Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts

Friday, November 15, 2019

a new tradition

Tonight was our third lantern walk with Wasatch Waldorf school. We heard a story, sang a song, felt the excitement of the night and then the silence and the darkness as we walked, hand in hand and little hands holding their lit handmade lanterns, through the woods on a path marked with candles. I heard the rushing river, and tried to keep us altogether, among friends, loud “whispers,” and whiny can you hold mes. Annette was in the carrier, snug and warm and snoozing. 
We finished and went home. Some were not happy at how the night went. Some thought there was too much of going off with friends; some thought there was too little. We had contention. 
But something changed as we got home. Annette and Ella has fallen asleep and were placed lovingly in their beds. Frederick and Harriet happily cleared off the table and counter and gathered every candlestick and candlestick holder to the table, arranging and lighting them on the table of the dark kitchen of our home. I prepared hot water for tea and hot chocolate. Collin got out the cider and we poured four bowls of cereal. Someone got cups and mugs and spoons. We stayed quiet. We all tried Fred’s new nerf blow darts. We all decided that this would be our new tradition as a family after the lantern walk every year. The lantern walk symbolizes kindness and service, as well as the light we can create, share and lean on during what is soon to be the darkest and coldest time of year. I realize how much light, warmth and joy my family brings to me. I remembered to look into their eyes and hold their hands. 







Thursday, November 12, 2015

Get out

For how good I usually am at getting outside I've sucked at it lately! Man, it's cold and the kids take forever to wrangle and dress and I'm less than motivated. BUT after reading this 

http://cupofjo.com/2015/11/outside-with-kids-winter/

I'm re-inspired to get outside every single day for at least a bit. And really we should just hang out and expire because this was our view this evening as we ate dinner outside on our front steps. 




Monday, October 12, 2015

Halloween updates and growing up updates

Today it took about a half hour to walk home from church because Hattie stops and smells every flower, sits down and writes in her book in the grass, sits on a bench, plays in the rocks. Hehe and Freddie complains about walking the whole way hahaha. Oh, then, poor boy, he was having fun, kicking up rocks, and got one stuck in his eye. It was horrible. He wouldn't let me touch it and was flipping out. Finally we said a prayer and by miracle, he got it out himself. Phew. The whole trip was just taking forever and I was starving and had to pee.  I had to bribe them both w a Halloween craft when we got home, and It worked!!! 
Here's the craft....

Hattie enjoyed putting all the stickers on except the bats; wouldn't touch them. And Fred just took the tape across every surface he could. So fun to just watch them. We crafted and ate and then Collin got home (he was learning about his new calling) and we all napped 2 hours, even Dot with us in the bed. It was nice. We got up and decorated for Halloween and then CS made dinner while I was a slave driver and had the kids pick up the house. They get distracted but we have been trying to do this a lot and they are getting better and better. Freddie is a hard little worker, actually. 
(Pictured above^^^our third Halloween together. And first as a married couple in 2009, Provo.)


We ate grilled burritos for dinner and they were so good. More crafting!! Then bath time while Carmel popcorn was made and we headed down to the basement to watch a short (30 min) movie on Netflix called Room on the Broom, about a nice witch who lets more and more friends on her broom. It was really fun. Then bedtime. I pretty much go to bed w the kids and then wake up at 12ish to drink water and pee and go back to sleep. 

The weather here is hot and weird. It's getting cooler though. Our yard looks so pretty. The grass is green, flowers fall colors. Leaves are changing on trees everywhere. The Capitol lawn is so pretty and we love to go hunt for fallen pods (they look like dragonfruit) and squish the large seeds out of them. 
^^^This morning before church. Freddie loves his new church jacket so much. Hattie loves her new shoes. Fred just grew out of his 3T pants he's been wearing for a while and we got him a bunch of 4T a month ago and now they are all getting short on him!!! And he had grown out of his shoes we just got him when we moved here (2 months ago!!) Hattie is growing so big too. It's so weird and fun to see them grow up and become more and more aware. Freddie is becoming a kid now. I can have conversations with him and ask him things and he asks "why?" to everything. He also seems to be preparing to learn to read and has been asking about how everything is spelled and what letters it start with and what letters sound like. Hattie is very sweet and caring and also wants boundaries and gets frustrated and hits when she can't express herself. She's working on using her words more. It's funny because we remember Freddie going through this in his own way so we recognize more easily that it's a phase that she will grow out of. It still gets frustrating for us though!! And fun too: she repeats everything and talks so much. She wakes up talking in her sleep and saying the funniest stuff. They both want to say a prayer at every prayer time and Fred first says the fastest prayer ever and then will help Hattie while she repeats and gives her the most flowery elaborate specific prayers ever. And she throws in things too. It's so hilarious and sweet. They say thank you for things even when they are asking..."and thank for for that we can be nice and have a good day." Hahhaah. :)

They are so excited about the baby. They talk about him or her...Freddie says "she" always...and can't wait to hold her. He asks things like, "is your water going to pop???" "Is it going to pop right now??" "Is the baby going to fall out???" Haha. I try to prepare them by telling them that I'll be in bed nursing the baby all day and the baby will cry and sleep and eat all day and they will have to play together and be quiet and Fred has to read books to Hattie hehe. And oh boy I hope Hattie can learn to share! She will have to! We have been reading a book about night weaning, which will happen before May, and I keep just telling her the baby will get to nurse too. Fred tells her how it is and how the baby will get this side and Hattie will get this side and how he used to nurse when he was a baby too. They are happy kids. 

Our goal this week is playing with friends. We have been having lots of fun together but both kids have mentioned they miss AZ and friends. Me too!!! So we are going to try harder to get together w people and make new friends in our ward. There are some really nice people we are starting to get to know. Not tons of kids but a few! Oh and our other goal is getting our Halloween costumes in order!!

Sunday, September 06, 2015

Friday, September 05, 2014

Today children

After swimming we made a split second decision to go to the children's museum instead of going home to nap. It was so fun. We were so ill-prepared but had do much fun. Fred is my little buddy and Hattie's my girl. I love my little mink best friends. There was done new stuff at the museum too so that was fun.

Can't wait for....fall, Halloween (October), Florida!!!!!, candy corn, holidays, cooler weather and being outside every day!, Hattie learning to walk, Freddie's 3rd birthday coming up, Hattie's first bday!!!!

My family makes me happy. My children bring me so much joy. We are going to start some more structured learning with Freddie, and a new sport in the fall!! And I found this adorable turkey hat/beanie for Hattie that I'm obsessed with....if she will only wear it for more than a second before ripping it off. That girl...so strong willed!!!! :)


















































Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Iced pumpkin cookies

Iced pumkpin cookies, yummy yum!!! Here's a good recipe I found: 


Fred LOVES to help in the kitchen. He loves to stir, measure, hold pan handles, turn on the mixer and on and off the lights. He even settles for watching sometimes...rarely...okay maybe once. He loves to help cook, and loves to help eat! 





Ingredients

Cookies

Monday, September 23, 2013

The weather; the times; the life; the mind

Beautiful day today. Uh oh, it's happening. Every year around this time it starts getting gorgeous and cool and it's Halloween (my favorite holiday), and we drive with the windows open and walk to all the antique shops and love Phoenix and forget how miserable summer is. Well man, it's getting really nice out. This morning was 84 and we went to our favorite park and sat in the grass and watched the airplanes land. Then friends came to join us and Frederick was in heaven with all the kids around. He loves playing and being with "friends."
I love being with other adults! This summer was hard and lonely/depressing at times because we had to stay in doors so much with the heat + pregnancy. Plus everyone was so busy. But with the nice weather will come much more to do.

I'm so excited for this season, getting ready for Christmas and our next baby and Collins family visiting. I feel very happy right now. And with that and some photos, dot and I are going to nap. Fred is down for the count.

More blog posts soon on our trip to St George and Freddie's second birthday!