I leave you with just these images for now, as I embark on the next few days of merrymaking!
We are hoping to do some baking (it always sounds like a fun idea in my head), some Christmas-movie-watching, and Christmas-book-reading. Oh yes, and present wrapping- I haven’t started!
Merry Christmas Eve Eve!!
PS: Samuel learned how to say “Wow” on this night, and he now refers to the tree exclusively as “Woooow!!” Can you see why?
A few previous Tree Trimming posts
and
What a magical day to get a Christmas tree-
it snowed!
In case you don’t know, snow is quite the event in the Pacific Northwest- I think that this was probably the first time I have EVER picked out a tree in the snow!
Unfortunately, this also meant that the roads were slippery, and that our van slid and came inches- LITERALLY INCHES- from going off a 10-15 foot slope into a ditch. Seriously, guys, I was braced for the fall and yelling. Made for a bit of a shaky/sweaty start to our adventure!
We bundled up the boys, but Samuel refused to wear his gloves.
This is the moment that Samuel falls (5 seconds after Brian puts him down)
and this is when he started his hysterical-hands-are-hurting-why-are-we-out-here screaming fest.
( I think in this one Brian was saying something like, “Poor guy! I knew he was going to cry if he touched the snow!” Sometimes I should listen to him, folks. Sometimes.)
His crying lasted until we chose a tree
(conveniently placed DIRECTLY across from our van!)
took some family pictures around said tree,
and I took him to the van to nurse him.
(eye injury is from another fall- not the one in the snow! Its rough being a toddler.)
The rest of the pictures are taken through the windshield.
I felt a momentary stab of disappointment (choosing a Christmas tree is in my top 3 favorite annual events), but then I was genuinely okay with it, and happy to be able to soothe my baby. There will be plenty of years to be there for the tree-chopping when my babies are a bit older! (as long as I stop having new babies!)
This may or may not have been right before Isaac wandered into the road that we repeatedly told him to stay out of just as a giant truck was barreling down the hill towards him. Luckily it stopped, and waited patiently while Isaac stood in the road waving at me. Sheesh!
Brian and his tree-cutting “helpers”
TIMBER!
The boys thought that it was hilarious to throw snowballs at the windows- and Samuel agreed. He was perfectly fine after his milk!
That night, when Brian and I were lying in bed, we talked about how- even though it was freezing, and we almost flipped the van, and Isaac went in the road, and they were disobedient and had to be disciplined while at the tree farm, and how we drove so slow and white-knuckled the whole way home- it still seemed like a pretty great day! And a pretty fun adventure!
Also our house smells fabulous.
Well, folks, I turned 29 yesterday!
It’s weirding me out a little bit because, do you know what people think when they hear “29?” They think 30, you guys! They think “30!”
The boys treated me right- sleeping in (until 7:30 when I couldn’t take Samuel’s cries of “mama!!” at my door) (still counts)
Brian took the boys out shopping for me earlier in the week, so Joseph had a pair of “fancy” earrings that he chose for me, as well as some “fragile candy” (he means fancy candy) from Isaac!
Also, the boys had cleaned up their Lego-carpeted room, and they gave me lots of hugs and kisses. (most of the Legos are now under their beds)
(still counts)
Plus a date with my lover-boy, THREE presents from him, and a nap…
I’m a happy girl!
Also, a sick girl.
I spent some of my first full day of 29 in an urgent care being diagnosed with bronchitis and a sinus infection. Buuuut, I have drugs now! And another nap!
and I just bet that 29 is going to be my best year yet!
Just for fun, a look back at my birthdays through the years of motherhood:
(I missed my 28th birthday picture due to extreme sleep deprivation. I think. I don’t really remember that birthday actually.)
27:
26:
25:
24:
23:
He might be looking so delighted because his brother was in time-out instead of enjoy hot chocolate….the world will never know.
Now this little guy has pneumonia and an ear infection!
I am not having much time on the computer these days (except for online Christmas shopping. My poor UPS man!)
Most of the time is spent cuddling,
and secret-candy-eating
and trying to shovel the filth from our house.
But, as Joseph told me today, “Why do we have to clean up every day? It just makes us have more work taking our toys back out to play tomorrow!”
So, I am trying not to stress about the filth
(its disgusting)
and this blog
(I miss you)
until things get a little bit…less sicky around here.
This weekend I:
- Made Brian’s family’s traditional Christmas Gumdrop Cookies.
- Obtained/decorated the Christmas tree (more on that in another post)
- Took 3 naps (still sick)
- Ate hundreds of cookies (still…hungry?)
- Had a child stay up from 11pm-4am for no reason (samuel)
- Watched White Christmas by a crackling fire.
Today I:
- Finally took the kid who has been coughing for 3 weeks in to the doctor and found out that he has a double ear infection AND pneumonia.
- Didn’t finish my to do list.
- Started my to do list.
- Ate more cookies.
- Was in my robe by 4:15pm
There are highs and lows going on around here is what I’m saying. But the good outweighs the bad. Every time.
