Christmas Day 2009

On Christmas Eve, before the children went to bed, we gave them strict instructions that they were NOT to open any presents before we were all up and ready to do it together. Of course, Asia has just turned two years old, so we were dubious as to how much she understood, she kept telling us 'Birthday! Birthday! My Birthday' as it was so fresh in her memory. We tried to explain that it was Christmas and that everybody was going to get presents, not just her, to which she replied 'No! My birthday'.

Amazingly, when we got up (earlier than we would have liked, I might add), not a present had been touched, I was so proud of my little pumpkins. They did so well this year, as well, with taking turns opening their presents and watching to see what each other got. In between opening presents, Asia would jump up and say 'More...more!' as she would do a little happy dance.

They all had such great attitudes. Arran had told me a few days before, that if we got him flowers, that even though boys do not really like flowers, he would still be grateful for them. Needless to say, we did not get him flowers and he seemed to genuinely love everything he received, telling us it was just what he wanted and had been hoping for.

Bryttain, of course, is always enthusiastic about everything, it is just her personality, everything is 100% and nothing less. We just have great kids!

Hurray for the sun

At the beach with Auntie Caridad, despite his sullen look, Arran did have fun!

Yesterday was a beautiful day, so we headed out to Bodega, to Salmon Creek Beach. I had us all bundled up in plenty of layers, but it was the clearest, I think, I have ever seen it. We can go out there in the middle of summer, in the blazing heat and get to a windy beach, shrouded in fog - but this was the perfect day; barely even a breeze and sunny. We were soon peeling off layers.

Auntie Caridad had the great idea to take the kids to the inlet, to look for fish, so we did end up with some wet children. There were no fish to be found, much to Arran's disappointment, but he still had fun, chasing the seagulls. There was some sand digging, some sand flinging (which had to be addressed and let to some trauma) but all in all it was a fun little outing.

Our little ballerina

Tuesday was a whole day of ballet. Bryttain had ballet portraits done in the morning, before her class, then it was home for a quick lunch, naps and by the time all the kids were up again, it was time to get her in costume and hair done for her little recital.

She had been so excited and looking forward to this day and she totally looked the part, well as much as a three year can. She was excited that we were all coming to watch, that auntie Caridad was here to see, that she was going to be on the stage, with lights! She was about as cute as she could possibly be.

There was no flash photography allowed, so forgive the grain in the following photos, I had to send my ISO skyhigh to get anything.

Starting and ending pose for 'Baby Swans' the rest of the dance kind of got lost with the shock of a live audience.

I'm a little teapot ballet-style

Bryttain with her cousin Michaelanne, who recently joined her class.

Bryttain with one of her best friends Abi, her cousin and their teacher Miss Zourra

She is just so precious and loves that she has something that is hers and I, of course, am a very proud mummy.

Just the two of us!!!!!!!!!!!

James and I had not been away together, alone, without children, since Arran was born. That's almost six years. We love our kids dearly, we love to be with them, to be a family, but sometimes it is easy to forget that we are still a couple, independent of being parents, of being a family.

Would we have gone away sooner had the opportunity arisen? Maybe! Who knows? The opportunity has never arisen as we have never had anybody to leave three children with (that is a hard one to ask of anyone outside of family really). But with my sister here, ready and willing and able, it was finally time. Sunday was the day to head off. It was just one night, as everyone had to be broken in gently, but it was a much needed and welcome first.

Leaving ended up being a little traumatic, with Arran clutching at our clothes, begging us not to leave, resulting in James in tears as we drove away. Fortunately, we soon got a text to let us know that he had pulled himself together and was happy that we had gone.

We drove up the coast to Mendocino and stayed in town, at the Mendocino Hotel.

We weren't in the hotel itself, but back in the Garden Suites area.

We checked in and unloaded our gear. I was so excited, we had eaten at the hotel in the past, but never stayed there before and it looked like it would be perfect. We had made sure to get a room with a fireplace and a bath, as James loves to soak...but I have to say, I was actually pretty disappointed.

The room was OK, but really nothing special and the bathroom was barely even average, it could have been a bathroom in any apartment complex or, maybe hotel, in California. I tried to just deal with it, telling myself to not be a brat, that the main thing was that we had time alone, away, together. We decided to go for a walk around town, to figure out where we would eat dinner and get a bottle of wine for later.

Then it started to rain! We were not wearing waterproof gear, we did not have umbrellas and I just felt like everything was going wrong, as I traipsed along, feeling like a drowning rat. When we got back to our room, I told James how bummed I was. I had just wanted it to be special, this was our first time away in almost six years and we certainly were not staying in the cheapest place in town and I had just expected more.

He said he would call the front desk to see if there was anything else available. Sometimes I wonder if it is my own introverted nature, or British reserve, or if it is something to do with my upbringing, but why is it that I hate to be a nuisance so much? Why do I worry about what people might think if I complain? Well thank goodness that James does not suffer from any of those feelings or sentiments, he called and asked if there might be something with a nicer bathroom and the end result was that we got upgraded to a lovely suite.

Our separate living area, bedroom through the door.

Our much cosier bedroom with a seriously high bed that we had to climb into. A much improved bathroom - to my right was also a shower and behind me a toilet behind another door.

It was like night and day and the upgrade changed our whole outlook, we were finally able to relax and enjoy our time. We went out for a lovely dinner and came back to a cozy fire and bottle of wine. It ended up being perfect.

The next morning, after the luxury of not being woken up by little ones and not having to get up to take care of their needs, we headed to the hotel for a leisurely cooked breakfast, with a view of the ocean.

After checking out and a final wander around town, peeking in various little shops, we headed back home.

It felt so surreal, yet perfectly normal at the same time. I am so glad I am married to this man and as much as I would never wish away these precious years with our children being so young and sweet and wanting to be with us, I look forward to the time when James and I will have more time together again. It was good to be reminded of each other again, free from distractions.

Goal for the coming year is to figure out a way to do a weekend away together.

A special day

Jenny Weaver, our lovely ex-babysitter is no more....she recently got engaged and moved away to go to school and today was her wedding day; she is now Jenny Bjerke!

I had the complete honor of taking photos of her getting ready (which you can soon see a sneak peak of over on my photography blog). Then our whole family came back for the wedding itself. She was radiant, and beautiful as ever. She is such a special young lady, so giving and genuine with a love of people and especially children. Our children love her and miss her now that she is no longer here. We miss her too and need to find a new babysitter!

I had bought the girls their first ever matching dresses yesterday and they looked adorable. Bryttain was so excited to get to dance in her pretty dress and see Jenny in her princess dress. We even managed to get a friend to take a family photo of us, which we were in dire need of as the last photo we had of the five of us was before Asia was even six months old.

Christmas is coming

I am so far behind on my blogging. My sister has arrived and we are busy trying to get ready for Christmas. The children are all so excited to have their auntie here to visit (and at this stage, fully expect to see her at Christmas time). They are constantly asking where she is and what she is doing (even when she is in the bathroom!). They tell her she looks like me, and me that I look like her. Sometimes they pretend to get us confused, then giggle.

Last week we finally went out to buy our tree, but it was too late to decorate it that same evening, so the next day the children wanted to set to work. They were just giddy with the anticipation and excitement. I kept suggesting that we wait until daddy got home, but they were so eager to get started, that start we did...and finish!

There was a part of me that was sad that it had not been a family affair, but then James ended up having to work late into the night anyway, and they would not have lasted another day without decorating the tree. They worked so hard and really put a lot of thought and effort into it and I really did not have to do an awful lot of re-arranging so it all worked out well. James came home later that night after the children were all in bed, to a beautiful tree and all he had to do was lift it on to the table.

Not the best shots in the world, but this is our tree, before being put up on the table in the corner and having the tree skirt added...we like it. The kids LOVE it.

Now if only James could somehow find some time to put a few lights on the house!

My Girls

Weekday mornings are girl time; daddy is at work and Arran is at school.

I love to see the relationships between all of my children. Arran and Bryttain were such good buddies before Asia came along and they still are, but now Bryttain and Asia are best friends too. Of course, they both adore their older brother and are SO excited to see him when it is time to get him from school, but their own bond since he has started school has grown so much stronger. They play 'Mommy and babies' together, sometimes with their dolls, sometimes with Bryttain being mommy whilst Asia is the baby and I think Bryttain really does think of herself as Asia's second mom! Yes, at all of three years old, she tries to take that role upon herself.

Yesterday morning I was able to snap a few photos of the two of them. I finally have a decent flash and it has been too cold to venture outside too much so it is the perfect time to be practicing. (Disclaimer: Bryttain styled her own hair).

They are too precious and just continue to take my breath away!

Birthdays

Last week was Asia's and James' birthdays. I still cannot quite believe that Asia is already two years old. She is my baby, but each day there is less and less baby left. She is my little sweetheart and blesses me beyond belief. My heart swells with joy when I am around her, she is just so fun and sweet and affectionate and her little personality shines through more and more each day. She is saying so much and can communicate pretty much anything she wants to now, even if in some cases we have to find a work around.

Of course she is still a little young to understand the concept of a party and certainly had no expectations, so we were able to keep it low key, although her brother and sister had other ideas. We decided to keep it simple with pizza and invite the two families with her two best buddies over. I went to the party store to pick up a few balloons at least but Arran and Bryttain were expecting much more, so party hats and blowers were added to the basket.

I love my girl. She spent the whole evening blowing party blowers.


And another blower.

One of her goofy little friends, being a little goofy :)

James scored some interesting beers from his friends and an octave mandolin from his ever loving wife, although, seeing as he earns all the money these days, I am not quite sure how that works. Asia has her very own tricycle now and doll stroller and a Hello Kitty tin purse which goes everywhere with her, plus an adorable teddy bear.

It was not really before, but "Mine!' is now firmly implanted in her vocabulary. These are not hand-me-down items, but her very own, although with a little encouragement she is very good with her sharing and knows all about taking turns.

Thanksgiving

When you live in a different country, you get to inherit their holidays too. The two main 'new' ones, not celebrated in England are the 4th July, when Americans celebrate their independence from Britain and Thanksgiving when they give thanks (originally for their new land, away from Britain).

I have to say that I really enjoy Thanksgiving, it is a time for reflection and gratefulness, for fantastic food and way too much of it. It is like Christmas, but without all of the gifts and the craziness and all the running around.

I have so much to be thankful for; a family who bring me such joy and make me laugh and give me unconditional love. My husband who adores me, who thinks I am beautiful, who pushes me to be more and do more, who is my biggest fan, my best friend. Friends, who love me with my many flaws and give me advice and encourage me when I am feeling down. A heavenly father who has given me all of this and so much more, who gives me hope, who cares about the little things and answers my prayers. I just feel so blessed.

There are days when I can lose sight of all of the good things, when I get caught up in the nitty-gritty, the kids bickering, the laundry and mess around me, but when I take a step back to look at the bigger picture, I am in awe of all that I have and can more easily stop focusing on what I do not have.

Whatever country you live in, I hope that you can take the time to slow down and back-up and think about all that you have to be grateful for. Not just today, but any day, every day!

Costumes

I am SO far behind in my posts, but I cannot go any further without a nod to Magnet Man! Halloween is such a huge holiday here, with all the kids dressing up to go trick or treating, parades at school, church parties, it was quite exhausting.

About two or three weeks beforehand, Arran had announced that he wanted to be Magnet Man. We had no idea who, or what Magnet Man was, but I was the all-amazing-mommy expected to make the costume. He kept trying to describe it to me, but it was too much to take in, so finally daddy sat down with him and as Arran carefully described all the details, James drew! This was the final result.

It was a bit of work (finding white clothes for a little boy, was in itself, quite the task) and towards the end it was a little stressful. I had been attempting to make a helmet from paper mache, when James decided to buy a used sports helmet, which he then miraculously converted and embellished for our finished product. Magnets were sown into his gloves and he was a happy camper.

I was very grateful that this year Bryttain wanted to be a ballerina one night and a princess another, with Asia oblivious to the whole event. I only had it in me to work on one costume and realize that in years to come I will have to be planning and preparing a lot further ahead as the three of them come up with more elaborate ideas.

Pumpkin patch field trip

Last Wednesday I got to go on my first field trip with Arran, to a local pumpkin patch. He was very excited, to say the least and the fact that I came with him, to him was an added bonus. What a sweetheart.

The fun always starts with a ride on the school bus.


All the kids from the five K/1 classes, assembled on the hay bales, listening to instructions.

Climbing the hay bales. Arran on the far right with his hooded jacket. They also got to milk a cow and dig for potatoes.


Arran is not a boy to be rushed! He took a LONG time, searching for his perfect pumpkin.


Arran with one of his buddies, Will, peering over the tractor trailer they got to ride on. Disembarking with their prize pumpkins.

There was also cheese tasting, which my boy graciously declined as well as ice cream sampling, by which time I had to leave to pick up the girls. It was fun to get to experience another aspect of school life with him.