Growing

Happy first Sunday of Advent! My head is spinning from all that we did today. Oh my sweet K, I am forever in your debt for all that you bring into my life. More on that tomorrow, though :)









We had the entire week off of school for parent/teacher conferences and Thanksgiving, but before that break began, C and I stopped by our school's annual shield benefit. I had to see my friend's shield in person (the knitted one in the first photograph), as well as check out all the other beauties. C and I both fell in love with the one in the third photograph down. The talent in our school community is unsurpassable.



Kevin came to the realization that if our children and I are to make it through the winter, I need to learn how to chop wood. It's getting cold here now (either I have acclimated to the climate here after spending four way too hot and humid years in Virginia, or this fall/winter is just warmer than the last couple of years), and since our heater can't get the temperature in our home past 59 degrees, we need a constant fire going.

Our cord of wood arrived a couple of weeks ago but it is all in big pieces that need to be split. Kevin isn't home enough to chop it himself, and when he is home it's when the children are sleeping so, of course, he can't cut it then.
He reminded me of my desire to be like the frontier women before me, and how they (may have) had to cut their own wood. Yes, yes, I hear that. This is a skill I want to have, and I understand how important it is but ughhh - I have no muscles whatsoever and my 'to do' list is already so long to begin with. No amount of whining or complaining can get me out of this one, though, so I stood by to watch and learn from the master. (with a baby on his back, even!)





He informed me that in order to cut the wood, I had to become one with the wood and showed me the 'miyagi focus'...







Which slightly frightened the girls who were outside in their nightgowns playing. Don't get me started on them out in the mud wearing their nightgowns, rules fall to the wayside when Daddy is home - not by my choice!



I got the hang of it enough to make kindling at least but that took me hours. Hey, maybe I'll get some muscles after all. Boy, do I have a long lesson ahead of me. Kevin joked that I have to 'wear the pants in the family' while he's working so much. See? I did. They may be my running pants but they are pants!







We enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner on our crowded coffee table in front of the fire. (dining room is much too cold to use now) Someone else joined us at the table...















Baby L!!! We let him play with a quarter of a plain baked acorn squash and he loved it. I normally like to wait until closer to a year in age to start solid food but this little guy was determined to eat much sooner than that. Both of the girls weren't all that into eating solids but Baby L just can't get enough. I wish you could watch him and listen to his cute little excited noises he makes when he sees the spoon coming his way. His little legs kick in anticipation and his hands clap like crazy. Cutest thing ever. I realize these pictures look a bit gross with him having squash up his nose and all over himself (not to mention the indoor lighting) but I still couldn't help myself. His first top tooth came in this weekend, to boot! A lot of growing going on in our home lately, inner growth, too.





We even enjoyed some family drawing time over the week, much to K's delight. It has been months since our last session. Yep, this week was pretty full.

Growing