Welcome to the first Makeshift Story blog post of 2012! Oh, 2011. I am not sorry to see you go. But I figure if I start things off with some positive words and wishes, it should hopefully set the tone for year to come, right?
Really and truly, however, this week has finally begun to feel like things are starting fresh - moreso than any other "new year" in recent memory. We are not settled yet (it feels like there are a million things left to unpack and set up still), but settled enough to feel like this is now our home. And you know what? It feels good. We have room to breathe here, I like the location more than I thought I would, and Juniper loves that she has her own "living room".
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| I can now just shut the door if I don't want to deal with clean up from such ambitious art projects right away!! |
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I started teaching at the gym again this week, which actually feels really good. Moreover, I've now taken Linden three times to the day care at the gym, and he's done really well. I never felt comfortable leaving Juniper at the gym day care (what if she needed me while I was teaching???), but this time around I don't have a choice. Clark is feverishly trying to get a million things done (finished and started) in the next few months, and therefore isn't as flexible to stay home as he was with Juniper. And truth be told, being able to take Linden and leave him there for an hour or so is actually incredibly liberating.
AND (I hate to say this out loud for fear of jinxing anything), but in the past week or so, all four members of this house have been more or less healthy. Hallelujah! Suddenly, *just* being completely sleep-deprived seems like a real break - a treat, even! Certainly, it makes the day-to-day easier when you're not worried about a stuffed-up cranky baby or a puking husband.
Anyway, I moan and complain about our ridiculously stressful end to the year (and trust me, it really, truly was), but I have to say that somehow we all managed to carve out a happy little holiday, complete with some of the Christmas traditions that I was bound and determined to have despite everything. Here is a quick peek into some of the festive, and otherwise fun things that have been going on in the last month or so. Enjoy!
Pre-Christmas Gatherings
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| Juniper eating her FULLY decorated cookie at Clark's Christmas Party |
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| Juniper and Cheri light Juniper's lantern at Cheri's Solstice celebration |
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| The four mamas and our big kids (l-r: Kerry and Patrick, Tawnya and Calla, me and J, Toni and Bella) |
Christmas
A few shots of the Christmas tree. We had a very difficult time finding one, as we just were not able to do it until Dec 23rd, and everywhere was completely sold out. We finally found this one at Home Depot for 2$. That's right, two whole dollars. It was a bit of a Charlie Brown tree, but I was actually quite fond of it.
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| Juniper was sooo excited to decorate it! |
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| The finishing touches |
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| In all it's glory, with the star "on top"! |
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| For some reason, I felt it was absolutely necessary to buy fabric and make matching stockings for all of us. |
A few shots from Christmas, and the days following, when my parents and my sister Andrea came for a visit. Somehow we managed to find places for them all to sleep amongst the piles of boxes.
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| Juniper pauses from opening presents to chop some of her new vegetables |
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| Three-eyed monster! |
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| FINALLY, Honey has a proper bed (thanks to Ali!) |
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| Andrea and Linden share a joke |
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| Dad and Juniper play cards (check out homemade overalls #2...) |
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| Mom and Linden hanging out and looking festive |
And here are just some random shots I thought were worth adding:
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| Apparently, Clark's pistachio obsession is genetic. |
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| Being swaddled RULES! |
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| Juniper and Patrick peek out the window of Juniper's pretty elaborate"box house". One of the benefits of moving! |
And finally, a video montage for you to enjoy.
