We've had most of our Christmas decorations up since before Thanksgiving. I just couldn't wait!  But we did wait to get our tree until afterwards, mostly because we knew we'd be out of town a few days and it's bad enough asking my neighbor friends to feed my chickens and my dog and my cat and my fish without also asking them to...Read More

We love our Golden Retriever. Even though sometimes I want to kill her. Like when she repeatedly chews through the sprinkler wires or digs up my plants or tracks mud in my kitchen. But mostly I love her.  She's a beautiful cuddle bug of a dog. And she would prefer nothing more in life than to be just like this in the lap...Read More

Rene came home for Thanksgiving, and the kids were all over him. He's like their older brother home from  college. Which, he sort of is.  We consider him part of our family, that's for sure. And since his sister and brother are back in Rwanda, and his parents have passed away, we're honored and blessed to be his American family.  In the picture...Read More

It's pretty much one of life's greatest gifts - when the leaves turn glorious colors and the air gets crisp and cold. The stores begin to sell apple cider, sweaters get pulled out of sweater bags, jackets get tried on to see if they still fit, and I head to Yarn Mart to stock up on soft stuff for knitting. Where even the...Read More

He occasionally cries. But not very often. He does lots and lots of this with his precious smushy edible lips and cheeks. See? He's been known to stare into space and contemplate the universe. He's still at it. He spends lots of time in my arms or smiling at me, which is just about the sweetest thing ever. He tries on hats and...Read More

Reading to siblings... Looking at science books by the window... Coloring in the sunlight...sleeping in the sunlight... Reading in Boppy under a blanket on the couch... We do lots of reading. Is there anything better? ...Read More

This whole bath thing is overrated. Should I be doing something? Or just lie here? ...Read More

One of the best things about being in a large family is that you are a world unto yourselves.  I grew up as one of seven children, and seriously, one of the best things about my family is that we were essentially a good time looking for a place to happen! When we went someplace, all eyes were on us. Not because we...Read More

We dress ourselves (sometimes only in robot pjs), preferably in winter hats, and we dance like crazy. ...Read More

This is August. August surprises me sometimes. For instance, the picture above.  One weekend, August asked Kyle and I what we were gonna do for lunch. Kyle jokingly said, "Well, you're making it today, so we'd like the following....." and he listed a whole bunch of crazy foods that each of us would like to eat. Fast forward about 20 minutes and we...Read More

Brooklyn is a natural. She is the most loving, attentive, gentle big sister.  I could not be prouder of her. She is helpful, thoughtful, loving and like I said, a natural.  She is always eager to hold Wyeth in the "burping position" as she calls it.  Slightly less happy when those burps emit spit-up.  Her little brother seems pretty happy with her too....Read More

I love this hat. I really do. As I do so many of my knitting projects, I found this project on PurlBee. I bought their kit to make this hat while I was still pregnant with Wyeth. Since I didn't know what we were having, I thought the silver-grey and yellow was neutral enough. Now that I know it's a boy, I like...Read More

How quickly time flies. Wyeth is already one month old. And plumping up quite nicely. Which happens when you nurse every two hours. And get very little physical exercise, apart from the occasional stretch. But that's one of the perks of being an infant. You gain weight and people applaud you for it.  I applaud this little guy for just being here. I...Read More

Wyeth up close and precious. His favorite sleeping position - on top of Mommy. Snuggled up beside Daddy. Never a bad place to be. Or in the Oeuf while Mommy makes lunches. And then there's the unexpected sleeping spots that you find your children on. With the slightly open eyes. Creepy. Dorien and Wyeth sharing nap time. My baby. My other baby. ...Read More