Merry Christmas

This Christmas season has been full of many things. We've had get-togethers, and parties, singing and sledding. We've had Christmas shopping and light decorating, card sending and gifting. What a wonderful time of year. I've been trying to get everything done so I can take a moment to soak it all in.  

I've had those moments here and there amid the errands and checking off lists. The moments when you can just feel the good and remember Christ's birth and how he lived and what he taught. One of them was just this evening.

I began to make tonight's dinner and bake some bread for our Christmas meal (we are going semi-traditional with ham sandwiches...at least we are having ham!). The doorbell rang. We have had neighbors dropping off gifts often the last few days. But I opened the door to my uncle! I haven't talked to him for at least 9 months, possibly a year.  Our families used to get together every Christmas for many years when I was a child and into adulthood. But everyone has grown and his wife (who hosted the party) has ill health, so the party has fallen to the wayside.  And I don't get a chance to see them much. 

But there he was, on my doorstep!

"We got your Christmas card in the mail and in the back it said that you guys like cinnamon rolls. So I thought I'd bring you some different kinds to try." He then proceeded to hand over some frozen cinnamon rolls, "Make 'em whenever you want. Maybe for Christmas breakfast!"

We chatted, I thanked him, gave him a hug and wished him a Merry Christmas. And off he went. I walked back in the house as I thought about his kindness. 

Here was my uncle, who is taking care of a suffering wife, thinking of me and my family on the eve of Christmas Eve.  Reaching out to another without any ulterior motives, just simple kindness.  That is the Christmas spirit indeed.

And with that I say, may you all (whoever still reads this) have a wonderful holiday full of the Christmas spirit!

First big storm

We woke up to a ton of snow and it keeps dropping. Jess and Ollie braved the snow and were off to work and school while Ansel and I stayed home.  Throughout the day, I shoveled the driveway three times. Let's just say I am grateful our driveway is flat and narrow. My last shovel session was done in the dark while the kids played. It was a winter magic kind of evening. 

Look who made the Saturday Evening Post

Seeing the Norman Rockwell exhibit at the BYU MOA this weekend was a highlight for me.  And what fun people to do it with!

At one point a a man going through the exhibit said to his friend, "I think these are all prints." The sad thing, he was looking at real paintings!  

Art does the body good, no doubt about it. 

With lots of thanks giving

A morning football game, finger painting, a personal turkey trot, mustachioed husband putting up lights, roll and cranberry sauce and mashed potato and pie making. I look around and there is much to be thankful for.  Use this good, I think to myself, for more good. 

p.s. There will be 6 pies at my brother 's house for dessert this year. I was not assigned to bring one, but I just had to make a pie, of course! So I made one for our family to enjoy...later. Baking issues...

on the ride home

Ansel: What eats bees?
Mom: I don't know.
Oliver: Chameleons!
Ansel: Whales eat ants.
Oliver: I guess an anteater is kind of like a whale.

signs that you are getting older, part 3

As mentioned before, I often remember my mother saying she never felt older than 26.  She was in her fifties when she told me this and I was in my teens, so I could hardly comprehend what she really meant.  Her point, however, is becoming clearer and clearer as I get older myself.  I also recall my sister-in-law reminiscing about her college years, gushing like they were the best ever!  I was in college at the time and thought to myself, "Sure, college is good, but how could someone love it that much?" I now gush over memories of college.

Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying my current years.  This stage of life is cool, interesting, and indeed wisdom-building.  Regardless, I still feel about 23.  Yet, there are still outside clues to help me understand that I am not that age.  And with that, I build upon a two previous posts I did a few months back and give you more signs that you are getting older:

1. The Western Nut holiday gifts actually look tasty.
2. You drive three teens home from an activity and ALL of them sit in the back.
3. You like cranberry sauce.

That moment when...

...you've done (some) Christmas shopping early but your son declares to you that he's not into I Spy books all that much anymore and he'd really like a digital watch instead of one with hands because he wants to see the seconds count up.

I'm going back to late Christmas shopping :)

A car I love...

Today Jess posted our Suzuki SX4 to online classifieds. He posted the ad at 7am and the car was sold by 2:30pm. Wow!  I couldn't believe it. Nice that it was sold, but my heart could not help but be a little sad.

It's always hard for me to let a car go. I've done it twice now and it doesn't get any easier. I'll tell you why. The Suzuki (or as Ansel says, Bazuki) was Jess and my first major purchase as adults. We researched and got a screaming deal for a car we needed to hold our soon-to-come first child. We brought Oliver home in the Suzuki. I weaved through the streets of DC like a pro in that zippy thing. We took family road trips, crossed the country twice, and took our first live Christmas tree home on the top of it. I loved the all wheel drive, manual, four-cylinder. The car gave and was trusty and it kept us going. I love the thing and as it drove off with its new owner I couldn't help but think, "good luck old buddy." 

 

I am so sentimental.  I can hardly throw a pair of socks away without this feeling.  But if I wrote a post about that, it may be a bit over the top. As if this one isn't already. 

Have you ever had a hard time saying good bye to a car? Something else?

On the way to school

We start the car and classical music plays on the radio - a spillover from Sunday. 

First thing Ollie says: Mom, instead of this can we listen to hip music!?

Lessons learned on Sunday

Jess: hey Ansel, what did you learn today in nursery?

Ansel: we had snacks!