Month in Review

We have had a busy month or so here in our Little Llama world!  The best way to beat Winter Blues (if you can even call what we have had winter) is to fill it full of birthdays and holidays!

Carson turned 5… got a pogo stick… since we thought he wasn’t active enough of a kid.

And had the best super hero party ever!  (separate post to come!)

Mommy recovered from the invasion of 12 boys by escaping with Daddy to Asheville on a speaking engagement, which we turned into a pseudo baby-moon!

After dining the weekend away, we opted for a nice dinner in with the family for Valentine’s Day. 

This was such a fun evening that I think we will do again.  We made filet mignon, thyme potatoes, creamed spinach, and a walnut/cranberry salad (take that Ruth’s Chris).  We also had chocolate dipped strawberries and the boys bought the girls flowers.   We also sipped on sparkling grape juice (note—those little plastic wine glasses don’t last long with little hands--- you know, the ones where the stem pops off the base… bad)

 

Gemma came in town and insisted we go visit the American Girl store and café in Tyson's.  WOW.  This is what little girls are made of.  Now, we can all agree that these dolls, clothes , ccessories are WAY overpriced…. but the memories, and the dreaming, and the wide eyed excitement.  This is what being a little girl is about.

 

We decided that if DC wasn’t going to get any snow this winter…

    

        We would find some!!

 

 

 

     And we did!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While on our Winter retreat with our college students, we took the kids to a kids’ snow village at a ski resort.  Ignore the fact that it was 65 degrees on that Friday… by Saturday it was 42 and FREEZING.  The top of the mountain was in the 30’s and thankfully they have the technology to make snow.  The memories and great pics are too many to post here so they will get a separate post.

 

Carson finally got to go to an evening event with Daddy on campus at Georgetown!  Most of our weekday campus events don’t start until 9, but Carson heard one Sunday them announce that a meeting was at 8, and he begged to go.  He got to hang with his buddy Tripp Lee, who spoke on “Am I really a Christian?”

Somehow, by BABY turned 3.  Not allowed.  3 is like the right of passage into big kid world.  Slow down little llamas.  Don’t go growing up so fast!

We had an easy, simple yet FUN Pinkalicious party (which I will post about separately) We celebrated this little lady. 
 

And hung out with the these Capitol Hill cuties!

 

I made 2 cakes in 1 month…

I have a great recipe tweak to box cake mix that makes the cake moist, springy, and REALLY easy to cut and arrange (if you are trying to make a cool shape)  Just follow the recipe in the link and use the instant pudding flavor that best goes along with your cake mix flavor. 

PS—I have a promised that each of my kids will get at least one awesome cake/amazing party by me at some point in their life.  I am all about simple cupcakes, and store bought Carvel icecream cakes!    Charlotte had hers at 4 with her Cowgirl Party (simply
uh-Mazing).   Carson, buddy… I think this counts for you.

And after all that fun and craziness---  I turned 32.  I have 1 more baby on the way, many more gray hairs, and my blessings just keep overflowing.  We continued the DC tradition of “Birthday Pie” from Dangerously Delicious.  David spoiled me and I felt VERY celebrated and loved!  (and I have a new Kindle Fire to enjoy when those late night feedings come next month!)

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So that is where our month has gone….  It has been busy, crazy, and amazingly fun.  I might not have time to blog about all this as often as I want, but I at least I have time to live this grand life of mine.  To love these sweet children, to be loved by this great man, to make all these amazing memories.  This is my life--- and I
am so very Thankful for such a time as this!  God has been so kind to us and we pray He continues to give us many more memories like this!

Real Life Behind the Scenes of Christmas

In this pinterest world we live in, it is easy to think that everyone's mantle is perfectly decorated with candles lit every morning,

That maybe they do feed their kids waffles on their Christmas China, and that the cute family in the Christmas Card picture really is that adorably dressed all the time. 


A world where Advent devotions get done every night at 6:45 without ever missing, and our children are actually grateful for
this season, not selfish, and eager to be generous.

Where our Christmas trees are perfectly adorned.

And we all just sip our nice holiday drinks while listening to Christmas Classics in nicely candle-lit room…
Just enjoying the Christmas moment.


And our hearts are perfectly centered on the
True meaning of Christmas.

 

Well, my friends…It’s not true.  We don’t live in Pinterest.
                   We live in real life. 

 

Where the laundry is thrown ‘round the room without care…

In hopes that a housekeeper soon would appear.

Real life…  Real Decembers.

Yes, I still sip my peppermint mocha and listen to my Josh Groban Christmas CD,--- but not while simply gazing upon the tree… while folding laundry and making grocery lists, and cleaning up hotwheels and baby dolls.  

Real life--
Where you go to get a dozen donuts to take to the local firefighters and your child erupts in a fit of tears because he thought the donuts were for him and he doesn’t want to give the donuts away….  doesn’t it sound like a great Christmas moment about learning generosity? 

Where it’s December 9th, but only 4 of your advent devotion cards are up... We’ll catch up… we’ve got plenty of time.

You won’t find these stories on Pinterest.   And that’s ok.
And it’s why I am just stepping back from some of the blogs and pinterest right now.. with all the advent devotion ideas, and tradition ideas, all the posts and links on all the things, recipes, and activities I must do in order to “make a memory.”

Well… making memories cannot be rushed. And quite honestly, I feel rushed by this world of blogs and facebook telling me how to celebrate, what to teach my kids, and showing me elaborate pictures of all the food and crafts that there is no way I  am going to make.   I mean how are my kids ever going to have a good memory if we don’t A, B, and C?? Will they ever grasp the true meaning of the season if I don’t do X, Y and Z??

And so I resort to my motto of late.

Making Memories cannot be rushed.   I will not be rushed. 
My children will still grow up having fond memories of Christmas even if I don’t make a wreath out of lollipop sticks, or homemade gingerbread nutella cookies.   I do not have to have the picture perfect Christmas all done by today in order for Christmas to be a memory.   Christmas will not be rushed.  Memories cannot be rushed.

So I decorated my house on December 6th (gasp!).  Have not baked a holiday cookie yet.  We are slowly catching up on our advent devotion.  And we are going to have plenty of time to enjoy this grand season of celebrating the Savior’s birth.   So, internet… I will not allow you to rush me.   I will make myself another cup of Peppermint Mocha and fold my laundry, homeschool my child, buy and wrap some presents.  Find a live nativity to take our kiddos to. 

We will make plenty of memories.  Christ will be celebrated.  My children will remember these days of their childhood with smiles (dear Lord, I pray they will).  

But these memories… they will not be rushed. 
Rather than compare myself, my decorations, my baking, my Christmas card, etc to the rest of the world…
I will do what I can with the capacity God has given me. 

And then I will enjoy my family.  And I will enjoy Christmas. 
Off now to make some memories---

Date Night!

It is really important in marriage to take the time and get a babysitter to take a Date night.  But it is also important to take Date Nights with your kids!  We did just that this past Monday!

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Right after we moved to DC last year, A Chick Fil A opened up near by.  Though it isn’t a free standing store (which means no playground unfortunately) it is close by.   And it is in a more business district, so really famiyl friendly and easy(er) parking on the weekends.    And one of the great things CFA does is host Date Nights for parents to bring their kids to.   And Monday Night was…

So Daddy, got all “hansomed” up and the girls felt SO special going on a date with Daddy.

They were all ready to go out on the town!
And in my opinion they had the best looking date there,

Little Ms Pretty, all ready for her date.

Helen was beside herself and I think she said at one point
”I never been on a date”

Carson was a great sport… and while we are waiting on Chick Fil A to host one of these soon…

We went out on our OWN Mother/Son date out on the Hill. 
Carson chose to go to a little Hot Dog joint called DC-3, where he got mini dog sliders! But the real reason he chose this place was for the hand spun cotton candy!

He took a great picture of a mommy eating her YUMMY Italian sausage!

Both Mommy and Daddy had a fun night making memories with our sweet children.  Taking the time out to enjoy them and celebrate them and remind them what sweet gifts they are to us!

When was the last time you had a date night out
with your child?  

Having a Hay Day!

One of the most fun parts of the Pumpkin Festival (see yesterday’s post for part 1 pics!) was playing n the Hayloft…..

 

Daddy and his farm hands

Nothing better than jumping into Daddy’s Arms!

Mommy finally figured out the lighting in here…

(FYI—just because you are in the shade, doesn’t mean you need a flash… JUST the opposite—IN AV mode bump up your ISO just a bit, and then play with your white balance—if bright out like full sun bump it down a notch, if dark bump it up a notch or 2)

Just  in time to catch this guy getting buried in the Hay!

 

My 2 favorite guys in the world!

And the Corn… let’s not forget what fun corn can be.

And how stinking cute this little corn on the cob is!

Gemma and the kiddos!
(when in a shady area, if there is a bright light behind you, it is hard image to adjust…better just to take the picture in full shade)

Love this adventure seeker… jumping off huge piles of hay.


Love Even more THIS face, upon landing.
Pure hayloft Joy!


Thanks for enjoying our little Hay Day with us!

Nothing like a little hay in your hair--- and shoes, and socks, and pockets, and ears, and nostrils, and undies--- to convince mommy we all needed Baths this night!

Happy Fall Friends!

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Pumpkin Fun

We had a great time at a Pumpkin Patch/ Fall festival this past weekend up in Maryland!  This is our 2nd year going, and the kids had just as much fun as they did last year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Potato Sack slide!  Carson was Loving it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gemma and the girls!

Charlotte’s Web…. Get it??

 

 

 

Cute little pumpkin pickers!

 

Oh, my cuteness!  Little girl couldn’t make up her mind, and ended up deciding she didn’t want a pumpkin at all. 

 

It is hard to take a picture on a bright sunny day… but they sure did try and smile at mama!

 

Our family of 5!  Next year we will add another
cute pumpkin to our patch!

The hay ride back to the festival from the pumpkin patch!  Such fun!

 

Helen says “come back tomorrow to see how much fun our family had romping around in the hay!”  Trust me--- it was fun.  We all came back smelling like a barn. 

(I realized I had too many favorite pictures to put in one post—
So Fall festival Fun part 2 will post tomorrow!)