a new year

(So, these pictures are completely unrelated to what I’ve written here today, but they sure make me smile. I love that my basement is Thor’s motorcycle course. I love that Ian has all his clothes on backwards. I just love it so much I can hardly stand it.)

It’s the end of the first day of the year and I feel like I need to just sit and write something. 2011 was good. I grew a baby, fell deeper in love with my husband, watched my children grow into more of themselves. I feel privileged to be here to witness it all.

I’m also feeling like there is more growing I need to do, like I’ve been in a state of stagnation, like I need to push a little deeper and grow into more of myself. I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions (generally because I’m horribly inconsistent and not super good at following through on things) but I do believe there is power in putting things in writing so I’m just going to make a list of things I want for this new year.

I want to read more– to have meaningful things to think about.
There are three things I want to do just about every day– scripture study, yoga, and writing.
I want to design fabric.
I want to feel like I’m using my time just as God would have me use it– to end each day with no regrets.
I want to stop comparing myself to others.
I want to stop worrying about what others think of me.
I want to feel confident that the relationship I have with each of my children is just what it should be. I want to feel confident that there is no doubt in their minds how much I love them.
I want to organize and decorate my home with beauty and intention– filling it with things that are beautiful, meaningful, and useful.
I want to be a source of inspiration for someone- to somehow make another’s life better by something I say or do.

I’m sure I could go on. There is always so much room for improvement. I have t his mantra I often repeat to myself

Be content and reach.

Be happy with the place you’re at, but always, always keep trying to be better.

How about you? What do you want for the new year?

announcing…

Can you see what I’m looking at there on my fancy schmancy new iPad? It’s the sleep pod pattern! That’s what all of my computer time has gone toward this week while Barry was home for Christmas vacation. Want a closer look?

You can read my product description over here on my pattern page and buy a copy from my shop if you’re so inclined.

The really sad thing is that Eva has outgrown hers. Just this week it has turned into the diaper basket. It does make a good cloth diaper basket and I’m sure it will hold all of her stuffed animals and dolls in years to come. I can’t bare to just hide it away in the basement.

(And I must add that my iPad is super cool and a completely unexpected surprise. It was so fun to Skype with on Christmas day so grandparents could see the kids open presents, I’ve got my current knitting pattern on it so I don’t have to keep reprinting it out because I lose it, and best of all I’ve been using it to do yoga every morning in my room first thing. It truly is a marvel!)

a Christmas adventure

I know I am way behind on posts. Christmas came and went and I haven’t even told you about our Thanksgiving trip yet. Oh well. I’ll get to it soon I hope. Today, though, I feel like making a Christmasy post.

Every year my Grumpy sends us Christmas money to get the kids something from him. We try to use it to create fun memories or DO something we normally wouldn’t get to do instead of just adding more stuff to our home. This year we decided to do something we could only do in Colorado. We took a Christmas train ride up in the mountains on the historic Georgetown Railroad.

We all bundled up. It was beautiful and snowy and very Christmasy.

Santa found our little guys even before we got on the train.

Because of the snowy tracks the train just goes back and forth on its route around the mountain so it doesn’t ever have to switch tracks. We sat in the very back of the train in the cattle car because that’s where it would be easiest to keep our herd together. That’s where the most windows were too, so we got a really good view of the winter wonderland.

Santa came through the train to see all the kids and he gave them each a special Christmas bell

and candy canes.

It was a fun adventure– creating just the kind of memories we had hoped.

Thanks Grumpy!

4 months

Our little princess is another month older. Her new favorite thing to do is hang out in the jumper. It’s so much of a favorite that she will jump for over an hour at a time. That is a l o n g time when you’re just 4 months old. We loaded her up today and Logan wanted to be the photographer.

Most of his photos turned out like this:

which gives you an idea of the vigorous hand flapping and bouncing that was going on. (The rest of the photos I took.)

This jumper was mine when I was a baby, then used by my 4 brothers, and now all 6 of my babies (and a nephew too). It is THE favorite baby toy of all the babies I know who’ve tried it. The amazing thing is that they are so quick to figure out just how it works and are jumping and flapping away in no time.

This baby of mine is such a cutie. She’s a big rolly-polly cutie. At 3 months she was 15 1/2 lbs, so I’m guessing now she’s probably about 17. That’s about the same as all 4 of my boys at this age too.

I brought out the tub of size 6-9 month clothes today. It’s fun to have new things to dress her up in– and much easier to get bigger sleepers zipped. Just look at those rolly-polly arms.