ushering

Each year we usher in the New Year quietly.  We like it that way.

Right now, snow is falling.  The big kids are outside building a fort, warm in their boots.

The rich delicious smell of a roast fills the house.

A dear friend, basically the seventh member of our family, has come by with her knitting.

Lovey is snuggled up, watching Charlie Brown Christmas.

Pal is asleep in his car seat.

Quiet.  Good.

I am thinking about all that has been 2012.  All of the growth, change, discovery.  Pal joining the fun.

We have a movie planned for later, letting the kids stay up past their bedtime.  Buttery popcorn and once-yearly French onion dip.

New Year's kisses, and a good night's sleep.

Yes, quiet, and quite quite good.

Wishing you all a peaceful end of 2012 and beginning of 2013.

weekending {sponsored by the letter s}

The 12 Days of Christmas linger here with Snow accumulating more each day.  I love snow.  This year I love it even more as we regularly venture out into its cold loveliness.

It is hard to distinguish the weekend from the week, as the days have all held much Sledding, Snuggling, Sweets.  Spirited rounds of Wig Out and Batik and a healthy dose of thrown Snowballs.  I've even squeezed in a couple Sofa dates to watch movies and episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm  with Honey, albiet with one (or two!) sleeping babes on our laps.

Coming up still this weekend is Sharing a meal with good friends and planning Special activities to mark the beginning of the New Year.  And I've started thinking about which word to Select for 2013.

So, what about you?

worth every penny

 As predicted much time has been spent breaking in the new boots. 

They've readily passed the 100% waterproof claim test and have keep feet warm for hours.  I contend that this may be the best purchase of the season!  If the past week is any indication, these boots will get worn daily and have much play, hike, adventuring time before we reach the summer solstice.  (At which point they will become rain boots too!)

My Christmas surprise under the tree was a pair of my own hiking boots.  Oh glorious day!  I contend these will see many hours in the snow, then springtime thaw, then venture into summer hikes.  I too have been breaking them in.  Munchkin and I took a leisurely snowy off-trail hike the day after Christmas.  Happy to report warm toes all!

And in the year of boots, I also received from my Hubby's family gift exchange, a pair of totally awesome cowgirl rain boots.

Really.

this {holiday} moment

This last week has held the best kinds of holidaying.  Moments of joy, happiness, celebration.  Moments of stillness, sweetness, tenderness.  Moments held close to my heart, them all.

Thankfully the moments of tiredness and grumpy stirrings have been few.  And this funny, loud family of six has spent time together, and with extended family, in ordinary and extraordinary ways, making our Christmas week magical.  All with a good dash of snow that has quieted our neighborhood and drawn us outside for hours on end.

I want to share with you, my blogging friends, the same well-wishes we mailed out to family and friends.  Because, dear readers, I certainly count you among my friends!

Thinking of you this Christmas.

Honey and Claudine

Buddy, Munchkin, Lovey and Pal

welcome winter

Mother Nature must have received the message, and agreed.  A first snow on the first day of winter would be delightful.

So we are easing into our winter solstice with snow on the ground and fluffy flakes joining all the while.  This makes perfect the presents we have for the kiddos to open later.  (Shhhh: warm boots!)

This will be our second year celebrating Solstice.  We stayed in last year, but have special plans for those boots tonight.  We will be taking a night hike at a favorite spot.  It feels right to me that we should do that this year, one marked by an exponentially growing desire for being outside. 

It also feels right to embrace solstice as a marker for the final days of preparation before Christmas.  The kind of preparations that feel more like celebrating in and of themselves because we are home and together.  Making the Peppermint Bark that makes many a blog post this time of year.  Cookie baking.  Christmas book reading.  Sending Christmas greetings. Family Movie Night. 

Oh, and breaking in those new boots.

Thank you Mother Nature, thank you.

a bit of wonky

Our tree  has some peculiarities this year.  At first glance, anyone could see.

Ornaments piled on the top branches. 

Unadorned bottom branches, on account of Pal. 

Lights askew on the bottom branches.  Pal again.

But a much closer look gets a bit more interesting.

If you look closely you will see lots of extra ornaments.  Little wooden blocks, toy cars, baby toys, Duplos.  Socks.  This, this is all Lovey.  For many days following our putting up of the Christmas tree she hovered near, rearranging ornaments and adding items she thought fitting.

This is not the first time the tree has held some fascination.  The year he was 3, Munchkin repeatedly threw his shoes at the tree.  Twelve ornaments met their demise that Christmas.

In the spirit of celebrating wonky, I've not let Lovey know that the traditional saying is "Merry Christmas," not "Very Christmas."  I am enjoying too much her playing Santa, and saying wholeheartedly, in her deepest voice no less, "Ho, Ho, Ho, Veeeery Christmas!!" 

And maybe that is more fitting, really.  Christmas, in all of its beautiful complexities, is much more than simply Merry.  Its peaceful intentions, shows of love, food, family, traditions, gifts gifted, expectations, goodness, memories.  In its fullest emotional and physical landscape, Christmas is so much, much more.   Very I would say.  

So Very Christmas, dear friends.

peace

I've talked before about Fred Rogers and our adoration for him as a family.  Though that adoration tends to lean more heavily toward the parents of this group, ahem.  I often turn to his words for a bit of calm, and perspective, and understanding.  He has helped make me a better parent and a better person.

This weekend his words from a lullaby have been going through my mind...

Peace, peace, peace, we all want peace.

Yes, please.  Peace.  For all.

Like many bloggers whom I read, there is a sense of quieting, and stillness, and holding close those dear.  Using words of comfort with our own children, hoping we too can somehow feel comfort.  At a sad, fearful time like this it helps to find words, not necessarily our own, but from another to help us make sense of our feelings.  Mister Rogers says well when trying to understand tragic events, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."  I encourage you to read and listen to more of his words.

Peace to you, dear friends.

this moment {siblings}

Joining Soulemama, and many others, in this moment. 

In Amanda's words: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Please link to your moment too -- I love to see what you are enjoying this week!

Wishing you a weekend full of goodness!

in Lovey's bag

Can you guess what's in that bag Lovey is carrying?

Brand new, little girl, ballet slippers.

Recognizing the special beginning taking place, I quickly made the bag the night before her first ballet class.  She has attended for several weeks now, and it is amazing to watch her (from outside the dance room) grow in confidence and comfort.

At home she's been teaching her older brothers plie and arabesque.

And she's been teaching me the bittersweet of watching your little girl becoming a not-as-little girl.