Christmas Time line

1205 : presents wrapped, we fall into bed, share a christmas kiss and bed down for the night

this is me totally burnt on knitting. but done. thank god.

300 : my parents leave for their early morning flight to holland, driven not by us, but by my willing-to-give-up-sleep younger brothers.

640 : boys wake in room, laughing and talking and literally giggling to each other, which is not the norm. Tim and I lay in bed laughing at their conversation.

705 : we go in to free them from their cribs and change them into christmas jammies. no, they did not sleep in them. that would be silly, what if they had an accident in the night?


722 : i start coffee and clean up from last night's kitchen shenanigans

728 : i decide to make this because what is better than eggs, cream, cream cheese, milk, cheese, and butter, tons of butter for breaky on christmas? especially for the lactose sensitive? just so you know, i used country potato bread as that is what the pantry held. not a bad substitute at all.

733 : unexpectedly early visit form santa on his fire truck interrupts prep and requires mad dash for shoes, boots, jackets and the like so we can see the big man as he goes by on the local fire truck. rain has obligingly stopped for the moment and boys see him up close. they are much more interested in the fire truck up close.


748 : casserole prep done due to amazing christmas sibling elves that helped with every step. husband leaves to grandpa's house to use his oven because yours truly still has a cold hole residing in her kitchen (So dramatic, eh, the broiler does work, just not the oven).


813: boys play with first gift opened, car legos, with all of their uncles and aunts who love them and help them scribble their greetings to all. we all gather round the new hearth, the mac, and tell stories.


915: casserole and grandparents arrive and we dig into the most sinfully delicious breaky casserole ever. make this. but only once a year.

952 : gift giving ensues with flurries of exchanges and the boys very quickly learning that when we hand them a wrapped package it has something they will really like inside it. this insures very quick unveiling of all their gifts. to the accompanying shouts of "car, trains, book and more, more more!"


1212 : after a long period of learning about train tracks and cars and ramps for cars and caramel and candy canes and joy joy joy! their little bodies collapse into nap time, exhausted but seemingly content.


133 : all the siblings decide on a snow play excursion and a second flurry of activity, procuring snow clothes and trying to keep them from slamming doors due to napping babies occur with a final grand exit into pouring skies and wishes for their fun and safe return.


210 : boys wake from a long uninterrupted nap and resume play with all items left on floor when nap began.

330 : siblings return with stories of horizontal sleet on the mountain, and they have photographic evidence. just not on my camera.

420 : fresh homemade tortilla soup simmering on stove top, fresh tortilla strips ready to be fried into crisp topping, watching the office and still in pajamas.

700 : dinner inhaled, dishes done by same christmas sibling elves, boys getting ready for bed.

907 : signing out for a few days to travel north to see our family in portland.

what a wonderful way to spend christmas day. hope yours is lovely and safe and close and all that you hope and dream of. mom and dad, amanda and isaac and kayda, dan and angie, when you read this know how much we love and miss you and wish to see you soon. this post is done for you.

and i think i shall always try to have christmas here at home, trapped by the weather but content anyway, surrounded by family and witness to the exuberance that this day should hold, should be. and yes, i know, never again will we be able to wait until 952 a.m. to open the gifts.

Twentieth Month

Oh,my beautiful baby boys. When did you do it? When did you go from babies, held and cuddled and needy, to boys? How did the change happen in front of me, was it during those hours I stepped away to work, those minutes I stole on the computer while you played together, those seconds I glanced outside and wondered what we would do today? Was it when I breathed in your scent and laid you down for the night, only to walk in to your room in the morning and let in the bright sunshine to find two little boys, little people eagerly gesturing and talking and pointing and urging me to get the day started, to free you from your cribs so you could run down the hall to the Legos that hold you captive day after day.


How my heart squeezed this morning when Owen, you came running down the hall with 2 of my shoes. Me, sitting on the hearth with my coffee and daddy doing wake up duty, so my first sight of you was this while you yelled "Hi, hi, hi' in that excited way, that way that says anything is possible today.

Any day. Every day. My heart squeezes a bit every day now because it whirls by and no journal, no tweet, no post can truly catch it properly. How do you catch the magic of watching people grow. How? I need to know.

When we do things there is a running commentary, I would call you the peanut gallery, but you sound more like monkeys. You jabber and then out of nowhere say very clearly some witty phrase that makes me want to pee my pants. You talk with each other and conspire and plot my downfall, or at least where you think you might find the cookie stash. You notice everything and are starting to parrot all words we say. Little parrots with the ability to help me reflect on the things that tumble from my mouth without censor.

Like, watching you, Mace, mutter 'dammit' under your breath when you drop your dot or cannot carry 9 match box cars at once. Very clear, it is very clear, indeed, that I need to stop with that one. Stat.

There are no limits anymore and you love to be free of any and all restraints anywhere. You are mildly wary of the occasional stranger, but charming nonetheless, offering pretzels and cars, only to snatch them back and grin your grins, a little wily but so genuine.

You both love running, charging up and down hills on our hikes. Owen, your stamina is impressive for your size. Mace, what is impressive in you is your determination to stop when you are done. Face down, laid out, no coaxing will get you to go further, the only thing that will do is carrying.

Pens, pencils, chalk and crayons are now your obsession, decorating the floor, walls, table and chairs your passion. Thank you for the magic eraser, world of advanced technological stuff, I would wither in the face of the scribbling without you by my side. We are working on the concept of appropriate places to write, but sometimes I see your wonder in producing this scratchy lines and I wish you could color the world as you would.

You saw the movie Ratatouille a few days ago, it was raining, we were trapped and I got caught up in the HD. I loved it, and so did you. Owen, you watched a scene where a few rats wrestled and at the conclusion, you went to your Omi and demanded a match, ready to roll. You seem to have an instinct for the take down and specialize in the shirt collar move. Mace does not like it at all.

Mace, you now kiss every mouse in every book, even blow them kisses on the screen. You are generous with your affection and just as generous with your aggression. Headlocks have become a favorite as has ganging up on former friend/playmates. Now, I see you team up to take them down and I am more than a little scared. I have a few new names for you since the last update : "Professional Dismantlers" and "Team Hooligan" come to mind readily.

We are working on the hair pulling, the tackling, the hugs that go south and turn into strangulation attempts. But these are all interspersed with good times, laughing times, and those times when I see out of the corner of my eye that connection, that kindred connection that you share.

Out of nowhere I have been hit my a deep longing to do this again. Shocked, I felt shocked when I realized I really feel this. So convinced at the beginning that I would never, never do this again. My mama must be chuckling reading this after all those early days when I professed that I would give up my uterus willingly if the hormone thing was not such an issue. Shocked, Tim was when I mentioned this desire I have. And he looked a little green too. But for now I just sit with it, think on it, consider it, and cherish the idea just a bit. The possibility just a bit.

I have never know Time like I do now. Never felt it so acutely as we move through growing and change each day with you two. You break my heart daily and mend it even faster. Writing this feels a bit bittersweet, as we let go of the babyness and embrace the boyness. As we move closer to the letting go and further from the having to hold. It goes so fast, my boys. My beautiful boys. Merry Christmas. You are my greatest of gifts.

Christmas Created

I am feeling so in the Holiday Spirit after last night's festivities. It all came together and became more than I ever expected, more than one could imagine. On this morning, I am so in love with my friends and the lives we are creating with and for each other


So, a few weeks ago we decided to arrange a gift exchange with the only caveat being that we make what we give.

There were a few jitters and the possibility that my usually destroyed home might not be ready to house all of us, but we are charged ahead and trusted in the fact that what we were doing came from a good place, so even if the recipient was not a close friend, they would be loving their gift because it was made for them.

Anyway, let us start with the food.

We each made an appetizer and brought it to the table. Cuban empanadas, bacon wrapped shrimp, the requisite spinach dip, a delicious artichoke dip (recipe to follow) and our family secret, Indonesian lumpia.

What are lumpia, you ask? They are the singular most delicious feast food ever. A bit like an eggroll, but not at all. Filled with vegetables and lightly seasoned meat, fried in delicate wrappers and consumed with a passion you have never seen. We made 200 or so and every single one disappeared rapidly. I always swear to eat only 3 or 4 and end up losing count around 10. It is a good thing we only make them once a year or I would roll places, not walk.

So, the night was beautiful and well fed and gathered and then we got down to the business of giving. I am still in a bit of shock by how moved and excited I was by the things that emerged from their pretty packaging. We rocked the giving this year, all with beautiful expressions that came form our hearts, not from a store or box. Things pieced and painted, knitted and crocheted, sewn and arranged. Things brought forth from inside to be given to another. I feel giddy just writing it.

The montage does not do the gifts true justice, but they are all there. I was unbelivably moved by my gift from Jenn. She took quotes from my past posting and wrote them on a frame with pictures of the boys. I cried. I just could not help it...the words are so powerful. And it was all like that. So, you know we have a new tradition to look forward to year after year, I know new women will join, maybe some will leave due to circumstances and the like. But I love knowing come next year, in this sacred place we call Home, there will be joy and generosity and creativity and food. Ah, the food.

What a wonderful way to begin a week of celebration and family.

I am deeply and truly honored to call you friend all : Alicia, Kate, Kim, Jenn, Courtney, Cristina, Veronica, Jeanette,and Mom. I love you all. And Ana, I know you were busy making something else,

But next year we are gonna sew something fierce to give, right?

Something for this kid for sure. I love the D, here he is repurposing some table top decorations. Truly the son of a crafter.

And on a hilarious twisty end to the gift giving. I have this friend Mike.

He is our bestest of friends, the reason Tim and I came together, actually. He was very intrigued and a little resentful of the fact that he was not included in the gift exchange. He is a very handy lad, carpenter and carver by trade. Well, he called a day before the party and asked me to come approve a little something he was making up for the ladies.

He spent 4 hours in his back room, secreted away, hard at work like a little elf. But he felt he should check with the hostess before he crashed the party. And I giggled every time I thought of the giving. Because he made us each a little ornament to take home. Here it is waiting on its presentation. Look a bit closer, won't you?

Are you laughing. We sure did. Thanks, Mikey, you can play with us anytime. And thanks Katie, your man is the best.


Now, onward ho. I am bubbling with the joy of it all. If you would like to see the gifts up close the Flickr set is here. Happy holidays, people. Wish all my blog friends could be there next year. The invite is open.

Friday Finishing : No way!

Friday is here again? Wait, what? Friday is here again? You mean we have just a few days before Christmas is here? I am not sure I am getting this right, that December is almost over, that 2008 is almost over. What do you mean 2009 is coming round the corner? I just got used to writing 2008, when I actually have to write anywhere else but here on this blog.

Yes, Friday is here and with a list of things to do and places to go, people to meet and entertain, bathrooms to clean and breathes to be taken. I am actually not terribly burdened by it all, just astonished by the stunning alacrity of time lately. It seems it will not cooperate and allow the 45 hours I would like in each day, just to cram a bit more in.

So, to show. I have the ballet flats, all finished and prettied up and ready to go.

I am so excited about giving these. We arranged a hand made exchange between a group of women in my life, some close and some new. All terribly excited (and a bit nervous) about the gifting and giving. There is something so intimate about sharing something made by hand, bits of self and soul go into it and stay with the person who takes it home. We drew names but left it all open from there, any craft or creation welcome, any expression. These are mine. They are fairly simple, lots of garter and big needles, etc. They obviously do not fit my foot, but they looked a little forlorn sitting for the photo shoot so I slipped them on.

The wool is lovely, not too scratchy, but warm and soft. I am loving the detail I added on a toe, just a little needle felted flower accent with a pearly button.

I am also really happy they came to fruition as it is a new pattern and I did not want a mess at the end seeing as it is going to one of my fave ladies. There will be more of these at some point. I posted the deets on Rav. I am getting so much better at doing that.


And in other news, since we are without an oven to do holiday baking in, which is usually furious and insane in this house, well, ornaments are the name of the game this year. And the table has been filled with bits and paper, felt and pins, shiny sequins and scalloped ribbon all week. I have to say, I cannot claim these finished creations. Get this, they come from my brothers, Alon and Jon. Both have really taken to the creating of keepsakes for the tree and I am in awe of their stamina and inspired by their results. The ornaments are Alon's doing, he wanted to emulate my Mama's original and came up with a few beauties. There is a foam ball, hollowed a bit and wrapped with ribbon and embellished here and there. The picture in the center is a close up of pine needles from a live Christmas tree from years past, once planted in the yard but now felled and gone. But remembered here.


And the cards are all Jon's. He is a master with paper and imagination. He created the little creatures in there, they were meant to become embroidery patterns but Time has not allowed that to happen. Maybe next year, I will start this embroidery stuff in August. That way it gets done and we can share it round the crafting world.


Now, onto the weekend. Whirlwind cleaning in order tonight, husband's work party tomorrow (where extremely fine food and drink always abound) then onto our home celebration. I am excited and a little daunted by it all. I still have a few items to try to finish so I am writing it here to give me my 'list':

::Maine Morning Mitts in Kureyon
::Garter Mitts in Malabrigo
::Robots to be stuffed and embellished
::Lumpia to be prepped and stored
::Maybe monkeys to be made, maybe not though.
::Photographs taken of all hand knits before wrapping, just so I know what I did.

Have a wonderful weekend filled with light and family, with your embrace of this holiday season and all things easy, good and full. Hugs, to all of you, my blog friends, wishing the best of the best as we plunge into the Season.