Quiet Days

The snow started falling sometime in the night between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Perfectly timed, the snow was like something from a Christmas tale. The snow fell all day on Christmas and it has continued to fall off and on for the past several days. I have shoveled the walk only to have it drift back over. We decided to just hunker down for the holiday weekend. I made a couple of supply runs, but the girls stayed in their pajamas from Thursday until Sunday. I did regularly bathe them and put them in fresh pajamas, but they were more than happy to just be home, playing together.

We left on Sunday for a bit, but now we are settled back at home. Eric has work, but the snow has started to fall again and it is cold outside. I think the girls and I will enjoy another day or two at home.



I have made some blueberry bran muffins from my new cookbook, a Christmas gift from Eric. I have done a little reading, writing, working, painting. It has been nice and mellow.



The snow is deep enough that the dogs have made a few trails and they don't want to linger outside long.



Mostly though the girls have just been playing and playing. We have read many a library book this morning.

 

We are in a great new era of their friendship and independence. Eric and I can interact with them, but often we just sit back and watch in wonder at these two sisters. 



I am really enjoying this quiet break from the constant buzz of daily life. Soon enough it will be back to deadlines, preschool, lessons, lectures, exhibits, etc. For now though, we are delighted for a little calm and quiet.
 

Busy Day. Busy!

 

I am crazy busy today. I think nearly every single hour of my day is already planned out. Charity walk, friend's garage sales, cupcake baking, party decorating, wedding cake decorating, wedding, etc. So, I leave you with this important photo to ponder while I am off in the wide world. Peace out.

Flair for the Dramatics

Last night the whole fam, including my parents were out for a walk in their neighborhood. It was warm-ish, by that I mean it was above freezing. We did that thing that northerners do, we pretended that it was totally spring even though the mountains, a ten minute drive away, are still covered in feet of snow. I am sure it was some Wyomingite who is to blame for the sock/sandal plague that breaks out each spring. We were all wearing coats, but regretted leaving our gloves behind as it got pretty chilly as we rounded the last half block home.

Cordelia and I decided to run, because it was fun and a good way to warm up a bit. She fell, it was inevitable. Kids are always falling and getting hurt. She wiped out and I employed the age old law of parenting, do not look concerned at all. I put on my very best casual face as she looked up at me with the, "Should I freak out?" look that kids give to their parents. Thankfully the situation was fine, a slightly skinned knee and a tear in her pants. She's had skinned knees before, but now that she is really growing into her personality we got to see something new. Our little lady used this as an opportunity for a little drama.

She cried for a moment when she fell, but was quickly back to running with me. I redirected her with talk about a crazy patch for her pants and an invitation to beat the rest of the gang back to my parent's house. When we got home an hour or so later she discovered the blood on her knee, apparently it had escaped her attention at the scene of the fall, but now with her knees bared she could see the full extent of the damage. I am pretty sure she was secretly thrilled as she is always wanting a band-aid for any minor bump. I have told her time and again that band-aids are for blood. So there was no talking her out of one this time. Truth be told it was an extremely minor scrape, but who were Eric and I to stand in the way of her dramatic moment?

So Eric cleaned the injury and put a bandage on it and she was ready to go. Actually there was some drama with the cleaning of the injury as well, apparently the pain of a gentle cleansing was excruciating. She gives the absolute best tragic face and it was fully employed. Her eyebrows raise up into little peaks in the center of her face, furrowed brow. Her little pout is a tearjerker; her lips quiver and the corners of her mouth seem to pull down her entire visage. Really, she is quite a natural talent.

She also limped around every time she remembered that she was "hurt." Eric and I tried to conceal our smirks and giggles, not making fun of what I am sure felt like a very honest reaction to our four year old little lady. She requested some special snuggle time and I was happy to oblige. We read a book and then she recapped the dramatic fall, asking why I had let her fall. I did manage to hide a sigh and an eye roll, barely. Seriously, you'd think the girl had been to war or something. Where does she get this?

This morning when she woke up she was back to normal until she spotted that knee. Thanks to Elise for pointing to it and asking, "OK Delia?" So, then there was more limping for a bit. She was back to normal when she remembered it is St. Patrick's Day, so we are probably in the clear until the next small injury.

A Little Bit Amazing

Before I was a stay at home mom (even though I am also employed) I would hear people say, with no real conviction, that motherhood is the toughest job. People say that, but only mothers know the truth!


So yesterday I was kind of super human, not to brag or anything. OK, totally bragging, but I feel like I need someone to bear witness to the insanity of yesterday and to list of my accomplishments, however mundane.

Here is what I did:

• Woke and made pancakes. Cleaned up.
• Packed two very different lunches for Eric and Cordelia (she gets lunch at school occasionally).
• Dropped and picked up Cordelia to and from school.
• Went grocery shopping. Put away groceries.
• Cleaned every floor, sweeping, mopping, waxing, vaccuuming.
• Dusted.
• General house pick up. Also the constant cleaning that goes with little kids.
• Washed 6 loads of laundry (I washed all bedding and towels).
• Washed 2 basset hounds.
• Put away 6 loads of laundry
• Snuggled with the girls.
• Made beds.
• Had a dance off with the girls.
• Loaded the dishwasher twice. Washed a load of dishes that are not dishwasher safe, put it all away.
• Cleaned both bathrooms with vigor, as opposed to the usual wipe down.
• Baked 4 dozen cookies.
• Referred the play that goes on between a wild 4 year old and a crazy 1 year old.
• Cleaned out the fridge.
• Cleaned the cat box. Brushed the cat.
• Played with the kids throughout the day as they can't be expected to just watch me clean.
• Did some rearranging of storage.
• Helped to navigate the emotional world of a 4 year old and a 1 year old.
• Made lunch and dinner, plus clean up for both.
• Edited an article.
• Did some lesson planning.
• Blogged.
• Oh and I dressed the girls for the day and for bed.
• Watched some Netflix with my hubby and appreciated a foot rub!

This Morning

Mornings always look quiet in photos don't they? I remember reading blogs pre-kids and I would see family life photos and think of them as these serene beautiful moments.

Now that I am on the other side I can assure you that is never the case. Elise likes to scream. The dogs like to bark. Cordelia asks about a thousand questions an hour; my current favorite is,"So, what do you think the robot on Mars is doing now?" There are pots banging, the heater is running, Eric and I call to each other from other rooms,"Can you (fill in the blank)?"

While these mornings are a little chaotic and a lot noisy they are still beautiful.




Cordelia told me that she chose these shoes today because they look "a little bit fabulous"

Moments

Rising sun


Little girl, putting all of her stuffed animals in a row


Icicles on the back porch


My morning glass of 100% orange juice


Bumblebee wearing a cone because she won't stop licking the smallest wound on her foot, making it worse.