Day After Thanksgiving

As with Thankgiving, the day after is serious business: eat, lie on your butt, eat, take a nap, eat some more, go to bed.

Come to think of it, the day AFTER Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday. :)

Ok, well really, Uncle Brian crashed on our couch, and we loaded up the car and went to Santa Cruz to get a tree (but ended up finding one at Lowe's on the way - which was dead three weeks before Christmas.  Go to Santa Cruz next time).  A little tree decorating, a little baseball, and then we Brian headed home and we went back over to my parents for Round 2 of The Spread (see pics on previous post). 

Still think it's my favorite holiday.  :)

The tree in it's glory days.

Uncle Brian and Pumpkin

Our little slugger (starts Little League very soon)!

BFFs, separated at birth.

I leave you with the Lumpkin looking like Debbie Harry caught by the paparazzi after a rough night circa the 1970s...

And Pumpkin looking EXACTLY like his Dad circa the 1980s.

More Catching Up...

I've been editing photos like crazy lately, can you tell? ;)

Here's some Thanksgiving pics (best. holiday. ever.)!  Chris' bff Brian came out from San Fran, and we made the most delectable spread ever.  If you are ever lucky enough to be invited for dinner, be forewarned:  we don't mess around when it comes to food!  Seriously.  Don't eat all day.  Fast.  You'll need the room.

Macy's Parade (aka "Linny meets Kermit"):

Oh, the baking that ensued.   Yes, by me.  The lard biscuits...

Hooray!  They didn't burn...

Cheddar and sage and bacon oh my...

After a few technical difficulties, the pre-baked pie...

And baked... I made a fab crust, if I do say so myself (thanks for the recipe, K!)

And a la mode, mmm...

Below is The Spread. As I said, we don't mess around.  There were 6 of us, not including Alinea, and my sis doesn't even eat meat!  Asparagus, my mom's candied yams, the bomb-diggity root vegetable gratin (courtesy of my hubby), gravy, lard biscuits, and the a Tur-duck-en!  (For the un-initiated, that's a chicken stuffed in a duck stuffed in a turkey).  Not pictured: my husband's currant & pistachio bread pudding w/streusal topping.  AHHHH!  So good.

Linny's first Thanksgiving feast:

Me and my sis:

Nana Jenn (my mom) and Linny crashed out:

Jessie & Brian lounging...

A good day

Just a short note of gratitude, though I'm supposed to be continuing my cleaning streak...

Today was a very good day, indeed.  It was one of those days where I managed to get a bunch of housework done and - more importantly - spent some quality time with both kids.

Halfway through the day Pumpkin started begging to go on a "mommy date" with me.  I wasn't sure how it was going to happen, as my parents were unavailable and I had no one to watch Linny Lumpkin.  On a whim and a prayer I called my friend Shauna up the street (literally).  Her daughter is only a month apart from Linny, and I was hoping they wouldn't mind taking on another. :)  Thankfully she and her husband were happy to help so Pumpkin and I were able to see "Bedtime Stories".   It was a surprisingly entertaining movie, and I was so glad the little guy had been so persistent.  We had such a fun time together, plus Linny was in good hands and had a great play date of her own.

After I got the kids to bed, I started putting things away and found yet another box full of old cards, letters, and photos that I had forgotten about (I thought I organized all those)!  So of course I started rummaging through, and now my heart is really full.  Years of memories - the one middle school friend who wrote after I moved, high school memories, tales from friends during the first year of college, dear friends from Seattle, sweet letters from old beaus that I'd tried on for size who didn't fit and quietly slipped away (but I had them, once upon a time!), postcards from travels, and the dozens and dozens of cards from the oldest and dearest friends one could ask for - graduations, new jobs, marriages, births. Newsletters that started out as newlyweds honeymooning transformed into proud parents. Here and there are endearing notes from co-workers or friends who were only in my life for a moment, but whose parting words made all the difference.  I want to write them all right now and let them know what a difference their notes made - how I look to them for encouragement even now.  Maybe the world really is my oyster, as one said. 

So much love and life is held in those small sheets of paper, and I've barely even begun.  Proof that so many people have touched my life, and hopefully, I've touched a few myself.

Yes, I'm being sentimental now, but as I think of the "toss" pile sitting on my bed, I wonder if I should just hold on to them so I can have another moment like this.  Such spurts of pure gratitude and love are hard to catch.   But two in one day?  Magic. :)

Just because

I found Linny's old baby blessing pictures, taken a bit before I started this blog. She's so lovely and kissable and beautiful now, I sometimes forget that she has ALWAYS been that way:

Seriously.

Our lovely little family.  

The stricken look on the kids' faces says it all. :)

Our ENTIRE family, without whom our lives would probably be in shambles.  They do so much for us, and we are eternally grateful.

Linny Lumpkin Turned One...

...Two months ago. :)

It was a very low-key celebration, as we had intended. Our little family with both sets of grandparents at my parents house (much more spacious).  Lots of presents, of course, and the requisite smushing of the cake.

At first, she didn't get the present-opening idea. She delicately ripped miniscule pieces of the first couple boxes before we finally "helped" her open them. But then a light went on, and Lumpkin realized that inside these strange, bright packages were wonderful things just for her! So then, true to fashion, she started climbing on all of them, and protesting loudly when we couldn't open the boxes fast enough. :)

Pictures:

Cuteness

For me!??

Opening a book (her favorite!) with Daddy

I got my pony and my doll. Wassup witchu?

Grandpa Larry and Aden putting together her giraffe rocker. Very manly work.

The cake (thanks mom!)

Are you singing to me??? (She LOVED it)

Tasting the cake

Dumping the cake, of course.

Full-blown cake destruction.

All cleaned up with Chris' mom (grandma) after a bath!

Happy Birthday my Linny Lumpkin Loo Who (who is still no more than two).  You are the light of our lives, and we look forward to many years as wonderful as this one!

Creativity + Compassion = Happiness

The kids are napping, and I should be doing a multitude of other things (cleaning, reading, uploading the 250 pics from my camera...) but I have had so many thoughts running in my head the past few days I needed to get them out.  And reading Katy's post about New Year's resolutions only made the urge worse...

The New Year is always a time of reflection, but seeing as I spent the past week incredibly sick, I've had a lot of thinking time lately.  

When I get in such a mood, I am always impressed how connected we all are - to each other, to the earth, to the universe.  Every deep thought, every good thought, is always connected to something else deep and profound, and it continues in one big circle until my head is spinning.

I'm not making much sense, so I will backtrack: I read my yearly horoscope on Yahoo a few days ago, and I was struck by how GOOD it was.  I really hope I can pull this off:

Year 2009 Overview
As a Gemini, you possess an amazing ability to see dualities -- the pros and cons of situations as change approaches -- and to quickly and efficiently think them through before making any decisions. In 2009, you dare to look deeply into your desires, regenerate self-awareness and recognize psychological ambiguities. This will bring balance into your home and family life. Pay attention to the details as you bring your inner and outer life into harmony. And be sure to enjoy the changes occurring within you!

As you come to terms with yourself, you are able to see a more fulfilling purpose in life, and your field of experience broadens. Focus on matters that affect you most deeply and, like magic, your life will become easier and things will seem to take care of themselves. You have all the necessary resources and motivation to make tangible changes and achieve results this year.

Toward the end of the year, you'll have time to enjoy yourself, and to bask in a great sense of accomplishment. With the expansive and idealistic energy flowing throughout 2009, Gemini is very comfortable in this age of new awareness and high-mindedness.

Pretty awesome predictions, eh?  I am hoping that as I strive for the above, the "magic" will happen and my horoscope will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  And if that weren't enough, here's my "Career" Horoscope:

Year 2009 Career
You can barely keep up with all the new ideas coming to you this year. The challenge will be deciding which opportunities to pursue. Going with the flow will help you remain clear. As you seize opportunities with an attitude of fun and excitement, doors opening will be contingent upon how you synthesize data through symbols and techniques from different cultures, and from your dreams.

These new awakenings will help you advance tremendously in your career as you become more philosophical about life, and are spontaneous about sharing your insights. Traveling helps you understand other belief systems in the world, as well as inspires you to expand your business ventures.

As a Gemini, you're able to analyze situations and successfully work with the challenges that present themselves, and you easily detach yourself from supposed obstacles. In 2009, you're likely to move easily from one success to another.

I think what struck me most of all was that my horoscopes really touched on the things that are most important to me - a rare feat, considering I place little stock in horoscopes on the whole.  I had not planned on making any resolutions, but reading the above has started my wheels turning as I plot just how I am going to obtain all the success that I am supposedly destined to have this year.  And not just success, but BALANCE, what is above all the thing I most deeply yearn for.

So, as I am pondering all these deep and meaningful things, it's also been a hard week with the kids - I've been sick and impatient and with a 5 year old who thinks he doesn't have to listen to anyone these days, my wrath has been swift, unfortunately.  When I get in these moods, I start thinking it's time to slow down and spend more quality time with the kiddos, and do some creative projects.  So I pulled out my "the creative family" book that I dearly love for some ideas (check out my link to the author's blog: soulemama) and have been reading that lately.  (This does tie in , just keep reading...)

On top of THAT we had a wonderful lesson at church today about creativity and compassion. It was discussing a talk that one of the church leaders gave in the last LDS General Conference.  It was entitled, "Happiness, our Heritage" and basically discussed how as children of a Heavenly Father, we are entitled by our heritage to have the happiness of God.  It's too long to put all here (here is the full talk if you are interested in some great reading)  but essentially the talk pointed out that God is happy and does what He does because of two qualities: creation and compassion.  The author says "Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate." He goes on to talk about how we are all creative, no matter whether we think we are "artistic" or not, and we can all create something that did not exist before.  Equally important is being compassionate and using our gifts to bless the lives of others.

In light of everything else I had been reading, that struck such a chord with me.  Everyone talks about how serving others can help us feel better, but it's not often that people pair that with creativity (which as any crafter knows, can ALSO make us feel better).  Creativity + compassion = happiness.

To wrap up a very long post, it was like a light went on when I heard this.  It tied into my horoscope too (ha!) - creative and compassion are two things that affect me deeply ("Focus on matters that affect you most deeply and, like magic, your life will become easier and things will seem to take care of themselves") and I really think this new formula will be the key to achieving the balance I want this year, and will be the cornerstone of my New Year's Resolutions.

Thank for bearing with me as I waxed philosophical - Pumpkin is awake now and asking me something about bagpipe music (?!) so it's back to real life for the moment... :)  But Happy New Year to all - may you all find creativity, compassion and balance in 2009.