Bird Song

Another one I've been enjoying (and would love to learn someday)

Feast of St. Nicholas

The first sign that Christmas is coming in our family is my mom's traditional Feast of St. Nicholas.  It is always a lovely, jolly night of candlelight, delicious food, and fellowship.  It is also the night we decorate my parents' living room with all the "Jesus people" or nativity scenes.  It was a special night, indeed.  It was a relaxing weekend for our family.

In the Morning

I just can't stop listening to this song.  "These moments are the only gifts we need."

Peppernuts

Glad to have inherited this tradition from Mark's Oma.

Holiday Guitar Concert

I don't know how they can possibly keep 50-some kids together in this setting.  It was a lovely concert, and G-bear was brave and proud.

Giving Thanks

I am thankful for a wide, expansive definition of "family."  For beauty in our world, and familiarity, and traditions.  For watching generations emerge, and remembering generations before.  My children, swinging on the branches of the tree we planted in this place when my grandmother died.  Connection to each other, and connection to place.  Thanks be.

Bam!

This is the level of energy I try to keep up with on a daily basis.

You could do everything like me.

And I don’t care, cause you’re a human too.

And you’re a rescue one, and me too.

And I’m the rescue one of this, my dog!

And you cannot do everything else for me.

And I go in a fire engine.

And I’m a human.

Right away – Bam!

These moments

treasured.

A couple Bug quotes

Yesterday, Bug ran into the kitchen and told me in his most excited voice, "Mama! I'm all ready for soccer!!"  I said, "Oh, yeah! You've got your cleats on."  He: "And I've got my gloves, and my soccer shirt, and pee in my diaper, and my soccer ball. . . "  He didn't miss a beat. . . just plowed right through this list, as if it were perfectly predictable.

We were at the bagel shop (a place we end up stopping in the midst of basically any errands, because it is his treat for putting up with all the shopping).  There was a girl his age leaving, and he was watching her verrrrrry carefully, all the way to the door.  I said, "She's just about your size isn't she?"  With a perfectly straight face, he said, "I could pick her up."  I laughed, and he said, "But I wouldn't, because she's not my sister."