery

Prague Castle, which looks out over the city.  We visited the very cool library at the Strahov Monastery and particularly loved St. Vitus Cathedral.

The Strahov Monastery Library

Changing of the Guard at the castle

St. Vitus Cathedral

The O2 Arena, where we watched Prague's two hockey teams, Slavia and Sparta, duke it out on the ice.  It was fun to do something that was not translated into English.

Slavia vs. Sparta

Here are a few more random moments:

At the statue of King Wenceslas

Hot chocolate on the tram (good solution to the rain and 40 degree weather!)

Goulash for the first time (scary?)

Sorry, this ridiculous self portrait makes me laugh

We've been to a lot of places where I feel like I could say, "Alright!  I've been there!" and call it good.  Prague was not that place--our five days there felt like an intro preparing us to come back instead of a trip in itself.  It was amazing.  Go to Prague, I say!  Linger on the Charles Bridge and watch the sun set over the Old Town Square!  Eat goulash!  Watch hockey like a local and make jokes about "czeching"!