Mom

Well this is a few days after the fact, but it's been hectic around here. Thursday was my Mom's birthday. It was nice to be able to celebrate her birthday before she and my Dad returned to Ecuador. They were here for three weeks, but it went by in a blink. My Mom is great. I will be the first to admit that I've always been a Daddy's girl. Growing up I think I often took my Mom for granted. I loved her, but I don't know how much I really thought about how great she is. The older I get, combined with having become a mother myself, the more I realize how amazing she is. She is very creative and delights in making all sorts of things for her family. She is a wonderful cook. She is kind and loving and an amazing listener. She is wise and a better nurse then I'll ever be. Mom, I am so incredible blessed to have been raised by you and to have you for my Mother. I hope I can have the kind of relationship we have with my own daughters. I love you!

Back To Life

Hi everyone! Did you think I disappeared off the face of the earth? No? Well, can't say I'm surprised. I know the only people who actually read this blog are a few close friends and family. You're all my friends on Facebook, so you've been kept fairly up to date. :)

I'm not real big on New Year's resolutions, but I would like to blog more consistently this year, even if only for myself. Facebook updates are quick and easy, but not quite the same as blogging, you know?

So, how to keep myself being more consistent? I've noticed that for me, photography and blogging seem to fall in the same category. Creative outlets that help preserve memories. I always seem to get distracted by life and forget to pick up my camera. (Take my parents recent visit, almost no photographic evidence.) I also seem to get stumped as to where to start when I sit down to blog. I've noticed that having a photo seems to inspire my blogging. So, I've decided to follow in my friend Amy's footsteps and take up a Year in Pictures Project. I really hope I can stick it out, and I hope my pictures will be fun, beautiful and full of memories. hopefully I can grow as a photographer and a blogger!
I know I didn't start right at the beginning of the year, but hey, we're only three days in, right? Here is my picture for today. Christmas break is over and today was all about squeezing in every last bit of relaxing we could before school starts again tomorrow. I am so not ready for that!

December Twenty-Fifth

Christmas Day! Well, I couldn't choose just one picture for today. I wish you all a blessed and belated Merry Christmas! I hope it was a wonderful day, surrounded by those you love. May God bless you in 2009!

December Twenty-Fourth

I was hoping to take a picture of Emily singing in the Christmas Eve program at our church, but we weren't supposed to use flash and I didn't get any good ones. She did a wonderful job singing her little heart out. This was one of the most hectic Christmas Eves I can remember. Usually we stay home and spend lots of time with family, but Emily REALLY wanted to participate in the Christmas Eve service, so we worked it in. Somehow there were a hundred little things to get done during the day. In the evening my in-laws came over and sung carols together while I made dinner. It wasn't quite the traditional Italian feast I grew up eating, but it was still Italian. Then we dashed out the door for church, enjoyed the service and came back to our house for dessert.

We have a Christmas Eve tradition of opening one present before bed. I loved this tradition when I was a kid, so I've carried it on with my own kids. The presents from mom and dad aren't under the tree until Christmas morning, but there a still ones from kind friends and relatives to choose from. It gives a little foretaste of the next day's delights. I love this picture of Emily. You can see the anticipation and excitement filling her eyes.

December Twenty-Third

I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve! This month has sped by. Today we had a baby shower for my sister-in-law who is visiting from Indiana. She is due in February. It will be my first niece/nephew! (they're keeping it a secret) It wasn't a big party just my Mother-in-law, two sister-in-laws, and me. We went to a local tea room and had lots of tiny, pretty, yummy food. It was fun!

December Twenty-Second

Today I feel like I really didn't do much of anything. Somehow, the day after I work always seems to pass in a fog of tiredness and lack of focus. Despite feeling unproductive, at the end of the day it was nice to sit on the couch with my honey and put my feet up. Doesn't get much better then that.

December Twenty-First

I had to work today. Today was also the birthday of my good friend's second little boy. I was so excited and happy to hear that everything went well for her and that her baby is healthy and doing great. It somehow seemed appropriate to go to work and care for other people's babies, since I couldn't go visit her in far away Cali. I was hoping that as I cared for babies here in Oregon, some other kind nurse was taking good care of her and her little one. Congratulations Heather!

December Twentieth

We have a full house. Family is here for the holidays, which leads to much chaos. Happy chaos at times, but still. Today I played Trivial Pursuit while baking cookies and cleaning the kitchen simultaneously. Moms are the queens of multitasking. Now another game is in full swing, but since I was putting the kids to bed, I had to sit this one out. It gave me a chance to catch up on my daily photos. =)

December Nineteenth

Today we decorated our Gingerbread house. The girls have been chomping at the bit to get it done, but we've been too busy until now. I think they had fun choosing which candies went where. Of course there was plenty of sampling. =) Usually we get our gingerbread house kit at Costco, but this year I decided to try the smaller and more local one available at the grocery store. I must say I like the Costco one better. The frosting that came with this one just wasn't thick enough, the candies kept sliding off. I seriously can't believe that Christmas is in six days. I felt a bit like we weren't going to get around to very many of our traditions, but we seem to be keeping most of them firmly in place.

December Eighteenth

Katrina's Christmas program was rescheduled for tonight. This was her expression pretty much the entire program. She didn't sing a single word. I was all prepared to cry, but I couldn't stop laughing at her stunned face. That was probably for the best, I hate crying in public. She knew all the songs and would sing them with all the motions at home, but she got a major case of stage fright when the big moment came.

December Seventeenth

Micah had his six month well check today. He was a little trooper through his shots. He only cried for a couple of minutes. Katrina was with me on this trip, maybe that helped. She is so sweet. She likes to stand next to him and say, "It's ok baby Micah, don't cry, I'm here with you." If Emily comes she has to stand out in the hall during shot time. =)

I fully planned to take the camera with me to snap a shot of the two of them together at the Pediatrician's office. After running around getting Emily ready for school, the other two ready to go with me, breakfast for everyone, myself ready, it wasn't until I was checking in at the office that I realized I had forgotten the camera. On a side note-we've been having lots of snow here. I had explained to Katrina when leaving the house that morning that I needed to concentrate on driving and couldn't be handing her things. When we pulled into a parking space at the doctor's office she suddenly pipes, "Yay Mommy! You didn't slip on the ice and we got here safe!" It was pretty funny.
Micah's stats are:
17lbs, 1oz
26 1/2 in

December Sixteenth

All dressed up with nowhere to go. Today was supposed to be Katrina's Christmas program at school. It got canceled because of the snow. We were sad to miss it. Maybe next year!
I video taped her singing some of the songs. Here is my favorite. Please to enjoy: Katrina Singing

Also, in case you were wondering, my house is clean! Yea! There's one thing the snow didn't stop. I feel pretty ready for our company coming tomorrow. Pray for a safe drive from the airport.

December Fifteenth

Emily's class made these at school to decorate for a special event. Christoph and I were admiring them and so she decided to make us one of our own. I was really surprised that she remembered exactly how to do it. The only help I gave her was stapling the pieces together. This was done according to her precise directions, because I had no idea how it was done. She was pretty proud of herself.

December Fourteenth

It snowed today! This morning there was a thin layer over everything. The snow was still coming down, but not sticking very much. The girls, needless to say, were pretty excited. On the way to church Katrina looked at me with shining eyes and said, "It's Christmas time, Mommy." That just about sums it up. All the snow had melted by this afternoon and everything was just wet. Then at about 6:00pm it started snowing again, and snowing and snowing! For us, this is a lot of snow. I'm fairly certain school will be canceled tomorrow!

We usually get snow for a couple of days each year. It's just about the right amount for me. Enough to be fun, but not enough to be a hassle. Usually, the snow doesn't come until January, but this year it's come early. Part of me thinks this is really fun, it makes Christmas seem more Christmassy. The other part of me feels a little stressed out. I'm trying to get ready for our Christmas company (arriving Wed) and having two kids not going to school will make that more complicated. I also worked an extra day so I could hire someone to help me clean (yea!) and I'm worrying that they are going to cancel on me because of the weather. I know there's no point in worrying, I'll just do the best I can, but it still sneaks in every once in a while. Snow is so beautiful, I'll just have to remind myself to look out the window and know that will make me feel better!

December Thirteenth

I think someone's trying to tell me something.

I rather intentionally didn't buy candy canes for the tree this year. It seems like every year only a couple of them get eaten, then the rest just sit around until I get disgusted and throw them out, usually sometime around July. I found these scattered around our tree this evening. It would seem my five year old feels our tree is lacking. I must admit I'm a little astounded by her creativity and motivation to get some "candy" canes on the tree, even if she has to do it herself. I guess there's one more thing I need to add to this week's shopping list. =)

December Twelfth

Ok, so twelfth is a really funny word. I keep thinking it's spelled wrong, but it's not. One of the things I did today was bake some pumpkin bread as gifts for the girl's teachers. I just need to make some cream cheese glaze, wrap them up and that'll be one more thing I can cross off my list.

Christmas gifts for teachers are always one of those things that stump me. I want to show them I appreciate all the work they put into teaching my child, but I never feel like I know them well enough to choose something they'll really love. I got some little bath sets too, because who doesn't like to pamper themselves once in awhile? Anyway, I hope they'll feel appreciated.

December Eleventh

I've tried giving Micah solids a few times before. He hasn't been very interested up until now, mostly refusing to open his mouth and pushing it away with his tongue.

I've been feeling a little guilty that I haven't given him very many opportunities to try. When things are hectic a bottle is so much easier and faster. Anyway, last night I decided to give it another try. He LOVED it. Wide open mouth and eyes tracking the spoon anticipating the next bite. Guess this will have to squeeze itself into our routine!

**Sorry it's late, it's bound to happen. I'm sure there will be days where I do two or even three posts at a time. As long as I take the picture the day of, right?!

December Tenth

More Christmas. Finished decorating the tree today and got out all the rest of the Christmas stuff. Our house is feeling quite festive. Maybe tomorrow I'll get to the cleaning part of getting ready for Christmas. Then again, maybe I'll make cookies and wrap presents. So many choices!

December Ninth

Sorry today's picture isn't too exciting. My focus was very much on squeezing badly needed grocery shopping into a day of ferrying kids to school, exercising, Christmas planning with my Mother-in-law, and making dinner for friends that just had a baby. I must say, however, that having Katrina help bag groceries is just about the cutest thing ever (as long as you're not in a hurry). Also, I LOVE Cuties, it's one of my favorite things about this time of year. There are other brands of Clementines, but they aren't as good.
The sad part is we went to a Christmas concert tonight and I totally forgot to bring the camera. Today's picture could have been Micah mesmerized by the stage, Katrina's explosive clapping, or Emily's wilting with tiredness. Instead you got groceries. Tomorrow, I'll try to catch something more interesting. =)

December Eighth

I set Micah down in front of the tree this morning and couldn't resist snapping a picture of his amazed face. He'd glance at me and grin and then look back up at the tree and get this look on his face. Just wait until it's finished little guy!