Thursday, December 29, 2011

Perspective

I've been thinking a lot lately about how blessed I was to have had so many years of continuity with all of the holiday traditions that my family celebrated. I spent 33 Christmas Eves at my grandmother's house with my cousins. 33 years is a long time. It grew to include our spouses and children, her house was literally filled with laughter. There was the hole we felt after my grandfather died and then again after my dad was gone and then when my grandmother's brother passed away. Always moments of remembering in our way individual way, but still merrymaking to be had. My father would put the money envelopes we were given in his shirt pocket. I loved that. The windows would fog up with all of us crammed in there, so we'd have to open the front door. My brother would have us listen to his fire scanner as the local "authorities" tracked Santa. Hess trucks would be coveted. Pizza was consumed. Yes, pizza. This all encompassing tradition has now ended, new ones will begin, the Hess trucks remain. How lucky though that I had an obnoxious amount of years of expectations that were quite literally always met.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Christmas 2011 in pictures

I'm home with the kids all week and thus have more time for pictures than words. Enjoy and Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve at Grandma's. We can hardly contain our excitement.
Luke got a guitar from Auntie Kristie and Uncle Tom. He has waited so long for one that his reaction was priceless. "It's a gui..." he could barely say the word he was so happy.
Taking a break to gather our thoughts.
Christmas morning and Luke does in fact have tape in his stocking. Thank you Santa.
What is in the big box??
A dollhouse for Ellie.
The Nerfman cometh.
Dart tag!
John gets some alone time with the guitar.
We need a bigger house.
Luke got a camera from Grandma, so we took a little walk around Crandall Park and took some pictures as we tested the water with a stick.
Luke "Bono" Stevens.

He kills me.




Ellie and her dollhouse.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Two minutes with Ellie

Just a little look into what it's like to make dinner with Ellie underfoot. Distracting, in the cutest way possible.


Sunday, December 18, 2011

Through the years we all will be together...














Luke thinks we can't see him since he is wearing camo and believes he has blended into the tree.




Emerging


I've been on a hiatus haven't I? I don't like to come here and be vague or write in a veiled silence so I've just taken a break. We've been busy and lazy homebodies all at the same time. John's team at work adopted a family for Christmas and helping out with that felt really good. We're excited to surprise our kids this year and share a really fun holiday with our families, despite some of the uncertainty and trepidation we've been feeling. It is time to rise above and trust in the unknown. To be the caterpillar in the cocoon that will soon emerge and take flight when the time is right.