I cleaned out Emma's bed last week while she was gone in Seattle.  This is the pile of things I found in there.  Seriously, I don't know where the kid was sleeping!

rewind: christmas sledding

before the girls went to seattle we had a super fun afternoon sledding in my parents' backyard with brandon, lacy and elly-- it was just the right size hill for not-so-brave girlsies!

what i woke up to today

okay, this one was last night.  i can't resist taking pictures of the girls sleeping-- they look just like they did when they were babies.  this is lily at about 8:00; she fell asleep reading her favorite ballerina book with the reading light still on.

this morning i dragged myself out of bed to get emma up for school at 7:20, and was greeted by this lovely young lady who had already gotten herself dressed in her stylish new clothes jed and chris bought her in seattle.  we had a completely delightful forty minutes together before she left for school.

i love these girls!

for today... mostly about my sisters

outside my window, i see clear sidewalk flanked by 10 inches of snow on each side. it's still pretty.

i am thinking about what a fantastic christmas week this has been, and how it's felt like a vacation even though i didn't go anywhere (which is probably the best kind of vacation).

i am thankful for the time, talents, and attention of my family this week. everyone has been thoughtful, considerate, compromising, flexible, and generally merry.

from the project room: one quarter of a scarf that my sister madelyn taught me to knit TODAY!

from the kitchen: citrus and spice wassail.

i am wearing warm socks that my sister lacy found me at the attic store.

i am creating nothing-- i'm all created out for today!

i am going to take my daughters to the airport in the morning for their week with daddy in seattle.

i am reading secret supper, a da vinci code-ish mystery that takes place in 16th century italy.

i am hoping to buy some sweaters and jeans tomorrow as the post-christmas sister shopping officially begins.

i am hearing girls who don't want to go to sleep because they're too excited about flying tomorrow-- like a second christmas eve!

around the house: a giant dollhouse brought by santa, plates of treats brought by neighbors, boots coated with salt, remnants of wrapping.

one of my favorite things is the fact that my sisters and i each exchanged homemade gifts, without expressly dictating it, expressing our unique talents and offering each other what we cannot give ourselves.

a few plans for the rest of the week: clean out the girls room (this may require a rake and/or shovel), take stella to the dog park, shop with the family, end 2008 with happiness and contentment.

happy new year!

christmas girls

i'm not sure the last time, or the next time, they'll both be clean, in dresses, with hair completely brushed and curled or braided, so i snapped this today.  enjoy!

the sunday post

for today, the winter solstice and my birthday:

outside my window i can see the neighbors' christmas lights and a half-finished snow-fort from emma and david's outdoor adventures yesterday.

i am thinking about three dozen, which is the number of years i've been hanging around this world, as of today.

i am thankful for the amazing and thoughtful birthday gift my mom put together for me, with the help of my siblings, that enumerated and honored what they think are my best innate qualities.  it made me cry a little.

from the project room: nothing but a big old bandage on my finger from an exacto i was using to install a light switch on the cord of a lamp.  project abandoned, for now.

from the kitchen: the smell of ginger pomelo countertop cleaner, which was my party favor from my mom's valentine's day party last year.

i am wearing my new birthday shoes, which are warm and soft and slip-on and waterproof, the very best combination in winter shoes.

i am creating memories with my girls involving christmas street, pandora.com's holiday radio station, and pans full of fresh snow with maple syrup.

i am going to mom and dad's for birthday dinner, where my dad will grill omaha steaks for me in the 30 degree weather because that's what i asked for.

i am reading Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, because it was on Slate.com's best books of 2008 list.

i am hoping my family knows how much they mean to me.

i am hearing wait wait, don't tell me on NPR.

around the house are hermit crabs, guests staying with us for 10 days while their owners are in mexico.

one of my favorite things is the request/hold system at the library-- i got in and out on friday with exactly the books i wanted before the snowflakes on my hair even had a chance to melt.

a few plans for the rest of the week: help emma shop for her sister, some "adult assembly" that, according to the box, will be required, jump up and down when madelyn and cody arrive on wednesday, deliver clementines to the neighbors (doesn't everyone get tired of sweet treats this time of year?), and generally be happy with life.

merry christmas to everyone!

sunday post

for today:

outside my window is the most beautiful snow, 6 inches deep, sticking only where it's supposed to.

i am thinking i have only one more week to be 35.

i am thankful for my front loading washer and dryer, because they seriously cut my workload.

from the project room: christmas necklaces hanging on jewel colored ribbons for the girls.

from the kitchen: organic macaroni and cheese.  what, i have to bake every day?

i am wearing a new kangaroo pouch sweater from my shopping trip with lacy and k-ma on friday.

i am creating three new shy girl purses for my friend liddy.

i am going nowhere!  one trip to gateway is enough outing for the day.

i am reading real simple magazine.  library visit tomorrow.

i am hoping my girls absorb a little more about christmas than lists and shopping.

i am hearing one daughter on the phone with her friend, the other in the living room playing polly pockets with her friend.

around the house are signs that i have brought out all my christmas things, but haven't put back the empty boxes yet.

one of my favorite things: stephen's wassail.

a few plans for the week:  bunco, dsw with k-ma and her coupons, christmas parties at the elementary school, maybe, just maybe, sending christmas cards.

love, me