still merry

This year, while I was ready to pack away all the Christmas decorations and get the house back to normal after the new year, I decided to leave out the cards through January. I am so glad I did, instead of rushing to toss them out.

I have tried displaying Christmas cards a few different ways, but this year was my favorite -

on the chair rail in the dining room. {The folded variety I slipped in the blinds in the breakfast room.}

I thoroughly enjoyed looking at these the last couple months. Seeing beautiful pictures of family and friends every time I walk through the room, glance up from my laptop, or eat dinner here has sparked warm thoughts and great memories. I'm pretty sure every card is imprinted in my mind now. As I took them down today, I prayed for each family. I am blessed to have such great friends and family. And so, thanks for sending everyone! 

project: baby book

I finally stopped procrastinating and made my project last week putting together Joseph's baby book. {In fact, I wouldn't let myself blog or do anything else until it was completed.} I might not have been as organized as I was doing the first-born's, and I might not have remembered as many details and dates, but I guess that's what happens with #2.

As you know, when you embark on a project of the sort, a mess is created in the process. My work space was my dining room, with pictures, cards, mementos, and art supplies covering the surface of my table and the surrounding floor. The first couple of days (when given the chance to work) I went through boxes and bins and collected all things Joseph and set up piles by subject (pregnancy, birth, doctor, holidays, etc.).

It was all I could do to try to keep the little ones from taking things from my organized stacks and going through my art bins.

But I got it finished - or pretty close to it. I still have to order some photos for a couple pages.

This book is all about you, sweet boy. I hope you like looking at it one day.

I like the way it turned out.

It was a little too full when I put it together, so I took some cards out. I have it sitting under a dumbbell right now to smush it down a little.

That's Hannah's underneath. They have just about the same number of pages. Didn't really make that a priority, but glad it turned out that way. Joseph's is a little thicker because I'm trying to flatten a Pampers Swaddlers diaper, size newborn. Just couldn't bring myself to throw it away.

And now, on to my next project...

mlk

Hope you had a nice long weekend. The chickens and I only left the roost to go to church on Sunday. The rest of the time we played at home. We played with the train. We did puzzles. We colored. We watched Little Einsteins (and Sophia the First, a new Disney Jr show and a hit with my three-year-old princess).

We stayed in our pajamas most of the day. We drove the truck 'round, and around...and around the house.

 The weather wasn't great on Saturday and Sunday, but yesterday we played outside for a long time.

Little brother firmly holds on while sister has the wheel.

Three...

...going on twelve?

Practicing pumping...

Which reminds me, while Joseph doesn't say a whole lot I can overhear him in the sandbox saying "owwww........eeeeen" as I instruct Hannah, "out!....in!"

On the note of little brother talking, it is has been very, at times frustratingly (is that a word?), different than his big sister. At this point (21 months) she was talking a lot...and in sentences. Little brother says only a dozen or so words. {I'm trying to be patient, and have heard that boys are usually slower with their verbal development. Still, communication would be nice!} This weekend he started saying Hannah's name, except that it's "Nah-nah". She thinks it's hilarious as, again and again, she asks him what her name is. I think it's sweet, and I love it. Obviously, my favorite is "Momma" which he says all the time. He's a momma's boy, that's for sure. 

And now these chickens are at preschool...and it is blessed quiet in the roost. On to more productive things...

Have a great week!

i dream of chairs

No really, I do. All kinds of chairs.

I love the little white chair in Hannah's room. {I can't believe I never posted about it, but I just went back through the archives and could not find a single picture, except the time she somehow got it into her crib. This is an old picture from my phone from when I found it at Nadeau in Savannah. I bought her two...you know for tea parties, or whatever. I also bought one for my sweet goddaughter last Christmas.}

I love the vintage children's lounge chair I found for Joseph's room when he was itty bitty. {I used it for both his three- and 15-month pictures, too.} I love the white table and chairs my siblings gave Hannah for her second birthday. It is used everyday in the playroom. I love the time-out bench I bought at Scott's in August. I always have my eyes out for chairs for some use or another...

So, today I saw this chair for sale for $149 on One Kings Lane:

My heart skipped a beat. It is not technically the Philippe Starck Louis Ghost Chair (that retails for around $400 a piece), but it is pretty darn close. Probably a good thing they were sold out of the translucent. I might have bought one (or two) without a second thought. I have wanted a Ghost chair since I started art school years ago. The fact that I don't have any place in mind where I would put it has not stopped me from keeping it on my wish list. It doesn't exactly go with most of our furniture, but that hasn't stopped me either. When it comes to home decor, my thought is: if you love it, get it. You will find a place for it.


While we are on the subject of chairs, let me introduce you to Constance:

I love her. And think that she and three of her friends would belong nicely around our kitchen table.

Very similar. I saw these at Scott's in October. I was drawn to them like a magnet and I haven't found anything I like more.

The kitchen table I speak of is the same natural wood one with white legs I had in college. Came with four chairs. Y'all know the one. Chances are you've owned one or know somebody that does. It was classic first-apartment material and it worked. It has been moved 8 times at least. It has paid its dues. And the top is now distressed. The kind of "distressed" that only small children can do...little dibbits from tiny silverware. It's got the sentimental quality, and lots of memories to go along with it, but that does not mean it needs to stay!

We've thought about buying new but we haven't stayed in one place long enough to justify a space-specific purchase. I want round. I would like 6 chairs to fit around it. I want it to be perfect. We live in the breakfast room. We walk through it every time we come and go. It's where we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner almost every day. It's where we do projects, paint nails, dye Easter eggs, and sing Happy Birthday. It is where I've hung tons of pictures. The walls are filled with framed family photos and art. Just looking around stirs so many wonderful memories. It is my favorite room.

Finding the perfect table and chairs is on my "one day when we..." list. I'm just thinking - or my husband is just saying rather - perhaps we should wait until the kids get a little older. If you could only see the things I find under the tabletop and on the chairs with the boosters attached. I don't have to worry about that now with my good ole college friend...

So two chairs, very different but love them both.

i think we need a haircut

I was planning to put off Joseph's haircut a while longer. But it somehow went from cute and tame to ragamuffin status in the last week. Take this, for example. After nap on Monday:

I mean, I love those curls on the top, but it's a bit out-of-control.

As you can see my model obliged to pose for pictures. We have this thing called cheesy smile. All I have to do is say the words. It starts with a head tilt back and a squinty face:

...then eyes shut tight while continuing the cheese:

It makes me laugh. But alas, my photo fun can't go on forever and my subject got tired of participating.

Or maybe he knew I was having fun with his hairdo. Either way I got one more sweet little Josey smile before I scooped him up.

We're going to get it cut today. We're going to get it cut today. (Sung to the tune of Zacchaeus' "For I'm going to your house today...")

from the weekend

Sunday we went to a birthday party for one of Hannah's little friends, Jones. The weather has been insanely warm, and it is the second year in a row this January birthday boy had an outdoor celebration. Hannah jumped on the trampoline til she was red in the face, and then jumped some more. Joseph was itty bitty last year and in-arms the whole time. This year we could not separate him from the green Jeep, except when we fed him cake. {He most certainly has his daddy's sweet tooth.}

Sweet baby Pierce and her mommy.

James and Wilson, superheros...and two of Hannah's classmates.

Jones and Hannah, chatting over Spiderman cake.

Once Joseph discovered Mr. Trey giving rides on the ATV, he settled in and didn't want to get off. I love the look he's giving me. Mom, get the camera outta here. I'm hanging with the big kids.

41

Happy birthday to the King of Evergreen...and the most loving husband, amazing daddy, and best friend I could ask for. What an exciting and full year it's been! I love you forever.

out of the mouths of babes

Just wanted to pop in and share a couple things Hannah has said lately. As you probably know, I write it all down - from her very first words and phrases to the funny or peculiar things that come out of her mouth. Her vocabulary is dramatically expanding and each day she surprises me with new words or sayings (usually something one of the bigger people living here say...). It is a good thing that we don't cuss in this house, and that we watch what we say in front of the kids (stupid and shut-up are bad words!).

She's very opinionated and if I've picked out something for her to wear that she doesn't like, she will pitch. a. fit. She also tells me, without reserve, when I'm wearing something she doesn't like. I came to help her on the potty once and she asked me, in a disgusted tone, what shirt I was wearing, told me she didn't like it and to take it off. {I do not oblige. I'm just as stubborn as she is. It was a flannel shirt, by the way.} She asks me every day (yes, every day), "Momma, why you don't have 'scara on?" or "I'm so disappointed you don't have on 'scara." or "Mom, I'm soooo glad you have on 'scara!!!" Look, kid, I'm a stay-at-home mom. Putting mascara on is not a daily occurrence. Of course, the teachers at the preschool think this is hilarious, as she usually is disappointed in me when I pick her up.

Anyway, I've rambled. While there is no possible way to keep track of all the good stuff she says nowadays, I did jot down these conversations from the past week:

{One night after baths, we were at the sink. I had put Joseph in his pajamas and was putting lotion on Hannah. Joseph shut himself in the toilet/tub room. I started to hear that distinct sound of the toilet paper unraveling...and then tear....tear.....tear. I went in to remove him from the room and clean up the mess.}

H: (from her stool) Momma...we need another baby.
me: What?
H: We need another baby.
me: We need another baby?
H: Uh huh.
me: Why?
H: (matter-of-factly) 'Cause Josey is not good.......'cause Josey needs to go in the trashcan.

and this one from Tuesday...

{When H woke up from her nap, I heard her talking to herself, as she often does. I came in the room...}

me: Whatcha talkin' about?
H: I'm just talkin' about all the kinds of days that I like.
me: What kind of days do you like?
H: Thanksgiving.......Halloween...Christmas... All those days are over. And I just want to celebrate them again... (long pause).....They're my favorite. And they're over... And I want them to come back.

The thought-process of a three-year-old is fascinating. It's not always the words she says, often it's just the way she says them or the appropriateness to the situation. I love her innocence, her language, her personality. The age of three has been by far the most challenging, but it has also been the most fun.

the end of christmas

Last weekend, Meme came to town for several days - to play and to do some babysitting. It was fun, though Meme had laryngitis and could not talk the entire time. It was fun watching her trying to get the kids' attention by clapping real loud. We thank you Meme. Our wallet thanks you, Meme...

Gran Gran and Poppy came to see us last Sunday. Gran Gran made her Italian feast and it was delicious. We had a fun time. Thank you GG and Poppy for visiting! We are glad you came. Hannah is especially glad about her new Fancy Nancy books.

 Last night was Twelfth Night and the babies put out their shoes.

Hannah helped Daddy put the straw inside for the camels to have a snack. The Wise Men might just stop by on their way to find Baby Jesus.

This morning, this is what they found when they went outside to retrieve their shoes:

They were completely surprised. {We said nothing about them getting anything in return. As far as Hannah knew, she was just leaving food for the camels. And she was happy about that!}

Hannah was most excited to find "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" gummies. {I'm not sure what Jake and those pirates are all about as we don't watch the show, but Hannah begged for the snacks in Wal-Mart recently. The Wise Men must've remembered... Anyway, I turned on "Diz-a-ney" Jr. this morning and there Jake was, right there on our TV. Very exciting!}

Joseph was way more concerned that his shoe was safely in his possession. Last night he didn't know what was going on...his squeaky shoe just got left outside in the cold.

{The note says: Dear Hannah and Joseph, Thank you for the straw. Our camels sure were hungry when we came through Sandersville! You are kind to think of us. We are excited to find Baby Jesus! - The Wise Men}

We celebrated Epiphany in church this morning, and when we got home...

 ...I finally got that family picture I'd forgotten to do over Christmas.

On the time out bench. And check out this photo-bomb from Mollie:

And now Christmas is over. The decorations are put away as of an hour ago, and the house is coming back to order. Preschool started back last week, and for that I am thankful. Joseph is now going 5 mornings/week. That's 3 hours every day for me...yippee!