In January

We bought 8 fitness gadgets (and promptly lost three of them somewhere in the couches or secret places of our home). Gold stars for the kids who get 10,000 steps a day.

 

Andy gets up at the crack of dawn for F-3 workouts, and I join the ladies at the park on Saturdays. If it weren't for the fellowship and comraderie, I would be staying indoors on the 20 degree mornings!

Celebrating Mom's birthday

Rejoicing with Rachel over Baby Ethan

For this child we have prayed

Meeting with my "Breathe" girls on Wednesday nights as we purpose to have Sabbath margin in our crazy family lives

Andy's work travels. Happy to have him return home to us, and happy for the stash of hotel goodies he brings back with him.

Girl time. A Starbucks run after piano lessons.

Andy took the boys to baseball camp and milkshakes.

My 13 year old stylist

Trying to make my life in the car more bearable. Somehow my attitude gets as ensnarled as these earbuds on a daily basis when the kids begin fighting as soon as the are strapped into their seatbelts. All that being good for the teacher melts away the second we are reunited.

I gathered up the leftover Christmas candies and distribute "sweets for the sweet" if the kids can refrain from devouring one another in the moments we share together after school.

We are enjoying all things British in preparation for a trip Laurel and I will take together in the summer. We enjoyed the Paddington Bear movie together over the long weekend, and I am back on the treadmill enjoying season 5 of Downton Abbey. Is it time for tea?

 

 

 

 

Something New

Attending FIA (Females in Action) - the female counterpart to F3 (free fitness, faith, and fellowship boot camp workouts in local parks). It is the tradition of the launch group to give you a nickname after your initiating workout. They gave me the name "Stretch" because my bent is to stick with Pilates and dance workouts, and bootcamp is a "stretch" out of my comfort zone.

 

Spending some time in the drifts is part of the journey. So proud of my boy for handling the frustration that goes along with learning a new skill. So proud of my man, for being with him along the way and making the opportunity to talk about the journey ahead. Middle school years, here we come.

See! I am doing a new thing!

- Isaiah 43:19

 

The end of December

Sing (or play) for your supper (or egg nog ice cream)

Immaculate Consumption Ginger Spice

Our favorite break-and-bake gingerbread cookies...sold in the health food stores, so we pretend they are healthy on birthday occasions.

Natalia wanted to be with horses for Christmas, so I took her to a friend's barn for a lesson. The great part was being able to hide-away in their loft and have some quiet time while they hit the trails.

Quiet time "in the barn" ...perfect for Christmas

Laurel and I took photoshoots of ourselves in her Christmas cloak

The kids enjoyed redeeming their gift cards on items I wouldn't buy them...like latex non-reusable gloves. Why do they think they need 200 of these?

 

The twelve days of sickness

I am thankful that we are not battling life-threatening illnesses. We have so much to be thankful for. But in a family of seven when a virus takes down one family member after another, mama can feel like this:

"Let's just get this over with"

This holiday break we have scrubbed up puke from the walls, sheets, and carpet. Taken multiple trips to the pediatrician and pharmacy. Soothed fevers, headaches, and coughs. Gone through more lozenges and tissues and Clorox wipes than I can count, and laid a kid out on a neighbor's kitchen island to dermbond his forehead back together in the middle of a sleepover birthday party. Calgon....

Charmin with aloe toilet paper was softer on her nose than the tissues we bought

More stay-at-home church flannel graph videos with the Sunday School lady

 

 

Our God is with us

O little town of Bethlehem..... meets primitive folk art.

I love letting the words of carols sink into my heart (and canvas in this case).

O morning stars, together

Proclaim the holy birth

And praises sing to God, the King,

And peace to men on earth.

How silently, how silently,

The wondrous Gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

O come to us, abide in us, our Lord, Immanuel....

 

Celebrate good times

December is full of festivity for many families. When you add in four family birthdays, let the good times roll from one celebration into the next. We are very thankful for family and friends who come together to celebrate with us.

The birthday kids

Four holiday movies, Three school parties, Two birthday kids, and a sleepover full of excited little girls

I was singing along to the new-improved Annie soundtrack

 

It takes celebrating three birthdays in one sitting to justify going out to eat at a Japanese steakhouse now that our kids meal price days are gone.

Will's first karate belt test

Two days later... More treats, more friends, and another movie

 

Will's buddies taking in a movie and a holiday milkshake

As much as we are at church, the only time that we all worship together is the Christmas Eve candlelight service.

I love it when Andy is able to serve communion to us.

Dinners and parties with my girlfriends

Work parties and lunches

Moments of sibling harmony

 

Favorite gifts

The generosity of Christmas was combined with great creativity. Here are some of our favorite gifts of 2014:

An angel for my tree made out of banana leaves...hand-delivered from Kenya by a dear Hindu member of my Pilates class. I am appreciative of every kind word that comes my way, and Christmastime is especially humbling to be loved so well.

Creativity meets Practicality... A match made in Heaven

My Mom refurbished this antique plant stand for me

... and found a replacement key ring for one that was ready to be retired.

Laurel's cloak

A flat-iron for the curly girl and a curling-iron for the sleek girl

The little treats that come at Christmastime... Like this praline hand-delivered from New Orleans- the kind that makes an angel want to sing

Or a cup of Christmas cheer

A beautifully wrapped package with the promise of a lesson to come

And time spent with friends

The gift of tracking down a light bulb for our piano light

An elf suit made by my aunt came in handy when my little elves shared gifts with neighbors

A magnet that our Catholic friends got for me, which I love.