Tis The Season

for a full, glossy moon to shimmer dauntlessly through a windswept, charcoal night.



for anxious, beaming parents to wedge themselves in between strangers and infant car seats, in order to discover the new joy of 'Jingle Bells' sung from their child's lips.



to play princess vicariously through your daughter by adorning her in red-glittery-frothy attire,



unless, of course, she has to wear a uniform, then it's a bummer for you.



for red lipstick and pale skin to finally be in vogue.



for an emphatic exclamation to finally find recognition.








for Suzy Snowflake to bare the fervor of an over excited 4 year old.







for parents to capture fleeting moments of delight and festivity as seen through the eyes of their babes.





for healing, except for the bewitching nick on Abram's nose which somehow, finds it's way open time and time again.



for youtube dance-athons to mom's youthful Christmas music memories.



for sister and sister to unionize against bumped chins, carpet burn, and nonnegotiable nap time.

Spreading Some Serious Sunshine

I woke at 3am this morning, covered in perspiration and unable to swallow.
After Norah was off to kindergarten, I loaded 3 unhappy children into the car and headed to the urgent care where I waited an hour for the highly anticipated pronouncement of "you tested positive for strep and your son has an ear infection".




By the time these diagnoses and a few perscriptions were laid upon me, I was late to pick up Norah. I raced back to Traverse Mountain, waited my turn in line, buckled her in and headed back into Lehi.




We waited our turn in line at the Walgreen's drive through and were told it would be at least a half an hour. Rosemary took great exception to this and told me in baby speak that she was done waiting.



With my baby now nestled in her bed and still no antibiotics (but great amounts of perspiration), it is with great pride that I say, at least I am done decorating for Christmas.



My house is warm, my fireplaces are lit, I am highly contentious and confrontational (I just picked a fight with the furnace repair man who repaired the furnace at our rental and got $85 off of our bill) and I am contagious-so watch out for me.



This is what I get for forgetting to list the 'luxury' of good health.

Luxury

Last month, I read an article titled "The New Luxury". Considering the state of the economy the author and contributors were discussing their ideas of what they consider luxuries. The subtitle of this feature was titled "it's all about simple pleasures", some of these "simple" pleasures were still far beyond my reach, but it certainly was a catalyst for appreciation.

The days that have passed since reading this article have been considerate. What is luxury? As some of the one-time luxuries I enjoyed are peeled away, is true pleasure revealed?
In search of true bliss, here are a few of my luxuries:




1.Being able to, once again, fit into my skirts and steal a quick {fairly pretty} picture with {most} of my children.



2.Peanut butter cookies with a big glass of milk, which may {eventually} cancel out #1. Seriously.



3.Pretty light. It's warm. It's happy. It's forgiving and flattering. What more can I say?



4.The aid, comfort and service of a presidency. Truly a luxury. This was right after I had Rosemary so please ignore the newly acquired 'luxurious' figure.










5. Sweet babies to: work me, tire me, challenge me, develop me, humble me, try me, and to delight me.





6.Something comfortable to cook and satisfying to eat. When nothing is right and all is too much, there is a moment of atonement in a full stomach.



7.People who really know me, and love me anyway. Isn't that the ultimate luxury?



8.An ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, lips to kiss, and a hand to hold. Do I really need much else?
What about you?

Christmas Card Flaunt

Thanks Katie for making our family look beautiful!

My Old Man, and His Birthday

Last Sunday marked a mile stone for Brad.




He pleaded with 40 not to darken his doorstep, but 40 came anyway.



He asked if 40 could just pass quietly, without recognition, as if the ticking of time would muffle if it was given no attention.



But celebrate time we did, even with it's wrinkles and gray hairs. For what are wrinkles and gray hairs? Are they not the sum of summers and winters,



scraped knees, smiles, laughter, blue skies, rain, discovery, sugar,



beginnings, endings, songs, blood, fullness, emptiness, romance, clarity,



friendship, opportunity, duty, knowledge, humility, pain, generosity,




magic,




and joy?



So let us celebrate you and your 40 years Brad.

Thanksgiving

My some-what of a good standing in my family has been threatened if I don't post these photos and write a bit of commentary about this event.



I woke at 4:30 on Thanksgiving morning. Rosemary needed to be fed, so I did so and then tried unsuccessfully to fall asleep after returning her to the white eyelet bassinet. Abram started screaming at 5:30, and then Lulu bounded into the room looking for eyes to poke and ears to whisper in.

I gave up on sleep, pulled my hair back and grabbed my sports bra which I layered over my nursing bra, which was layered over my nursing pads (oh, the layers). Armed with Rosemary, my sauconys, and little sleep, I made my way through the rain down to the Orem fitness center to run in a 4 mile race with my family.



I endured 3 pinches to my rear and endless ridicule for being the instigator of this family run, but it was all worth it because I totally won. That's right, I sped past hundreds of participants and totally won, and I was only using one leg, because I am that awesome.



My brother Bob wanted me to include the picture of the blister he had to endure. That's what you get for pinching my behind Bobby.





Later, we met at my parents' home for dinner. There was a bit of segregation. The old and the young do not break bread together.





Peter and Tim (the twins) bar tend because only they will ration the bubbly justly.






This picture is for Nate and Cathy (so typical).







There was a lot of food, a lot of love, and a whole lot of thankfulness.



And by the end of the evening, I was wasted.
The end.