here and gone (long picture post)

gwen turned five months the day after christmas.  what in the world!?!

she is so sweet.  doesn't do much.  just hangs out being pleasant.

she's rolled over a couple of times, though.  

i guess we need to work on giving her more tummy time.

her grabbing aim has improved significantly this month.

she's become an expert drooler and chewer of toys, clothes, hair and most often her teeny little fists, 

which, i swear, she's bond to shove completely into her mouth one of these days.

new faces and voices make her nervous and prompt the cutest pout lip ever.

it's so sweet to see her looking around for mom for assurance.

this is new for me since none of my other kids ever cared who was holding them.

and look at that face.  aren't those little elf ears awesome? 

christmas was a raging success.  we tried to keep it pretty simple and low key.  the kids played on the floor with their new toys all day long.  we hardly heard a peep from them, and no fights.  that's amazing.

my mom knit the most darling little hat you've ever seen for gwen.  

i LOVE it.  (so does gwen) 

the kids each made a gift for someone in the family.

i helped devan make this lego block shirt for max.

he thought it was pretty cool.

here is a scene from our nativity.  we had a hard time deciding who should play baby Jesus.  ha! no, actually there was quite a fuss over who would get to be the donkey.  devan won out in the end and was VERY proud of how she carried the part (and mary). 

gwen tried rice cereal for the first time this weekend.  wasn't too sure about it.

snow days have come and gone.

another christmas has come and gone.  

another first five months have come and gone.

there will be more,

of all, i'm sure.

hope your christmas was beautiful and filled with family

and celebration of the birth of our little king who brought salvation to the world.

too good not to

yeah, it's december, and we're all looking forward to christmas.  i know.

these were just too good not to post.

 let's just call this one "peruvian flutist" 

yeah, max' costume was awesome.  

it was his idea and it was up to me to deliver.

i think did.

a happy little caterpillar

indian princess

good times.  there you go, mom.

a christmas carol

i started reading this book with my kids a couple of weeks ago.  it's an abridgment, by charles dickens himself, of his book a christmas carol.  it's not simplified in its language, just shortened (but still long enough that it might take us until christmas to finish), so i've been impressed with how attentive and interested my kids have been.  dickens can be tricky, especially if you're young, so there's been just as much of discussing the plot and language of the book as there has been of reading the book.  

 is this not the perfect story to read to get into the christmas spirit?  i remember my mom reading this to my siblings and me when we were young children.  we'd sit on the floor in her room working on cross stitch projects listening to mom read from her chair in the corner.  sounds very old-fashioned, i know.  sometimes i crave that kind of quiet, simple entertainment that a family can share together.  actually,
it's what i crave more often than not.
                            

    the other night, while listening to the christmas devotional that my church broadcasts every year, president monson mentioned that he rereads this story every year at christmastime.  at the mention of charles dickens and his book my kids immediately perked up and grinned at me, so excited and proud that they knew and were reading the very same book.
                            

the illustrations, by scott cook,  are fabulous, filled with character and life and a bit dark and moody, but it is dickens.  what else would you expect?  reading this every year together might become a new tradition.

today...

i got stuck in my boots. and i mean STUCK.

yes, the online boot description stated,

"for slim calved legs"

and no, i would never describe mine as slim,

but i bought them anyway,

hoping there would be a little bit of wiggle room.

they are so comfy on.

cute, classy, simple, versatile,

BUT

(here is where i've burned a cerebral mental note)

next time i MUST wear tights or knee highs.

you see, the small gap between the top of my socks and the top of my boots,

when slightly moistened by a very feminine dose of sweat,

combined with the aforementioned snugness of the boot,

created a kind of ... ummm... chinese finger TRAP with my leg.

ouch. and i mean OUCH!

pulling, tugging, twisting, whimpering, to no avail.

finally, after pondering taking a pair of scissors to the fine italian leather,

i decided lotion might be a better bet.

even still the boots were stubborn,

but, with devan's help (and reprimands) i was freed.

my calves are still burning, like i've been given two huge indian burns

(remember giving those to your worst enemies in 2nd grade?).

oh, the price we pay for fashion.

i can't get enough...

of this face.

she's four months old

and she's all moved out and got a place of her own...

down the hall.