All Things Climb Every Mountain.

The older two kids have Track Break in February which means they are out of school for the entire month. So we're subjected to a lot of indoor activities but every once in a while there's a day that's not too cold and we venture out into a park.

I had my nose buried in a book and when I looked up I saw this sight -- four-year-old Bella on the rock climbing structure way up high with Big Brother Alex right behind her.

"How did you get up there?" I asked Bella.
"Bubby helped me," she answered confidently, "And Mama, look at me, I'm up so very high!"

Indeed. Wishing you a moment where someone gives you a confidence boost to scale that next mountain.

All Things These Are A Few of My Favorite Things.

I wanted to do one post for January, because our December was So Chock Full O' Stuff. And what better post than to focus on the one thing I despise about January. I'm sure you can guess. It's true, I hate the snow, the ice, the tediousness of school starting and then stopping so we can enjoy a plethora of Early Release Days.

But really, the thing that I Hate the Most is taking down all those Christmas decorations. I love when I hear of people leaving up their trees all year long. One day, I will be that person. I will also live alone, at that point, with one too many cats and way too many books. Wait, I'm almost there on the latter count.

But the ornaments I love the most are the ones that show our Christmas card pictures since the birth of Alex. Go on, look. It's the collage up above. Yeah, we've changed just a tad, eh??

Our other favorite ornament is this lovely Beauty and the Beast wooden heart. It's great because it plays the entire theme of "Beauty and the Beast" in a music box, high pitched, tinkly tone that used to make our cat pace and meow around the house. For the record, the dog, just ignores it.

But, the kids love to press it and for around four minutes we are treated to the slow, aggravating melody. There's no mechanism to stop it. And no, no battery. Groans can be heard from me and Ken with threats of "If you hit it again..." bouncing of the walls. Because if you do press the button again, it will, that's right, repeat. Yet, we hang it up each and every year because it was the first ornament I got when Ken and I started dating. I feel the "Awww Moment", don't you?

The Disney theme breaks here and there for kid inspired ornament art. Like my beloved Edward Cullen created by Alex just for his Mama and placed artistically by him next to Disney's Sleeping Princess. Because you see, Edward doesn't sleep. I realize that this only makes us giggle.

Sometimes, you get gifts from friends. When we adopted Becks, we received this lovely Bichon Frise ornament. The kids placed it next to the Prince Caspian ornament, lovingly created by a friend who knows me Entirely Too Well.


A certain friend will be surprised when she sees that I still have these ornaments that her Dad created out of McDonalds Toys. They are amongst our very favorites and represent Epcot's anniversary many years ago. Every year, the kids fight to see who will put them up.



This hand painted ornament arrived from my Writing Buddy. Isn't she talented? And not just in words.

So glad the process of Putting Away All the Stuff is done for another year and you know I'll be the first to squeal with delight when it comes time to put them out again this year. But for now, I am grateful that the picture below is a safely tucked away memory.





Wishing you a moment of perspective, no matter how grumpy.

All Things What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Our New Year's Eve Baby turned SEVEN. We can't believe it either. Seven years of having our intelligent, book loving, ballerina around.

She loved her nano from all three of her grandparents.

And the Coraline doll, lunchbox and shirt from the rest of us.


After the lunch of her choice, Port Of Subs, we stopped by Build-A-Bear Workshop because Bella was determined to get Kata a bear for her birthday. I mean, she was determined. She even saved her allowance money. I know, she's four and a half but look at the pride on her face.


Kata also wanted to go see "The Princess and the Frog" so after the movie what is better than appropriately themed cupcakes??

I wish her many magical, princess filled moments and I know you do, too. There is nothing quite like getting a chance to celebrate your seventh birthday, at last.

All Things Green Christmas.

Christmas Morning. Kata was the first one up and she's usually our last to rise.

She was quickly followed by Alex. Note the blue light coming through the windows. That's called "dawn". I'm usually not familiar with its lovely colorful tones because I don't greet it.

The kids were told they couldn't "touch anything". I'm sure that's a mantra repeated in many households on this particular morning. Of course in our house that phrase was followed by, "until Mama gets her coffee." You see, certain elves stayed up until 2:30 am or so it was rumored in our parts and they were very, very tired.

The Pickle Ornament was found. If you don't have a Pickle Ornament, it's just our way of deciding which child gets to open their present first. The Pickle Ornament is the last one placed on the tree by a very weary Mommy and Daddy before they go to bed on Christmas Eve. Look at Bella's expression? She's disappointed that she didn't find it. Don't feel too bad, she found it last year.

Oh, Santa remembered and brought the "black and white kitty". Yeah, we're glad it's not a real kitty.

And Alex got the Wolf Pack jersey he wanted. Kata got the Littlest Pet Shop toy she was coveting.

Can you tell from the blur of action that there was a lot of excitement??

And then...the BIG GIFT. Grandma Sandi generously bought us a Wii. WOW. There were shrill screams of excitement!!!

There is nothing like Christmas Morning which is mercifully followed by Christmas afternoon and that by definition contains a nap. At least it does at our house, for a couple of tired elves.