day by daily

Seeds of Kindness

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:26:00 +0000

One of the reasons we love our neighborhood so much is the people. When we left San Francisco we were looking for a greater sense of community, and a place where we would know our neighbors. Imagine how happy we were on the day we moved in when several people came over to welcome us. Someone even baked us banana bread.

We are lucky to have wonderful neighbors to both sides of us. A couple of weeks ago, we had to have our fence repaired. While the fence was down our neighbor noticed that we were putting in a garden. Imagine my boys' delight when they found a package containing a dozen packets of seeds left sweetly by our front door.

They were so happy. Leo spent the rest of the day lining up the packets, planning what he would plant and where. Finn opened the packets and examined their contents. Marveling at how different each variety of seed was.

These are truly seeds of kindness. The boys were impressed that someone would leave us a gift for no reason. This summer I hope that we will be able to pass on the love. To leave some tomatoes or eggplants on a doorstep and brighten someone's day. To teach the boys that even a small kindness can make a difference.

Drink Your Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Wed, 15 May 2013 15:21:00 +0000

When Finn was a toddler, he was a very picky eater. I can still name the items he would happily eat: oatmeal, yogurt, fruit (any kind!) and pb&j. To make sure he was getting a wider variety of foods I started experimenting with smoothies.

These days, both my boys are pretty good eaters. But we do have days where the best dinner I can come up with is cheese pizza. And on those days, I still serve up smoothies to help get in some nutrition. Finn prefers his smoothies to be all fruit, but this recipe is heavy on the veggies and supplements and still gets a thumbs up from him. Leo, of course, likes them all.

So here is our "recipe" for drinking your veggies. The coconut oil adds healthy fat, the flax provides some Omegas, and the ginger adds a little grown-up kick:

- coconut water (I pour to the count of 6)

- two handfuls of leafy greens (I use the Trader Joes Organic Power Greens Mix with Kale, Spinach and Chard)

- a handful of baby carrots

- one slice of fresh ginger

- about a tablespoon of coconut oil

- about a tablespoon of flax seeds

- one cup each of frozen pineapple and mango

Add all ingredients to your blender in the order listed, and blend until smooth. Add more coconut water if needed. Unless you have a very powerful blender, omit the flax seeds or use flax oil. I use a VitaMix, which I'm pretty sure could puree rocks.

Outtakes

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:16:00 +0000

Happy Mothers Day all. I hope you had some kind of wonderful day, or at least got to sleep in a little bit. Mine was full to the brim - I feel like I had three days in one. The best Mothers Day yet!

On special occasions I always try to get some portraits with my various family members. And why not? We're usually dressed nice, fairly clean, and sitting someplace pretty. But none of that means a thing when your boys are in a silly mood. And the camera settings aren't quite right. So here they are, the Mothers Day outtakes.

On Mothers Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:12:00 +0000

With Mother's Day fast approaching, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the past year of keeping this blog and what it has brought me. You see, last Mother's Day was when I really committed myself to blogging here. I was in need of a creative outlet, a way to preserve my memories, and a way to connect with others.

I am so thankful that I picked up my camera and learned how to use it. I am so thankful that I've recorded some of my thoughts and some of our everyday antics. Because without these records, it is very hard for me to recollect any details of our lives. I don't know whether its because I gave up a portion of my brain cells to my kids when I grew them in my belly, or if its just another checkmark on my list of thyroid related symptoms. But the reality is, the past sevenish years are just a fuzzy blur to me.

Fortunately, looking at these pictures bring something back. And what that something is, is not so much a memory, but a raw feeling. I can remember the feelings I had in these moments with my boys. And the more I look at them, the stronger the feelings grow. The more clear my connection to my boys become.

As a mother I work hard to stay in the moment with my kids. To not be distracted too much by media and housework. And so we work and play together. We make memories of the everyday things. If you ask me at the end of the day what we've done all day, sometimes I honestly do not know. But if I take pictures, there is a record. And I can look at them, and access those feeling, and build my memories through them. I can savor, in hindsight.

Being a Mother to these boys is the most important job I will ever have. This Mother's Day, in addition to honoring my mom and all the other moms in my life, I'm taking time to go through all our old photos and videos. I'm taking time to go through my old blog posts, and refresh the look of this online journal of our lives. And in the process, honoring the journey that I am on. Savoring all the moments we've celebrated in our journey together so far. And looking forward to those yet to come.

Happy Mothers Day to you and yours. I hope you find some time to savor your journey as well.

King of the Internet?

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:18:00 +0000

This picture has been sitting in my iphone for a while, waiting for me to come up with the right words to go with it. Since most of my readers are family (Hi Dad!), and thus not part of the blogging community, most of you won't get the reference to which the photo refers.

So let me start with a very abridged story...

There is a famous (in the blogging community) photo of a little boy laying under a chalk-drawn crown, much like the one of the little guy up there. The photo is so stinkin' cute that it went viral. Moms everywhere tried in vain to replicate it. (This was probably my sixth try. Ha!) Without the permission of the photographer, her child's photo started showing up in all sorts of strange places including t-shirts and foreign ad campaigns.

Every once in a while a wave of concern seems to wash over the land of lifestyle bloggers where everyone addresses the concerns of releasing information about their children into the blogoshpere. This photo serves as a reminder of those concerns. I have had many conversations with myself about how I feel creating a trail of images that will likely be linked to my boys forever. And many conversations on what measures I should take to protect their images and my property. Sometimes those conversations end with me saying "Meh, its just not a big deal to me." And others go more like "Oh crap, I should really take this blog down." So far, the things I've decided to do are watermark my images and make smaller image sizes. Oh, and no naked kid photos. Because really, I don't know who is out there reading.

So I guess today is a bit of a public service announcement. And an explanation to my Mom as to why all the photos have my web address stamped over the faces. Sorry Mom.

Baker Beach Boys

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:16:00 +0000

Sometimes Derick's job seems a whole lot more... well... dynamic than mine. Not that wrangling two wild boys doesn't keep me on my toes. Last week Derick had to put together a bit of a photo shoot for a new client and invited us to join the crew at Baker Beach for an afternoon of amazing views and romping in the sand with friends. Not bad for a days work.

Leo really got into the picture taking spirit. And the football playing spirit. And the sandcastle building spirit. In fact, he just got into the spirit in general.

Being here made me miss living in the city. Still, we are lucky to live so close to such a beautiful place. With Leo still napping, we don't take many full day excursions. But as the boys get older one of my goals is that they be comfortable navigating the city and public transportation. I look forward to more days of Baker Beach, Golden Gate Park, and visits to our old neighborhood haunts.

thelma & louise

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Fri, 03 May 2013 15:25:00 +0000

Apologies for the less-than-amazing photo today. The truth is, this photo is amazing because it documents the existence of one of our barn cats. "What?" I can hear you saying. "Jen, you don't have a barn." And that is true. I don't have a barn. But I do have a pair of barn cats.

Since we moved to this house six-ish years ago we have been plagued on and off by rats. Conversations with the neighbors on our street confirm we are not alone, however we are lucky to have never had one inside our living space. Apparently when you live at sea level, rats can be a huge problem. Our county even has a guy (whom I call The Rat Whisperer) who will come out and tell you where the rats are getting into your house and help you set up traps and seal things up once the coast is clear. For free. And up until this winter we had always been successful at dealing with the problem with his help.

But last November, the Rat Whisperer threw up his hands and said "I can't help you any more." So that's when the internet and I decided to come up with our own solution. I didn't feel good about using poison around our property with kids and dogs around, but I wasn't sure what else to do. My dad was the one who actually suggested getting a cat, but I didn't give much serious thought to it until I read all about barn cat programs in place in other communities. I then contacted the Tenth Life Foundation in San Francisco and the ladies there made sure we were good candidates to care for a pair of cats, and that we understood what we were signing up for. Basically the deal is that we provide food and some sort of shelter for the cats, and they eat our rats. Sounds good, right?

Our cats have never had any human contact. One was trapped in the Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco, and the other had just delivered a litter of kittens at the front door of the Serramonte Target. The foundation spayed and vaccinated the cats, and installed them in two huge dog crates in our backyard shed. We named them Thelma & Louise (that's Louise in the photo above). The outlaws stayed in the shed for three weeks, to get acclimated to their new home. During that time they hid from me every time I came through the door. And since we released them into the world five months ago, this is only the second sighting of either cat. They are truly wild.

The cats come early in the morning to eat. I know this because 1) the kitty food disappears and 2) I sprinkled flour around the area to get some paw prints to be sure we weren't just feeding the rats, or even worse, raccoons. But the rest of the time they hide. This week, I have seen a couple of other cats hanging around our yard. Apparently word has gotten out that we serve up some tasty rats & kibble. The more the merrier, I say (as long as you take a rat with you when you go). But still, actually seeing one of our rescues makes me feel good. So far, we have been very happy with our barn cats. We haven't heard or seen any rats in the last four months. Thelma and Louise have been no trouble to care for, and I like to think they are happy here too.

Meet Ellen

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Last weekend there was an estate sale on our block. I'll admit that if I had more free time I might be a yard sale/antique fair/estate sale junkie. Its a funny thing, since I constantly feel the need to purge my possessions, and hardly ever walk away with a purchase. But I like the thrill of discovering something special at a bargain price. So when the estate sale popped up on our block I snuck away for a few minutes to have a look.

There were some pretty amazing things inside. Beaded vintage dresses, an amazing midcentury contoured massage chair, a TV from the 50s, and Ellen (photo above). When I saw her I knew she had to come home with me. After talking the man down to $25, he tried to tell me about how she was painted by a famous Californian artist. After I got home I looked up the info online. It turns out that she was painted by the nephew of a famous Californian artist. Which just goes to show that you should never buy art because of its implied value. It has to speak to you. So Ellen, it looks like you won't be off to any prestigious art collections. You're stuck here with me, in our house of wild things.

Is It Summer Yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:15:00 +0000

We keep having heat waves around here that me me think its summer time. It hard to believe that other parts of the country are still experiencing winter like weather. Last week Leo discovered our bocce ball set and invited Finn and I to play. It was really too warm to be inside our house, so we made an afternoon of it. The nice thing about bocce ball is that the rules are simple enough for even a two year old to play. Ok, ok, we do modify them a tiny bit just to make it easy on Mommy.

Each player gets two balls. The rest we place in a line to stand behind when taking a turn. If you step over the line, or reposition the line, or throw the line, your toss doesn't count. When a child throws the essential pallino under the house, never to be seen again, a golf ball may be substituted. Winner gets to throw the pallino for the next round unless the winner is Mommy, (which it always is because I am that good) then whichever boy ~~isn't whining~~ asks nicely may have her turn. Gameplay is over when someone throws a hissy fit.

This last photo was taken by Finn. It was a bear to get, as every time he would step back and frame up the shot he would have to come and adjust the bocce balls to get them arranged just right. I may have yelled "just press the button!!!" a few times.

I Build This Garden for Us

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:45:00 +0000

I have a sofa that I lovingly refer to as "the sofa of shattered dreams". When I bought it I had a vision of my grown-up fancy sitting area, complete with a camel velvet covered sofa. Needless to say camel velvet covered sofas, dirty boys, and hairy dogs do not mix. On top of that, the proportions of the sofa do not work in the room, no matter how I arrange it. But for some reason I can't let go of that sofa, or the vision of it in my living room. So there it sits, the sofa of shattered dreams.

So what does that have to do with the garden, you ask? Well, the garden was another project that I had a vision for. It was a grassy vision, filled with croquet and picnics. And five years ago we tried that vision it and it did. not. work. The grass was always spotty with dirt patches, soggy areas and dog poop. It was too small for croquet, and it turns out we like our picnics in the front yard anyway. And since I didn't want to also have a "yard of shattered dreams" I turned it over to Derick.

I told him I didn't want to be involved, that this time around whatever he envisioned was fine by me but that it shouldn't involve any more grass, and should like like it came out of Sunset Magazine. And so he built us a beautiful vegetable garden with two raised beds and a lovely sitting area. It is his vision, and his dream. His velvet sofa.

After feeling defeated by some of my past mistakes, it is so nice to enjoy a success. Both of our boys had such fun helping Daddy build, and they love tending to new plants every day. We are expecting a bounty of tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuces. We are also experimenting with kale, chard, peppers, and eggplants. There are a few more finishing touches to be added, but we have already enjoyed the new garden very much. It is giving me courage to tackle the living room situation again. Or maybe I'll just turn that space over to Derick too.

Currently

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:38:00 +0000

Leo always want to use my heavy camera to take photos. The only way I'll let him use it is to put it on the counter and shoot.

Thinking about - This here blog. It is true I haven't been blogging as much recently. And that is because I haven't been taking as many photos recently. But thanks to an introduction to some really helpful iphone photo apps (Afterlight, Over, and PicStitch) I've realized that I even if I can't always have my DSLR with me I can still get some decent photos with my phone. After going through the archives here I found so many little memories and silly snippets from our lives that I had forgotten about already. So, with a little kick in the pants I hope to get back into more regular chronicling of our goings on. In addition to that I plan on sharing a little more about some of my current interests, mainly healthy living, art, and parenting.

Anticipating - The return of my parents. They have been out of town for three weeks, and will be gone for another two. I have no idea how families survive without grandparents around to help out. My mom usually watches Leo one day a week, and having gone without that break for weeks now, I am really appreciating how lucky I am. Hurry back Mom!

Wishing - I had a magic "get along" wand that I could wave whenever my boys are antagonizing each other. I would wave the wand and they would turn into sweet little cherubs, falling all over themselves to make their brother happy.

Making me happy - Those same crazy boys. Finn thinks I am seriously funny. He says things like "Good one, Mom!" when I tell a joke. And he is getting really good at "being sarcasm". Leo cracks me up every day. He has developed a routine where he gets a microphone, taps it and clears his throat, sings the ABC's, and then bows several times while saying "Thank you, thank you very much." I'm not sure where he picked that bit up.

Loving - Our new veggie garden/ backyard makeover. More on that soon.

Reading - I just finished The Invisible Bridge which I loved. A good historical fiction reminds me of all the history lessons I've forgotten since my school days, and makes it all so much more personal and relevant. But now I'm in the market for something new...

Watching - Honestly, right at this very moment I'm watching Crazy, Stupid Love for the ~~third~~ sixth time because I just can't get enough Ryan Gosling and Derick is out for the evening. But what I'm really excited about is this season of Game of Thrones. So good.

Allergy Season

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:51:00 +0000

It seems like everyone I meet has been complaining about allergies this past week. Here at the Daily house, we all suffer to different degrees. So far, Leo seems to be allergy free. But I have become more sensitive in the past few years, and Finn and Derick both suffer quite a bit.

My naturopath once told me that it takes between three and five years for allergies to kick in once you move to a new place. And based on our experience, I think its true. We've been here for almost six years now, and are definitely in need of relief come Spring. I've developed a handful of natural tricks to help lessen our allergies based on recommendations from my Naturopath and my mamma (so you know those are good).

1. Fresh lemon juice cuts down on the amount of mucous your body produces. Lucky for us we have a lemon tree in the back yard, so I squeeze a lot of lemons in my drinking water.

2. Wipe noses with baby wipes. After a while those poor noses are chapped, and the Aloe and Vitamin E in natural baby wipes is very soothing.

3. Using a Neti Pot before bed will clear out all the pollens and irritants from the day. Likewise, a good friend told me she likes to shower and wash her hair at night to give her a fresh start while she's sleeping.

4. During the day we use Xlear, a saline and Xylitol nasal spray to keep our sinuses rinsed.

5. We take Quercitin, capsules for the grown-ups and chewables for the kids. It is a new supplement in the allergy arena, but I find it works well for us.

So there you have it, our allergy arsenal. I hope you don't suffer from allergies, but if you do, I hope these ideas might help you get out there and enjoy Spring!

Happy Easter

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:13:00 +0000

I love the colors of Easter. The tie-dyed eggs. The cheerfully bright clothes. The blossoms around our neighborhood. Even this year's drizzling weather couldn't stop us from donning out brights.

We celebrated at home this year, with family, good food, and our first block Easter Egg Hunt. Here is what Finn learned. 1) Get there early. 2) Do not waste time talking to your friends or your might miss the "Go!" signal. 3) Most of the eggs will be gone in the first 30 seconds. Poor guy only found 5 eggs when most kids had about 20.

Here is what Leo learned. 1) Don't worry. 2) Because you are little, adults will toss more eggs at your feet for you to "find". 3) Candy is my favorite.

Today had some definite sugar highs, and sugar lows. But all in all it was a beautiful day. Aunt Sheri was in high demand. Grandma made an amazing Bunny cake. We all are in agreement that ham is delicious. And Finn passed over a few eggs in our own morning hunt, just so Leo could find a few more. So how about that?

happiest place on earth

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:23:00 +0000

Oh. Hey there blog. I almost forgot about you. And you know what, that's OK with me. Because if being a mom has taught me anything its that there is an ebb and flow to things. And my job is to ride the wave as best I can. This last months wave was jam packed with activity. We went to the snow, celebrated Derick's birthday, and made a trip to Disneyland. For the most part I was too wrapped up in living it to take photos. But we did snap a few at the happiest place on earth. So here they are.

I downloaded the Disneyland Waits app for my phone, and Finn loved checking the wait times for all the rides. Leo's favorite ride was the spinning teacups. He rode it twice.

Finn was a bit put off by Disneylands "dark rides". But he LOVED Autopia. He rode it three times.

Our main objective in coming to Disneyland was checking out Cars Land. It did not disappoint. We were some of the first in line for Radiator Springs Racers. Finn got to ride it twice, making him a very lucky boy.

Leo loved seeing all his favorite Cars characters, and though he wasn't too excited about waiting in line he was a very happy camper.

After the excitement in Cars Land it became pretty obvious that our big guy was sick. Lethargic and feverish, Finn took the first nap I can remember in ages. Boo. But one nap, one PB&J, and one Tylenol later he was good (enough) to go.

We spent the rest of the day taking it easy. Finn and I learned how to draw Pluto, talked with Crush the turtle, and explored the Redwoods. Finn and Derick took advantage of the last bit of daylight with a raft ride down Grizzley Peak. We admired Cars Land by night, and called it a day.

A little character breakfast before we hit the road, this photo speaks volumes...

fresh air

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:21:00 +0000

After weeks in the 40s, a high of 62 feels amazing. Cool and crisp, a get outside and climb rocks and muck around kind of feeling. And while you're at it, bring the dogs! We took a little drive out to Oyster Bay, my new favorite place to take the beasts for a romp. It also just so happens to be the place we took our last family portraits.

I won't name any names, but a couple of us were feeling a little grumpy before our little adventure. Apparently a little fresh air, mud, sticks, and wide open space can change all that in a second.

mothers little helper

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:34:00 +0000

I love the start of a new year. After the business of the holidays has settled down I tend to take a week or two to relax and regroup. I used to make resolutions, but found that I (like many others I imagine) am not so good at keeping them. Instead, this year, I took some time to figure out how I would like my 2013 to look and came up with a little slogan to steer me through the year.

Be more with less.

That's it. This year I am taking the time to declutter and pare down my belongings, my systems, and my responsibilities so that I can spend less time managing my life and more time enjoying it.

So far Derick and I have tackled the kitchen and pantry. In a room that we thought was pretty organized, I am amazed at how much junk we found to get rid of. I am feeling lighter already.

I've also found a wonderful app to for Finn to use to manage his responsibilities and chores. Another load off of me. And fortunately my littlest helper is currently obsessed with washing dishes. All I have to do is switch entirely to non-breakable items and lower my standards for what a "clean" dish looks like, and I'll be all set.

goings on

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:55:00 +0000

Some weeks, like this week feel extra long. Derick has been working late. Grandma has been sick, and unavailable for babysitting. I didn't get to yoga class.

It's been the California version of freezing cold, meaning that we don't get out as much as we should. And so, there has been a lot of lego building. And pajama wearing. And checking on big brother's computer games.

Long quiet days at home without any agenda, that somehow feel just right for January. But I will surely be happy when the weekend rolls around.

night vision

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:32:00 +0000

This is not a quality set of photographs. But what you must know is that I took them in the dark. So the fact that there is an image on the screen at all is pretty amazing to me. Just another testament to the tricks a high quality camera can perform...

I wanted to capture little Leo in his first sleeps in the big-boy-bed. Leo has had this bed in his room since he was born, and we've asked him every so often if he wanted to sleep in it. He's always answered with a resounding "No". But this week he's changed his mind. This week he has decided that he is a big boy. Who sleeps in a big boy bed.

At least he still lets me rock him to sleep.

bowled over

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:35:00 +0000

We took the boys for Leo's first bowling extravaganza last weekend. It was pretty awesome. Aside from the fact that the bowling alley was packed and I spent most of my time corralling the boys into our lane space (as opposed to wiggling around on the floor like worms in other people's lanes), we all had a great time.

Our local bowling alley has not just bumpers, but racks for the little guy to put his ball on and roll it down the lane. This year Finn is strong enough to huck his ball at the pins without assistance. I broke 120 with only a little help from the bumpers, and Derick showed off his fine bowling form. There may be league play in our future.

on thin ice

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:17:00 +0000

High on our list of wintery things to do this season was to go ice skating. Neither of our boys had been before, and it had been about 12ish years since the last time Derick or I had set foot on the ice.

Last year Alameda got its own seasonal ice rink, complete with disco lights and pop music. The rink was back this year, and we were determined to go just as soon as the weather cooperated.

The greatest thing about our little ice rink is that they have these orange plastic seals that beginners can hold on to while they get their bearings, and the littlest ones can sit on when they are tired. Apparently seals are in high demand, so we were happy that I had gone down early to reserve a pair for the boys.

Even though the rink was super crowded, we managed to have a great time. Finn took to the ice fabulously, and I managed to remain on my feet the entire time. And now Finn asks for me to play music like they play at the ice skating rink. Which means Top 40 pop that I may or may not be able to sing every word of.

We'll be back next year for sure.

happy new year!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:24:00 +0000

It has been so nice to close out this year at home, with just the four of us sharing a few adventures before getting back to reality. Last week we hitched a ride on the Sunol Valley Train, which is lit up for the holidays.

The boys were pretty excited, having never been on a real train before. We were lucky enough to join a group of friends who had rented out the caboose, and pizza partied the ride away with a wild group of seven little boys and their parents.

It was festive and fun (and full of cray boy energy). Our two were sufficiently impressed. When Finn got home he told grandma it was the best trip we had ever taken. So there.

the aftermath

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:38:00 +0000

I am going to go against the cardinal rule of blogging, and just go ahead and say it... I am glad that Christmas is over. Don't get me wrong. I love the holidays, but I have a lot to learn about getting through them with grace.

This year I felt like I was one step behind all month long. Because we live on a block that turns in to Christmas Tree Lane for the month of December we get our decorations up the weekend after Thanksgiving. And that sets the tone for the boys for the following four plus weeks. They are so hyped up for PRESENTS!!! for such an extended amount of time, that things get very trying behavior wise. I am now totally clued in as to why the Elf on the Shelf exists. To try to keep crazed children like mine in line.

Finn had a hard time all month long. And this culminated in a meltdown on Christmas day because he didn't get all of the presents on his wish list. He was also sure that his brother got way more presents than he did (not true by a long shot).

Needless to say, two days post Christmas and my boys seem to be back to normal. And I am making plans for next year. To make my life easier I've recorded the menu, preparations and supplies needed for our annual open house. I've updated and streamlined our Christmas card list. I'm culling our Christmas decorations and organizing them in bins before putting them away.

And then I am taking a step back to think about what traditions are truly important to our family, and what I want my boys to feel during the holiday season. I know the answer to that question will not be "frenzy". Ideas on how to inject more peace, gratitude, love, joy, and giving are floating around in my head.

merry christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 17:38:00 +0000

I hope yours was a good one. We were blessed with boys that slept in until 6:30(!) and all six grandparents in attendance. I will tell you that there is no better gift than wonderful grandparents. Especially those that will entertain the kids when you are sick, and prepare meals when you are overwhelmed with holiday duties. Three cheers for grandparents!

Finn was (mostly) thrilled with his Christmas loot, and thankyouthankyouthankyou'd me with a full body hug. Leo was tickled pink, and tried to unwrap all the presents under the tree. He was thrilled to find that one of them was a candle, of course.

While I was sick with a cold for the day I still managed to enjoy the amazing feasts, a glass of champagne, a jump on the new mini-trampoline, and a few rounds of cards with the young folk. The day itself went by so quickly, with family in and out all day long. We felt blessed and happy and full. A merry Christmas all around.

o christmas tree

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:36:00 +0000

We did something this year I never thought we would do. We bought an artificial Christmas tree. The way I see it you are either a fake tree person or a real tree person, and Derick and I are both firmly in the "real tree" camp. But since we've moved into our current home every single one of our live trees has died by Christmas day. One year our tree was so dead that we took it down on Christmas Eve and put up a new one.

I think it has something to do with the fact that our Christmas tree goes in the warmest spot in our whole house. And we like to put it up at least three weeks before the big day. And it may not get as much water as it needs.

So we are now a two-tree household. Our new artificial tree will go up the day after Thanksgiving. And we can wait to get a real tree until we are sure it will last past Christmas day.

This year it rained almost non-stop the weekend we wanted to get our real tree. But Sunday morning there was a break in the rain and we raced down to the local lot to pick one out. The lot was empty, so I let the boys run around like wild things and play hide-and-seek in the trees. They were in heaven, and would've stayed all day I'm sure.

We got a perfect little tree that only leans slightly to the right. The boys decorated it themselves, so its pretty heavy on the lower branch ornaments. But it smells like Christmas and reminds me of childhood, and of the history we make every year. Real trees rule!

little houses

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Daily) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:28:00 +0000

Making a gingerbread house has become an annual event for our family. I remember one year when I was about 8, my mom and I made a gingerbread house from scratch. It was such an ordeal getting the gingerbread the right thickness, cutting the pieces just so, and creating frosting that was the perfect consistency. We made one fabulous house, then stored it away to display for years after that. Then one year, the ants discovered it in my closet and that was that.

These days gingerbread house kits are everywhere and I love them. The kits take all the fuss out of the project and just leave the fun of putting the house together and decorating it. We made three creations this year, just so the boys and I could each have their own.

Finn chose a train and tried to convince Leo that he should put all his candy in the back train car. Leo was not falling for it. He had other plans for his extra candy. For days after we put the gingerbread "houses" up for display our house smelled so good. Its a wonder we didn't gobble them up.