Little Ways

Little Jed.  Oh my the things this guy is saying lately.  When he wants something he will say, "want that.  peas-oh-peas-oh-peas".  It makes it pretty darn hard to refuse him.
He also likes to say, "nice and cozy".  Any time I pick him up to hug him, wrap him up in a blanket, towel or coat, or pick him up to hold him on my lap he says this. 
He's also been saying, "jeez Louise".
He is also telling us, "Merry Christmas (May Kissmas)" in place of, or along with "I love you".  I think he thinks the two phrases are synonymous.  For example, when I go to put him in his crib at night he says, "love you Mommy, May Kissmas"....it's just too stinking precious. We always reply back, "love you.  Merry Christmas."

When he doesn't like something I've made him to eat he says, "it tastes bad".  He is seriously such a stinker, but oh my word has he stolen my heart.

Jed was super excited to try out the fuzzy stick on mustaches Santa brought him in his stocking, but I think the fuzz was a tad too much for him.  He promptly removed it.  I also want to point out the blue thing he is holding.  It's like his favorite thing right now.  He took it from church.  After having a fit at the idea of parting with it, James, our children's director, just let him take it.  It's a broken toy.  We aren't quite sure what it was, but Jed calls it "broken thing" and he loves it.

And these two...the source of many lost winks of sleep through the course of a night.  Evangeline makes her way into our room EVERY night and Pickles usually finds his way too.  In fact, this is a picture of both of them in our bed (my side, I might add)...BED HOGS!

Evangeline and Jed are like two baby bear cubs.  They play and roll around all over the house.  (and yes that is Evangeline's toe poking out of her sock)

Evangeline is loving little moments of independence lately.  This a picture of her walking home from piano practice last week.  Her teacher likes it when I come with her to practice so I can stay in the know with what she is learning, but this day she asked her to come earlier since we didn't have school.  I had Jed so I couldn't go with her.  Evangeline was delighted to walk down the street by herself to practice. 

And speaking of independence.....Here is Jed so excited about using his new bubble bath.  While the sink was filling up I noticed the scooting sound of the kitchen step stool and there was a naked Jed scooting it over to the sink all by himself.  He scooted it over, stepped up and started playing in the bubbles.  He was ever so proud of himself and I was cracking up.  There are a ton of pictures because, well, I just can't get enough of those cottage cheese buns...

Snowy Sunggles

Lots of snow lately.  Two snow days last week meant lots of relaxing.  It was nice.  It's serial now though, to see the snow almost gone and no need for heavy coats today when it was just dangerously cold not even a week ago. 

I've enjoyed watching Rick Steve's Europe with Evangeline and dreaming of all the places we would like to visit someday. 

Evangeline loves to make to-do lists in her journal lately.  Here is one of the snow day lists: 1) breakfast with stuffed animals, 2) hot cocoa, 3) Math Dice, 4) play with cat, 5) Just Dance, 6) tea party with stuffed animals

and a little note-to-self on top...."Remember: read tons and tons and tons and tons and tons of books.  Write in diary."  Sounds like a darn good day.

And Jed...most of the time I can say happily that he is the last one....other times he makes me want 10 more.

 

Evangeline took this sweet picture.  I love it and I love him....



Welcome 2018

While enjoying the first snow day of the year I finally take a few minutes to write down some thoughts I've had lately....mostly thoughts about the new year.  I have made four goals for myself this year....resolutions.  1) Drink more water,  2) Go to bed earlier,  3) Keep my house plants alive.  I am up to 30 house plants  (this includes the 3 I am babysitting for a neighbor who will be gone for a number of months) and I am determined to find a rhythm which each of them. 

4)  My biggest goal is to do more reaching out to others.  It's so weird, but when I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep (happens frequently), I lay in bed composing emails and letters in my head to various people.  I also think of kind things I should do for others that either deserve it, could use some extra encouragement, or just need to know that I'm thinking of them.  I do this ALL the time...could this be the time that I'm still enough to hear God putting these people on my heart?  The sad thing is the fact that I very seldom follow through on these middle of the night thoughts.  I wake up in the morning and get in my busy routine and don't give it much more thought.  We attended a teacher institute back in the fall where the speaker quoted Martin Luther King Jr.  as saying something like, "At the end of my life,  I will not remember the words of my enemies, but the silence of my friends".  That quote really stayed with me...and I guess you could say it punched me right in the gut.  I have so many good intentions, but they don't mean anything unless I see them through.  So that's my fourth goal. 

I've started the new year like this:

Listening:  Evangeline learning a new piano piece each week

Dreaming:  of lots of snow

Loving:  the sound of my children playing together

Reading:  Pride and Prejudice, The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh (with Evangeline), Spookley the Square Pumpkin (one of Jed's current favorites)

Practicing:  An earlier bedtime routine

Learning:  to be more patient with life, not getting hung up on the small things

Enjoying:  all the moments I get with my family and my very sweet class of school children

Sipping:  Hot Cinnamon and Spice tea, hot chocolate

Crafting:  Dandelion Doe stitched with love for Evangeline