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.

choosing

This afternoon I had the luxury of choosing how to spend a couple hours by myself.  All alone.  No kids along.  Not even Pal who tends to go lots of places with me.

There were plenty of things I could do, even needed to do.  But only one thing I would ever choose to do.

Get outside.

I ventured to a special spot that is quickly becoming a favorite for our family.  This time, of course, felt different experiencing it alone.

I walked.

I breathed.

I listened.

I wore my boots, happily anticipating mud.

I toted along my camera.

I prayed.

Prayed for dear friends.  Prayed for family.  Prayed with gratitude for the many ways I am blessed.  Prayed for those I know who are struggling or facing challenges.  Prayed that I continue to have a calm heart and open hand to the goodness and emotions of the holidays.  And I prayed for Lisa and her family.

Lisa is a lovely Mama and blogger, facing some real challenges right now.  I recently read this post of hers, and she has been on my mind.  You can also read about some of the kind ways people have responded to her, especially Ginny.

People can be good, oh so good.

And it was with that sense of goodness in my heart, sunshine on my face, and dazzling fresh air in my lungs that I walked.  I breathed.  I listened.

And I left a little message of goodness, a little prayer of gratitude, for others to find.

this moment {star struck}

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!

time well spent

As a Mama I've come to know when individual time with a particular child is needed.  Necessary even, for us to smooth through some challenge, or struggle, or grumpiness.  (Often on my part, ahem.) 

Our being together, one on one, allows us the opportunity to focus solely on each other and talk and listen closely.  I've found these times to be so nourishing for the parent-child relationship I am hoping to have with each of my children.  A relationship of presence and comfort and trust.

So it was last week with Munchkin.  He and I needed some time.  To simply wander together and find adventure in the form of ice cream and guitars and walking hand in hand and a long game of Eye Spy.

He discovered the wonderfulness of the whammy bar, the little lever on the electric guitar that gives it a whaaa whaaa whaaa sound. 

I discovered that when given the space and time Munchkin grows in his confidence, and silliness too.

We both discovered a renewed feeling of peace.