Scooter Pathos

Asher and Soren got scooters for Christmas.


They got the safe-looking three wheeled radio flyers as an intro scooters. They may have been too safe (read: slow).


We took them to our church parking lot so they would have loads of open, safe space to pick up a new skill! Soren was so upset about being at church that he cried and cried and refused to leave the car for several minutes--even AFTER we explained that we were there to ride scooters and not sit through sacrament meeting or primary. He insisted that we go somewhere else. Apparently he and Asher don't think church is that fun (Asher asked a few weeks ago, "Why do we always come to church?").


Soren reluctantly joined us and jumped on his scooter without any prompting.


Maeve was happy to let loose and roam at her pleasure.


Jamie thought taking the boys to the church parking lot would be like letting 'thoroughbreds run at pasture.' He was wrong.


ASher didn't love riding his scooter and actually preferred Jamie to push him around.


Jamie and I were not expecting so much drama and indifference. I just wanted to shout, "This is no time for lethargy! Get on those scooters and ride, ride, ride!"


They just were not feeling it.


Maeve was feeling it.








Maeve showed off her wolf howl whilst sitting happily on the parking divider.







I had fun and wished there had been a scooter for me.

Christmas 2011

Maeve and I were the first ones downstairs in the morning. She wandered among the gifts while I put the cardamom orange rolls in the oven.


The sweet serenity of a sacred holiday.


Our Christmas miracle this year was that Maeve slept in until 6:45 and we nearly had to wake up Soren at 7:30!


The boys came downstairs and declared, "We really were good! Santa did come!" Sigh.


Jang, Maeve and Chon.

Christmas this year was wildly busy but I felt like there were moments enough to truly reflect on the meaning of the day and the season and for those quiet times I am most grateful. This year as in all my recent years as a new mother, I find myself thinking mostly of Mary and her experience surrounding the birth of our Savior. I have so many questions about the conditions surrounding Christ's birth but mostly I wonder what was in her heart as she held in her arms not just her first born, but the SAVIOR of not just the world but of HER. My emotions will hardly settle down enough for me to fathom the impact of that first tender encounter with those two. I think about how much having Asher, Soren and then Maeve changed my world. Those two little preemies made my heart tremble with love and joy and to me they were perfect. Maeve taught me how extraordinary having a healthy, full term, and also perfect baby could be. My world has entirely changed because of them and so when I think of Mary with her perfect little baby--I can really only tremble with gratitude. In so many little ways my children have 'saved me' or taught me to see what matters most in life and then there is Mary with her son, Jesus. How she must have admired him and had such an abundance of love and joy for him but also a real measure of sadness and fear for how he would be treated. I think of how much I love Him and then I think her love for him must have been unrivaled and that even though he was truly perfect, he must have sincerely benefited from her love and joy. There is so much to celebrate about his life and Mary is one of those celebrations. Merry Christmas, indeed.

After opening presents we had crepes, quiche, and coquito with our friends the Ludlows. We have continued this tradition for four years and it is a highlight of the day for me. We then rushed home to change and head to church, which was really just an hour of three hungry, cranky pants complaining about hunger and asking when we were going home. So fun. After church we played and then Chon and Jang essentially prepared Christmas dinner for us! Chon made fried spring rolls and we all helped roll fresh spring rolls with some of my favorite ingredients: mango, green onion, tofu, egg, greens, carrots, noodles, and lots of cilantro. I was so grateful that Chon could join us and I am so grateful for this little Thai community we have helped built. Our lives have been immensely blessed by Chon and Jang. I think a new tradition was born! Thai food with our favorite Thai friends!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that you felt the love of this special season!

Coming soon...

I'll be wearing glasses for the first time in my life. My effort to use up the rest of my health spending account resulted in an actual prescription for near-sightedness. I'm excited for glasses, especially because they will mostly enhance my vision but aren't completely necessary to function effectively.

Christmas Cutes

Christmas was a hit. Can't believe it is over and the tree is already gone!

Asleep at the Book

Asher fell asleep reading "The Best Christmast Book Ever!" and I was amused that his foot was resting so casually on his pillow. Asher loves to read books before bed and will sometimes even flip pages in the dark--get that kid a reading light!

Zoo Lights

We finally made it to the Zoo Lights last weekend and it occurred to me then that it was Maeve's FIRST trip to the zoo! She goes ape crazy for animals so really it should be a place we frequent regularly for her sake. We went to the Zoo Lights three years ago when Asher and Soren were darling one-year-olds. Back then you had to pay to see the Zoo lights so it was hardly crowded. Now it doesn't cost to see the Zoo lights and we along with thousands of other people had cashed in on a Livingsocial deal so let's just say the crowds were similar to those seen during Labor Day weekend--nutso.

We still had fun and got to take a tiny, tiny train ride around the empty spaces where the large cats normally lounge. Three years ago we had so much fun watching the tamarind monkeys harass the tree sloth that I insisted we head straight for the small mammal house. Major disappointment! As soon as we pulled up to the sloth/tamarind exhibit I saw a tamarind monkey leap into a little wooden hut and SLAM the door shut in what felt like a very explicit expression of "Show's OVER! Now get out of here! (imagine Maya Rudolph impersonating Donatella Versace)" We got no action from the small mammals.

I'm a sucker for holiday lights so I'm glad we went. I also love driving under all the gorgeous bridges along the rockcreek parkway and driving under the Kennedy Center. Festive indeed!

Country Christmas

These little cuties have grown into these bigger cuties:








I love how Grant is so casually resting his hand on Maeve's knee...

















Our dear friends Sarah and Lewis moved to Texas this summer so it had been six months since we had seen them! Our babies had grown up so much! Maeve and Grant have a lot in common--their age (only a few weeks apart), they love to dance, they love Christmas ornaments, nativity toys, and their moms totally dig them. Grant is very generous with his hugs and kisses while Maeve generally reserves those for just her mom and sibs. It was fun to see them together.

The country was beautiful and I could have stayed all day with Sarah at her mom's house but we had a ward Christmas party to attend. On the way home all the kids fell asleep so I had the pleasure of driving through the exquisite countryside while listening to sacred Christmas music. I was grateful for that sweet experience to reflect on both the glory of this beautiful earth and the loving God who gave it to us. The only thing missing was Jamie.

Pre-Fab Ginger House

I was pretty happy to see an already constructed gingerbread house this year because EVERY single time we have attempted one the walls fall like they were hit by a massive earthquake. Glad that was not an issue this year.









Firefighter Asher decided that this wall needed TWO wreaths.


Feeling better!


Silly face.


My Christmas pom poms!



Asher, Soren and I decorated the g-house while Maeve napped. The boys LOVE decorating gingerbread houses because it's a candy free for all. I try to apply some sort of organized aesthetic to the process but really--it's just fun to be with the boys. Soren was SO, SO happy all morning because he got to eat so much candy. They ask every day to eat the house and I always tell them no.