Be Home

good together

Everyday these two become more and more of two peas in a pod. The symphony of personalities meshing into pure fun is a beautiful thing to behold. Some days when I spend all my morning tutoring the older boys I wonder what these two preschoolers could be learning if I had more one on one time with them. But in this past week I have realized that there will always be something more to sit and read or cut and paste, however, learning to be best friends with your family members is worth every moment that imaginary play together can foster.

:: The masterpieces of George and Annika include a family portrait of us at the beach-house and the organizing of our library books just right and then dancing around them with joy!

figure 8

So good to have another older boy in our home. I think 8 years old is official older. Somehow it isn't a number that's celebrated very often as one of the big ones but for Peter it seems pronounced. He started his day with his dad taking him to breakfast. So nice that it fell this year on Andrew's day off so that they weren't waking up for food before the sun! As was the case with George.

Like any good Orlando, he wanted a stop at Starbux - with an order of frappaccino. This was somewhat an eventful idea since we have become baristas of our own right with an in house espresso machine. So it was indeed a treat. (However, I will say that I really tasted very little difference. Andrew knows his way around the machine!)

This is the really big new! Does anyone know how long it's been since Peter has enjoyed a real cake on his birthday? Um...too long. He loved it. Something about the very ordinary boxed cake where you throw in the mix, add a few eggs, and then beat for 2 minutes. And what was my favorite part? Well, when Peter asked if he could lick the beater and bowl and I could said, "Absolutely, the whole thing!"

At the moment when Peter was so amazingly pleased with every gift given, we pulled out just one more! Our faithful bike rider was ready to take his skills to the next level. What's a kid born in January suppose to do? Polish his helmet and anxiously await spring like no other year yet! Of course, that can be said of the father and the son.

$2.00

I've been steadily collecting little girl things from the moment Annika got home. Then we had a birthday and Christmas as a welcomed opportunity to shower her with even more girlie stuff. But what is the one thing that she picks up every single day? What is the one thing that she always asks me where in the house she left them last? What is the one thing I make sure is in my purse if any long waits are in our future?

A Hello K!tty notebook and three (now down to two) Hello K!tty gel pens. A total of two-dollars! $2.00! 

 

 

Annika is a very dedicated writer. She starts from where ever her pen lands and then moves it to the left  in a cursive zig-zag. The whole while she repeats her version of "ABC's" in an adorable sing song. Then comes my turn. Once you've showed her that you can actually write the entire alphabet in capital and lowercase she wants it performed in pink then green, pink then green, pink then green...you get the idea.

b & a :: living room

Let's start something new. Shall we? I have never, ever lived in a home that is this finished. Truth be told, I miss the construction and creativity that goes along with renovations. What's a girl to do then...well this girl is going to reminisce. We all love before and afters. And I would love to compile the picks of all the years work that we currently get to embody in our everyday motions.

Before

:: this is actually the picture for the sale of our house

:: After the hardwoods were installed our "before shots" all took on a face-lift even as we moved in. The wallpaper however, was a nightmare! No primer. Let me say that again. No primer! Needless to say, we skim coated many, many, portions of drywall before this lovely shade of Silver Sage was painted to renew a whole new atmosphere of everyday calm. Ahhhhh.

We love this room. It's the heart of our home. We truly live in our living room. With its fresh white molding, new fireplace slate surround, and substantial ceiling beams it is just about perfect for us. It's cozy in the winter and beach-like in the summer. Happiness dwells in it's wall now instead of 1980's floral. And that's a very good thing!

who's that cutie?

what a handful

George turns five years old. Amazing. I love celebrating every year with this kid. But every year that he gets older reminds me of how fast they fly by. As always, he was absolutely adorable the whole day through.

But where did my little baby boy go?

That's OK, he's still the most cuddlesome kiddo in all the world.

through my eyes: george & annika

Well Christmas is pretty much behind us. The decorations are all packed away and the furniture has been rearranged yet again for who know what reason except that it's a new year. But in spite of the obvious, I must press on for posterity sake and complete my last "through my eyes" series. So consider this a personal journal entry if you are entirely accurate in being oh so done with holiday pictures.

I know that I have mentioned this many times since Annika has come home but I still can't resist the fact of stating that I have "twins" for Christmas. This particular season George and Annika seem like they are years apart instead of months but I have thought from time to time how long it would take for that chasm to diminish in a world of learning and growing together. As of now, these two sit beside me on the couch one learning letters to read and the other learning letters to pronounce. And they both are happy as jaybirds with their progress. So am I!

George is becoming a Lego master in the true footsteps of his brothers. I caught him telling is cousin, very lovingly, the "proper" way to hold his new spaceship as they flew them around the house. He is very matter of fact in any statement that he cares to inform you of, with the added word of "evenly". As in, "evenly, I think the snow is so deep that I would freeze!" The word always proceeds something he has definitely come to a conclusion about such-and-such. He has no problems going along with whatever his two older brothers think should be done. They are "so cool", as we all know. I don't even have to pick out his clothes in the morning hours, he would much prefer the male presence to decide. Not a problem. Besides, I have to focused on how to dress a little girl!

So how did I do? I saw this dress on several blogs and thought why not have some dress-up fun this Christmas season with my little girl! You would think that these things would come naturally, myself being a girl and all, but I really have never thought tights, dress shoes, and bows. Oh, but we all got one very important thing right. As soon as this little girl put on her dress she giggled and twirled and said, "see, see" which meant that she wanted to look in the mirror. Andrew in one moment understood why every girl at some point in life wants to be a princess. Our precious Annika just glowed with radiant beauty and once more we saw a moment that spoke that she knew she was loved. How can a 4 year old say this with her eyes, I don't know, but the tight squeeze that I got in that moment told me my daughter was finally feeling special. From that lingering knowledge it truly was a Merry Christmas.

 

through my eyes: nicholas

Wow, what a difference a year can make! This Christmas season Nicholas has reminded me over and over again of how he has grown and shaped his heart towards such good things. His moments of silly immaturity were no doubt weaved in great waves of fun but along side, like never before, there was also this inward understanding of what it was to dwell in the softness of heart.

I love this phase of being a parent. I look forward with anticipation having solid, God-fearing, loving, teenagers in my home. And that are mine! This is the glimpse I saw this year in Nicholas. This is the evenings of good talks. This is the helpful servant-hood that goes the extra mile. This is the nerdy dancing and ipod wearing - oh, wait... yeah I'm seeing that side of pre-teen stuff too! But I love the endless thank-yous that he just kept on insisting that we were aware of his grateful reception on gifts given. And not only to us but also in his prayers as we closed out our days. Yes, the leap of insisting on prayer times before bed has metamorphosed from simple thanks for the day into deep feelings of sincere love for his moments in life. Nothing could be sweeter from his lips than the open door of his heart.

We did pull out a love of all things Lego once again. Although, it has gone to a whole new level - motorized. It's still beyond me how he loves to sit and figure these creative concoctions but I see his mind working overtime on such productivity I just have to smile.