December 16

Ian really, really, really wants to help wrap presents this year. He asks every single day if there’s another one we can wrap. When I run out of gifts for not-him, he asks if we can wrap ones for him too. “I’ll forget what it is! Christmas is so far away!” he reasons. Nice try, […]


December 15

Clara and her cousin Colton (also age 2) don’t always get along when they’re together, but they love each other something fierce. (Kind of like their mommies, I guess.) When they talk on the phone it’s mostly “Hi, Twawa!” “Hi, Toe-ton!” (repeat seven or eight times). Tonight Clara wanted to know if Colton liked her […]


December 14

Tonight was the children’s Christmas program at Redeemer, and it was kind of magical. The kiddos were costumed this year — big kids were shepherds and angels and littler kids were animals — which amped up the cute factor to a level you wouldn’t have believed possible. Everyone assembled their own costumes, and they were […]


December 13

Bedtime tonight was not all as sweet as this photo would have you believe. Still, years from now I’d rather remember the good stuff — ’cause there’s so much good stuff. DPP pics from past years: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013


Just a Few Reminders to Myself

So today I attempted to arm-knit a 30-minute infinity scarf. I actually didn’t initially find the project on Pinterest. Rather, my real-life cousins were making them at our Christmas family gathering this year. I wanted to join in, but it seemed important at the time to teach the boys to play Yahtzee. I asked for […]


December 12

Ian’s school Christmas program was standing room only tonight. DPP pics from past years: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013


December 11

I went to Simon’s school today to read with his classmates and then stayed through recess to eat lunch with him too. Simon and his friends played a game, and as far as I could tell the rules go something like this: you’re either a gorilla or a lava princess, or sometimes there’s a lava […]


December 10

I bought a package of one hundred basket coffee filters, and it might be the best 87 cents I’ve spent in a while. Suddenly my world is full of snowflakes — snowflakes during Clara’s naptime, snowflakes after school, snowflakes taped to the windows, snowflake crumbs to sweep off the ground. I’m loving how excited the […]


December 9

Today’s picture was snapped by Ian. He picked up my camera and spent a long time peering through the lens, lining up just the shots he wanted. It was a joy to watch him. After he took this one, he reviewed it on the screen and whispered, “Oooh, that’s good.” I don’t think I could […]


December 8

My friend’s sweet daughter remembering to thank God for this egg prepared by her mama. Her prayer was completely unprompted and, as far as she knew, unseen. We couldn’t hear the words she whispered, but she was so sincere — a quiet moment, a holy moment. This time of year, even more than usual, my […]