Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Christmas Reads
Good morning all! I'm just sitting here in my kitchen drinking my coffee and waiting for it to snow. The forecast is calling for snow flurries and I can't wait!
I haven't been at my computer as much as usual. We were having some computer issues so the laptop was plugged in down in the basement. It took a little more effort to get down there and I kind of liked that. I haven't been reading all of my usual blogs either - in fact, as of this morning, I had 206 unread blog posts in my reader. I still have 186 - but I've limited my reading to people I know or people that I would like to know. I didn't do this intentionally, it just kind of happened. And actually, it's very unusual for me - I'm the type of person that can't have unread e-mails sitting in my inbox. I like to open the microwave door on a 5 second increment - I'm a little OCD about things like that sometimes.
Anyhow, I usually read a lot of crafty and home dec blogs - I started to read some this morning and my brain started in just as I thought it would. Wondering about all the Christmas crafts and decorating that I might be doing. It's just better if I don't read them for now - especially since I'm feeling extremely relaxed and joyful this Christmas season. I think I'll keep it that way.
I'll tell you what I have been reading though - lots and lots of winter and Christmas picture books with my kids. We have a basket full that I reserve for this time of year. We've also checked a bunch out from the library. I thought I'd share a few titles with you this morning.
I haven't been at my computer as much as usual. We were having some computer issues so the laptop was plugged in down in the basement. It took a little more effort to get down there and I kind of liked that. I haven't been reading all of my usual blogs either - in fact, as of this morning, I had 206 unread blog posts in my reader. I still have 186 - but I've limited my reading to people I know or people that I would like to know. I didn't do this intentionally, it just kind of happened. And actually, it's very unusual for me - I'm the type of person that can't have unread e-mails sitting in my inbox. I like to open the microwave door on a 5 second increment - I'm a little OCD about things like that sometimes.
Anyhow, I usually read a lot of crafty and home dec blogs - I started to read some this morning and my brain started in just as I thought it would. Wondering about all the Christmas crafts and decorating that I might be doing. It's just better if I don't read them for now - especially since I'm feeling extremely relaxed and joyful this Christmas season. I think I'll keep it that way.
I'll tell you what I have been reading though - lots and lots of winter and Christmas picture books with my kids. We have a basket full that I reserve for this time of year. We've also checked a bunch out from the library. I thought I'd share a few titles with you this morning.
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies
And it's spin-off book
Merry Christmas Mouse
Maisy's Christmas Day
The Snowy Day
Winter On the Farm
And it's spin-off book
Merry Christmas Mouse
Maisy's Christmas Day
The Snowy Day
Winter On the Farm
Whew! This is going to take a long time if I post every picture. I love a lot of books! I'll just do a list with the link to Amazon.
Christmas in the Big Woods I love all these Little House picture books
When It Starts to Snow
Winter Poems My mom bought this book of poems for the kids one Christmas and they love it.
The Night Before Christmas I love the vintage looking illustrations in this particular version.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever I have such fond memories of my mom reading this to me as a child
The Biggest Best Snowman
Wee Sing for Christmas
The Hat
The Mitten
Snowmen At Night
Thanksgiving Day at Our House (obviously for Thanksgiving - we love this one. We recited poems from it for our Thanksgiving service at church)
Frosty the Snowman I like this Little Golden version
Christmas Day in the Morning This one is new to us and it made me cry - I think I'm going to buy a copy for Justin's grandparents for Christmas. They were dairy farmers and it made me think of them.
Gingerbread Baby
How the Grinch Stole Christmas Of course! Steele has it memorized... it may be next year's Halloween costume theme.
Who Would Like a Christmas Tree?
The Donkey's Christmas Song
The Little Lost Robin
The Little Fir Tree This is one of my favorite books of all time. One day, I WILL have a copy of one with Barbara Cooney illustrations. I don't know why it ever would have gone out of print! (The one pictured here is not the Barbara Cooney one)
Stranger in the Woods
Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening I'm going to get my own copy of this VERY soon!
Toot and Puddle I'll Be Home for Christmas These little Toot and Puddle books are very endearing to me for some reason.
Last year, Soulemama posted a great list of winter reading. I think I'll go back to it and check out some of them again.
I eat up book lists and have been known to go on to my library's web site and reserve a bazillion books at a time on one theme. Recently, a woman at my church recommended Chinaberry to me. They have some wonderful book recommendations and to my surprise, some unique gifts as well. I've been leafing through their catalog and will be reserving many of them soon.
Happy Winter Reading!
Christmas in the Big Woods I love all these Little House picture books
When It Starts to Snow
Winter Poems My mom bought this book of poems for the kids one Christmas and they love it.
The Night Before Christmas I love the vintage looking illustrations in this particular version.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever I have such fond memories of my mom reading this to me as a child
The Biggest Best Snowman
Wee Sing for Christmas
The Hat
The Mitten
Snowmen At Night
Thanksgiving Day at Our House (obviously for Thanksgiving - we love this one. We recited poems from it for our Thanksgiving service at church)
Frosty the Snowman I like this Little Golden version
Christmas Day in the Morning This one is new to us and it made me cry - I think I'm going to buy a copy for Justin's grandparents for Christmas. They were dairy farmers and it made me think of them.
Gingerbread Baby
How the Grinch Stole Christmas Of course! Steele has it memorized... it may be next year's Halloween costume theme.
Who Would Like a Christmas Tree?
The Donkey's Christmas Song
The Little Lost Robin
The Little Fir Tree This is one of my favorite books of all time. One day, I WILL have a copy of one with Barbara Cooney illustrations. I don't know why it ever would have gone out of print! (The one pictured here is not the Barbara Cooney one)
Stranger in the Woods
Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening I'm going to get my own copy of this VERY soon!
Toot and Puddle I'll Be Home for Christmas These little Toot and Puddle books are very endearing to me for some reason.
Last year, Soulemama posted a great list of winter reading. I think I'll go back to it and check out some of them again.
I eat up book lists and have been known to go on to my library's web site and reserve a bazillion books at a time on one theme. Recently, a woman at my church recommended Chinaberry to me. They have some wonderful book recommendations and to my surprise, some unique gifts as well. I've been leafing through their catalog and will be reserving many of them soon.
Happy Winter Reading!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Leaving Home
Today I'm going with my grandma, aunt, mom and little sister down to see White Christmas. A friend of mine posted something about it on facebook a few weeks ago - and since I love theatre and this particular show, and since I haven't been to see a show in forever, I thought it would be such a fun way to kick off the Christmas season. I called everybody up and booked us tickets as fast as I could.
My grandma loves having her picture taken.
It all sounded like great fun a few weeks ago. Dress up a bit, drive down to Seattle, have a good dinner somewhere, have a little girl time. Yah!! Wahoo!! It'll be a blast!
Until today.....
Today I'm feeling that sickening, anxiety feeling that I get every time I leave my family for an extended period of time. (I can probably count on one hand, or a few fingers, the number of times that I've done it before)
How can I leave these sweet cheeks?
It's not that I worry, or that I don't think Justin is capable - he pretty much rocks and honestly, I don't think the thought has ever crossed my mind to wonder if he wants to or is able to care for the children. Even when they were babies.
*Short story here: One day Justin took Steele to Home Depot with him (Adia might have been along too) and the cashier checking him out said to him, "Oh... Dad's babysitting for the day, huh?" I have rarely seen Justin get so worked up! I think he said something along the lines of, "Nope. I'm their father. You don't 'babysit' your own kids." Love that man.
Anyway, it' none of that. It's just that, as I sit here even now, with Adia on my lap and her arms around my neck, I would just rather be with them. I would rather be home. I would rather be with my little family than traipsing around the big city feeling small and unknown. Cause that's how I always feel when I go to the city, for some reason.
This makes me smile.
Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine once I'm there. There's no doubt I'll have fun - as I'm sitting there in the darkness of the grand theatre swept up in the music and the acting - I can't even describe to you the feeling I get watching a musical. The orchestra, the lights, the costumes. If I ever had a dream - being in a musical was probably it.
But I sure will be happy to get home. I mean, who wants to miss moments like this:
My grandma loves having her picture taken.It all sounded like great fun a few weeks ago. Dress up a bit, drive down to Seattle, have a good dinner somewhere, have a little girl time. Yah!! Wahoo!! It'll be a blast!
Until today.....
Today I'm feeling that sickening, anxiety feeling that I get every time I leave my family for an extended period of time. (I can probably count on one hand, or a few fingers, the number of times that I've done it before)
It's not that I worry, or that I don't think Justin is capable - he pretty much rocks and honestly, I don't think the thought has ever crossed my mind to wonder if he wants to or is able to care for the children. Even when they were babies.
*Short story here: One day Justin took Steele to Home Depot with him (Adia might have been along too) and the cashier checking him out said to him, "Oh... Dad's babysitting for the day, huh?" I have rarely seen Justin get so worked up! I think he said something along the lines of, "Nope. I'm their father. You don't 'babysit' your own kids." Love that man.
Anyway, it' none of that. It's just that, as I sit here even now, with Adia on my lap and her arms around my neck, I would just rather be with them. I would rather be home. I would rather be with my little family than traipsing around the big city feeling small and unknown. Cause that's how I always feel when I go to the city, for some reason.
This makes me smile.
Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine once I'm there. There's no doubt I'll have fun - as I'm sitting there in the darkness of the grand theatre swept up in the music and the acting - I can't even describe to you the feeling I get watching a musical. The orchestra, the lights, the costumes. If I ever had a dream - being in a musical was probably it.
But I sure will be happy to get home. I mean, who wants to miss moments like this:
or this:
or this:
or this:
These moments top any musical theatre production any day. They're scenes in my life's musical. And believe me - I usually always have the lead singing part. Sometimes Adia backs me up. And we're good. Darn good.
or this:
or this:
These moments top any musical theatre production any day. They're scenes in my life's musical. And believe me - I usually always have the lead singing part. Sometimes Adia backs me up. And we're good. Darn good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
