Happy New Year, lovely readers! I wish I could give each of you a marzipan pig (Glücksschwein), but this photo of ours will have to do. Make 2013 bring you adventure, love and peace. Thanks for reading and being here with me this year. I look forward to a wonderful 2013 with you. All the best!
{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by Soule Mama.
Merry Christmas, lovely readers! May the joy, wonder and peace of the season be alive in your hearts and nests. Enjoy!
P.S. the church pageant went well, Wren had a blast as “Mary” and even the Baby Jesus got to take a bow…
My oh my, how they’ve grown since last Christmas! No longer babies really, are they? Such a fun Christmas this year with these two birdies – can hardly wait!
Real winter is finally here and not just according to the calendar. It’s alive and well in northern Michigan as our nest is tightly tucked underneath a fresh blanket of white. Finally! Let’s just hope it lasts beyond just a white Christmas. I’ve got skiing and sledding and snowman-making on my mind. You?
We started the shortest, darkest day of the year with a candlelit breakfast. Everything tastes better by candlelight, no? Although crepes always taste good to me, who am I kidding?
To take advantage of the few hours of sunlight we have today, we promptly headed outside to our winter wonderland. Snow days are so fun!
We came in to get warmed up and dried off.
And to make some more cookies this afternoon because Christmas Is Coming! Thank you, solstice. Thank you, snow day. Thank you, family. Thank you, advent. Thank you, readers!
Our littlest birdie is walking! She’s actually been walking here and there for a few weeks, but I think she’s mostly walking and just a tiny bit scooting now. Snap! She’s a toddler. I love this stage when one day, she’s a baby and the next–really, the next–she’s walking away from me with arms full of stuff. The strength to size ratio at this age is so crazy! As Chris says, she’s like an ant. Except, um, so much cuter! I had forgotten how much I love this year from one to two as I was mourning the loss of Phoebe as a baby in our arms. This curious, beautiful sponge is keeping us on our toes, right where we should be.
This picture Wren made yesterday brought me so much joy. I wanted to share it with you too! May you find some peace and joy in the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
I had the best afternoon in a LONG time yesterday when Wren and I had a very rare date, just the two of us. After church we had brunch at one of our favorite cafes in town. We got to have escargot (!) and Wren was incredible company: funny, open, interested, polite, charming, a great conversationalist. We wondered about snail hunters and their techniques, we whispered about how some people don’t have hair, we giggled while we played hide-and-seek with a tiny blue ball. I took my camera, but we were so immersed in our brunch together that I didn’t stop to snap any shots. I looked around and many of the other tables had families, but there were so many SCREENS. And I was just so grateful that we didn’t have screens to captivate us instead of each other.
After brunch we headed off to The Nutcracker. It was a beautiful performance and we were inspired and uplifted. And a bit wiggly and sleepy. Wiggly and sleepy, what a funny combination that seems to belong only to children. I do not get wiggly when tired, do you? I may have teared up a few times while snuggling Wren tight on my lap, so full of gratitude for her presence and our special time together.
When we left The Nutcracker we stumbled upon this misty sculpture garden, wet and a tad mucky with the remains of late autumn in northern Michigan. How could I have never seen this before?
We played for a while and Wren got some wiggles out in the mud. When we left I asked Wren what her favorite part of The Nutcracker was. “Playing in the mud!” Aha. That’s my girl.
As dictated by Wren today…
“Dear Santa,
I do want that water slide now. I’m at my house and I want you to come and give that water slide to me.
I want something else too, in addition to the water slide. I want some pink moose antlers because I’ve been such a good girl.
I want some pink wrapping paper and I want a small, blue blanket for Phoebe. And I want more pink wrapping paper just for Phoebe to rip.
I also want a pink rosemary plant for Phoebe to rip.
I want Mama to have another elephant book. Bring Papa some new duckies to play with in the bath with me. I want Papa to have a new lantern in his room. And I want Mama and Papa to have new socks like I got last year.
Love, Wren on Fifth Street in Traverse City (where there are NO monsters!)
Oh! Also I want a new sweatshirt that is pink and blue on both sides, well actually not on both sides but on each side.”
We received Wren’s first “report card” from her Primary Montessori class. The teacher diaries were full of comments that made me cry so I wanted to share them with you too. So proud!
“Wren is a wonderful addition to our room. She makes us laugh and brings such joy to our days. She enjoys “writing,” artwork, practical life, getting snack ready, and the sensorial area. She is beginning to learn to share her friend Maddie with others. Wren demonstrates great excitement and passion for life that is contagious! She is an amazing little girl.”
She has “mastered” the following areas:
Proud Mama. Sniff, sniff.