EKjourney Backup

Week one of "vacation" was a mad dash of cleaning, birthday preparations, Christmas shopping, and Christmas festivities.  Phil worked on trim every chance he got and I tried to go through boxes, purge, and organize every chance I got.  Week two of "vacation" gave us more uninterrupted time.  Phil and Alec finished the trim upstairs and I got the studio room set up (as much as it is going to be for quite awhile).  I can hardly believe that the weekend is here.  Those two weeks flew by and I am not ready, NOT at all ready, to start back to "normal".  Which includes kid activities, school, and Phil gone much of the time.  Sigh, I wish we could have one more week!  And a real vacation (like where we read, go hiking, do something fun, relax)! There may have been some mostly suppressed disgust when I decided that I did not want the two wardrobes in the studio room.  They had been wrestled up there when we moved in and I decided they were too big an...

I nostalgically remembered my childhood Christmases as I was bustling about making sure we had all the gifts and the stocking stuff organized (and we were still making purchases Christmas Eve day) and wrapped.  Plus working on unpacking from our move and house chores. Christmas was so magical when I was a child.  We went up to Seattle and Stanwood every year which was a treat in and of itself.  We would spend time at both my Dad's parents (Grandpa and Grandma) and at my Mom's parents (Gramps and Gram).  I remembered the excitement of traveling, seeing family that we didn't often see, good food and treats that we normally didn't get, lots of presents since we had two different Christmases.  There was no "responsibility", no chores, no school...just a time to play, read books, watch tv, visit, enjoy Christmas lights and celebrations.  I think best of all, there was the childhood innocence...safe, secure, being taken care of, relaxing, no worries, and people a...

Now I have 3 children in the double digits: a 13, an 11, and a 10.  Evangeline turned 10 on the Winter Solstice!   She was the sweetest baby!  Her personality showed through even as a newborn.  She was always calm, rarely cried, didn't seem overly phased by being out of a routine, or a missed nap.  I remember absolutely falling in love with "babies" with her.  I was a more confident and experienced momma so I felt a little more relaxed and she was so easy going and quick to smile that she was just a delight.   Were they ever this little?  Seems so very long ago. Shortest Day of the Year Evi loves fort making and I managed to find a fort making kit for her birthday.  For two days, there was continual fort construction! We had a big family dinner and since we missed Sawyer's birthday gathering and didn't have one planned for Tina's birthday, we had gift opening for all three. I will say, that one of the things that I had hoped for if ...