one small anti-procrastination success

The cupboard in the bathroom, before:

We have not done too much to the bathroom since we bought the house 8 years ago--there have just been too many other things that needed attention first. So I did give a fresh coat of paint to the things that would be seen, but did not do anything about the insides of the cupboards.  (This one and the one above the toilet.)  But then over the years, as DH and his dad worked on leveling the house and everything started shifting a little, the door on this cupboard came to a point where it would no longer stay closed--it's natural resting position was halfway swung open.  And that half-open door would then be completely hindering the doorway--many a time I quickly pushed past the long curtain that serves as a door and ran with a painful smack into that open cupboard door.  So for years that cupboard door was held closed by Smiley's little training potty.  In fact, the little potty hung out in the bathroom being useful in that way for many months after Smiley stopped using it.

And of course when I got into purge mode, and started casting a critical eye around the house, that dusty little potty was one of the first things that needed to go.  But of course, we could not get it gone without a fix on the door.  So I asked DH just to take the door off the cupboard.  Good enough!

Maybe I'll put up a cute curtain to hide the stuff we put on the shelves.  Probably won't.  And it will still look nicer this way than it did before! 

--getting something we don't need out of the house--CHECK
--making something around the house more functional--CHECK
--making something around the house less hideous--CHECK

--doing all three in one fell swoop--BONUS

Cupboard after:

(It is actually the same periwinkle as the walls, the different angle of light just changes the way it looks)

Looks like the floor needs a new coat of paint too.  These painting fixes are not supposed to be permanent--I am still yearning (and waiting patiently) for my little bathroom remodel!  But they are making me happy, so they are totally worth it.  I already had the paint, so it was just a matter of two afternoons with good weather and some free time--my kind of project.

Don't forget, please tell me about the things you are crossing off your lists!  I want to cheer you on! : )

Update on The Big List

It's been just over a week since my gung-ho Anti-Procrastination January 2013 post.

Sigh.

Just today, going back and reading the list of things I said I had done since Christmas made me feel so much better, so that's at least one good thing that came from making that post.  Even if not much more has been done on my goals since then.  Oh, I have really good reasons for things not getting done this past week--would you believe I got my period a week and a half early, cramps and all, and then got round 2 of that weird and painful tummy illness!  I have a hard time being productive if I can't work up some steam, and I have a hard time working up steam when my body feels terrible.  Just doing the everyday basics feels like a challenge when you aren't feeling good--let alone those big, time-consuming, nasty, tedious, or otherwise psychologically challenging tasks you just wish would somehow magically resolve themselves.  So looking back on this week, I'll consider the laundry and dishes and dinners I did get done as achievements to be proud of, even if they weren't on the list.

Actually, I did a lot more than just lay around this past week--I started feeling fine just in time for three back-to-back days of homeschool field trips.  And a nice long playdate too.  And that's while still trying to get schooling done.  So, all in all, it was a long week that went by too quickly.

The crazy is going to continue until Tuesday morning, with multiple things going on daily out and about--and we need to finish the big writing assignments by Weds too!  So, the Big List might have to be put on hold until then.  But maybe I can get one last big hurrah of energy and time then on Thursday to finish out the month feeling like I got some things done. ; )

But really, I have been steadily and slowly chipping away at the Big List, even with set-backs of not feeling good and being away from home too much for a couple of days.  It is too easy for me to be discouraged when I just look around the house and see everything that needs to be done--so to look at the list and see what I have done really does make me feel better!

I hope whatever goals you made for yourself have been within your grasp, and you are feeling good about your own accomplishments.  Please do tell me how you are doing!  I don't have much to celebrate, so I would love to celebrate with you.  Or, conversely, I'm here to sympathize with you if your week went as awry as mine did.  Either way, I'm here for you!


The Big List of Things That Must Be Done

School:
--State-required narrative essay--Sunny, Merry, and Happy
--Begin unit on California--start making unit folders
--Write out Vintage Homeschool Book of Months project--and post on The World is Our Classroom
--Write out "              "           "My Big Backyard" project--and post on The World is Our Classroom
--Email photos of homeschool activities to friend
--plan math party
--schedule Vintage Homeschool gatherings for the Spring

Home:
--Go through bags of old papers currently hidden in a bin in the shower room
--Deep clean shower room
--Clean off and reorganize shower room shelves
--Go through and reorganize bathroom cupboards
--Paint bathroom cupboard
--Deep clean bathroom
--Repair broken support in upholstered bench in living room
--Go through filing cabinet
--Find homes for new Christmas things
--Clean off other bookcase
--Deep clean high shelves around house
--Good dusting of whole house
--Take photos of artwork so can throw away

Other:
--Package to mail to in-laws
--Mail movie to friend we borrowed it from
--Mail thank-you notes to family
--Start listing and delivering freecycle items
--Skype with friend in England
--Have a phone date with Susan and Mina (See Susan--so fun to talk with you, and so fun to put this on the list so I had the satisfaction of crossing it off. ; )
--Make playdates with friends we have not seen in ages
--Bake something with the flour and sugar that's been sitting on the hutch for several weeks--then put away properly
--Go to UPS Store to make copies for homeschool
--Eat Hide in the freezer all the remaining Christmas chocolate


Computer research/shopping:
--Choose location for hanging of backpacks, choose hooks and hang
--?New hinges for closet door?
--Clock for kids' bedroom
--rug for under bench (for muddy boots)
--get new leggings for Sunny

The Big List, Jan. 2013

(too perfect, Jessica!)

The Big List of Things That Must Be Done

School:
--State-required narrative essay--Sunny, Merry, and Happy
--Begin unit on California--start making unit folders
--Write out Vintage Homeschool Book of Months project--and post on The World is Our Classroom
--Write out "              "           "My Big Backyard" project--and post on The World is Our Classroom
--Email photos of homeschool activities to friend
--plan math parties
--plan next Vintage Homeschool gathering

Home:
--Go through bags of old papers currently hidden in a bin in the shower room
--Deep clean shower room
--Clean off and reorganize shower room shelves
--Go through and reorganize bathroom cupboards
--?Paint bathroom cupboard?
--Deep clean bathroom
--Repair broken support in upholstered bench in living room
--Go through filing cabinet
--Find homes for new Christmas things
--Clean off other bookcase
--Deep clean high shelves around house
--Good dusting of whole house
--Take photos of artwork so can throw away

Other:
--Package to mail to in-laws
--Mail movie to friend we borrowed it from
--Mail thank-you notes to family
--Start listing and delivering freecycle items
--Skype with friend in England
--Have a phone date with girlfriends
--Make playdates with friends we have not seen in ages
--Bake something with the flour and sugar that's been sitting on the hutch for several weeks--then put away properly
--Go to UPS Store to make copies for homeschool
--Eat Hide in the freezer all the remaining Christmas chocolate


Computer research/shopping:
--Choose location for hanging of backpacks, choose hooks and hang
--?New hinges for closet door?
--Clock for kids' bedroom
--rug for under bench (for muddy boots)

Those are the things that most need attention--that are creating clutter, or hindering schooling, or adding psychological stress.  So while there are plenty more things that need doing around here, these are the things I need to do, and that I am having a tendency to procrastinate.  Some of them will only take about 15 minutes, some will take hours and lots of preparation.  But I sincerely hope to complete them all by the end of the month!

So, did you come up with a list?  Even just one or two things that you realize you have been procrastinating and want to just go ahead and get done already?  Even if you only have one thing that feels like it is hanging over, and then you do it--whoo-hoo!  Please do share in the comments, so we can celebrate with you!

Anti-Procrastination starts. . . NOW

Before Christmas, our house was being slowly consumed by CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome).  Which was ironic, because at the same time we were having someone over every day:  DH's carpool buddy and his wife (friends from church we have known for years) hired me to watch/homeschool their 6 yr. old daughter for two weeks while the mom was visiting family overseas.  It worked out so well for everyone--they knew us and trusted us with their daughter; they are a homeschool family and even part of the same charter we use (we even have the same Educational Specialist, the wonderful Terry); it was so convenient for the dad to drop off his daughter and pick her up, since that's what he does half the time anyway just carpooling for DH; and they paid me for my time and care of their daughter, which of course was so helpful to have around the holidays.  So, all in all, a win-win situation. 

But as you can imagine, it was a little more stressful and busy to have one extra child to feed and mind and help and school in the two weeks before Christmas.  Even the fact that she was in my care until Friday and then we left Saturday to drive up to DH's parents' for Christmas meant I was trying to do laundry, finish shopping and wrapping gifts, pack for the trip, etc. all with schooling everyone and the extra attention needed for the extra child. 

I could have just told the kids we wouldn't have school those last two weeks before Christmas--or even just the final week. But I had three reasons for wanting to keep formally schooling: first, we were trying to get a real good finish to our math before the end of the year. And it worked!  All three girls finished their math books/levels before the holiday. That was a great way to wrap up the year, academically.

Second, I figured half a day of school and then half a day of play would keep little hands and minds occupied and happy better than a two-week-long free-for-all.  I purposefully chose fun school stuff to do (we had field trips to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and a local ice-cream factory, and we watched an animated movie about sea turtles, and we made paper snowflakes and she made her own Jesse Tree with us, etc.--that's all learning too!) so the kids would  have fun and I would not have too-high expectations of myself (given everything else I was trying to do too). 

Third, since the mom was a little stressed about leaving her daughter, esp. when it was still technically part of the school year, I really wanted to give her the gift of knowing her daughter had learned things during those two weeks--and in particular be able to hand her a folder with things that could be used as samples in every learning area (which the State collects as "proof" that our kids are learning).  So we made art of ocean creatures in their habitats, and labeled maps and colored flags of the nations the mom was visiting on her travels, and practiced reading and writing, etc.  I think I also wanted our friends to feel like their were really getting their money's worth. ; ) 

Oh, and I hosted a homeschool Christmas party at church in there too.  As well as taking the kids to their normal martial arts classes and recitals and things.  Oh, and I started purging, getting rid of anything I could to make room for things I knew were coming.

So, it was a fun and productive couple of weeks before Christmas!  But all the while boxes and padded envelopes were arriving daily (secondhand Barbies and GMO-free candy-canes and things for DH and clothes for me--I basically did all my shopping via the internet this year) and things were starting to pile up on and under furniture, and visible dirt was starting to show under beds and in corners, and I was so embarassed when DH's carpool buddy would show up to pick up his daughter and the kitchen counters would be full of dishes I had not attended to all day. . . .  I don't like living like that, but it happens all too easily.  I get busy, and the housekeeping is the first to slide.  Understandable, but not livable. At least not pleasantly, or for long.

After Christmas, I thankfully had one day after arriving back home so I could at least unpack and do laundry and get grocceries and all that necessary stuff, and half-way clean up the kitchen, in preparation for First Christmas.   Fortunately, I had done a lot of the shopping and preparation ahead of time--even venturing once to Whole Foods with all five kids in tow!  But even with my best efforts, the house was still pretty messy and dirty, and so First Christmas Day I did a really good job of not looking at the corners and just choosing to focus on the things that really mattered, like enjoying my family and having a heart full of love.

But then, in the week after Christmas. . . the long supressed urges to PURGE and CLEAN started building, and I happily began.

And then the seasonal allergies hit--I always forget about them, until suddenly I am in their grip and can't wear eye makeup for the puffiness and have an itchy palate and am never far from a handkerchief.  And they sap my energy really well--but I still persevered and was making lists and planning. 

And then on Monday I ate something or I don't know what and ended up with such a horrible stomache ache it felt like I had food poisioning, and the pain lasted over 24 hours and then the abdominal tenderness lasted a full day after that--but without any other sign of anything wrong with me.  And both Merry and Happy at different times before me had complained of their tummies hurting, but were otherwise normal.  So, maybe we did have some kind of virus go through our house--but if that was as bad as it got, I'm thankful!  But now you know why my eagerly anticipated Anti-Procrastination Week has gotten such a poor start--and why I am trying to figure out now, on Thurs, how to reclaim that original will for positive change that was so motivating me.

So, I figure what better way to be inspired than to see if any of you want to join me!  And to post my list of things I've been procrastinating on here, so I'm held accountable!

Since Christmas I have:
--put away all the Christmas stuff
--cleaned out my closet
--created a new storage solution for wrapping paper and packing materials
--cleaned off our desk
--gone through the big pile of mail that accumulated before Xmas
--updated the new calendar so I am on top of school events, deadlines, etc.
--gone through the school cupboard, sorting and dusting and organizing
--taken all the books off one big bookshelf, sorting, dusting and organizing
--gone through the kids closet and drawers again, creating three paper bags of things to put on eBay or give away
--made one run to Goodwill to drop off donations, and one run to The UPS Store to drop off packing peanuts for recycling
--cleaned off the kitchen hutch (I had not seen the back of it for at least a month)
--Deep cleaned under and behind my bed
--Washed all my bedding (including feather duvet)
--Washed all children's bedding
--researched new rugs for bedroom, am working on special order with an Etsy seller

I think that's it.  But I'm so glad for it all!  I'll post the whole list tomorrow.  (That's not procrasination, that's being wise with my blogging time! ; ) But in the meantime, here are the goals I want to achieve today:
--Get Sunny to complete her annual state-required writing assignment. 
--Start the kids on their Big Book About California unit studies
--clean or declutter something--there is so much that needs it, I'm not sure what is calling me the most. . . .

So, if you would like to join me in this Anti-Procrasination movement, please start thinking of your goals.  I would love to hear you share some--and then share when you have victory! : )

Much love to you all this week!

 

Procrastinating Anti-Procrastination

It's Anti-Procrastination Week Day Hour. . . ok, it will be any minute now.

I started out this week with BIG dreams. A BIG list of things to tackle. And already things have gone HUGELY awry.

The need started last year. . . and since I started this post earlier today and am just now sitting back down to the computer, I guess I've been procrastinating writing about my procrastination too.

But here's the thing--tomorrow I'll finish the original post and tell you all about my desperate need to get going on all manner of things in my life, which is why I originally wanted this to be Anti-Procrastination Week.  Because I had every intention of writing today, and then even DOING stuff that I have been putting off.

But then, when I took the kids to their music lessons. . . we got out of our shady, cold yard and realized it was a gorgeous day.  It must have been in the mid 60's, or even low 70's.  The sun was shining, and there was not even a cold breeze--it just felt so luscious to be outside, and so when I picked the kids back up at the end of lessons, I took them to the beach.  You must know at this point that we rarely go to the beach.  There's so much mess involved, it is usually time consuming--kids have to bathe when we get back, sand gets everywhere in the car and if I don't make them change clothes it always ends up in my bed (which is of course the sofa), no matter how well I thought we brushed and shook off, etc.  And taking them to the beach also keeps me from being productive.  So today the idea was just to go down and then back up the steep cliff stairs, getting a little fresh air and sunshine and exercise. . . but it was so beautiful and without a breeze the temperature was perfect without any jackets. . . so we spent the next hour and a half there.  We ran, we played, we just enjoyed the weather.  We probably got our first sunburns of the year, since I manage to always do that in Jan. or Feb.  I have SO many things to do here at home. . . hanging out at the beach was definately not on the agenda. . . .

But remember the old saying "Make hay while the sun shines"?  Well, for several months now, I have had in my head a tweaked version, specific to living on the Bay--"Make play while the sun shines."  I realized, as I sat contentedly there in the warm sunshine on a big driftwood tree, watching the waves and my frolicking children, that I made that phrase up because I tend to be lazy about getting us all out side when the weather is great.  I have a habit of letting my own list of things I want to accomplish, or even school I want the kids to complete, take priority over going to playgrounds or the beach.  But the sunshine and fresh air and exercise are GOOD things.  We need those, for healthy bodies, healthy spirits.  I want to give them priority.  So today I actually took advantage of the Good thing being offered me, and did not procrastinate about it.

And hey, I finished this post!  So I guess that qualifies as a successful Anti-Procrastination day after all. ; )

Start thinking now--who wants to join me tomorrow?  I'm making it official!!!

. . . And a Big Star Upon the Jesse Tree

See, I didn't actually make 12 post-Christmas posts. ; )

But I wanted to post this, just because it felt like a monumental achievement, and because Ashley was so sweet to ask for photos.

Behold, the Blessed Jesse Tree

The finished tree, on the fridge.  Made of construction paper and scrap paper and markers and lots of scotch tape.  We started the project a little late, but I didn't let that bother me--and so the first morning the girls made the tree together, and I drew and colored the first ornament, the Root of Jesse, which was fun for me and which also served as an example for the kids as they made their ornaments.  That morning I told them the symbol they would each be making so they could work while I read the accompanying Bible passages (as quickly as I could while still making them meaningful).  On school mornings I normally read the Bible to them while they are eating breakfast, so it was seamless doing the Jesse Tree readings as our daily Scripture.  Some of the stories I read from The Big Picture Story Bible, just because they were so long and complicated to try to read and explain from the Bible in just 10 minutes or so (I am not a fan of any books that dumb down the Bible for kids--I usually read to them straight from the NIV or NAS. But for companion books that are geared towards kids, that is a good one--it puts Old and New Testament stories into one big story arc that helps kids to see how they all point to God and His plan of salvation for all people--which is, after all, the whole point of a Jesse Tree. The Jesus Storybook Bible" is another good book for that purpose.)

From then on, after breakfast each child took turns making the ornaments to represent the Advent scriptures I had read to them.  Sometimes we did not read the Scripture until lunch.  I don't have the same Bible reading routine on weekends, and so usually we had several readings and ornaments to make up on Monday mornings.  But the important thing is not when we read the verses, but that we did at all.  And as you can see, I was not aiming for amazing art--I just wanted the kids to engage with the stories and symbols however they wanted.  (I drew the symbols for Smiley to color).

The whole Jesse Tree project did not get done perfectly, and it did not even get done on time--since we went to DH's parents for Christmas, we actually finished our Jesse Tree on First Christmas, and all the kids got to make one last ornament there at the table with their Daddy while I read all the remaining scripture passages.  (DH completed the tree with the star on top, cracking me up as he did so, because he took the honor very seriously and got out a ruler and compass and mechanical pencil and made a meticulous and beautiful star. I would have free-handed it, and called it good enough, but that's who I am, not who he is!)

So, there you go!  I kept the whole thing as simple as possible, kept my expectations really low, and decided to care more about making it fun and meaningful than making it "Pin" worthy.  I would say it was a success, and something we will likely do again, although I must say I don't know if I will do it *every* year, or just every other.  Either way, the kids will learn from it, and it will be a part of their Christmas memories.

(For me, one of the most memorable parts of our first Jesse Tree was, thanks to Rahab, explaining to a table full of young children what prostitutes are.  If you don't know that, you can't fully appreciate not only the story of Jerico and the Israelite spies, but also the whole amazing significance of Rahab having the honor of being in the line of David, and thus Jesus.  But still.  Never anticipated one of our Advent discussions being about how God made men to enjoy women's bodies and how some people corrupt God's plan for mating within marriage.)

And now, as I wrap up this post--I want to leave you with some real Jesse Tree eye candy.  My friend Ali is in the process of making the most beautiful Jesse Tree ornaments for their family Christmas tree, and they made me so happy that she graciously posted pics of them on her blog so I could then steal the pics and share them with you:

What is not to love about felt?!  So charmingly textural and invitingly tactile.   

I really had to restrain myself from posting every one.

Can you tell the rose head is three dimensional?  So pretty. 

A wee button!

These are two of my favorites.  

Thank you, Ali, for letting me share them!

And while we are on the subject of adorable and meaningful Christmas crafts, you really should check out the post Ali made on her blog about some other crafts she and her kids did this past season--esp. the Etsy-ish onesies! (Jessica, you would like!)

This post is proof that you can do something like the Jesse Tree with lots of careful thought and creativity and  artistic ability--or you can do it on the fly, with lots of creativity and whatever artistic ability you have on hand. There's no wrong way to do it.  Anything we do to share God's Truth with our families is just right.

On the 9th Day of (Blogging About) Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me. . .

My best Real World Steampunk outfit to date!

Look at the so steampunky belt and jacket my Dear Husband got me for Christmas!  Ok, ok, so I did hunt them down on eBay. . . and I did bid, and win them. . . but my Dear Husband earned the money to pay for them, and was happy for me when I found them, and glad for me to buy them--and would not let me open and wear them before Christmas, and did wrap them. . . so technically they are from him.  When I finally did get to wear them I was so excited to find they went so perfectly with the blouse and skirt I have had for years, but which I really did not have things to wear with.  The boots are also something I have been meaning to share with you for a while--they are waterproof leather too, so I have one really practical and comfortable and neo-Victorian church boot!  If you enjoy fashion or want to know more,  I did blog about the outfit and boots more over at Minnie Zephie's Steampunk Treasure Trunk.

But my Dear Husband also did give me gifts that came directly from his hands and heart.  The first I want to mention happened during First Christmas (Second), when we were opening our stockings.  Some of you might remember me writing previously about a new tradition he and I started a couple of years ago--putting things in one another's Christmas stockings we find around the house that represent things we are thankful for or appreciate about the other person.  This year DH did the usual wooden spoon, representing liking me cooking for our family, and several other symbolic little things--but there were two in particular that made me cry.  First, he put in a crumpled piece of math scratch paper one of the kids had thrown away.  When I held it up quizzically, he said he was really glad I was homeschooling our kids.  Cue tears!  This meant soooooo much to me--he was a reluctant homeschool dad, and can tend to worry and be unintentionally critical, mainly because we have different expectations of "success" and "progress." So that token of encouragement in my stocking was so meaningful!  The second one was a little bit of yellow yarn--I immediately recognized it as one of the pieces of "straw" from our Advent manger, which I have previously written about here.  But what could it mean?  My Dear Husband told me it meant he was thankful for my Christmas traditions that have become our family traditions.  Cue tears again!  Esp. after what I shared in my post about the origin of First Christmas, in this post, that was such a sweet and encouraging and significant thing to say to me.

Then DH gave me another gift, after that--it was not technically a Christmas present, but it was a gift all the same, and a big one at that.  Some years ago, we started a holiday tradition by accident--my dear Becky and I had some evening event (probably a SoulKitchen core leaders meeting) to attend mid-December, and her husband was going to be out of town, so we asked DH if he would be willing to take care of her kids as well as ours for the evening.  We sweetened the deal by suggesting they all watch Christmas specials (for which DH has a particular fondness) and have pizza and cocoa and popcorn (all of which DH enjoys), which the mommies would get ready in advance.  So that's what we all did, and the kids loved it so much that the next year they begged to do it again.  So we did, and that time Becky and I went out for a rare girls' night.  Then last year I remember she and I decided to use our night "away" to hang here at my house (the Christmas special-fest traditionally happens at Becky's) and have a gift wrapping party, with a cozy fire, and Josh Groban and Loreena McKennitt playing softly in the background and mugs of Candy Cane Lane tea at hand.  She and I were both tired and stressed, as I recall, but making something we had to do into a  girlfriend event was such a good idea, and the pleasant evening was over much too quickly.

This year we just did not have a chance to do the traditional event before Christmas, much to the disappointment of the kids.  So we made sure to do it as soon as possible after, which turned out to be the Sunday before New Years.   We held the party at our house this year, and arranged it so that Becky and I got to escape for a good five hours, and this year in the company of our mutual friend "Rosa," whose daughter joined the crew here too!  And with that time away we did such decadent girlfriend things--going to see the new movie version of Les Miserables, and then having Indian food after!  The movie, as I am sure you know by now, was fabulous, and the food was great--but it was the relaxed, mind and spirit-synced conversation that I enjoyed the most.

And my Dear Husband really proved himself this time--can you imagine a Daddy having six active little girls inside such a small house for so long?! (It was a cold and rainy day, so they had to be inside--that and it was pitch black outside by 4:30.)  But from what I heard, they played with the plethora of Barbies, and the two youngest--Happy and Mini-Rosa--created a Spook House in the bedroom for the others (which the older kids scoffed at, until DH set the proper mood by turning off all the lights and playing dramatic and sinister-sounding music from the Batman movie soundtrack and then made the girls go in the bedroom one at a time armed with only small flashlights. . . the loudest scoffer of course going first).  They ate the dinner I had prepared and set aside for them.  And of course they watched some vintage holiday specials, ending appropriately with the one about Rudolph helping find the missing baby New Year.  As always, it ended too soon--well, for everyone but DH I imagine ; )--but it was such a fun way to wrap up the holiday season.

All in all, my Dear Husband really went out of his way to be thoughtful and loving and considerate and sacrificial this Christmas.  The warm fuzzies I got from all that are staying with me still.

 Our front door, as Becky and I found it upon our return--festively decorated for Christmas. . . or should that be for the Nightmare Before Christmas?  

On the 8th Day of (Blogging About) Christmas, my Mother Gave to Me

Sorry--I'm just not done talking about Christmas after all.  Originally, I thought it would be fun to keep writing about Christmas during the 12 days of Christmas, which end on Epiphany.  (I have just this year figured out what those actually were in the history of the church, and was pleased with the idea of so quickly applying that new knowledge in my own life, in my own way. ; )

Then life happened, and you all know how that goes.

Nothing bad is going on, don't worry!  We have so far avoided the whole sickness thing that seems to be hitting people coast to coast, although I am already getting smacked by some seasonal allergy, which greatly diminishes my energy and drive.  But even still, I am getting homeschooling back up into gear, and am purging, and my house is filthy, so as I go through cupboards and bins trying to purge and find homes for the new Christmas presents, I am also deep cleaning as I go.

So even if it is taking me well into the New Year and way past the window of culturally acceptable Christmas blogging, there are things I still want to share with you. All good stuff!  So, a few more days of "Christmas" to go here on O Blessed Day!

Today I want to show you all the complete fashion show of my adorable Smiley in the new outfit my mother made for him for Christmas.  As some of you may remember from previous fashion posts, like here and here and here, my mother is an expert seamstress and hand-sewing artist.  

Normally she makes things for the girls, but this year she finished a project for the boy:

Barnyard themed cord jacket and overalls! 

(These pics were taken next to my flower garden, at the front side of the house--with our neighbor's lovely seafoam-colored house behind.) 

(Double-click on any pic to see them all enlarged)

The back of the jacket. . . (and look at how my mother expertly lined up the plaid in the back of those overalls!!! That's the kind of subtle detail that really elevates her creations to the next level.)

Work it, baby, work it.  My little GQ model. 

Close-up on the lamb detail on one front pocket. 

Close-up of the rooster on the other side. 

With the jacket unsnapped, so you can see the overalls and their smocking scene.

The cutest farmyard scene!  All that needlework is meticulously done by hand, people!  And do you see how the lining on the inside of the jacket is also farmyard themed?

I rolled up the bottoms of the pants just because he was wearing his boots--they are long enough that he will get to wear this for at least another year, which is perfect. 

By the way, he insisted I button up that top button on the shirt, which cracks me up.  So little farmer geeky!

The outfit is just too adorable on him, Mother.  He loves it, and wants to wear it all the time.  Like yesterday.  And today.  

In this picture I told him to act like he was giving you a hug.  In lieu of the real thing, here you go!  

On the 7th Day of (Blogging About) Christmas, my MIL gave to me. . .

I already showed you some of the thoughtful gifts my MIL gave me for Christmas this year--but I thought I would include the short story of one of my favorite gifts from her this year:

MIL hosted the big family dinner on Christmas eve for the extended family who were there--18 people in all. She and I worked in the kitchen together for many hours preparing the food, and not only did it all turn out well, but she even made a distinct point of thanking me to my face for all my help, and even saying more than once that it was a success "thanks to me." Later she even said it on facebook too! This was really huge, because she does not compliment people lightly, and she was really affirming our relationship as MIL and DIL in that holiday. : )

Also, there was one really uncomfortable moment in the dinner preparations when she realized I had cut the broccoli side dish the wrong size (fork-sized florets instead of large, fancy clumps) and was really upset--and she started haranguing and not letting it go, and I felt the old rush of cold prickly adrenaline wash over me and the old urge to cower and deflect, but through the power of the Holy Spirit and the culmination of hard earned wisdom, I just stood and looked her in the face and said, as many times as was necessary, "I'm sorry," with my face and tone conveying my sincere apology, but also conveying confidence in her ability to forgive me. And it was momentarily really uncomfortable, but also really powerful--because she responded to my cues that implied Yes, I wronged you, but please believe that it was slight and unintentional, and Grace is here in abundance, so please accept my apology and let's forgive and forget, and all will be well and after a minute or two she self-regulated and then we went on together again peaceably finishing preparing the meal and getting it on the table. This likely sounds like such a little thing to the rest of you--BUT this is the kind of thing that for years and years used to happen every few minutes, every day, all holiday long and would lead to HUGE gulfs of perceived negative intent and feelings of being wronged, and hours of tongue-lashing. So for it to happen just once in a whole visit, and then be handled so maturely and Gracefully by both of us--GINORMOUS meaning for me. The embodiment of all the Good work the Holy Spirit has been doing in both of us.

And that is why her pointed words of praise later that day and affirming our partnership in the kitchen were also so meaningful--because the preparations had not been without "incident" and I had majorly "messed up" at least that once (who knows how many times she held her tongue and I never knew I was doing something annoying or wrong), but with her words she was making sure I knew I was forgiven and it truly was not something that would be allowed to hinder our relationship. So I treasure that moment, and those words. My Mother-In-Law was purposefully speaking to one of my Love Languages--Words of Affirmation--and I received it! 

Praise the Good Lord above for this Christmas miracle! ; )

Finishing First Christmas, and When (the Civil) War Hits Home

So, I spent my blogging time for two days writing a long, sentimental post about our First Christmas this year, complete with photos from this and past First Christmasses.  And then last night when I went to finish it and post--something happened and it all mysteriously vanished into the void.  I would be really bummed about the wasted time and lost effort--except I have so many friends and family members who are starting out the New Year with horrible cases of the flu, or with children in the hospital, or having family members recently passed away, that I will consider a lost blog post and a minor quarrel with my husband (completely unrelated ; ) getting off easy.

So instead of trying to recreate that post, I'll tell you about one of the Christmas group gifts to our children that I have gotten a lot of chuckles over, both before and after the children opened it: boy Barbies.   You see, the girls inherited a modest collection of lady and little girl Barbies from my childhood and from their cousins Emily and Sarah, but they have never had any Ken dolls or little boy dolls.  So this Fall I noticed that Sunny in particular would do her best to dress some of the ladies, those with the shortest hair and less made-up faces, in the most masculine of the ladies' clothing and pretend they were men.  (Rebecca, your Marie Osmond doll from our childhood was the "man" most often!)  So I decided the girls needed some men, to make "real" Barbie families with.  I did not want to buy new Barbies, because they are expensive, and because I really am trying to avoid buying plastic toys, and because my kids would be completely happy with dolls in good used condition--but two pleas on freecycle did not score me any free used ones.  So, I hit eBay, and after a good month of optimistically bidding low (and therefore not winning--even used on eBay those dolls are expensive!), finally scored two Excellent Used Condition dolls and two New In Box dolls--having to get new because I wanted brown-skinned men too, and those are harder to come by. 

Smiley also got his first "dolls" this year, and when I started researching GI Joe action figures on eBay, LOOK what I found:

Johnny Reb and Billy Yank!  What an awesome way to wrap up a semester of studying the Civil War.  (You can even find General Grant and General Lee GI Joes on eBay--if you have the $ to throw down for those!)

I wrapped up the North and South GI Joes in one box for Smiley, and then the other male Barbies in a box for the girls (along with plenty of EUC Barbie babies, since you know once all the women have men, babies will follow ; ).  And as I did, I could see with my mind's eye how my kids would likely, enthusiastically, play with them all, what with our recent immersion in the Civil War and all. . . . Poor Malibu Steven--your world of fun and leisure is about to drastically change:

photo credit

Sure, enough, within minutes of opening the Barbies (the very last gift opened), poor Steven and the other brown-skinned Barbies were forced into slavery and bossed around by Plantation Mistress Barbie (her husband, Johnny Reb, was away fighting in the war).  Marie Osmond became a woman passing as a man to spy for the North, and my old long-shorn Skipper played a Union drummer boy (because she was too young to enlist).  Other Barbies were Quakers who did not believe in slavery and wanted no part in the war  (because, yes, Mother, we watched "Friendly Persuasion" at the end of our study unit).

This is the kind of imaginative schooling-fueled play my kids do all the time.  I have heard it is not, um, usual.  In fact, I was telling my (fellow homeschooling) friend Sara about all this yesterday, and she laughingly encouraged me to blog about it--because she thought what my kids did with their Barbies was such a refreshing change from the normal princess stories most Barbie dolls are trapped in by our culture.  I guess she's right--but without public schooling and TV and radio and magazines, we are pretty out of the loop of what everyone else does with their dolls, and this all seems perfectly normal to me.

Although on a more serious note for a minute--when I watch my kids re-enacting in their play (whether Barbies, or dress-up, or backyard romping with friends) the things I am putting in their minds through school, and documentaries, and books, and reading the Bible, it makes me awed at the responsibilty of that.  They truly are little sponges, in their hearts and minds. 

Here's a photo of the girls, late afternoon on First Christmas, still in their pajamas (and the new handmade pj bottoms from my Mother) and surrounded by newly opened gifts, already immersed in all things Barbie:

I so hesitate to share photos of my house when it is not looking its best--but let's face it, that's pretty much all the time, and this shot so perfectly summed up the contented close of First Christmas.  And shows you all just how big my living room/master bedroom suite is, esp. with a Christmas tree. : )

There's actually more open floor space between the living room and kitchen, in what we call the entry, where Smiley got out his trains to enjoy some of the new train track he received:

And I might as well wrap this up with a few more photos from our gift-opening on First Christmas, originally intended for that lost post (too many of my photos turned out blurry, there in the dim light of the living room when I did not have the right setting on the camera.  So that's why I don't have any more good pics of the two eldest!  These are just the few that turned out halfway decent.):

Thanks for the ornaments, Grandma! (She's standing on the trunk that you see in the Barbie sprawl pic, which had been pushed over to our bed during the excavation of gifts from  under the tree, in case you were wondering why she appears so tall.  I'm taking these photos from my comfy seat at the foot of my bed.)

Smiley loves this adorable jacket my mother made him for Christmas--I'll have to get a good pic of him in the whole outfit and post it. : )

The kinds of sweet and simple handmade gifts the kids make for us and each other.  (It's a, um, colored snowflake? Paper doily? Whatever--it took some serious time and creative effort to make, and that's the real gift.)

Christmas in Photos, 2012

A quick recap of Christmas in Chico, with photos:

MIL encouraged us to get by the tree on Christmas Eve day, for an impromptu family portrait.

Me taking the opportunity of DH having our camera out to get a pic of me in my new finery: my boots, my new earrings, and the new top and scarf I bought during my birthday retail adventure with my dear Becky.  And me daring to wear my one pair of skinny jeans--hand-me-downs from MIL--without something long over them. Ta-da!  Gotta love the kids already delving under the tree to hunt for presents. ; )


--As I have already mentioned, we had a lovely time, probably the best we have ever had.

--MIL initiated a family reading of the Christmas story from the Bible on Christmas Eve.  This is the first time we have ever done this at their house, and it was full of meaning.

--MIL also really showed me that she heard me when it came to the presents.  She and I had been emailing and communicating for a month or two on the main gifts for the kids and for DH, and so had bought things we could actually use, or that we both (and DH too) thought the kids would really get enjoyment out of.  I think we actually brought home less quantity of presents than in previous years, which is great in itself--but each gift showed a lot of thought and desire to share enjoyment, which is the whole point anyway.

A quick gathering of Oma and Opa and the kids in front of the fireplace on Christmas morning.

--MIL also was so thoughtful in her gifts to me, encouraging me to pick out things I actually wanted.  We went shopping the day before Christmas to get a few last-minute things, and I saw this sweater dress and actually liked it, and she liked it, and she urged me to get it with discount coupons she had, and so I did, and she wrapped it up and put it under the tree, and after I opened it I wore it the rest of Christmas Day, which I knew she would like.  : )  And look--I'm wearing it with the Trade As One scarf she bought me as an early Christmas present back in November!  And with the new boots she bought me for my birthday!  So that's why I had DH take photos of me in my new MIL-gifted finery there at their house--so she would know how much I appreciated each thoughtful gift.  And so I could share them with you all!

Our crew hanging out (literally!) with two of their cousins on Oma and Opa's back patio.

--We got to spend some good quality time with two of DH's cousins and their kids.  They are really nice people who we engage with as friends as much as family, so we always enjoy seeing them.  It was really fun, too, to see our kids playing and hanging out together, since all our families live at least several hours from one another and we don't usually see each other more than once a year.

We went on a walk with some cousins in the big park there in Chico, which is right across from DH's parents'  house--and came upon a tree decorated with handmade upcycled ornaments.  What a fun bit of unexpected beauty.  A fitting metaphor for our entire Christmas visit.