“‘Every Christmas is better than the Christmas before,’ Laura thought.  ‘I guess it must be because I’m growing up.'”  Laura Ingalls Wilder, By the Shores of Silver Lake

We began opening gifts at about 6:30.  Rich and I sat on the couch and the children passed around the presents.  It started out relaxing and got more and more happy and rowdy as we went along.

We loved hearing the childrens’ excited exclamations as they opened gifts that they wanted, or hadn’t even dreamed of, that became their very own.

Little by little the living room filled with empty wrappings and all too soon, the gifts were opened.

We ate lots of early morning chocolate.

In the midst of the craziness, I looked up from opening my own gifts, and saw my baby with his back turned away from the activity, spending time…..in quiet reflection?

My brother David sent each of the children their very own Hallmark Christmas card, with money inside.  The cards came days ago…and I promptly put them in the tree for Christmas morning.  The children were all just as excited for their cards as they were for their presents.

I got a picture of Caleb’s face, as he opened his card and found his money.

This is what our living room looked like after we opened all our presents;

Caleb got a doctor kit and gave Seth a check up.  See the bandage on Seth’s ankle?

Rich and I were engaged on Christmas Eve, when I was eighteen years old.  Sometimes it’s hard to remember the two of us as a couple, now that we are parents of six children.  But, days like today help us to think back on the journey of our married life, and enjoy all the past memories; the year we were engaged, the first Christmases, and all the ones after.  And, thanks be to God, the years keep getting better.

The four older boys all got Star Wars Light Sabers.  Caleb got to try his out with his Papa.  I took this picture as I was still sitting by Rich’s side, by the fireplace;

I honestly do not mind in the least, getting kitchen equipment for Christmas.  I would actually rather receive those things as gifts, because I get very uptight when I spend money on major purchases, for myself.  Rich went to Williams Sonoma and got help picking me out a set of beautiful pots and pans.  The two of us sat indian style on the kitchen floor and opened every single box together.  The lids were as shiny as mirrors, the pots are heavy and beautiful.  I NEEDED these pots, so very much, with all the cooking I do each day. 

I’m especially happy with my pasta pot, I’ve always wanted one that has the colander inserted right in it.  Now, when the pasta is done all I have to do is lift it up out of the water.

I also received my very first set of deadly kitchen knives.  Today I chopped up a lemon in no time, and I wasn’t even rushing!  I also sliced a loaf of bread, easily, without crushing it.  And, chopping my onion for the spanish rice I made for lunch, was a breeze!

When my mom was here for Thanksgiving, doing most of the cooking, she told Rich to get me pots and pans, and good knives, and he did.  He did a Really Good Job.  I’ll be using these nice things, with pleasure, every day.

Davy got a pogo stick;

Grace got a new horse, and saddle.  The toy sort, of course.

Sethie got all these toys , he’s been such a bright spot of joy in our day today, on his very first Christmas.

He loves the knob that he’s holding on to in the picture, most of all.  He eats it.

I don’t know why I didn’t get Seth a new stuffed dog, everyone else got one;

Jake and Ethan got a set of swords, to inspire them to be knightly.

It’s been a very special sort of day.  Jacob said he can’t believe how fast Christmas is going by.

Caleb asked me, right after he opened all his gifts, “How many more days until the next Christmas?”

I enjoyed watching Grace quietly curled up on the couch, reading her new book.

And Ethan & Jacob, busy at the table for hours, putting together lego sets.

Ethan announcing, just a bit ago, “I SO love my presents!”

Jacob getting annoyed at the song Seth’s new schoolbus plays.  Rich saying that someday we would miss those sounds….of annoying plastic children’s toys, at Christmas.

Making my spanish rice for lunch, in my new pretty pot.  After I spent time, deciding which one to use.

Hearing David practicing his pogo stick, in the basement.  Having him come near, and hug me, without saying a word, but I understood, it was a happy “thank you”.

Seth, everything about him, even the bath I had to give him, because he got into the peanut butter jar.

Laughing with my husband, and feeling cozy and loved and together.

Talking with Dad, and with Mom, and with my brother, on the phone.  Thinking about Christmases past as a child, with my own parents and siblings, and remembering those magical feelings that children know, and understand.

My nap, with my head resting cozily on my new tempurpedic pillow (another thoughtful gift from Rich).

And, sipping my Godiva hot chocolate, with melty marshmallows.  In a shamrock green fiesta mug, of course!

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”  I John 4:9-11

Remembering God’s gift of his Son to us, so many years ago, beginning as a baby in a manger, I send each of you love and happy thoughts on this Christmas day.  I love you, because God first loved me……I am thankful for the ways my friends here have loved me back, and touched my life with such sweet words, thoughts, and prayers.

Jesus came to earth the first time, as a baby, and won’t it be beyond wonderful when God sends Jesus back to earth, again?  “Even so, COME, Lord Jesus.”  Not as a baby this time, but as a conquering KING.  “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him:  and all kindreds of earth shall wail because of him.  Even so, Amen.”  Revelation 1:7

Thanking our God for the past, enjoying the present, and looking forward to the future He has in store for us, Merry Christmas!

Love, Shanda

This is the third year in a row that Grace has put on her Christmas dress for some pictures outside in the snow.  She looks forward to it, I think mostly because she gets to wear my makeup and jewelry. 

For me, it’s a time to enjoy my daughter, her youth and beauty, and think about how fast she’s growing up.  She’s a sweet and precious part of our family.

My Merry Christmas girl!

(Grace’s 2008 pictures)

(Grace’s 2007 pictures)

Someone small and silly got in the tree….again….

and couldn’t get out!

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,


But I have promises to keep,


And miles to go before I sleep,


And miles to go before I sleep.

~Robert Frost

(I can totally relate and claim as my own, this last stanza of Frost’s lovely poem (although I’m not walking more miles in the WOODS today, alas, I’m cleaning like a mad woman and making plans to run errands)….I’ve already done so much this morning and there is still so much to do.  I hope you enjoy this post….some breathing space….maybe you can smell the cold air and feel the snowflakes on your cheeks….and hear the blessed quiet of the country woods?)

If you had a cold, snowy day to do whatever you wanted, (and your house was already clean and you had no responsibilities)….what would you do?  What would be your idea of a perfect winter day?

Here’s my list:

wear comfy warm clothes, thick socks, and slippers

keep the fire going all day

curl up on the couch with a clean blanket, a Bible, a good book, a stack of good magazines, a good pen, and a journal

nap & pray, pray & nap

sip hot beverages, slowly

have no one else around, except my comfortable husband, and I would make him relax for a change

no overhead lights…just lamps and candles

eat simple food

Your turn!

Jacob and Ethan have to walk their dog first thing in the morning and last week, Jake came in to tell me that the sky was changing into a beautiful sunrise.

I took this picture;

And then just a few minutes later, it looked like this;

A little centerpiece on my table of odds and ends;

My sister came over to help make a Christmas craft with the kids.  We traced their hands on sticky back felt and cut out mitten shapes…..peeled and placed them on thick white paper, added decorations to the fronts, and taped the mittens to a string (one on each end) with the child’s name and year on the back of them.

We took the time to take some sister pics.  It was fun;

Christmas cookie baking;

Ethan borrowed my camera to take this picture;

More baking;

The children have been waiting and waiting for this time….when the ice is hard enough to skate on…..they skated this morning, what a flurry it was finding all the skates.

I love that we have ponds to skate on.  The ice is perfect and almost too slick.  It’s even difficult to simply stand without falling down.

I managed to step outside (at 8am) this morning…by tucking Seth into the Ergo and zipping us both up in Rich’s big winter coat.

Rich pretended to fall and Caleb went right to him, and said, “I’ll help you, Dad”.  He is holding his hand so he doesn’t fall again.

I have no spunk today….and plan on staying quiet and cozy as much as possible. 

Last but not least, as I was on the couch, E came in with a new egg……

And now it appears we have two egg layers.  Grace said, “I’m SO proud of our girls.”

Rich is leaving in a few minutes to take Jacob to his first church teen activity.

Then, he’s shopping with the other children, while I stay at home and rest (with Seth).

As I was finishing up this post, Ethan came in with another egg!  The new layers are Silk and Star (Margaret has been laying for weeks now).  And he thinks another hen (Jenny) is about to lay.  We were all grinning and happy as we admired our third egg of the morning…and Rich said it looks like I won’t have to buy eggs from the store again.

Have a happy and restful weekend,

Shanda

Last night, I was sitting in the bathroom keeping an eye on David and Caleb, with Seth on my lap.  Seth wanted to get in, sooooo bad, so I stripped him down and plopped him in his very first bubble bath, with his brothers.

A mother goose rhyme came instantly into my mind.

Do you read mother goose to your kids?  Need some fun?  Grab a big fat mother goose book and read away!

In the meantime, enjoy this one…………

We’ve been spending a bit of time trying to keep Seth away from the glass ornaments on the Christmas tree.

The other day, I let him hold two of them to get him to sit still for a Christmas picture.

Can you see the amazement in his eyes? 

Are you SURE Mama?  I can touch these pretty things?

Yes, but just for a moment…….just until I get a few pictures of my handsome boy by the Christmas tree.

I love you all, thank you for the awesome words of encouragement on this post!!

Sending big hugs through the computer screen!  Shan

After the concert on Saturday, Rich and I took the kids to see the Christmas tree festival at a local museum.

The trees each had a different theme, this one was of the sea:

I thought this wreath was creative, it’s made with curls of white birch bark.

I was aching to see SOMETHING that glorified Christ and this was the only thing we saw;

“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD”

Shortly after this picture was taken I finally “snapped” and was completely overwhelmed with the little boys’ busy behavior…I could not keep them from touching everything they saw (notice Caleb in the picture above?)…I heard my voice getting meaner and meaner, “don’t touch!”, “stay close to mommy!”, “don’t drag your coat on the floor!”  “Caleb say sorry to that man, you just ran into him!”….Rich made me realize how mean I was sounding and told me to be gentle but that just made things worse because then I felt ashamed and frustrated, “I want my kids to have a good time and I’m ruining it!”  Rich, on the other hand, was walking around SILENTLY with Seth in his arms, looking at things with the older children, as I ran after the little boys like a frantic mother hen.  I’m sure the hen does much better than I in these instances, however.

Maybe it wasn’t that bad….we did get to see every tree and decoration there, but we left as I was crying, actually CRYING in public, LOL……out of exhaustion and frustration……Grace noticed and asked me if I was stressed out.  Yes, dear Grace………very much so!

We went to church the next day but I had a terrible headache and went to bed as soon as we got home, for the rest of the day.  I’m feeling much, much better now, thankfully.

Can anyone relate?

Merry Christmas!  lol

To be caught up with other people in a moment of grace…..

like geese flying in formation,

like a tree full of birds that suddenly rise up

and wheel off toward the west,

like a school of fish–

the beauty of music,

the beauty of being with the others,

to be beautiful in just the same way that all of them are beautiful,

that’s the gorgeous thing about music.

Garrison Keillor

(this was printed on the back of the children’s program for their concert on Saturday)

Beautiful things are making me teary eyed, lately.  I think the beginning adrenalin and happy excitement of the Christmas season has gone away, leaving me quiet and pensive and a little weepy—in a happy way.  I’m noticing and trying to store away the memories.

I’ve been driving the children every Monday since fall, to their choir practice half an hour away.  Back and forth, a week goes by so quickly and we’re piling in the vehicle once again, with toys and treats for the little boys, so they don’t get too rambunctious as we wait through 2 and a half hours of music lessons and practice. 

It’s a sacrifice for yours truly, who is a homebody. 

How proud and glad I was, though, on Saturday, to sit and watch and see the fruition of all that practicing.

Jacob, Ethan, and Grace, in their concert clothes and scarves, joined voices with other children, and lifted our spirits up and above the rush and stress of the past few weeks.  Some of the songs were gentle and quiet, some were happy and upbeat.  Some glorified Christ, some celebrated the unity of humanity, others reminded us all that childhood passes by too quickly, and to appreciate it and cherish it while it lasts.

I sat in my seat and tried to hold back my happy tears as Rich and I struggled, at the same time, to keep David, Caleb, and Seth quiet and sitting still.

Rich had to go to the back of the church with noisy Seth and I turned around once, to see him standing tall and handsome, with our baby in his arms.  That is one memory I stored away.

Watching my children’s faces as they sang is another memory stored.

Having Rich join me after the performance was over, with a Sethie cheerio stuck to the front of his sweater is another.  My husband as a father, making me love him all over again in newer and better ways.

The concert was held at a big beautiful church which had the most gorgeous stained glass windows.

After the concert was over, Rich took care of the children so I could wander around, taking pictures.

All the glass on the sides of the sanctuary pictured men and women throughout church history.  It really blessed my spirit, to see Saints pictured whom I have learned about, read about, and thanked God for.  I was happy to see them honored this way.

Martin Luther and John Calvin, side by side in this window.  Brothers in Christ.

This is what an entire panel looked like.  Wycliffe and Huss (who was martyred for his faith), are pictured here, along with Luther and Calvin.

Jonathan Edwards and Horace Bushnell (I don’t know much about Bushnell, except that he was a preacher in Hartford, CT)

And, in the very back of the sanctuary, up above in the balcony, was this stunning window, featuring Christ, his 12 disciples, and the last supper.  The vibrant blue was a feast for my eyes…….

A kind man noticed me taking the pictures and approached me to ask if I would like to also see the Tiffany stained glass that the church had, in the library.

These are original pieces, by Tiffany.  I touched one.  I learned that stained glass isn’t always smooth pieces of glass, some of these sections are actually round and bumpy and curve out. 

Truly, man was made in the image of God…..and one of the ways it shines through is in the arts.

“Being made in God’s image means we were made to create beauty…..” 

“Enjoying artistic beauty is another way of healing all that is worn in our spirits.”

 Dr. Steve Stephens

“So many look, but so few see.”

“Opening your eyes to what is lovely around you is a very practical way to reduce your weariness.  Try to see with your spirit and let beauty touch your heart.  Absorb it and let it soothe away your tension.  Let it slow you down and soften the rough edges of your life.  Beauty brings peace and pleasure.”

Dr. Steve Stephens

I was 7 months pregnant with Seth when this picture was taken on December 12, 2008.

One year later, here he is in my arms and already 10 months old.

A happy, healthy, busy, baby boy who has the whole family wrapped around his little finger.

And it’s hard to believe I am done with my first trimester for our next baby.  Lord willing, next year I can add another picture to this series.