Changing of the Pom Poms

Lisa displays the Christmas pom pom I made.


Adding Christmas flare to the pom pom installation.


I love a pom pom chandelier display.

Lisa took her pom pom skills home and spruced up the kitchen with a little flare! Love it!

Lasagna Bliss

BEST lasagna of my life.


Thomas joined us for dinner. My sister made garlic bread from our leftover rosemary olive oil bread from Wegmans.


Roasted beet, blue cheese, toasted pecan, and citrus dressing salad.

As a vegetarian I try to stay away from pasta--it seems so base for a vegetarian to eat pasta regularly. I like it, don't get me wrong, so when I do have it, I love it. We took Amberlyn to Eastern Market and not only did she find a gorgeous necklace, we procured butternut squash for .50 a pound and a massive bunch of beets for $3. Dinner was served!

My sister made up the lasagna recipe and effortlessly thought to combine roasted butternut squash, carmelized onion, sage, and roasted garlic. She made a bechamel sauce with two stunning additions: cream cheese and triple cream brie. People, she made the most superlative lasagna. I'm still eating it a week later. It was that good. Her roasted beet salad was not only lovely but wonderful too. She is phenomenally talented at cooking, it's just one of her many enviable skills. We miss her and her legendary lasagna.

Giving Thanks 2009

Lisa and Mike had 21 people at their house for Thanksgiving--it was wonderful.


There was NO resisting this one!


The little girl table--bff cousins Sara and Ella.


The little boy table! I ate many a Thanksgiving meal at the kid table.

Thanksgiving this year was spent in the warm presence of family. I am so happy that Chon, the boys and I could spend the holiday in Bristol and I am especially grateful that Lisa and Mike live in Bristol again. We had a tremendously good time playing with cousins, sharing good food, laughing, and reveling in the sweetness of family life. I missed Jamie and was sad that he wasn't with us to keep us entertained and to make the holiday feel complete. He played football at the ambassador's estate (lucky) but we wanted him HERE with us.

Asher slept through the Thanksgiving meal and Soren ate a little bit of everything and stunned me with his love for jiggly canned cranberry sauce.

This year I am grateful that the Lord blesses me so much, especially when I don't feel worthy of his Love. He blesses me generously because he loves Asher and Soren and because their innocence seems to precede my lack of innocence. As I reflect on my life and my many shortcomings, I am overwhelmed with the goodness that can fill such an imperfect person and her life. I have an affectionate and loving husband, two totally awesome and adorable twin sons, a multitude of family members who love me, and I have a handful of great friends. Above all, I have those family and friends to LOVE.

Happy Thanksgiving indeed.

Ultimate Hot Chocolate

In addition to a spike of pumpkin spice, Wyatt decided that his hot chocolate needed a handful of marshmallows AND whip cream. That's what I'm talking about!

Ginger Bread House

On a whim I picked up a gingerbread house kit for the kids to make and it was one of the highlights of our Thanksgiving weekend. I designated Berkeley as the art director and she demonstrated phenomenal patience and kindness in her role. Kids were all over the house and shouted ideas of how to place the candy filled the air. I was impressed by the peaceful collaboration that resulted in our whimsical house. Kids sat on the table, ate candy, added candy to the house, took candy from the house and ultimately, had a wonderful time. Asher and Soren are hugely blessed to have such sweet and creative cousins.

Clever, Clever, Clever

Umbrella in action!

After eating about five clementines the other night, Soren picked up a big peel and put it on top of a colored pencil and exclaimed, "Umbrella!" Holy clever cuteness!

Sculpture Garden

As part of our train baby date we traipsed along the mall and wandered happily among one of the many sculpture gardens to be enjoyed. The mirror installation was especially fun.

Give it UP Baltimore!

Goodness coming out of Baltimore!

Aunt Amberlyn At the Arboretum

My sister, the pretty one.



Soren suddenly threw himself on the ground so Amberlyn did the same and well, Asher too. My children love rolling on the ground in all sorts of inappropriate places.


The Deuce are lucky to have such a fun and beautiful aunt.


Soren kind of like really wanted down.



My sister had never been to the arboretum and because I love it soo much, going was one of the perfect activities we did during her visit. The visit was on toddler time so we paused for the boys to enjoy themselves, which generally meant leaning too close to bodies of water, playing with bolts on wooden columns, rolling on the ground, and alternating between squeals of 'mommy, hold you!' and running away from the grasp of mommy and Aunt Amberlyn. Good times!

Someone There Is...

Soren Still Life

I started a Thanksgiving craft this evening and was using the above photographed short glass as a circle template. Just as I was ready to use the glass I noticed that it was no longer on the table next to me. Instead, I found it on the ottoman in the living room in the company of a bouncy ball and menacing lion. I love kids and I really love Soren.

Baby Train Date

Trying to achieve Asher curls.

Cutest metro passengers EVER!

My sis and I took The Deuce on a baby date to the mall. They loved the train ride and at one point we were fortunate to be on a train passing at the same time both a passenger train and a freight train. Amazing. Asher and Soren kept saying, "no steam mommy" because we were on a train but not a steam train, their favorite type of train.

Kitchen Upgrade

I've been blighted by this brassy fugs for over three years--happy to see it vulnerable to change.


My sister knows how to do everything! She suggested the color and didn't hesitate to do the spray painting.


The first layer of color.


Asher was hugely curious about our project and not interested in keeping his distance.


From fugs to WOW! I love it!


Years and years we have suffered under the light of an unsightly chandelier. The lines were never that bad but the brass just didn't suit our tastes. Oh, and Jamie and I could never agree on a new one nor could we swallow the cost of a new one.

One day I saw our exact chandelier upgraded with turquoise spray paint. Immediately I wanted to do the same for our chandelier. I too wanted turquoise but Krylon Fusion spray paint comes in only a limited number of colors so on a whim chose yellow...and never proceeded with my project. Protests from Jamie and a fear of bothering with anything electrical prevented me from fulfilling my DIY desire.

I knew that when my sister came into town that I could finally do this overdue project. She suggested orange and in an afternoon we were done! I was most impressed with our ability to tackle the electrical hurdle of un-wiring the chandelier then re-wiring it. Woo hoo!

Also that day we hung my plate collection on the kitchen wall...more on that later!

Soren TOO!

Ouch! Even though it didn't hurt.


This is not my favorite!


Are you done yet?


Soren's silky hair gets some much needed attention.


Serious baby cuteness!


Soren's hair was soooooo long.


Oh no!


More cutting? Ugh.


The finishing snip.


The 'thank you' kiss!


Soren didn't want his hair cut last night after Asher's hair cut. I think he changed his mind today because of the fuss we made all day long about Asher's cute hair cut. Soren agreed to a hair cut and in true Soren style, he could not sit still and wanted to hold the comb in between snips and was distracted by everything Asher was doing and well, Amberlyn showed extreme skill in wonderfully cutting the hair of a moving target and not cutting herself.

I didn't want to cut Soren's hair at first but Asher's hair looked so good and I wanted the same for Soren and the results were repeated: same beautiful curls and wonderful highlights. Enviable hair on Soren!

Asher's FIRST Hair Cut

My sis the hair cutter! I'm pretty sure cutting Asher's hair was at the top of her 'to do' in Virginia list.


The never before cut hair--I already feel sentimental about it.


The first snip, and I cringed.


Asher was wonderfully patient and calm while Aunt Amberlyn cut his hair.


He is SO super cute I just can't get enough of him--this is exactly how calm and brave he sat while his blood was drawn last week. What a kid.


How cute is he with his new toy truck?


The finishing trim.


The 'thank you' kiss!


New do.


The result: even curlier and CUTER than before.




I knew this day was coming even though I dreaded it: being pressured into cutting Asher's hair. I've been hesitant to cut his hair for a few reaons, mainly that I love his hair and also because I had heard that once baby curls are cut they never return. Well, my sister convinced me that with a careful trim his hair would still be curly and would look even better. I trusted her. She was right.

It was so cute to watch Asher sit patiently and quietly while scissors snipped around his head. He really stuns me with his bravery. My sister did a wonderful job tightening up his curls and his hair really looks incredible. I also felt a little weepy as I held Asher's mega blonde curls in my hand--my bald preemie baby is now a toddler with a rocking set of blonde curls. I never could have imagined.

I knew my sister would rush in and grace us with her many talents! Yay for sisters and yay for awesome toddler baby babes!

(Sorry hubs you weren't here for Asher's first cut. I saved a goldie lock for you.)