Sweet Traditions

Baking Christmas cookies is one of my favorite traditions of the season.  It goes without saying that it is possibly the favorite Christmas tradition for my kids.  It is, after all, an entire weekend devoted to cookies and Christmas movies (movies in case, you know, you need a break from eating cookie dough and frosting cookies).  Each year, we assume that the process will get quicker and more efficient, because we have one year more experience, but it just never works out quite that way.  And that’s okay, because our memories of these days are something that I always want to remember.  Truthfully, I would love to think that this is something that we will repeat in our home for years to come, even when our kids come home from college or have chubby cheeked children of their own.

This year, we added our new favorite chocolate chip cookies to the standard sugars and ginger molasses cookies.  I already have a couple new recipes in mind of cookies I want to add in 2015 (thumbprints and snickerdoodles, in case I forget).  The schedule is that we spend Friday night making dough, Saturday baking and usually making more dough, Sunday decorating and bagging, and Monday evening delivering to our friends and neighbors.  Tempting as it is to eat 500 Christmas cookies, our favorite part of the whole ritual is making the deliveries.  In a small but significant way, we are getting to celebrate with each of our friends.  The kids take turns walking up to the door and personally making the deliveries.  This is one errand they never complain about running, no matter how cold or dark it is outside.  The chance to present their friends with a treat that they helped to make all weekend long is an honor that they compete for at each stop along our route.

These are the tiny things that make up our season.  It’s these tiny things, these everyday things, that I appreciate so much.

    

Welcoming Christmas

This year marked the second Christmas that we celebrated since moving to our new home.  When Christmas came last year, we had really only been living in this house for a week or two, so everything was rushed and many of our traditions didn’t happen at all.  This was okay with me, since we were just so relieved and feeling so grateful and blessed to be in our house that nothing else seemed to matter at the time.  This year, settled in as we are, we were ready to welcome the Christmas season into our home with wide open arms.  We took our time putting up decorations, watching Christmas movies, bringing home maybe a few more new decorations that I normally allow myself each year, sending out Christmas cards, drinking hot cocoa, enjoying the company of our elf ‘Jingle,’ having company and bonfires, and baking and delivering Christmas cookies to our friends and neighbors.  In our own little ways, I think we made merry pretty well, and this Christmas was for us one of those treasured ones that really feels like it’s Christmas.

   

We Wished For Winter

It doesn’t always snow in the desert Southwest, but when it does, it draws a crowd.  This snow storm was hosted by Jake’s sister’s HOA in the neighborhood park and was made with a few tons of shaved blocks of ice.  We all had an amazing time having snow ball fights and “sledding” down the hill.

Liam was a little confused initially, but it didn’t take him too long to decide that he was having fun.

  

Ari was not a fan of having cold hands, but she loved sledding and hanging with her cousins.

 

Everyday Miracles

He thought he was so sly sneaking a taste of flour.

We have cookies coming out of our ears! In a good way!

I ate crab and giant prawns with my bare hands out of a plastic bag and using a rock as my only utensil // our date nights are never boring.

I walked to church today // the smell of wet earth and autumn leaves, the sound of birds chirping, the warmth of the sun on my shoulder and the fresh air on my face, the peace and quiet left me so refreshed.

Thank you garden // Orecchiette with Swiss chard, fresh mozzarella, and spiced chickpeas tonight.

Cookies.  All weekend long.

Little green sprinkles of Christmas cheer cover my kitchen right now.

Bella's class Christmas party.

Ari's class book exchange.

This made my heart melt // Jake was quick to call my attention to the fact that Bella was already making plans to sneak out of bed to meet boys.

Our little country house all lit up for Christmas.

Celebrating with friends and neighbors in the country // we keep the kids up till 11:30 pm for nights like these.

Lemonade season has officially arrived.

Enjoying their awesome gifts from one of their favorite people, Brooke // she spoiled us all.

Happy little makeshift card tree grows taller and more cheerful by the day // we thank you for all the well wishing cards and for your beautiful photos.

The way he says “I luv yewww!”

Everyday Miracles

Phoenix has snow days too ❄.

My miniature candy cane pilfer.

The moon.

Liam's first tennis lesson with mommy.

Putting the tree up is a week long process over here // we make the memories last.  Ornaments on deck for tonight.

Everyone helped decorate the tree last night // it looks just like four little children worked hard on it with very little guidance // it's perfect to me.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Favorite things party with some of my favorite girls!

I made out like a bandit at the favorite things party // first presents of the season.

Garden spinach going into chicken sausage meatball, orzo, and spinach soup // seems about right on this not-quite-winter day.

The Pied Piper // he had just finished his Nature Valley granola bar.

A boy and his... bird?  It was a baby rooster by the way.

This is how cloudy days conclude in Wild West.

Little women in the kitchen //whipping up our Christmas cookies.

We couldn't have had a more beautiful night for viewing Christmas lights.

We took our rebel rousers to see the temple lights with their rebel rouser cousins // don't let their cuteness fool you.

Everyday Miracles

Sleepover at Grammy and Papa's // not much sleeping happening but lots of great memories being made.

She loves her some bunnies in a very gentle, caring, non-Elmyra Duff kind of way ;).

This day makes you sigh so hard // standing here in Grammy and Papa's front yard.

Liam rockin' the scooter. Gabe rode his razor scooter down quarter pipes at the skate park today too. Pretty cool.

The men all pitched in to help frame the playroom addition at Grammy and Papa's house today.

Boys and their tools // he thinks he's so big, but just look at that face.

Found treasures // the opening of an unintentional time capsule happened today.

Today is a good mail day // I'm a hippy at heart.

Lovely winter afternoon.

There's always something going on over here. Today it's my Christmas present... Skylights! // The Jakes like to hang out on the roof, being studs, and talk about manly stuff like beard oil.

Because of the magic of Velcro, I was able to realize my dream of hanging wreaths in subway tiled windows.

Grateful to have this wonderful girl in our lives // more like family.

A rare moment // Liam sharing.

I love our new skylight well and how it brightens up this previously dark space // last night the moon was shining right down through it.

Garden salad takes on a while new meaning when it's from your own garden.

One day, I hope to have a real fireplace mantle, but until then, I've made one from twine and twigs (tree branches) and it's making me happy.

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, we went up to Holbrook to be with Grammy and Papa, Ryan and Chantelle’s family, and Ali and Darren’s family.  It is always such a fun and memorable experience each and every one of the times we have gone up there.  Every time we go up, it’s both the same and different from the many times before.  It’s different of course because the kids are older, but we somehow always manage to do something new every time also, and let’s be honest, a house with 19 people can not be boring.  But it’s the same in ways too; there is a sense of unwavering and unconditional love despite our differences in personality and the scuffles the kids get in over sharing or roughhousing. 

We all go to bed and wake up knowing that we are loved, and we feel secure with sharing our love in return. 

I feel thankful that my children are growing up with this cherished notion of family.  I know how valuable it is, as I grew up without the company of cousins or the influence of aunts, uncles, or grandparents.  I know that it’s hard for me to speak how grateful I am, which is why I write it.  I know it’s hard for my kids to put in words how grateful they are, but I see it in their tears when we have to leave to go home.  I know and they know that it is here where life’s most important lessons are taught and learned.  This is where we are safe to make mistakes, to unapologetically celebrate our victories, to change, to be our worst selves at times, to be our best selves at other times, to air our opinions and share our knowledge and to gain inspiration and wisdom from each other.  I’m thankful for that.

This Thanksgiving, I am also thankful for my loving and supportive husband, my four beautiful and joyful children, my two sisters, finally living in the perfect home for our family, our current health, discovering a promising new seizure detection watch that is due to be released this summer, and of course, our everyday miracles.