christmas first

Thom spent the better part of the weekend telling everyone that he couldn't wait until "Christmas first".


What he means is he can't wait for the first day of December, which can be translated to, the first day of advent, wherein he gets to open a little door and see what little wonder awaits him.


I've been gathering up all the little wonders for the last month or so. I think we will kick the season off with a Matchbox car or maybe some chocolate gold coins.


I'm pretty excited myself. Having little kids makes Christmas magic.


I decided to go all out with the decorations this year. I'm doing it up Pam Campbell style with all the glitter and ribbon I can get my hands on.


My favorite project so far is my paper amaryllis wreath. It makes me happy every time I walk past it.


It's big and colorful and oh so very festive.


The tree is up, the mantle is decked out (pics to follow), the Christmas sheets are on the bed.


I'm ready.



Bring on Christmas first.

black friday

I did not get up before the sun to shop.

I ate a leisurely breakfast with my family while we watched A Charlie Brown Christmas.

I put the baby down for her morning nap and then I went to officially start the Christmas season.

I put the Christmas sheets on the boy's bed.

That means it has begun.

Then I sat in my pajamas at the computer and did a little Chirstmas shopping.

I really hope I can keep Christmas feeling the way it does this morning.

Warm and quiet.

full

I've never gone hungry.

Sure, there were times when I was first married that our cupboards were bare. One time we ate canned pineapple for a week until the next paycheck came. But the paycheck did come and we didn't loose any weight. Unfortunately for me.

My belly has never known true hunger.

But my heart has.

My heart has been cold and shrived and hard for want of a child. My heart has been starved to bitterness.

Sadly, I fear I didn't do very well on this life test.

This year my heart is big and full and bursting out of my chest. This Thanksgiving I fall to my knees and thank the Lord every chance I get for my miracle children.

This year my want is completely gone. This year I can't think of a single thing I don't already have.

Why am I so blessed?

Luck?

And so my prayer is one of much gratitude and thanksgiving with one more tiny request.

Please Lord, let me live a life deserving of all that I have.

baby of the basket

I put the baby in the basket so that I can shower. Please don't call the authorities. I only take five minute showers.

My legs are scabby from shaving too fast.

We need a bigger basket.

a good yarn

The weather is turning "cold". As a Utah girl, I will forever find it necessary to put cold in quotes when I am referring to San Diego weather. It helps me avoid rousing by my family members.


So the weather is turning "cold". In the morning I wrap my big fluffy robe around the baby and we tip toe down stairs to turn on the fireplace and make her a warm bottle. The boy comes flopping, sleepy, down the stairs in his footed jammies. He crawls up on the couch next to us and kisses his sister on the head. She kicks her feet.


It is my favorite time of the day. It is my time of the day to love being a mommy.


I'm starting to think about getting out my crochet. I love to crochet in the wintertime. It's a winter craft.


I've been dying to share all the details of Sugar Daddy's big case, but somehow it feels wrong. It's a story of a prodigal son and a heart broken mother. It's really not my story to share.


Instead, I thought I'd tell you another amazing and true story about Sugar Daddy. Get comfortable. It's a good yarn...


A few years ago Jenny and I went out for dinner with girlfriends. The guys stayed home with the kids.


See? Don't you love this story already?


Jenny's husband and Sugar Daddy's best friend is Andre the Greek. Andre the Greek is a loose cannon. It's a well known fact. Indisputable.


Andre the Greek wanted to go get his boat and get it ready for a fishing trip in the morning. The boys took the kids with them in the Surburban to pick up the boat. They got the boat hooked up and were headed for home. The kids were happily playing together in the back seat. The boys were eagerly discussing the plans for the fishing trip the next day.


About the time Jenny and I were digging into a brownie sunday, Andre the Greek let out a stream of curses that we can only hope the children won't remember. Sugar Daddy, who was sitting in the passenger seat, looked over his right shoulder just in time to see the boat passing the Surburban.


They were on a long stretch of road with a fairly steep gradient. What happened next has been the topic of much discussion. The boat, as if it had a mind all it's own, completely passed the Surburban and continued down the road at a fiery pace, swaying this way and that and generally creating quite a spectacle. There was much cursing from the dads and jumping up and down of children.


After a while, the boat, deciding freedom wasn't all it was cracked up to be, edged up to the curb and slowly leaned into the guardrail, sparks flying, until it came to a complete stop, fairly undamaged.


The rest of the story is history. The cops came. They put down flares and talked to the kids. Andre the Greek laughed heartily over his good fortune. One of Sugar Daddy's friends came to check out the scene and brought some fried chicken. According to the kids, it was a great night.


The night the boat came unhinged and took a joy ride.


True story.

six months?

Where has the time gone? When did she get so big?

I'm thinking of either, a: contacting Guiness and entering her as the most kissed baby of all time or b: opening up a kissing booth where for a buck people can plant a kiss on her cheek ($2 for a raspberry). We'll make a mint. She's irresistible.

still sparkin' baby!

photo by liz

Liz Katchner created this short that was played the first night of Spark. I think it perfectly sums up what the whole event was all about.

I've been home for an entire week and I've still got my spark on.

I want to publicly thank Margie Romney-Aslett for bringing me on and letting me be a part of this wonderful event. You're my soul sista in more ways than I can count. Love you.

I also want to thank the other Spark girls. Liz, you and Pixel Pop rocked the house. You are the friend I always wanted. Rhonna, pint-sized fire cracker, you sparkle from the inside out. Thanks for sharing some of your sparkle dust with me. Jefra, your photography blows me away! Can't wait to see what you are going to do next.

Can't wait for next year!

happiness is...

... a sleeping baby and glitter on my sewing machine. If you can't tell, I'm ruffling my glitter ribbon, cuz' every thing's better with ruffles.

And glitter for that matter.

I inherited my sewing machine from Sugar Daddy's grandma Hazel. It's older than I am and every now and then I consider getting a new one, by what the hey- they don't make things like they used to (or so says my mother).

I think I'll hold on to it. It has sentimental value even though I barely knew Ben's grandma before she died. Amelie was almost named Hazel. I love that name.

Here's to many more days of productive (and when I say productive I don't mean it in the household chores sense, just to clarify) nap times.

window shopping

Doing a little window shopping this fine fall morning.

Thinkin' red is the color of the day.

It reminds me of my sister-in-law. It reminds me of happy days.


Thinkin' Birdie might need this little cap for our trip to snow country in January.
Thinkin' I lurrrrrve this top so much, but Target has forever ruined the red top look, so I must order this in olive or black.


Thinkin' these red poppies would look fab somewhere in my house.


I'm thinkin that everyone should do a little window shopping every now and then.


It's free.


P.S. I just ran across this photo taken shortly after we learned that Birdie was to be ours. Another happy red moment. Emily Falconbridge is resposible for helping our little Bird find her family. I hugged Emily and cried into her neck. She didn't mind. She's earthy that way.

There have been so many moments in the last six months when I wish Emily was around (she moved back to Australia) so that I could hug her again.


I miss you Emily.


Come back.

november 12th

It's the 12th. Can you believe it? Thanksgiving is only a couple of weeks away.

I warned you about time speeding up after Halloween. It happens every year. I'm already starting to stress about getting everything done. I'm doing some serious self talk about deep breathing and simplifying.

Today we have the last meeting with our social worker before the adoption is final.

I'm going to admit something here that I wouldn't tell just anyone.

I'm not excited.

Truth be told, it feels like just a formality, protocol, an inconvenience. Don't these people know how busy we are around here?

I don't need the courts to tell me who my children are. That's the Lord's job.

photo credit goes to the unknown, they are antique

coming home

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Let me set the scene.

Sugar Daddy pitted against a large L.A. firm with lawyers so slick their suits glimmered in the sunshine. It was an ugly, personal struggle. It was family members on either side of the fight. Millions were at stake and an 85 year old mother was relying on Ben and his partner to bring justice to light.

This is what it meant to our family:

No daddy for three weeks.

He worked all day every day and I awoke in the wee hours of the night to find him finally returned to me, tired and beat.

In the morning he'd be long gone.Yesterday was magical. Yesterday Sugar Daddy, the love of my life, a talented lawyer and amazing father, triumphed.

Yesterday the jury saw through all the fancy foot work of the L.A. firm and delivered justice.

Dearest,

Come home now. I feel like you have been away at war. I know you are weary. Let me hold your head in my lap and kiss your temples. The children need to hold your hand and feel your presence. We need you
back. We have missed you.

Well done Counselor.

-A-

FYI

wynona robison

If you didn't heed my advice and come to Spark....

brooke, gladys, margie, me

big mistake. BIG mistake.

Just sayin'.

falling

I really wish we would just stay on daylight savings time all the time. I hate that it will be dark so early. I have been wishing for more hours in the day and now it will seem like less.

But I do enjoy the fall back. One more hour in the morning to loaf around and play in the bath.