Creating Peace and Avoiding Meltdown, Post-Holiday Let Down

Aaahhh.... Part of me, I am sure, has been looking forward to this week more than the official holidays. I'm sure I'm not alone, either. In the truest sense of the word, holiday is defined as "a break from work," or even "a period of exemption or relief." I have to say, I'm feeling the relief now than I was a few days ago on Christmas.

This week has been and will be largely spent doing nothing... or at least, absolutely and only what Everett or I want to spend it doing. This is my surest way to create peace and avoid meltdowns after all the build-up (whether I'm guilty of it or not) to the holidays and the craziness of those holidays.

Now that Christmas is over, parents everywhere are sighing a big sigh of relief and returning to work or business as usual, while kids are hit with a fastball of post-holiday letdown and boredom.  This can lead to a week of tantrums, complaining, tears and all-out grumpiness for children and adults, alike. To avoid this, I encourage everyone to take a holiday from your holidays. Even if you have to return to work, treat the evenings and next couple weekends as true period of relief.

If you are able to create peace for yourself, your children will feel the peace, too. If you are expecting to do nothing, and are instead present to the moment, you will be able to respond with sensitivity and love to what they are needing. Give them whatever time they need to readjust while you gently reinstate your usual routine or rhythm. Play with them and their new toys or games. Take them outdoors for some exercise- every day! Plan some exciting activities or outings for the winter ahead. Or just lazy around a bit.

And about those decorations... while some people love to keep them out to enjoy Christmas a little longer, consider how refreshing it could feel to clean up the decorations within a week or so after the celebrations end.. Shed the holidays with the packing of Santas and snowmen, ornaments and lights.  "Decorate" for Winter by pulling out extra blankets and your warmest of sweaters.  Stock up on teas, cocoa and soups. Make some snowflakes to hang in the windows, light a fire or some candles, and slip into the the quiet of Winter. If not for just a week, take a quiet holiday that calms the house and creates lasting peace.

Baby Blocks

For our Solstice gift to Kellan, I made some fabric blocks. I wanted to post about them because of how super easy they were to make and how great they turned out. I found some on etsy that were pretty cute for about $20/six to super cute hand stitched for $18/block. Either way, I knew I could do better on cost if I made them and customize with my own fabrics and ribbons.

I got all my supplies at JoAnne's and picked some fat quarters so they weren't the cutest fabrics I could buy but they are cute blocks, nonetheless. Their fat quarters are only $2/piece, so only $6 on fabric and I only used about half of it. The ribbon totaled about $5, and the bamboo filling was $6 on sale. I could have gone even cheaper with $3 poly-fil but I thought I'd go eco-friendly if I could. Still, I only used about 1/3 of the 12 oz bag. So, total on the six blocks that I made was about $17, with supplies leftover.

I glanced at a couple tutorials including this one but just flipped them inside out since I didn't use fleece or felt. I also added taggies of ribbon which I pinned onto the edges of some squares before sewing together. A couple tips I would give would be to sew one entirely to work out any kinks, and when sewing the squares together, leave a little room at the corners to make it easier as you go.

Tradition Creates Foundation at Christmastime

Growing up, my family celebrated Christmas in a very spiritual, Catholic way. We went to church the night before or later that day. We had a tradition of setting up the manger in the weeks prior, but didn't take out the baby Jesus until he was born. We actually took him out, laid him in his straw bed, maybe sang a song or two, and said a prayer or talked about his birth. Very sweet and very treasured.

Sadly, as we grew older, and as many of us grew away from our Catholic up-bringing, these traditions were lost.  Some years in recent past have felt a little less warm and fuzzy, but still those traditions have created a foundation that is a rock on which to celebrate, however that celebration looks. The feeling of family still radiates from within.

As we grow our own families and begin to shape what those Christmas celebrations will look like, we have begun to include them.  For example, last year I took the first step and taught everyone about Yule and how it reflects the importance of Christ as someone who dedicated his life to sharing his light and teaching others to do the same. It was a little nerve-wrecking at first, to share how much I have branched out from our up-bringing. I felt like it was final declaration in which I was silently saying, "I don't really believe everything about Jesus Christ and the Christian church." I care so much about what my family thinks of me and how my choices affect others. I didn't want to disappoint.  Nonetheless, I did it because I needed to, for myself and my children. Of course, my family welcomed my little ritual with open arms and great participation. Later on, I even received praise and thanks for sharing.

No matter what our traditions look like today, it is there deeper meaning that counts. If they are full of richness and centered on being together, they will create a strong foundation that supports traditions and celebrations as they evolve through the years.

Some Good Reads for the Solstice and Winter

The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice
by Wendy Pfeffer
illustrated by Jesse Reisch

Factual book about the history of celebrating Winter Solstice. Some of the time line is debatable (or just wrong) but it's a great introduction, in general to the Solstice. I'd say this is more of a book for an older child but Everett and I read through it anyway and it inspired several questions, serving as a springboard for more learning that was at his level.



All I See Is Part of Me
by Chara M. Curtis
illustrated by Cynthia Aldrich

Since there is a huge lack of Solstice books, I turned to books that focus on part of the deeper meaning of Solstice, the light that shines in us.  This book was perfect for this because that is exactly what it is about. Curtis writes sweetly about a little girl who learns that she is part of everything around just as it is part of her and if she looks inside she will see her light shining brightly.  Her writing is accompanied by beautiful colored pencil illustrations.


It's perfectly captured in this quote,

"I closed my eyes to see within.

I saw a light! it made me grin. 

It reminded me of Sister Star. 

She said, 'This light is who you are.

Your body is just a little part

Of the light that shines within your heart." 

Incredible You! 10 Ways to let your greatness shine through
by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer and Kristina Tracy
Illustrated by Melanie Siegel

If you haven't checked out Dr. Dyer's books yet, you definitely need to! He has a few great books focused on children's self esteem and empowerment. This one in particular helped illustrate what the "light inside" is in a more concrete way that was easy for Everett to grasp.



Winter (Picture Puffins)
by Ron Hirschi
Photographs by Thomas D. Mangelsen

Another approach to fill the void of Solstice books is to find ones written about Winter in nature. Working from this perspective I was able to connect for Everett how our life can reflect the tone and spirit of the season.




I love how the author describes the activity of nature in Wintertime,

"Winter is

an icy morning

when all is calm.

All is silent

beneath the deep snow,

inside the marmot's burrow, 

and inside the bear's

snug den." 

The Nativity
Illustrated by Julie Vivas

Okay, not a Solstice or Winter book, but after being given to Everett a couple years ago, has become one of our favorites for Christmas time. We celebrate Christmas with our extended family and have chosen to incorporate it into our personal beliefs and celebration. This plainly tells the story of Jesus birth directly from the bible, so the interpretation and context is left up to us. Furthermore, Vivas' talent is such a gift to children. Her illustrations lend a humble, human and beautifully irreverent interpretation of the story.

Wordless Not-Wednesday: Solstice Dinner

Unfortunately a bunch of my pictures didn't turn out so well because I had the camera set on this weird night vision thing. It looked cool at first.... (sigh). Anyway, we do have a few pictures and memories to preserve the occasion. Happy Solstice, everyone!

Our Solstice Bread at the dinner table

Our Lantern walk- we sang This Little Light of Mine!!

Kellan enjoying his Solstice gift- some homemade fabric blocks

Some Last Minute Release

It seems this first day of Winter had something a little different in store for me. Apparently, I had a little more to release at this closing of Autumn (the season of letting go) than I thought I did. As you know, we had plans for our first Solstice celebration. Instead of celebrating solstice, however, we had one of those days.

You know, the days that start off fine, even well, but end up being a complete mess for no particular reason other than you're mothering a 3 1/2 year old and a 7 month old and that's just the way it goes sometimes. I won't go into details because they are probably not necessary, but suffice it to say, by 3:00 I'd had enough and postponed everything until tomorrow evening.

I dressed the boys warmly and headed outside for a change of scenery and a walking break to clear my head and my heart. In some ways, I felt like I had tread an old path, a pattern of planning too much. I felt stupid and overwhelmed. But I also gave myself kudos for changing course before things got worse... before I persisted through a dinner that no one ended up enjoying. I rationalized that were this day any other day, it could have gone completely differently and worked out fine. It had little to do with my plans, it's just how the day was.

By 7:30 when I was cleaning up dinner and stepped outside to toss some bread out for the birds, the day had calmed significantly. I stood looking up at the beautiful full moon and noticed her face. She looked especially gentle tonight.  I soaked in the calm that the night and her light brought me. I thought about what I still needed to let go of completely. "Plans" are a part of it, but its a process, letting go is. Sometimes you don't know what exactly you need, but even acknowledging that you begin the process.

Now with Winter here, I can take the next important step- turning inward to Listen.

Yesterday I wrote that Winter Solstice, or Yule, was celebrated in ancient times because the return of the sun to the earth was a huge reason to celebrate. The light that brought food and warmth was coming back. Surviving could turn to thriving and, even, abundance once again.

In modern times, while we don't rely so directly on the weather or seasons, I find that celebrating it reminds us of our true connection to Earth and all Life. The miles it takes to get so much of our food to the table can become a little less distant when we are intimately connected to the cycles of nature. Following and celebrating the seasons reminds us of where we have come from, where our food and nourishment comes from, and our place in the Universe.

We can also bring the beautiful rhythm of nature into our own lives in order to enhance our feeling of connection and spiritual well-being. As nature turns inward- animals burrowing and hibernating, plants shedding pieces of themselves and relying on their roots- we can turn inward, too. Winter is a perfect time for introspection.

Brief visits outdoors wake us up and recharge us while keeping us in tune with what nature is still doing... sleeping and waiting peacefully. But most of our days are spent indoors, warm and comfortable. Pulling on our blankets and sweaters, we curl up on the couch and drink hot tea or cocoa.  We should take that time to reflect and listen, too.

While we await the return of the sun literally with Spring, I prepare myself spiritually for my own rebirth. In Autumn there is a release, a shedding of sorts. This Winter I will spend time reflecting on what will grow in place of what I let go. I will listen for what I need to continue releasing, and what I can do to help give birth to something new. Much like tending to the light inside myself so that I can share it more brightly with the world come Spring.

In our preparation for our Winter Solstice celebration I have talked a lot to Everett about this light inside. We will continue it in prayer at dinner tomorrow and through out the Winter. I will encourage him to look at what he loves or is good at doing and how he can share with the world. We will return to our roots, establishing a quiet and  reliable rhythm in order to prepare us for the adventure and liveliness of the coming Light.

Celebrating Winter Solstice

Tomorrow night my family has our first Winter Solstice Celebration.  We are celebrating the Solstice because it ties most closely to my earth-based spirituality and what I have been sharing with Everett about this time of year. Celebrating the Solstice, or Yule, instead of just making changes to Christmas will also set apart the celebrations with extended family and our immediate family. It will make our tradition a little more special and personal.

Much of the traditions of Christmas root in the ancient celebrations of Yule.  We honor the Return of the Light for the solstice, marking the longest night of the year and the return of our Earth back towards the sun .  From there the days become longer and warmer as we ready for spring. This was especially important in centuries past because of how directly people relied on the weather and season for their prosperity and survival. Tomorrow I'll be sharing a welcome to winter and how this ancient practice applies to us today. For now, I'd like to share how we are celebrating.

In preparation for our celebration we did several things. We decorated the house throughout the month. We chose to use real garland and visited a tree farm to select and cut down our own tree. We strung cranberry popcorn garland, and papier mached our own star tree topper. I talked to Everett about how the star on our tree represents the stars in the sky as a guiding light through the dark night.

We read the story of Yule (a great children's version can be found here) and, together, drew an illustration of the story. We read books about the Solstice, nature in the wintertime, and about our spirit self. I'll be sharing a great list of books for this on Thursday. And from there, I would remind him of why we celebrate the Solstice, Christmas and winter whenever it came up. On a side note, this really helped keep the focus off Santa and gifts, while allowing Everett to believe what he wants about Santa.

At bedtime we would share what we love to do, or what our talents are in examination of our own Light inside. We made treats and gifts in effort to share our Light.  We made treats for his teacher and his great-grandma. He sewed gifts for his grandparents and favorite cousin. This week we also have plans to distribute lunches to homeless people on the street corners.  We created papier mache lanterns, cut stars from them and painted them dark blue like the night sky. We'l use them on Solstice.


Tomorrow we bake our Solstice bread to eat at dinner time. I am using a recipe I found for Christmas Bread in Midwest Living.  I read the small story about why it is made and loved it. Traditionally, the bread is made with 12 strands, one for each month of the year, woven together in 4 layers, one for each season. It is made with nuts and raisins; more nuts for a year with bountiful harvest, more raisins for years with less harvest.  A piece from the last year's bread is used to feed the bird's, representing the humblest of creatures, and a piece is saved for the next year because there will always be nourishment at home. We are distinguishing ours as Solstice bread by shaping it into a wreath, to symbolize the cycle of seasons. You can find the recipe below.

We will begin our "official" celebration with dinner. We'll eat warming and seasonal foods: spiced pumpkin soup, potatoes and pork loin with pomegranate sauce. We will light candles and talk remember the story of Yule, the importance of winter and sharing our Light inside. Afterwards, we will bundle up to take a walk carrying our homemade lanterns (lit with electric tea lights) to call on the Sun.

Returning home, we'll warm up with Spiced Cocoa Chais and we'll exchange gifts that we wrapped in yellow, orange and red tissue paper. Erik is giving Everett a sled and I am giving him some special books. I made some yellow, orange and red fabric blocks for Kellan. The boys and I also made a gift for Erik. Everett drew a picture of our family, we pressed Kellan's handprint with paint and took a picture of the three of us. I scanned and printed them on to iron-on transfer paper, transferred them to some fabric and sewed them onto three of the fabric food bags Erik packs his lunch with.

At last, we snuggle into bed together for a long winter's nap! I am hoping this year is the beginning of a longstanding and special tradition for my family that nourishes our spirit and deepens our connections to each other and the wonderful Universe we live in.

Solstice Bread Recipe

1/2 C warm water
1 pkg (or 2 1/4 t) dry yeast
1 1/2 C milk
1/3 C sugar or succanat
1 t salt
1 egg
5 1/2-5 3/4 C all-purpose flour (I'll be sub'ing 1/2 whole wheat)
1 C walnuts
3/4 C raisins
1 T olive oil
(Original recipe calls for powdered sugar icing, but we'll opt out)

1. Mix warm water and yeast, set aside for 5 minutes.
2. In a small sauce pan, heat milk, sugar and salt until warm, about 120 to 130 degrees. Using a wooden spoon, stir in yeast mixture. Stir in egg. 
3. Stir in 2 cups of flour. Add walnuts and raisins.
4. Stir in as much remaining flour as you can while still able to stir with spoon. Turn on a floured surface and knead in enough flour to make dough moderately stiff, smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
5. Shape into a ball and cover in plastic or turn in an oiled bowl and cover. Rise in a warm place for 1- 1/4 hours. Grease baking sheet.
6. Punch down dough, cover and rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough into 12x10" rectangle. Cut into twelve 1"-wide strips.
7. On baking sheet, weave five strips together and tuck ends under (Instead, I will stagger the strips a bit and weave the ends together into a circle to make our solstice wreath shape).
8. Repeat the last step with four strips woven on top of the first layer. Repeat again using two strips woven on top of the second layer. For the last layer twist the remaining strip on the very top. 
9. Brush with olive oil lightly.  Push 4 wooden or metal skewers from the top to secure the layers. Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes.  
10. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool and, if including icing, drizzle with icing. 

Everett's Felt Ornament Gifts and a Note About Kids in the Kitchen

Everett wanted to create some Christmas presents for his Grandma and Grandpa, Papaw and Gigi, and his favorite cousin (of mine), Olivia. He also has been interested in sewing since we created our popcorn-cranberry garland, so I thought I'd make this an opportunity for him to experience that.

We decided on Christmas tree ornaments because we had a bunch of green felt and some bits of other colors. I drew the simple tree shapes and he cut them out.  I also provided him with some precut circles in red and white and some stars in yellow.

He sewed them on to the trees where ever he wanted. I tied the thread to the (embroidery) needle so he wouldn't lose it and showed him how to do the first one, then guided him whenever he needed it.

After his sewing was complete, I traced around the entire tree on a second piece of green felt and cut that out to make what Everett called a "Christmas tree sandwich."

We sewed these together on the sewing machine- he on my lap, helping guide the trees through- and stuffed them before sewing them shut.

I think they turned out wonderfully... hanging them on the tree made me love them so much I don't even want to give them away! Why didn't I think to make a fourth for us to keep!?

I usually do Kids in the Kitchen posts on Fridays and I know some of you are looking for the Christmas/Solstice Bread recipe, so I wanted to be sure to let you know I will be combining the Solstice Bread recipe with a post I'm doing on Monday about our full plans for celebrating the Winter Solstice. We have done lots to prepare and have some fun planned for that night, it should be a warm and wonderful holiday!

Celebrating the Journey We Have Traveled Together

Welcome to the December Carnival of Natural Parenting: Let's Talk Traditions

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama.

Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

***

As much as I love change and thrive on newness, I also love tradition. It is a beautiful element of balance to newness. It symbolizes a certain endurance. It's predictability is comforting because it adds to the rhythm of the year. It's a glue that connects family and friends and the journey we have traveled together.

My family has a few traditions throughout the year, but most of them surround Christmas. Some of them are simple, but still comforting, like spending the night at my in-laws on Christmas Eve. I love how much this seems to warm my mother-in-law's heart as Everett begins to grow excited for Christmas morning.  Even if we don't do the whole Santa thing, the joy and anticipation in his little heart for waking up on Christmas Day at Grandma and Grandpa's is incomparable. 

Another tradition we have with my husband's family is making lefse to eat on Christmas Eve. Lefse is a Norwegian flatbread made with potatoes, flour and milk, and we eat it rolled up with butter and sugar (though I like to add cinnamon). Our making of lefse honors my mother-in-law's Scandinavian ancestors, and because I've never had a tradition connected to my (many) ethnicities, I love what it means for my husband and children and the roots of our family.

One of my proudest traditions is our Siblings' Christmas Dinner. Every year since I got married in 2003, my husband and I have hosted a dinner for my siblings and their significant others. There are only 3 little ones so far, but the hope is that as our individual families grow, the dinner will remain an (almost) adult only event in order to preserve the rare occasion we have to be together, just us. In a time where families have become so spread out across the country, I feel especially lucky to be so close- geographically and personally- to my siblings and this dinner is symbolic of that blessing. Hopefully as careers and other choices in life create physical distance, we can continue this special tradition.

Now as a mother, I love creating new traditions. This year my husband and I plan to start one for Winter Solstice. For me, the holiday of Christmas has become more of a celebration of Yule or Solstice. We will still honor our roots and families' belief in Christmas, but expand to include my belief in the Return of the Light to earth and our hearts. 

We will celebrate Yule with a special dinner that includes Solstice Bread (taken from an old Christmas Bread recipe that I will feature in Kids in the Kitchen later this month). Then, after dinner, we will take a night walk with lanterns we will make with papier mache and star cut-outs. Back at home, we will indulge in hot cocoa and open a small gift.

I feel a special connection to these developing traditions.  They will shape how my children grow, what they value, and who they become.  I am full of anticipation and joy (much like my Everett on Christmas morning!) at their budding. 

***

Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Traditions? What traditions? — Olivia at Write About Birth needs your advice: how can she make the most of the holiday season in a new country with only her immediate family? (@writeaboutbirth)
• TRADITION!!!!!! — Ella at My Intentional Journey reminds us all to be thankful for family traditions; there are those who have none.
• tradition! — Stefanie at Very, Very Fine came to realize that families can make incredible memories, even if they're not wealthy (or organized).
• Taking a child's perspective on traditions — Lauren at Hobo Mama wants to keep in mind how important even the mundane traditions will be to her little ones. (@Hobo_Mama)
• Sunday Dinners and Lullabies — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment finds traditions in the small things throughout the year.
• Simple Family Advent Traditions — Michelle at The Parent Vortex crafted a set of advent bags with daily surprises to eat and to do. (@TheParentVortex)
• Parenting: Family Meetings - A Timeless Tradition — Amy Phoenix at Innate Wholeness discusses a year-round tradition in her household: Family Meetings. (@InnateWholeness)
• Our Mindful Holidays — They may not be "traditional" traditions, but they fit the family of Kellie at Our Mindful Life.
• Our Holiday Traditions, New and Old — Even with three young children, Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings is finding ways to be intentional and meaningful about holiday traditions. (@sunfrog)
• Our Cupcake Custom — Amy at Anktangle knows celebrations need minimal excuse and lots of cupcakes! (@anktangle)
• On the bunny slope of tradition-making — Jessica Claire at Crunchy-Chewy Mama is finding her groove as a holistic-minded mama with a joyful holiday spirit. (@crunchychewy)
• No, Virginia, There Is Not a Santa Claus — Just because her family is not going to do Santa, does not mean that Sheila at A Gift Universe can't instill some mystery and magic into Christmas. (@agiftuniverse)
• New Traditions — Becky at Future Legacy shares a few traditions she is starting for her family, including popovers, a birthday banner, and service.
• My Holiday Family Traditions — The Artsymama continues a long tradition of adopting family members and sharing two favorite games that work well for a crowd.
• Mindfully Creating Family Traditions — Alison at BluebirdMama has ideas for celebrating birthdays, Valentine's Day, and Christmas — though her family's still figuring some of it out. (@bluebirdmama)
• Memorable Traditions — Lori Ann at MamaWit follows four mindful steps when instituting any tradition.
• Let's Talk Traditions — Lily, aka Witch Mom shares her family's traditions that are centered on the wheel of the year. (@lilyshahar)
• Homeschool Christmas — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now did not always celebrate the Christmas season in the same way with her family, but they always celebrated together. (@DebChitwood)
• Holidays, food and family — For Kristen at Adventures in Mommyhood, the holidays are about family and food. (@crunchymamato2)
• Giving Christmas to the Critter — Rachael at The Variegated Life has found a way to tie her Zen practices to the Christmas story of the baby in the manger. (@RachaelNevins)
• Family Traditions + To Santa Or Not To Santa — Stop by Natural Parents Network to discover some of the traditions from other natural parents. NPN is also featuring snippets of posts from NP bloggers on the topic of whether to encourage children to believe in Santa Claus. (@NatParNet)
• Family Tradition Origins — Momma Jorje discusses her family's traditions, and her desire not to make anyone feel obligated to conform to them.
• Everyday Traditions — For Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children it's the small, daily traditions that make life special.
• Establishing Traditions and Older Child Adoption — MrsH at Fleeting Moments is trying to find ways to start traditions with a family that was made very quickly through birth and adoption.
• Emerging Family Traditions — Melodie at Breastfeeding Moms Unite! shares some of her favorite birthday and Christmas traditions. (@bfmom)
• Does Rebellion Count? — Seonaid at the Practical Dilettante has instituted a day of rest and PJs at her house on Christmas. (@seonaid_lee)
• December Carnival of Natural Parenting: Family Traditions — Sybil at Musings of a Milk Maker tries to give her girls a mix of traditions to foster togetherness — but worries that not being near extended family is a disconnect.
• Craft-tea Christmas Celebrations — Lucy at Dreaming Aloud created a delicious Christmas tradition that she named "Craft-tea."
• A Christmas Tradition — Luschka at Diary of a First Child knows that even though she won't be able to have her usual holiday traditions this year, the important thing is that she has her family. (@lvano)
• Celebrations without the Holiday — Asha at Meta Mom shares several ways to celebrate the winter holidays without focusing on religious traditions. (@metamomma)
• Celebrating the Journey We Have Traveled Together — Acacia at Be Present enjoys the chance to draw closer to her family during the Christmas holiday.
• Celebrating Motherhood — Do you celebrate the day you became a mother? Dionna at Code Name: Mama offers some ideas for traditions to mark your passage into motherhood. (@CodeNameMama)
• Celebrate! Winter Traditions Brought Home. — At True Confessions of a Real Mommy, TrueRealMommy and her family are celebrating many different religions and traditions this month. Stop by to see their schedule of events. (@TrueRealMommy)
• "Always Ready", Holiday Style — Amy at Toddler In Tow discovered that it's not the traditions themselves, but the emotional experience behind them that makes them special.

Kids in the Kitchen: Gingerbears!!

Last Wednesday, I posted about the book we read (The Gingerbears First Christmas) and our inspired popcorn-cranberry garland. We also made some of our own gingerbear cookies over the weekend!

I have kept the recipe for Ginger Spice Cookies featured on Prudent Baby since October and thought this was the perfect occasion to try it out. I made the dough the night before (Everett's stomach was still in recovery so he sat this one out) and we rolled them out to decorate and bake the next day with my nephew, Ryan.

I also whipped up some of the icing for the bears but got tired of icing them alone so we only had about half a dozen iced. They really looked like Mickey Mouse in the end (the ears are too big, I think). They taste good anyway!

Letting the Pieces Fall Where They Will

I am sitting in a near dark and near silent house and it is only 7:00 at night. Kellan is asleep on my lap, and Everett is nearly passed out on the couch after being constipated for the last week. I am looking around at my house and observing, without judgement for once, the disarray. My house looks like a disheveled person with a few deeper projects that are unfinished, despite my desire to finish them.

My routine looks like this, too. Very little that we have planned in the last few weeks has actually happened. The advent calendar full of activities, the cleaning, the shopping... all have been pushed here and there and half completed.  

This is because of Everett's constipation during the last week- days full of stomach cramps and naps, nights of sleeplessness. The week before, Kellan had a nasty cold that had him drowsy and unhappy during the day, and coughing or crying hoarsely if we weren't restlessly sleeping upright.  Erik has been studying and writing papers every chance he gets, and we've been in and out of the house throughout the weeks. 

My point is, this house- this disheveled mess of a house-  is because of life. Looking at the house, I am thinking to myself, "So... is this how it's always going to be?" And I kind of chuckle because I already know the answer. I always have. It just takes a reminder every now and then to know it in my bones and appreciate it. 

This is the messiness of life. This is what I asked for way back in 2003 when I got married. This is what I asked for when I first dreamed about having my own family. And it's perfect that I remember this as I witness the passing of another Autumn, the season of release. It reminds me to let any of the stress or worry about an unkempt house or cancelled plans fall away. 

When you're in the midst of life- full of sick kids that you love so much you give them every moment you can and more- the best you can do is let the pieces fall where they will. You pick up the ones you can and let the other ones go. 

Library Love in December

Library Love is a posting each month of the books we have checked out from the library and especially enjoyed. Since we love the library so much, we want to pass on the love in hopes that you will visit your local library to check them out! You can check out last month's love here.


The Leopard's Drum: An Asante Tale from West Africa
retold and illustrated by Jessica Souhami

A simple tale about how the tortoise got it's hard shell.  The book and illustrations are adapted from a puppetry performance by the author.

I like reading these old tales and stories about creation; they rather intrigue me.  Everett wanted to read it over and over.  He was fascinated by the story, enjoyed the animal illustrations and just loves drums.

Hedgie's Surprise
retold and illustrated by Jan Brett

A Scandinavian folktale about a hen who wants to keep her eggs and how her friend the hedgehog helps her trick the little tomten out of them. Jan Brett is one of our very favorites because of her knack for retelling old folktales with such playfulness.  The illustrations, as any of her books are extraordinary- detailed watercolor scenes with a needlepoint border to each page.  If you haven't checked out Jan Brett you need to! Her version of The Mitten is the best!

Make it Go (Let's Explore Science)
by David Evans and Claudette Williams

A great introductory book to the science of what makes things move. Bright action photographs, practical and easy projects, and provocative questions.  This book opened the door to many activities and topics of interest we have barely begun to explore. A big recommendation for this one, it will give us plenty to explore indoors this winter!

Micawber
written by John Lithgow, illustrated by C.F. Payne

As with all Lithgow books, this is a silly and unusual story. A New York City squirrel who loves frequenting the windows of a nearby art museum gets his chance at painting.

We both thought this was such a fun and unique story. The remakes of the artworks are a hoot for anyone who appreciates art history.


The Circle of Days
written by Reeve Lindbergh, illustrated by Cathie Felstead

A sweet and reflective poem inspired by the Canticle of the Sun, written by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1225.  Lindbergh takes the root meaning of St. Francis's poem and translates it both powerfully and gently for children. She (and he) sing praise for the the world around us, calling it by its many names- Mother Earth, Brother Wind, Sister Moon, and honoring it with beautiful collaged illustrations. Everett took comfort in this book as it serves as a perfect bedtime prayer (regardless of religion).


Shall I Knit You a Hat?: A Christmas Yarn
written by Katie Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

An endearing story about Mommy Rabbit and Little Rabbit knitting hats for their friends before a big blizzard on Christmas Eve.  The illustrations are the star of this book, so lively and and fun. Klise has every detail included that makes it feel life-like (notice the rabbit's home cluttered with the day's activities) and fun (enjoy the comical hat creations). It's a fabulously warm alternative to the hum-drum of Frosty and Rudolf during Christmas time.
*Okay, we cheated with this one, we own it! But it's just too much fun and you can borrow it from the library...