christmas stories

Holiday frenzy is in full swing around here! Here's a few stories about what we've been up to lately.

We haven’t emphasized Santa Clause yet, we’re not not talking about it, we just haven’t gone all out telling stories or anything so far. So, one day the TV was on and Liam walked by and paused when he saw Santa on a show. “Do you know who that is?” I asked. He paused, then shouted “Hey!” and ran to grab the Santa hat we have sitting on the rocking horse in the front room. “That guy same hat as horsie!”

We have two nativity scenes from Africa that remind Phil of his childhood. Those ones are off limits for Liam. Fortunately my cousin Monika gave him his own plastic nativity set and he loves to play with it all season long. We act out the Christmas story and he is starting to get it. “Mary Mommy, Joseph Daddy” he says. They he makes them kiss and yell at baby Jesus “you take a nap now baby Jesus! You need a nap!” Then he takes Joseph away and says “He’s driving to work. Bye bye Daddy Joseph” Hmm, I guess that’s his idea of family life. 

At church a couple of weeks ago Liam’s class made birthday hats during craft time and talked about how Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. Since then he’s been going around singing happy birthday to Jesus. Last week, the day before my sister-in-law’s birthday, he started singing so I joined in “Happy Birthday to Jesus…” when he interrupted me, “No Mommy, Happy Birthday Auntie Anne first.”

Speaking of singing, Liam is quite the singer. I have know this for a long time. Even last Christmas when he was barely talking yet he would try to sing along to Christmas songs with us. Now he is singing songs I didn’t even know he knew! There is the usual “ABC”, “Twinkle Twinkle”, “Wheels on the Bus”, etc. But he is especially into the holiday songs we have been listening to on the radio. After hearing John Denver’s version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” he now walks around repeating “…next year all my troubles be miles away…” Because a two-year-old has so many troubles right? I’m also amazed at how he can identify instruments that he hears. He likes to point out when certain songs contain drums, piano, guitar, or horns.

This Christmas is going to be a lot of fun because it is the first time Liam will actually be interested in it. I’m proud of him for not opening any presents yet. In fact, he seems more excited about giving the gifts he picked out for others that he is about his own gifts. He keeps trying to get me to open mine from him. I think the thing he is most excited about is his cousins Eli and Jack coming to visit from Asia. He’s only met them once but they talk on Skype often. Every day he reminds me that soon “Eli Jack come to Liam’s house we go play in snow!” We’re taking them to Leavenworth to sled for a few days. It’s going to be a fun week!

loved

This past week I was away working at a conference for three days so when I came home I really missed both of my guys. I came home on Saturday night and they had a nice fondue dinner all ready for me and even a cake in the oven! They sure know how to make me feel loved!

That night when we put Liam to bed he scooted over and patted the pillow next to him and said "Mommy's spot." How could I resist? I snuggled up next to him and he just smiled at me. It was nice to know he was glad I was home. "Close eyes mommy." I could have fallen asleep right there but I knew the toddler sized mattress would not be comfortable for long. I hope my little guy always loves me this much!

On Sunday evening we got to visit with Tim & AnneMarie and Ari & Kaia again. How babies change in a week! I am so glad they are nearby so we can be here as they grow up. When I look at them I am just so amazed at how they beat all the odds and are actually here, two healthy little girls. Praise God!

These are the hats I made for them! I embroidered their initials on the brim so we know who's is who's. This lovely photo was taken by Ella Joy Photography, a relative of the family they are living with.

what a hallow-week!

Our halloween festivities began on Saturday with a family costume party with our friends from church. We have been doing it for years, since before any of us had kids, and it keeps getting better and wilder! This is the first year most of the kids could run around so it was pretty fun! There was much swapping of props, ie: a fairy with a football, a monkey with a light saber, a quarterback with a magic wand...Liam's football helmet was a hot item that had to be tried on by every two-year-old in the room.

Ready for the party!

Liam "trades" his helmet for Owen's candy bucket while he's not looking 

Liam is eating candy, Jack the monkey is passed out, and Owen is still oblivious...still no one is smiling for the camera.

The next day Liam made some presents to bring to the hospital to meet his new cousins...

On Monday, halloween day, we all headed to the hospital to await the arrival of Tim and AnneMarie's twins!

Saying hi to Auntie Anne before they roll her away

After a couple of hours in the waiting room, they arrived!

Ari Jeannine at 3 lbs 11 oz 16 inches long & Kaia Patricia at 4 lbs 10 oz 18 inches long!

Both were born healthy, just small. What a praise! Ari was taken to the NICU right away to monitor her body temp and weight so Tim went with her. Kaia was able to stay with AnneMarie the whole time.

Ari in the NICU

Kaia getting her pumpkin that Liam made for her

Liam holding Kaia. He can't hold Ari yet because no little kids are allowed in the NICU

Later that night the girls were reunited and got to wear the pumpkin hats their mommy made for them

After what already felt like a long day, we changed into our costumes in the hospital bathroom and went straight to our church halloween carnival. This was the first time we had attended since Liam is actually old enough to enjoy it now. He went down the giant inflatable slide, played carnival games, and did some trick-or-treating in the paring lot. It was the most beautiful halloween night with crisp leaves scattered all around and the bare trees silhouetted the foggy moon.

We went back to the hospital to visit pretty much every day that week. AnneMarie and Kaia got to go home on Thursday but they came right back to be with Ari. It has been hard not to get to hold Ari yet but she is doing great and growing every day. AnneMarie and Tim get to hold her and feed her (she was able to start nursing right away!). Hopefully it won't be much longer until she gets to come home and we can all enjoy both of these precious little ones together!

Grandma Patricia (Patty) and Kaia Patricia

october!

I feel like I am finally settling back in to normal life after working crazy hours for an event at the beginning of this month. It was an Oktoberfest Dinner Auction to raise money for Shriners Hospitals for Children. It was very fun but very exhausting!

Bavarian Bounty!

Ready to start the show!

Once the auction was over I got to go back to my normal part-time work schedule which finally gave me time to get all autumnal at home! I put out the fall decorations and my mom came over for a few days so we could do some canning and baking. We canned peaches and homemade applesauce and baked pumpkin bread and oatmeal shortbread cookies cut into pumpkin shapes with chocolate chip faces. Yum! Liam loved spending some time with his Grandma and he is always a good helper in the kitchen.

He peeled all two dozen apples with minimal assistance!

He never gets chocolate so this was beyond exciting for him! 

More chocolate please?

This past Saturday we went to the pumpkin patch. That is one of my favorite annual traditions. It is so much more fun every year as Liam gets old enough to participate in more activities. He had a great time playing in the hay barn, petting farm animals, watching the duck race and pig show, and of course picking out pumpkins. After that we went to our friends the Harshes house for our annual pumpkin carving and caramel apple making party. There were tons of kids and it was a crazy fun time.

"Hi Chickens!"

"Wheeee!"

So many pumpkins!

Liam made all the decisions about our pumpkin designs. He specifically requested “a house”, “an owl”, and “a face with a big mouth, big ears, and eight eyes”. So, I did the sketching and Phil did the carving. I think we make a good team.

Owl, Crazy Face (he does have 8 eyes, as requested, but 2 are in the back of his head), and Spooky House

terrific twos

I am beginning to realize that having a two year old is, in more ways than one, almost like having a newborn all over again. It seems like just 24 months ago we were dealing with the same issues: putting him back to bed 25 times at night (then it was because he wasn't sleeping through the night yet, now it's because he can get out of his bed), begging and praying for him to eat (then it was because he was learning to breastfeed, now it's because he is too distracted to finish a meal), and cleaning up bodily fluids off the floor multiple times a day (then it was spit-up, now it's potty training misses). So, I need to give myself the same advice I needed then: This stage will not last forever. Don't let the frustrations keep you from enjoying watching your child grown and learn. In lieu of that, I am going to share some stories of cute things he has done lately.

 • • • • • • •

For his birthday he received a complete Potato Head Family set. He likes the baby potato the best and always wants him to wear the pirate shoes. He also began to explore the holes in his own face to see if the accessories fit him as well. What kid hasn't done this? I certainly remember doing it.

shoes in the nose? 

mustache man 

reminded me of Elton John

nice earrings

 • • • • • • •

Liam is beginning to understand relationships and affection better these days. Whenever he sees two people hugging or putting their arms around each other he likes to declare "they're buddies." We have this carved wood sculpture of The Last Supper that my cousin Melissa brought us back from her trip to Africa. One day he looked at it and pointed out one of the apostles with his hand on Jesus's back and said to me, "buddies eating breakfast."

 • • • • • • •

The other day Liam discovered a bag of green army men that Phil had received as a joke gift a while ago. I had purposely put them away because I didn't really want him playing with guns and war toys, so I was a little sad to see him excited about them. He began zooming them across the floor saying "vrooom, vrooom, need a boat." I was happy to realize he thought they were wakeboarding (which he has seen his daddy and uncle do recently). I'm glad he's still my gentle-hearted little boy.

one of those days

WARNING: The contents of this post contain graphic amounts of self-pity.

Since transitioning into a toddler bed my son, the former superstar sleeper, now gets out of bed at the slightest surge of consciousness, when in a crib he would have just rolled over and gone back to sleep. I know all of my friends with kids his age are laughing at me right now because it seems like all other toddlers wake up at the crack of dawn. But it’s hard to go from a kid who sleeps until 10 to one that’s up at 7. That’s three whole hours of work I could have gotten done.

So today’s parental duties began way too early in my opinion. By his nap time I was already exhausted so I was relieved that I only had to put him back in bed twice this time instead of 10 or 47 times like I have the past few days. I got a little work done but then received a worrisome phone call from my mom saying that she has to see a cardiologist tomorrow for a possible heart problem. She’s known for days but didn’t call me until now because she knew I would stress out about it. So now I feel guilty and stressed. I’m already worrying about my sister-in-law who is in the hospital pregnant with high-risk twins, my brother who doesn’t have a job, my dad who is still recovering from a broken heel, and now my mom.

Just then Liam emerged from his room and I was about to tell him it was still nap time when I realized it had been two hours and I hadn’t even had my shower yet. Ok, back on duty. I took him to the bathroom only to discover the toilet was plugged up, but I didn’t have time to deal with it so I sat him down on it anyway. Then I heard a car outside. My friend, who was coming to help me watch him later while I went to a work meeting, was at the door. I had told her the wrong time and she was here at 2:30 instead of 4:00. I was horribly embarrassed, not only because I had wasted her time but also because it was 2:30 and I was still in my pajamas.

As I was bringing Liam his lunch he threw the tray of his antique wooden high chair onto the ground for the last time and it split in half. Already feeling weepy about my parents getting older I started crying because it had been my Dad’s chair when he was little. So I sat him at the big table and served him his chicken stir fry with rice. He picked at it while I vacuumed the car which was so full of sand from the beach that I was going to loose my mind if I had to sit in there one more time. I came back inside to a child screaming “done mommy” and a floor covered in rice. After cleaning that up I locked him in the bathroom with me so I could keep an eye on him while showering. The shower drain was plugged up too, which I also didn’t have time to deal with now. I had 15 minutes to try and make myself presentable for my meeting. I ironed my clothes and then straightened my hair with one hand while holding him back with the other so he didn’t try to “help” me and burn himself. Somewhere between finishing my hair and putting on my makeup he decided that if the shower and toilet were both plugged, he might as well make it 3-for-3 and shove toilet paper down the sink. Then while I was getting dressed he dumped out a million puzzle pieces on the floor. I had a pair of espadrille heels that were fraying badly on the rope trim so I tried to get one last wear out of them by trimming the frayed parts off. “I help Mommy”, he cried as he brought out the play scissors from his doctor’s kit and started “cutting” my shoes for me. He then got a pair of his own shoes and pretended to cut them as well. I could see where this was going. “No, we don’t cut our shoes”, I told him, hypocrisizing myself.

I was ready now but in the fluster I had accidentally told my friend the wrong time again so she wasn’t here yet. She had left a text message to check if 4:30 was really the right time. I frantically texted her back and asked her to come right away. I am so thankful she is easy-going and put up with my absent-mindedness. She arrived. I took off. Work meeting was hectic but ok. I finally got back home with Liam and remembered I had told Phil he could go golfing after work. It was 7:15 and I was starving because I never ate lunch, Liam was starving because he had dumped his on the floor, and I had no patience or energy left to cook. Liam asked for some of “Daddy’s cereal” so I gave in and that was our dinner. I am too embarrassed to admit what kind of cereal it was but I’ll say that Liam has never had it before now and we tell him “it’s only for Daddy.” Except now he has a taste for it so I’m probably in trouble. Now it’s 8:15 but I’m not putting him to bed yet because I want him to see Phil when he gets home, which should be any minute now. Instead I am writing this while Liam “does the dishes” (aka: stands on a stool and sprays the counters down with the faucet attachment). Please don’t report me to CPS.

good thing he put his rain boots on

NOTE TO MY MOM: Sorry for the disappointing blog post. I don’t blame you for my bad day. I promise tomorrow I will go back to writing about how cute your grandson is and how happy our life is. It really is. We just have these kind of days sometimes. I love you.

twin shower, round two

On Thursday we got a chance to go visit my sister-in-law, AnneMarie, in the hospital. She is doing pretty well considering she is pregnant with twins and sentenced to remain in the hospital for weeks or months until the girls are born. It helps that her room is practically a hotel with a sprawling view of downtown Seattle and the waterfront. 

Liam loves his Auntie Anne

he swiped her protein shake

view from her hospital room

Today their church held a second baby shower for them. They have really been blessed with a lot of great friends and people who are taking care of them and making sure they have all they need and more to prepare for these babies. Those little girls are already so loved! I think I am going to have to fight to get time with them. But I'm their auntie so I think I should get priority right?


Since AnneMarie can't leave the hospital, Tim stood in for her at the shower and a few of her friends joined her in her room where they skyped with us to have a virtual baby shower.

honorary "mommy-to-be" 

happy baby shower!

savoring summer

September is totally making up for July's weather so far. I could get used to this. Liam and I have been eating lunch in the back yard every day at his tiny child-sized plastic picnic table which I barely fit on. But how can I resist when the sun is shining and he sweetly asks "eat outside?" How much better are my lunch breaks now that I work from home than when I spent the summer days eating lunch alone at a desk with no windows under florescent lights and too-cold air conditioning. I am so thankful.


I am also thankful for our garden. I love the feeling of standing outside in the evening and watering the plants. Being out after dark without needing a jacket is so rare that when it happens it almost feels like the air is magical. I have to breath it in.

my front yard

Also, today marks one year of my blog!

three-day weekend

The weekend began on Friday evening when Phil stayed home with Liam so I could go to my monthly Working Wives Roundtable meeting and enjoy friends, food, business advice, wine, and good conversation. It was just the way to start a great weekend. When I came home Phil informed me that he and Liam had decided it was time to convert his crib into a toddler bed and that he had gone right to sleep in it with no trouble. Wow, ok I guess he is two now but I wasn't quite expecting to make this transition so soon. Now, after 3 nights "cage-free" Liam has yet to escape. I guess all of my worrying was for nothing - let's just hope it continues this way!

He also now insists on sleeping without a shirt on so he can be like Daddy. Not sure if that's because it's been warm lately or because he thinks that he's a grown up now that he isn't in a crib.


On Saturday morning Phil got up early to go golfing and Liam and I slept in and then went to the Edmonds Farmer's Market. He was such a good helper as we picked out fruits and vegetables. He got to select his own nectarine as a treat and he happily walked around eating it as the juice dripped down his elbows. He greeted every dog we passed as well as every person riding a bike or playing a guitar. 


We spent the afternoon at home and then in the evening we packed a bag of toys and food and took a ferry from Everett out to Jetty Island. It is a small two-mile island of sandy beach. We played in the water, ate our picnic dinner, watched the kite-boarders, and build sand castles until the sun set. 

On Sunday we relaxed after church and then Phil's cousin invited us to his house for a spontaneous BBQ and campfire. There we made a new discovery, "French s'mores" (not actually from France), which consist of a marshmallow surrounded by chocolate bits and then wrapped in croissant dough and "baked" over the fire. After one bite I realized the possibilities could be endless - what about replacing the marshmallow with a whole strawberry, or adding dried cranberries, or cinnamon sugar, or Nutella! Or, we could create savory versions with cheese and veggies! This is definitely on the to-do list for our next campfire.

Today we headed up to Monroe to check out the Evergreen State Fair. Liam got to see horses, goats, sheep, and pigs. He tried his first taste of elephant ear and pretended to drive a tractor. I am so glad we get to give him all of these cool experiences. When we do things like this together he talks about it for days afterward. It's so much fun watching him learn.

where did August go?

It seems that the best I can do lately is summary posts. The weeks have been flying by and I can't believe it's almost Labor Day Weekend. It's about this time of year that I try to console myself by saying that September is usually better weather than July...so really it's as if summer is only half over right? Shhh! Don't tell my otherwise! I have to cling to this hope!

On August 13 Philip and I celebrated our 6th anniversary. We had wanted to go on a romantic weekend away for our 5th but I was still breastfeeding at that time so we decided to put it off until this year. Liam went to Grandma & Grandpa's house (our first time away from him for more than 12 hours). He had a great time and so did we. We went to Lincoln CIty, OR and stayed in a great little place called the Starfish Manor Hotel and had a beachfront room right above the sand! The views were amazing!

The best part was that it was warm and sunny the entire time! On the Oregon Coast! Can you believe it? In fact in all of the traveling Phil and I have done together this is the first trip we have taken where it did not rain a single drop. We spent a lot of time walking on the beach and eating food that neither of us had to prepare or clean up off the floor afterward. It was exactly what we needed. 

The following weekend our little man turned 2 years old! We celebrated with some family and close friends by having a (kiddie) pool party. It was nice that the weather finally decided to warm up now that it's the end of August. Liam has been into fishes and boats lately so that was the theme. Those are banana cupcakes (basically banana bread) with blue cream cheese frosting and fish candy decorations. Just right for the kid who prefers fruits and veggies over sweets.

I know it's cliche but I seriously can't believe how fast he is growing! Just to compare, here is a photo of him and his second-cousing Isla at the family birthday party last summer and then them sitting in the exact same spot again this summer. They were born 4 days apart.

Summer 2010

Summer 2011

Finally, this past weekend we went out to my parents' house for a baby shower for my brother and his wife at my parents' church. It was especially exciting because a few weeks ago we weren't sure that we would even be able to have a shower or, if we did, it looked like AnneMarie would either be in the hospital on bed rest or taking care of two extreme preemies. Miraculously, prayer works and the twins are still in her belly and growing healthy and strong! So, the shower went on as scheduled. 

The shower was a brunch and the theme was "two peas in a pod". Since pea cupcakes didn't seem like a good idea I swayed within the vegetable realm came up with some yummy (if I do say so myself) Carrot Coconut Cupcakes with Almond Cream Cheese Frosting. Here is my recipe.

Carrot Coconut Cake

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted after measuring

1/3 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ground Ceylon cinnamon

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups coconut oil

4 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups finely grated carrots

Put the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cocoa in a mixing bowl, and whisk together to blend. Put the sugars in a large mixing bowl, and whisk in the coconut oil. Then whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time, followed by the vanilla. When fully blended, add the flour mixture all at once, and mix just until smooth. Stir in the grated carrots. Use an ice cream scoop to fill cupcake pans lined with cupcake papers. Drop each pan sharply onto the counter from a height of about 6 inches to remove any air pockets. Bake 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Almond Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz butter (softened)

4 oz cream cheese (softened)

1 tsp almond extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Blend first three ingredients until smooth and then add powdered sugar until smooth.

I topped them with pea pods I made out of almond flavored fondant and green M&Ms. I think they turned out pretty good for my first time working with fondant. 


Next I created this centerpiece out of cloth diapers she had registered for, receiving blankets, flower hair decorations, and ribbon.

Finally I came up with a fun matching game with photos of famous twins. See how well you do at it (click to enlarge)...

Here are the answers:

Congratulations Tim & AnneMarie! We can't wait to meet those little girls...actually we can, please stay in there a while longer girls until you are big and strong. We love you!