Organizing the Legos

Fresh off some New Year energy, Chris decided to do something about the Lego jumble in our basement. He went to the hardware store and got some of those boxes for storing tools. Then he and the kids spent many happy hours sorting the entire collection by color and a little bit by design. It is nice having them off the floor, and it's more fun for the adults to play Legos now that we don't have to be the "searcher", digging through piles to find that one piece. 

I've been trying to organize some things too. I did my usual new years evaluation of what's taking up energy in my life, and if those things are giving back in equal proportion. I ended up quitting one thing (a women's group from my Meeting) and trying to start something new ( a writing group, we'll see.) It's always a good exercise, to be intention about the things on the calendar. The kids are campaigning for some changes in their extracurriculars  too,  so we'll see how that shakes out. 

I've added another part-time job to my freelance facilitating/ playing with babies gig, and I'm still trying to work out the childcare piece. Which is always a challenge, but something will come together. With all my various gigs, I'm now working outside the home four days a week this quarter, which is something new for me. I'm excited about it though. It's good to have different outlets. 

With love

My Uncle Bob passed away a few days into the new year. When he was born, my grandparents were told to put him in an institution and forget about him. Thankfully they had better ideas.

He loved sweet treats like Coke and candy bars. He always carried a piece of paper in his pocket with his name and his age written on it. He loved handing out the presents, and giving hugs, and bowling. He loved everything Batman, every single thing.

My mom and her sisters grew up with him, and they all became teachers and social workers, they all continued the helping professions. Loving him, knowing him, being his family, it shaped us all.
He was truly loved his whole life long, and isn't that all any of us can ask for?

Family

So here we are, nine days in to the new year. I've been thinking about family a lot these days. How important it is, how lucky I am. I've really been blessed by knowing such love, and all I can hope for is to pass on some of that Light to my own kids. 

Even when we're far away, even when we only see each other sporadically, that influence is there. The stories about where we came from, the habits and the games, and the ways things become traditions. I'm thankful for it.  

P.S. These beautiful photos were taken by my talented photographer brother. All credit goes to him. 

Reading Reflections

In 2014 I read 85 books. Well, unless I finish my book today. It's an average of about 7 per month, though of course it doesn't work out that neatly in real life. I tend to read more in winter months, and finish fewer things in August and September, when summer is ending and school is starting up again.

Just for fun, here are some of my favorites from the past year:

Some favorite fiction:
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
The Circle by Dave Eggers
Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Favorite book on creativity:
Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp

Favorite Young Adult fiction:
Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente

Favorite Graphic Novel:
Angel and Faith series by Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs

Some favorite Spiritual books:
Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey
Pastrix by Nadia Bolz-Weber
Zealot by Reza Aslan
Altars in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor

Favorite simple living memoir:
Notes From a Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider

Favorite laugh until I cried memoir:
Carry On, Warrion by Glennon Doyle Melton

Favorite Childhood re-read:
Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

Favorite parenting book:
All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior

Favorite pool-side mysteries:
Red Harvest and Dain Curse by Dashiell Hammett

Some favorite Literary commentary:
My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead
The Life You Save May Be Your Own by Paul Elie
What Matters in Jane Austen by John Mullan

Favorite Kid-Lit Literary commentary:
Wild Things by Betsy Bird et all.

Favorite History book:
The Tudors by Peter Ackroyd

Favorite Guilty Pleasure:
Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

End of December

                               

     We just returned from the loveliest trip to Chicago. My parents were very generous hosts and we had a week full of relatives and old friends, cousins, dogs, favorite books, wearing heritage outfits, amazing light displays, and just a fantastic Christmas.

I'm so thankful we had this chance to be together and relish this time, of light coming back, of family gathering, of familiar places.

Best Pageant Ever

So, our halos are a little askew. Our baby Jesus was an American Girl doll. Our manger included a dinosaur, a lion, a rabbit, a monkey and a dog. I'm sure there have been more polished productions. Ones where the actors had their lines memorized, or fancier costumes. 

But the kids really loved participating in the pageant and getting into the spirit of the season. And it was really sweet to watch. 

Gingerbread

Yesterday we went down to Seattle Center to attend a party for one of my new parent support groups. It was a lot of fun to see how big the babies have gotten and catch up with the parents. Facilitating these groups has been such a joy for me and I'm so glad that I get to do this work that I love. 

We also got to admire the glowing lights at Seattle Center, which is always fun. 

Just strumming

Mikulas

On Friday we celebrated Mikulas, the Czech version of St Nicholas day. The kids put their shoes out the night before, and they each got a small gift, new ornaments for the tree plus some new fancy clothes to wear for Christmas (Thanks mom.)

They were really excited about this tradition and it was fun to celebrate it with them. 

a little sick

Brixton had a little bug so he spent the day at home. I facilitated the last of my new parent groups this week so Chris had the morning shift (and most of the vomit) and I got to have the afternoon. Staying in the house all day is not my favorite thing but once in a while it's ok. Especially when he was feeling better and we got to play games and he assigned me math problems. 

It's time we hung some tinsel