Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2017! Here’s to a new year full of happiness, good health and love.  

Happy New Year!! 🎆🎈🎊 

The butterfly

I got on here tonight to write something.  I wasn’t sure what. I got into my Drafts folder by mistake and came across this.  I wrote it in October, on the anniversary of my Aunt Linda’s death, but never posted it for some reason.  Aunt Linda has been on my mind so much lately.  Christmas reminds me of her.  I wanted to post this because I wanted to remember her.  And to remind myself to not ignore the butterflies.

“There are no goodbyes…only good memories.”

That thought has been running through my head since last night.  I heard it on a TV show I was watching and it struck me how true the statement is.

Today it’s been a year since we lost my amazing Aunt Linda and our hearts are heavy and hurting because we all miss her so much.   But, more often than not, when I think of her, it’s not with tears, but with laughter and happiness.  I feel incredibly blessed that she was my aunt and a constant presence in my life from the day I was born.  I wish we had more time with her, but I am so grateful for all of the years that we did have.  Today I tried hard to think about all of the all the things that I gained with having Aunt Linda in my life instead of all the things we’ve lost since her death.  

 Today, I went for a walk on my lunch break.  It was an overcast, damp day.  Moisture literally hung in the air and I decided not to walk too far just in case it started to pour.  As I walked along the sidewalk in a neighborhood near my office, a monarch butterfly flew in front of me.  I didn’t think too much of it at first, but as I continued to walk, it again flew in my path.  Did you know that butterflies hide when it rains?  Little wonder since they are so small and their wings are so fragile.  I’ve read that even on cloudy days, butterflies are rarely seen because even the threat of rain keeps them hiding.  These facts ran through my mind as I watched the orange and black butterfly flutter into a nearby flower bed.  As I started to continue down the street, another thought came to me - a butterfly is a symbol of resurrection.  “It’s said when you see a butterfly, it’s someone you love in heaven reminding you of them and giving you a reason to remember all of the beautiful memories you shared with them”.  Suddenly, it didn’t seem so strange to see that butterfly.  I spent the rest of my walk thinking of memories I have of Aunt Linda.  I thought about holidays and birthdays spent at the Klare house.  I thought about walking to her house from the bus stop a few times when I was in high school and always feeling welcome whenever I stopped by their home.  I thought about a time I was home alone at night once a teenager and got so freaked out because I thought I heard a noise upstairs.  I called her in a panic and she didn’t make me feel silly or stupid for being afraid.  I thought about how she was the first person that I called after my parents when Pat and I got engaged and about the beautiful bridal shower she threw for me.  I thought about the things I loved most about Aunt Linda – her kind and loving heart and her generous spirit. 

I love you Aunt Linda.  I miss you.

 

My new niece!

I haven’t met this gorgeous baby girl in person yet, but I’m already smitten.  She’s perfect!  

Asa Linda- Aunt Malia cannot wait to smoosh your sweet cheeks with kisses!  😘😘😘

The Train Museum

Over the weekend, the kids and I, along with Pops, visited the Behringer-Crawford Museum.  According to the website, “The regional history of Northern Kentucky as part of the Ohio Valley must be preserved for the benefit of present & future generations. Therefore, the Behringer-Crawford Museum is a center for the collection, presentation, study and enjoyment of our natural, cultural, and visual and performing arts heritage.”.  That’s great and all, but we mostly went for the trains.  Each year the museum has an incredible display of Christmas train in addition to their everyday train displays.  My dad got tickets at an auction and we were all excited to go.  Especially our little train lover Mitch.

The museum was really cool and we really enjoyed it.  It was very interactive and kid-friendly.  They had tunnel underneath the trains where you could pop your head up in a bubble and be “inside” the display.  There were buttons you could press on the side of the Christmas display that worked different parts of it and a lever that made a red trolley go back and forth.  There were some really interesting exhibits outside of the trains showing some of the history of the airports and riverboats.  They also had a restored street car (circa 1892 I think) to view that was pretty neat.  There was a lot more to see than I expected, though we spend the majority of our times with the trains.  Thank you Pops for the tickets!  We made some wonderful holiday memories and we can’t wait to go back!

That time Kiki tried Blue Apron

My mom signed up for a few Blue Apron meals.  She asked Chef Evie to help her prepare one this weekend.  Evelyn helped peel carrots, pour oil and mix spices.  She did great and obviously gets her skill from her Daddy.  This mama sat and watched and helped get the pans that they needed.  I was also in charge of watching a pot of bowling water.  😂😂.  It’s not that I can’t cook.  It’s just not something I particularly enjoy doing.  Anyway, Kiki and Evie had fun and I think Evie learned a lot.  We enjoyed Turkey Ramen for dinner and it was delicious!  Well, at least my dad and I thought so.  Evie and Kiki didn’t care much for it until they added soy sauce.  

Thanks Blue Apron for the memories!

Day 30 - Time

I’m so grateful for this past year.  We had our ups and downs.  There were some really amazing moments and some very, very difficult ones.  But we made it through, and truthfully, I think we are stronger because of it.

 It was a year that I wasn’t sure I’d get with my mom.  But through the grace of God, the wonders of modern medicine and the sheer determination and strength of my amazing mother, we were given the greatest gift you can be given – Time.

None of us are guaranteed tomorrow.  I think we are all made aware of that fact at some point in our lives.  Sometimes, however unintentional it may be, we take for granted those things that mean the most to us.  We naively think that those things will always be there.  But then something happens and we realize that life and love are things that we should always appreciate and cherish because in an instant, they can be gone.  We were reminded of that when my mom got sick, but it hold trues for all people.  Don’t be afraid to tell those you care about that you love them.  Make an effort to call those that you don’t see often and don’t put off things for tomorrow that can be done today.  Big, extravagant things are great, but don’t forget to appreciate the smaller, quieter moments.  Those will be the times you remember and treasure most. 

 These 30 days of thankfulness have really driven this home for me.  I was reminded of how blessed I am and how grateful for each and every moment.  I hope that I can take my own advice, practice what I preach and really live the next year (and beyond) with an attitude of gratitude. 

Below is our Thanksgiving Blessing Tree.  The kids had fun and hopefully learned a little something at the same time.

 

Day 29 - Family

It’s not what we have in life, but who we have that matters.

 We are incredibly blessed to have a wonderful family.  I’ve sat here for a while trying to put into words what my parents, siblings, in-laws, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins mean to my life.  I didn’t expect it to be a struggle and yet it is.  Not because I don’t have the words, but because the words seem insufficient.  My family is my life.  My happiest memories involve them.  When something good happens, I want to share it with them.  When times are difficult, I depend on their support and love.  Now that I have children of my own, I honestly do not know what I would do without my family.  Pat and I aren’t raising our kids by ourselves.  We are raising them with our families’ help.  

 We don’t always agree and sometimes we get aggravated with one another.  And that’s ok.  Families aren’t perfect.  I came across this quote and it really resonated with me...  “You don’t love someone because they’re perfect…You love them in spite of the fact that they’re not.”  I love the imperfection.   It inspires me to be better.  But it also inspires me to embrace and accept things that I may not completely understand.  My love of my family has been enriched by how different we all are from each other. 

 As we enter the holiday season, I just want to thank each and every member of our family for being in our lives.  The words seem so inadequate, but they come straight from my heart.  Your love and support mean everything to us and we appreciate all that you do for us.  We love you all so much. 

Day 28 - All the Things

I wanted to take a moments to just list some of things for which I’m thankful that I might not have mentioned yet.  Some are simple and some are more meaningful.  I’m not listing everything – that would take up more than just this blog post!  But I wanted to count my blessings to remind myself of how fortunate I truly am.

• Laughter
• Quiet time
• Doctors and Nurses
• Modern Medicine
• A comfortable place to sleep
• A warm home on a cold day
• Dark Chocolate
• Popcorn
• Game nights
• Family Traditions
• Reliable Transportation
• A glass of wine after a long day
• Snuggles on a Saturday morning
• Mama / Evie Movie Night
• Mitchell’s excitement over trains
• Home cooked meals
• Pizza when you don’t feel like cooking
• Family vacations
• My father-in-law’s generosity
• Flowers when you least expect them
• Conversations with my mom
• My dad’s exuberance at being Pops
• My mother-in-law’s time and bigheartedness
• Visits with GG
• The love my siblings give to my kids
• Long walks
• Mistakes that help us learn
• My kid’s smiles
• Second Chances
• Quiet mornings
• Love
• Peace
• Life
• 
  
  

Day 27 - Teachers

I’m thankful for all of the teachers out there.  It is such a tough job, but they make a huge difference.  I still think about most of my teachers fondly and to this day, my favorite teacher remains my third grade teacher, Mrs. Recker.  She was kind and soft-spoken.  She taught not me lessons from books, but also by example.  I’m pretty sure Pat’s favorite teacher was his high school Spanish teacher aka his mom.

So far, my children have been blessed with wonderful teachers.  Pat and I have said more than once that we don’t know how they do it.  Put me in a room with 10-12 three year old and I’m pretty sure I’d lose my mind.  I can barely keep it together with one.  Teachers are special people doing an incredibly important job and they deserve to be appreciated and thanked.

Day 26 - Seasonal Fun

I’m thankful for the beginning of the holiday season.  I have so many wonderful Christmastime memories from my childhood and I always look forward to creating happy memories with my kids.  Since I didn’t grow up in the Columbus area, I’m not always sure what to do, but it’s fun find new (at least to us) places and experience the holiday through the kids’ eyes.

We went to Wildlights at the zoo last Tuesday because the weather was mild.  It was so much fun to walk around listening to Christmas music, sip hot cocoa and see the beautiful lights.  Talk about putting us in the mood to r Christmas!  We took a train ride and even saw some reindeer.  We can’t be certain, but one of them may have even been Santa’s.  Evelyn and Mitch called out a few reindeer names and when they yelled “Blitzen”, Evelyn swore one of them looked over at her 😉.  

This evening, the kids and I headed to Olde Worthington for a little Holiday fun.  We ate Christmas cookies and looked at all of the Christmas window displays.  The train display in a jewelry store window was definitely a favorite!  I wanted to stay for the tree lighting in the Village Green, but the kids got antsy so we called it a night.  We did look at some neighborhood Christmas lights on the way home though.  Today was fun and I can’t wait to make even more happy Christmas memories.

Day 25 - Pat

I’m so thankful for my husband. 

We actually met 10 years ago exactly.  It’s hard to believe it’s been that long!  I didn’t know then that I’d met my future husband, but I remember thinking that he was something special and he had a great smile 😊.   We’ve learned a lot about each other since that first date.  We drive each other crazy, but we also make each other laugh.  Pat is such a good person and he often inspires me to be better.  He’s my rock.  We’ve been through tough times, but at the end of the day, there is no one with whom I’d rather be spending my life.

Day 24 - Beautiful Days

I’m thankful for beautiful days this time of year.  Days that are crisp, but not frigid, and when the sun shines at least a little bit.  Today was one of those days.  Pat had to work so I took the kids to Highbanks for a little hike.  We wandered down the forest paths, leaves crunching underneath our feet, searching for foxes 🦊 and eagles 🦅 (they really do have eagles there!).  Alas, we didn’t see any, although we swear we caught a glimpse!  We spent some time at the nature center before heading home for some holiday cheer.  The kids snacked on hot cocoa and cookies while watching a Christmas cartoon and then we attempted a Christmas craft with mixed results.  While waiting for our crafts to dry, I couldn’t resist getting the kids outside one more time so we headed to Perry Park for a little playground fun.  

I’m so thankful for the sunshine, the peace and the joy.

L

Day 23 - Happy Thanksgiving

I’m thankful for Thanksgiving.  It’s not really about the turkey and mashed potatoes.  It’s not about meticulously decorated houses or perfectly set tables.  It’s about family and friends and just being together.  It’s a day to just be grateful for all of our blessings.

Breaking the wishbone!

Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍁❤️

(Best we could do!)

Day 22 - Mitchell

Today I’m thankful for my Mitch. 

He’s ornery at times and can seriously drive us bonkers.  But for all of the times that he makes us want to pull our hair out, there is an equal number of times that he’s the sweetest little boy ever.  

I have said before that I think that 3 years old is hard age.  I still think that it’s hard, but I also think my three year old is pretty darn cool.  He’s untouched by society’s expectations of what a boy should be.  He loves the color pink.  He asked to wear a pair of Evie’s pink pajama pants that didn’t fit her anymore and he was so excited when I told him that he could have them.   I was painting Evelyn’s nails and he wanted his nails painted too.  Pink with sparkles please!  He wore Evelyn’s pink Minnie Mouse hat to the park.  He doesn’t care what anyone thinks.  He likes pink so he’s going to wear it.  There is something so freeing about that.  It can change so much once kids start school.  I can see it with Evie.  But so far, Mitch doesn’t really care what other people think and I love that about him.

Mitch is a rough-and-tumble little guy, but he’s also one of the snuggliest kids I know.  He give the best hugs.  He has a kind heart and he loves to help other people.  His smile can light up a room and his giggle is infectious.  He makes us laugh everyday with his goof-ball antics.  He’s a crazy nut, but we love him to bits. 

Day 21 - Books

I’m thankful that I was was taught to read and that there are so many wonderful books to read.  I enjoy losing myself in a good book.  It’s an escape.  A chance to visit a different place and time.  A chance to experience a different reality.  I’ve always loved to read, although nowadays I read more articles and short stories than anything due to lack of time and a couple of little distractions. 😉

I’m also being read to quite a bit these days.  That’s right... our girl Evie is reading!  She’s been doing fantastic!  She’s sounding out words and reading entire short books by herself.  She’s got her sight words down pat too.  She loves it and I could not be more excited.  Then again, she always loved books so I’m not exactly surprised.  

Mitch loves books too.  Train 🚂 books.  The library is one of our favorite places to visit.  I’m looking forward to taking him to the Main Library downtown this Christmas season to see the Huntington Train Display!

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Day 20 - Faith

Today I’m thankful for my faith and I’m thankful for my religious education.  I do not subscribe to all of the beliefs of the Catholic Church by far, but it is important to me to have faith.  I have to believe in something…greater than this world.  Of course doubt will creep in and make me wonder and question.  At the end of the day, though, I have faith in God.  I may not understand his plan and I may not like the way his plan unfolds at times.   I may get angry with God for things that happen and question why thing have to be the way that they are.  Why can’t He just fix everything and make it all better?  In the same breath, I have to remind myself that I don’t know God’s plan and I have been incredibly blessed in this life.  

I don’t want to get deeply religious here.  I’m just thankful to believe in something because I can’t imagine a life where I believed in nothing.  I’m trying to teach the kids that as well.  We say a prayer when we see an ambulance or hear a siren.  We have a children’s bible that Evelyn enjoys reading once in a while.  We talk about God and our blessings.  They have SEED time at school, which is a lessons that incorporate religion and God.  Someday, they will both have more in-depth religious education, but I think we are making a good start.

 

Day 19 - Surprises

I love surprises.  I don’t mind being caught off guard (much) and I love the fact that someone cared enough to surprise me.  I love surprising people too.  It’s fun to anticipate their reaction and plan a ‘big reveal’.  Big or small, I think surprises are fun.  We’ve got a few up our sleeve for the kids this holiday season (including a real train ride! 🚂).  And today, we definitely started off the season right with a little surprise visit from Kiki and Pops.  Mitch was up before dawn and the morning was a little exhausting.  He and Evelyn spent the morning squabbling.  I folded laundry.  Mitch and I ran to the store and grabbed some donuts on the way home.  We watched a Christmas cartoon and colored pictures.  All before 10 am. And then, just after 11, Crosby started barking like crazy.  I figured someone was walking their dog past the house and ignored him.  But Mitch didn’t.  He ran to the window and said “I think I see Pops’ car.”  I told him that was silly, but Crosby wouldn’t stop barking so I looked outside to see... my parents!  Their electricity went out and was supposed to be out most of the day so they decided to drive up and spend the afternoon with us!  We were so surprised and happy to see them!  Once I got past the fact that the house was a disaster, I just relaxed and enjoyed their company.  We went out to lunch at Liberty Tavern.  Delicious!  After lunch, we came home and watched E.T.  My mom really wanted to watch it with Evelyn and I’m so happy she suggested it.  Evelyn absolutely loved it.  She cried a little when E.T. died, but she was really into the whole movie and I loved sharing it with her and my parents.  It’s always been one of my favorites ☺️.  Mitch was less than interested and fell asleep halfway through.  After the movie, we hung out and talked a little before my parents headed home.  It really was a great day.

It may seem like I say this a lot, but I truly do not take these moments for granted.  This year, we were reminded that life can change in an instant.  Seeing my parents smiles, hearing the kids gleeful squeals, watching them snuggle to watch a movie... these are simple moments that mean so much.  They are moments to remember and reasons to be thankful.

No pictures from today, but here are some oldies, but goodies.

Day 18 - Time with my husband

Pat and I don’t get a lot of time to ourselves.  Working full time, having opposite schedules and two crazy kids makes date nights very rare.  However, when the grandparents are kind enough to volunteer to watch our little crazies, we really enjoy time by ourselves.  It really doesn’t matter what we do.  We just like being able to have a conversation without being interrupted 20 times and have a meal that doesn’t involve chicken nuggets and chocolate milk.  Thank you everyone who watches our kids.  It is very much appreciated!

 

Day 17 - Coffee

Oh how I love coffee!  It’s pretty much the only way I can make it through the mornings every day.  These kids and this life takes energy that sometimes only coffee can give me.  Today Mitch was up at 3:30.  He could not, would not go back to sleep.  He’s still going strong.  Thank goodness for coffee!

Day 16 - Friends

I’m thankful for friends.

 

I thankful for work friends.  Without these people, the days would drag and I’d definitely be pretty miserable at the office.  They brighten my day and make me laugh.  They listen to me ramble about the kids and let me be more than just a mom.

 I’m thankful for best friends.  I really don’t know where I’d be without my friends Julie and Bridget.  We’ve been friends since high school and though we don’t see each other often, we remain close.  They have been there for me when I needed them most and I hope I’m able to be there for them.  They accept me for who I am and yet inspire be to be better.

 I thankful for family friends, particularly our forever friends and neighbors (but really they are family) the Buechel’s.   This family is the greatest.  They have been there for us through thick and thin.  31 years ago my family moved in next door to theirs and the rest is history.  They were at the hospital there with us when my mom was ill and they have bent over backwards to be there for us while she recovers.  They even threw Holly a little sprinkle on Sunday.  They are amazing and I’m so thankful for them.

 I’m thankful for friends of the past who I don’t really see anymore and friends of the future that I have yet to meet. 

Day 15 - Parks and Outdoor Time

I’m thankful for parks and outside playtime.

I’ve said before that we are a park family and I wasn’t kidding.  This time of year is wonderful in so many ways, but it does limit our outdoor time which has been a difficult adjustment.  I didn’t realize how much we all came to depend on the active time outside.  The kids have been going a little stir crazy already with all of this indoor time and the house is in a constant state of disarray.  It’s been a little…difficult to say the least.  

I still try and get them outside as much as possible.  If the temperature is 45 degrees or above, I will probably try and take them to a park.  We managed to go twice last week and once this week already.  Luckily, their school is on the same page as us and gets the kids outside (weather permitting) as well.  I absolutely love that they value free play outdoors.  Evelyn gets outside at least twice a day and Mitch goes out once on the days that he has school.  I really think outdoor play has a lot of value in childhood. Outdoor play lets the kids explore the natural environment and be physically active.  We live very sedentary lives these days with TV, computers, video games and smart phones and I believe it important to teach kids the value of being active.  This is part of the reason I love parks so much.  Kids learn to navigate different play apparatuses.  It builds their gross motor skills, but it can also boost their confidence.  Evelyn has been trying to master the monkey bars at her school’s playground for a while now.  She could only make it a few bars before letting go.  The other day when I picked her up she could not wait to run outside and surprise me.  She made it all the way across!! She was so excited and proud.  It’s such a small thing, but to her, it was huge. 

 I’m hoping that this winter is a mild one or that we at least have a mild day here and there so I can still get the kids outside!

 

Day 14 - Music

Well I’m totally slacking!  I fell asleep typing last night and never posted this.  😴 

I’m thankful for music.  It fills our days with melodies and songs.  It can make me cry and make me laugh.  It’s often in the background, seemingly unnoticed, but still setting the mood so completely.  I love the Christmas music that plays in the stores this time of year.  Sure, I know they play it to put everyone in the mood to Christmas shop (and spend money).  But I love it for the happiness that it makes me feel, the nostalgia, the excitement of the season.  

I love how when you hear a song, it can remind you of a person.  I cannot hear ‘Unforgettable” by Natalie and Nat King Cole without thinking of my Grandpa Bud.  When I listen to the song “The Love of My Life” by Carly Simon, I remember being in the car with my mom when I was a kid.  We had just come from the mall and she played the song for me.  She told me that when she heard it, it made her think of her kids and how much she loved us.  I’ve never forgotten how wonderful that made me feel and I love that I can share it with my kids now.  I will never hear a song by Dan Fogelberg without thinking of my dad.  It brings to mind memories of him standing over a press at the print shop, tinkering with something.  It also makes me think of Sunday mornings growing up.  He would put on his records every Sunday growing up while he or my mom made breakfast and read the paper.  When I hear the song “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra, I think of Pat and our wedding.  Funnily enough, it’s not the song that played during our first dance.  That was “It Had to Be You” by Harry Connick Jr.   But when I hear ‘The Way You Look Tonight’, I can picture us dancing.  It brings back so many memories of that day and how happy and excited we were.  It also makes me think of how far we’ve come and how even though almost 7 years have passed, I’m still so happy that we are together.

These days, the music sounds a little different in our house.  We listen to a lot more Disney than rock.  :)  Evelyn loves Kids Bop and she’s been known to sing along to the pop songs by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry on the radio.  Mitch loves to belt out “I’ve been working on the railroad” in a strange, countrified voice.  The kids and I love to crank up the music at home and have dance parties.  But I can remember a time, not so very long ago, when I swayed with them in my arms to “When You Wish Upon a Star”. 

Time passes so quickly, but music can connect us to any time and place.  

Day 13 - Food

I’m thankful for food.  Food can be such a centerpiece to different events in our lives – from Thanksgiving dinner to Sunday morning breakfast.  Food brings us together and makes up happy.  I’m glad we such a variety to choose from and enjoy.  Having a husband that is a chef is a definite perk too.  He’s introduced me to so many foods that I would not otherwise have tried.  I have always enjoy learning a little bit about a culture from their foods. 

 Even more than the variety though, is the fact that we have food.  I’m thankful that I do not have to worry about how I’m going to feed my family and where my next meal is coming from.  When Mitch says “Mama- I’m hungry”, I can get him a snack.  Evelyn doesn’t have to worry that there won’t be food in her lunchbox.  As painful as it to think about, there are so many people that go to bed hungry every night.  These are people that have to choose between paying the mortgage or buying food.  Parents that go hungry so that their kids can eat.  Children that dread school breaks because they depend on the breakfast and lunch served there.  It could happen to me and my family.   It can happen to anyone.  So I’m thankful that today I don’t have those worries.  I wish I could do more to help those that do.  We donate to Food Banks and round up at Kroger, but someday I hope to do more.  

Day 12 - Work

I’m thankful that both Pat and I have employment.  Sure it can be hard to get up every day and leave my children.  But I’m thankful that I have a job and that I’m able to provide for them.   It can be stressful and exhausting trying to juggle motherhood and full-time job outside the house.  I often feel like I’m constantly going, yet not much ever gets completely done.   I supposed that can be said for being a parent in general.  I don’t have experience being a stay-at-home parent (outside of my maternity leaves), but I know when I’m home with my kids they are totally exhausting and pretty much make it their mission to destroy everything in their path.  Sometimes I’m grateful to have the respite of work.  I can be an adult and have adult conversations.  I can talk about current events and life in general, instead of Paw Patrol or Pokémon.   I love my children, but I definitely appreciate them more when I’m not around them 24/7.  And I think that they have gained so much from being around people other than me. 

Working an opposite schedule than Pat definitely isn’t ideal, but it works for us right now.  I know people who have spouses that travel for work and gone for weeks at a time.  That would be a hard situation and it makes me very grateful that it’s not us.  Pat and I depend on each other to do this whole parenting thing.  We are lucky that our jobs are semi-flexible and that we both have a good amount of vacation time.  We work to live, we don’t live to work.  

Mitch visited me at work last week...

Day 11 - Unplanned Family Time

I haven’t had a change to write in several days so I’m playing catching in the next few posts.

On this day, Day 11, I’m thankful for special, impromptu moments with family.  This kids and I drove down to KY on Saturday.  We didn’t have any plans expect for Holly’s Sprinkle on Saturday.  We hung out at my parent’s house with them, Shannon, Chip, Shannon, Holly and Avi and really had a great time.   Mary Ann even came over for a little while.  My dad put up his Christmas train, which was a huge hit with the kids.  Especially Mitchell (big surprise there).  Now if only Mitch and Avi could try and keep the train on the tracks instead of derailing it!  Those boys were cracking us up and driving Pops nutty.   We ordered carry-out for dinner and just ate, drank, talked and laughed.  Nothing extraordinary and yet, I feel so blessed to have these moments after the year we’ve all had.

I was too busy enjoying myself to take may pictures, but here are a few...

Day 10 - Evelyn

I’m so thankful for my sweet girl.  She’s so amazing to me.  She’s so gentle, yet she’s not afraid to get in there and give it her all.  She can be timid and shy, but she’s so friendly and social when she feels like it.  She’s smart as a whip and absolutely loves to learn new things.  But she’s also a good little teacher to little ones.  She’s got such a big heart ❤️.  We knew that she was competitive, but this soccer season proved that her competitiveness doesn’t outweigh her empathy.  She stopped in the middle of a game to help up another player and make sure she was ok. She’s crazy dramatic (like her mama) and incredibly focused at times (like her daddy).  She drives us bonkers sometimes.  But she’s amazing and she makes us so proud to be her parents.

Tonight I spent an hour of much needed one on one time with Evelyn.  Today was... rough, but I promised her Mama/Evie Movie Night.  I got Mitch to bed and we settled in with a bowl of popcorn.  Halfway through, I got out my phone and hilarity ensued.  We were laughing so hard I was afraid we’d wake up Mitchell.  It reminded me to cherish the moments.  Days can long and difficult, but happy moments can be there when you least expect it.  Thank you baby girl for reminding me.

Day 9 - Changing Seasons

I love living in a place where we experience the changing of seasons.   There are times that I wish it didn’t get so extreme – like 110 summer heat and -15 winter wind chills.  But I enjoy the variety and I look forward to the changes.  Fall is such a gorgeous season.  Last week the leaves on the trees that line our street changed to the most beautiful reds, oranges and yellows.  It was so pretty and we enjoyed being outside and playing in the leaves that had fallen.  Not as much fun was raking the leaves up this week.  Well – I should say not as much for Pat and I.  The kids had a great time cannonballing into the leaf piles!  I love the summer days at the pool and evenings spent sitting outside with a cocktail while the kids catch fireflies.  I love spring days when everything is fresh and new and growing.  I even love the winter.   Sometimes it can seem that the cold hangs on a little too long.  But I love the quiet that seems to descend on the world during  heavy snowfall.  I love sled riding, building a snowman and throwing snowballs.  I love the traditions of cozying up with blanket and cup of hot cocoa to watch some classic Christmas cartoons. 

There are things about each season that I love and I enjoy living in a place where I can experience them all.