Remembering Christmas

As I look back on the past week or so, I think:  people.
We traveled a few times.  Some of the kids and I went to see my grandmothers.
We all spent Christmas Eve and Day at my parents with my brother and his family.
We had the weekend with Brian's family, both here and in Damascus where there were lots of aunts and uncles and cousins.
There is a richness in our family that I don't want to take lightly.

As we got closer to my grandma's house in the mountains of North Carolina, I could not help but let my mind wonder to when I was little.  And do you know what my heart rests on?   It's not the presents. It's the people, of course. 

*Grandma Lucy and Mom in the kitchen cooking for what seemed like all day Christmas Eve.  Opening the screens on the doors, even though is was freezing outside, because the windows were fogging up- it got so hot in there! 
                  Cooking + a wood stove in the basement + lots of people= Toasty!
*It always seemed that someone- one of Grandma's brothers or nephews or nieces- was popping in to say "Merry Christmas" and maybe stay for a while.
*Us kids walking up and down that road by ourselves to see great-aunts and uncles.  Their homes were also warm and they always had candy.  I think we had four, maybe five, houses to visit.
*Christmas morning: up early!  And tearing into presents while Papa and Grandma watched with a cup of coffee in their hand.
Then...
*Pulling into Papa and Grandma Crouse's driveway on Christmas Day.  In my mind I can always see Grandma at her kitchen window working on another big meal for all of us.
*Uncle Dennis carved the turkey with an electric knife- for some reason that fascinated me.
*Grandma always had her radio on and though it played many songs, "Star of Bethlehem" will always be what I remember hearing in her kitchen.
*Opening gifts one at a time so we could see what everyone got.
*Papa Crouse always had apples- sometimes a basketful.

Those are some of the bits and pieces that stir up a bittersweetness in my heart.  Those folks that have gone on- I miss them terribly at Christmas especially.  In some ways I'd love a quick taste of it all again.  I'm so thankful for that gift.

I wonder- what will our kids remember?  What will be special to them when they look back?

Christmas Baking

Baking plus a cloudy, cold day plus candles and Christmas music makes for my kind of day.  Kids have been in and out of the kitchen- I'm glad they like to help.  Much of our baking will be used as gifts but we enjoy snacking on it, too.  We've made several pans of gingerbread lately, pretzel treats and mom's Lemon Cranberry bread.  Some of our favorite Christmas recipes are here.

We dipped soft peppermint sticks in melted chocolate.  Probably the most fun for kids and certainly easy.

Last week we made a batch of these Oatmeal Fudge bars and gave most of it away.  Today Sam helped make another batch.  Maybe I should say I helped- he did most of the work.

Have you made the Muddy Buddies recipe off of a Chex cereal box?

  Addictive.  

It calls for peanut butter so we substituted soy butter.

And as an added bonus, I received this in the mail from

Amy at Hope Is the Word.  Her blog is full of book reviews.  Love it!  She also hosts Read Aloud Thursdays, which I occasionally link up to.  This is the first blog giveaway I've won.  Thanks Amy!

Around the House and a Few Books

It is still silent in our house except for the tapping of this keyboard.

The tree lights are on but other than that it is dark.  I kind of crave this bit of time lately.  We'll just say the kids are getting a wee bit excited about Christmas and not too interested in school.  So the older two have a couple of loose ends to tie up today and then it's Christmas break!  There's a little baking and delivering of treats to do so it should be a fun day.  Then tonight the boys and I are headed to the Steven Curtis Chapman/Third Day concert in Roanoke.  First concert and Jack especially is excited!!  We were given tickets and are grateful for them.

*On another note, it seems we have Christmas birds.  Most mornings we find them in the garage.  Once, a bird nearly flew into my head- that was one of my first clues that we had visitors.  Another time Kayla was looking out the living room window and announced ,"There are birds in the garage!"  Not quite sure how they are getting in.  Did they just forget to fly south?

*In my book stack lately:

Home and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson   I just love these books.  She draws me in these lives!  I feel the tension between what's in Ames' heart and what he knows to be right and they aren't always the same.  He, and other characters, are so torn.  Can we not relate to that??

I was given a book called Letters to Pastor's Wives and it is excellent.  Different pastor's wives wrote letters on various subjects and the wisdom they have gained from their experience is beautiful.  Even if you aren't a "ministry wife" I think you would glean greatly from it.

I am Half Sick of Shadows, a Flavia De Luce mystery by Alan Bradley is next.  She's an 11 year old sleuth in 1950s England.  This novel takes place around Christmas.  

Finally, for advent readings I always pick up Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, edited by Nancy Guthrie.  She chose selections across the ages: Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon, Augustine, John Piper, Tim Keller, etc...  Each one ministers to my heart and brings it far past the busyness and sometimes frenzy of the season and back to a broken, needy world that was given a most holy, humble and beautiful gift.

A Big Step

Tonight marked a significant step in the life of the little church plant we call Providence Presbyterian.
We elected elders and deacons.
We officially called Brian as the pastor of PPC, instead of the planting pastor.  (I think those are the right words.)
And the church voted to petition the presbytery to allow us to "particularize" or become our own church and no longer a mission church.
If all goes well, our church will particularize March 1.
Wow.
I have to say it is humbling to see all God has done in His church.  It seems to me that there has been beautiful and sometimes painful growth flowing throughout this body.  Those two things often go together, don't they?
It also seems to me that PPC is a community of grace.  Not perfect people doing everything right but imperfect people seeking to love and encourage  and serve each other.  I really love that ministry happens across the board.  Brian and I are neither the best at nor the only ones pursuing  hospitality, service, or anything else.  It's the church learning, failing, forgiving, growing, loving.
We are grateful for it all.

Lucy Turns 5

 

So the baby of the family turned 5 yesterday.

Sigh.  This morning she looked at me with huge eyes when I picked her up and said, "Mommy!!  You can still hold me even though I'm5!"

I think she had a great day.  We had a little party in the morning complete with a gingerbread man cake that ran away and left clues for us all around the house!

Sam loved being able to read the clues.

 

 

We found the little guy back in the dining room and ate him up before he could get away again.  You could see on the littlest one's faces that they kind of knew this couldn't be real and yet they weren't convinced that it wasn't either.  Cute.

We had a taco dinner with Granny and Granpa.  

We do love this little girl.  She is super sweet and affectionate, giving multiple hugs and kisses all day.  Don't be fooled though.  She has spunk to rival us all.  She prefers camo and superheros to pink and princesses.  She likes trying out accents- especially a British one lately.  Her dance moves are pretty interesting, and Kayla says she's crazy.  She asked for a trampoline, a hot tub, and a debit card for her birthday.  (She didn't get any of those!)  She still likes to go off and play by herself for long stretches.  Fruit continues to be a favorite with her- clementines in particular.  She might be little but her personality is big and we are so thankful for our Lucy.

Playing Catch Up!

*Hope your Thanksgiving was full of gratitude!  Really, both that day and every day.
We spent the day at my Grandma Lucy's.  Mom and Dad were there along with mom's sister.  Of course there was plenty of delicious food.  Even snow.  Very picturesque!

*Last night I had a chance to go to the Virginia Tech/UVA football game.  Super fun and super cold!  I think it was something like 28 degrees at kickoff.  Brrr.... 

*The kids are itching to decorate for Christmas so I let them pull out a few things.  I'm noticing more and more that Kayla is so capable and willing to take on some of these tasks.  She put up the greenery on the stair rail and helped the younger two hang stockings.  She also baked cut-out sugar cookies yesterday- start to finish.  I love that because as much as I like the idea of cutting out cookies and decorating them, I don't really enjoy the process.  But she does!

*Tonight I told Sam he was so loveable.  He asked what that meant and I told him a few things.  Then he said, "So basically I'm easy to love."  Aaahhhh...yes.  That's exactly what it means.

 

Since I am so very far behind on posting pictures I think I'll add a few here and there.  This one is from sometime this summer when the boys rode bikes and I ran.

Kayla got to go to a VT game back in October.  It was just a bit warmer then!  Jack's been to two games but doesn't always like to have his picture taken...

 

This picture is so Sam.  The girls covered him up in pine needles and he came out like a monster.

The guys took their annual trip to the Raptor Observatory in September or October- can't remember which!

This is pretty much how Sam starts most mornings although now he wears a robe and slippers.

Lucy in all  her cuteness.

Kayla giving Sammy a spelling test.

 

Snuggling up with Daddy.

 

These two found a snake in the road one morning and shoveled into a pencil box.  Fortunately it was already dead.  They were so proud.  We had to keep it all day before they finally buried it.

 

Kayla really wanted to be a bridesmaid for Halloween.  She borrowed a dress and had so much fun getting ready.  However.  Halloween was cold and rainy so she decided to change costumes right after pictures.   

Don't Forget to Read to the Kids!

One day last week I walked into the kitchen and it was 10:00.  

I  thought to myself- we haven't done a thing yet.  The day is getting away from us.

And then I remembered- we had been reading.  Together in the living room.

That's our usual routine- to read aloud in the morning after we do Bible reading and prayer.  

I had called it unimportant that day- as if reading together had somehow not counted.

I'm struck by how easily reading can get pushed to the side in favor of "more pressing" tasks: math, picking up, doing laundry, washing dishes, etc...  

I'm finally understanding that age old advice people give you- "the laundry will still be there..."

That used to drive me crazy!  The laundry has to get done!  So do other chores.

But here's the thing- I will not always have time to spend with these guys when they are young. I will wish I had spent more time chatting with them, coloring, exploring.  

I will not regret the time we spent reading together.

So what is it about read-aloud times that is so important?  Even with the oldest kids?  (And they are always in on it, too!)

*It's family time.  Away from the tv and the store and whatever else can pull families in different directions.  Together in comfy chairs, spread out on the floor.  Sometimes with blankets, sometimes with a snack.  It's all of us hearing the same story, laughing, talking about the same characters, the same events.  I especially like being able to tackle and discuss tough issues together.

*It's language.  Strong words and details and ideas that the littlest can't read yet and the oldest might skim past.  It's pouring in all that good vocabulary and structure so that it becomes familiar and one day will be used.

*It's memories.  I still remember my mom reading A Wrinkle in Time to me.  Jack and Kayla will always remember their dad reading  the Harry Potter books to them.  I hope Sam and Lucy will remember snuggling up before bed and reading Henry and Mudge and Earl the Squirrel and The Peterkin's and whatever else we got into.

So get those kids- even the ones who can read on their own- and settle in this chilly night with a good book.

Here are some of our favorite read-aloud chapter books over the years:

Little House series

The Family Under the Bridge

Rabbit Hill

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Johnny Tremain (current)

Carry on Mr. Bowditch

The Phantom Tollbooth

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Strawberry Girl

The Railway Children

The Saturdays

.

We keep finding her-just like this

 and this

and this.

Sweetness.

Hmmm...

Yesterday was such a nice day.
The guys all went back to Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory for the day.  They saw bald eagles, falcons. Even found a rock full of fossilized worm trails.
The girls and I picked up a little then went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  Kayla did a little school work.  I planned for Thursday's Essentials class.
We made homemade bread.  The girls made brownies.
The house stayed somewhat clean.
All grace.
All undeserved by me and yet given freely. 
Today was back to normal.
School all day.
Some good parts.  Some, not so much.  Yesterday was more fun!
Latin+Jack+me=Frustration
The house is messy.  Again.  How does that happen so fast??
I feel worn out.
Is there still grace?
Absolutely.
Sometimes I look for all the pleasant, fun things in our day and say I am thankful.  As I should be.
When those "good" things are harder to find,  my attitude gets less than thankful.  Demanding maybe?  Full of self-pity?  Defeated?
Maybe the grace in the harder days is the call to look and find those gifts that are still there.  The reminder that I alone am not sufficient but His grace is.  The truth that His strength is made perfect in my weakness.  That persevering and getting over those humps and hurdles in the day is worthwhile- maybe even more worthwhile than sailing through a smooth day.
Would I say today has been "such a nice day?"  Hmmm...
But it's a good day.
Full of more grace.  Still undeserved by me but freely given.
And let me not forget- all the laughing this morning.  The silence as we finished the last chapter of Shiloh.  Brownies for snack.   A 12 year old who doesn't like Latin but enjoys geography.  A 10 year-old who loves to write and does it independently.  A 7 and 4 year-old who played for over an hour this morning without a single harsh word.  A husband who smiles and encouraged me to press on. 
Grace.

Big Daddy's Passing

Brian's granddad passed away last week, on the 10th of September, at the age of 91.
He lived nearly all his life in the small town of Damascus, Virginia, also known as the Friendliest Town on the [Appalachian] Trail. 64 of those years were with his wife, known as Nana to many.  He was the last of 12 children.

 

Describing Big Daddy is not an easy task.  At his funeral service, all four of his grandchildren paid tribute to him, each differently, all appropriately.  He loved to kiss the ladies and holler at the men.  He was generous with his grandkids and great-grandkids.  His hugs gave the term "bear hug" a new meaning.  He had his sayings, like "always tell the truth and you'll never have to remember what you said."  His devotion to his town was evident in the long list of service, not the least of which was a 44 year stint as the town Santa. 

Over the last few days, I have been struck once again not only by how the loss of such a man touches his family, but also how it changes a community.  Especially a small one.  I remember that feeling when my grandfathers passed away.  It's as if the lens is pulled back for a short time.

There is something noble, good,  and now fleeting about truly living in a place.  Doing life with a community.  Being a part of something bigger than yourself.  Knowing the longevity of building a life somewhere and sticking it out.  What richness that breeds and I fear we are losing it. 

I am thankful for Big Daddy's life and his care for our family.  

I am thankful to have watched as a man lived and died in a community he knew and loved.  He will not be soon forgotten.

And I am thankful that he is at rest after a long and full life.

His obituary is here.

Back to School

Here we are one week into the new school year- a bit modified at this point but school all the same.
If I am honest, I will say some days I love this homeschooling thing.  Other days I am pretty sure we have lost our minds.  Time will tell!

Jack is beginning Classical Conversations'  Challenge program.  A challenge it will be.  It's a lot of work and I am excited for him.  I think it will be a year of great growth for him.
The rest of us get back to CC in two weeks.  I am tutoring Essentials this year, which is the grammar and writing program.  I am super excited about this.  We have benefited so much from our three years in Essentials, and I am looking forward to helping other families along the way.

We are not completely out of summer mode yet, though.  I just can't do it.  We have hit the pool in the afternoons when the weather cooperates.  We went to a VT pre-season soccer game one evening- Go Hokies!  There has still been time to play with friends and read on the porch. 

For this particular evening, it's blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream for dessert.  A little reading and then off to bed.
Have a good night!

Linking up to Read Aloud Thursday

I think I have a good one for you.

I can't remember where I saw this title but I put Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord on hold at our library.  While we didn't read it aloud, three of us finished it in less than a week.

 

From my 12 year old boy: "Mom, you have to read this.  It's a touching story."  

From my 10 year old girl: "I want my own copy and I really hope there will be a sequel."

The jacket summary begins like this:

"Lucy's family has just moved to an old house on a New Hampshire lake, and her dad, a famous photographer, is already leaving on another business trip....  As she seeks out the perfect subjects for her photos, Lucy gets to know Nate, the boy living in the cottage next door.  He's been coming to the lake to stay with his grandmother every summer since he was a baby."

There's lots to love about this story and it all works so well together.

        Kids working out friendships.  Family (and neighbors) caring for a grandmother.  Working hard at a hobby and using it for good.  Thoughtful decisions.  Learning about birds on a lake.  Summer!

And so, from me:  "Two thumbs up.  It is well worth your time."

Linking up to Read Aloud Thursday.  Take a look!

Welcome, Ethan!

Our newest nephew was born on the night of the 28th.  10 pounds 7 ounces!!  He brought a little excitement with him and was taken to UNC- Chapel Hill by ambulance but is doing fine now and going home to his brothers and sister today.  Let's hope things are calm for a while for his Mom and Dad's sake! 
Congratulations Jeff and Catrina, Jonathan, Grace, and Elijah!  We love you all!

Ethan Ennis

OBX 2014- The Place

I like to divide our beach pictures into two groups: one of the people, one of the place.  I'm starting with the place because there aren't quite as many and I clearly am slow at blogging this summer...

Waaayyy back in early June we set out for Southern Shores on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  I am convinced (or at least hopeful!)  there will be beautiful beaches when God makes the new heavens and new earth and I will be allowed to enjoy them forever! 

Starting with two of my favorites.

If I'm remembering right, there had been a few storms blow through on our last night.  Then the clouds began to clear and voila!  Beautiful!

The sun sets over the sound near Jockey's Ridge State Park.

 
Brian's dad has a four-wheel drive so one afternoon we took it north to Corolla where you can drive on the beach.  We saw a few wild horses.

Can you tell how smooth and flat the sand is?  

The sky darkened and I loved how it looked.

On the way back up the beach it started raining and those of us in the back of the truck got a little wet.  Just adds to the experience, right?

Here's our view from the back of the beach house.  These are our steps off the deck/porch/whatever you call it.

And a few more:

Keeping It Real

Tonight-
"Lord, help me sleep good tonight.  And....I pray for everything else I would have said after that.  Amen."
That's Sam, keeping it real.

Yesterday-
"Mom, do I have a twin?  Sammy says I have a twin."  No, Lucy, I am sure you do not have a twin.

Big Week for Sam

Hello??  Anybody still out there, reading this blog?  Haha.  It has been a while.  I'm getting so behind in updating but thanks to a nudge from my friend Erica, here goes.
I have beach pictures, visit -with- my- parents pictures, camp pictures, pool pictures, and whatever else I've neglected!
For now, I'll start with a milestone for Samuel.  Last week, he checked out a Magic Tree House book from the library.  We weren't sure if he was ready for chapter books but he wanted to try. 

He wanted to read through dinner- I think he's ready!

There are many things I hope to instill in our kids and one of them is a love of reading.  I love to see them enjoying good books.  My heart was so full to see him so excited.

Reading his second book during the older kids' swim practice

And, if you can read books on your own, then you need your own library card.

Sam got his this week- he was so happy!

Done!

For better or worse,
We.
Are.
Done.
6th grade.  Check
4th grade.  Check
1st grade.  Check
Preschool  Check
Sammy finished his testing this morning (whew!), right before Lucy's last day of preschool program.  Strangely, I don't feel quite the relief I thought I would.  There's so much I would love to get done this summer but really, I think right now is a good time to just breathe....
Tonight- we celebrate!  Spaghetti for dinner (probably the one dish I know everyone likes).  Kayla won an ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery when she came in second place for the Walk for Life, so guess what's for dessert??  It is full of chocolate, just the way she likes it.

 
I think it has oreos, chocolate chips, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cake, and cookie dough. Wow.

The little preschoolers put on their clown noses and sang circus songs for us.

It was pretty funny to watch the noses pop off and roll away as the kids sang.  

The teachers did a little "graduation" for kids who won't be back to preschool next year.  Lucy is right in the middle of her best buddies- Bryson, Brock, and Dylan.

I got a little teary.

Ms. Lisa and Ms. Jo were wonderful teachers with just the right blend of love and firmness in their approach to the kids.  So thankful for them.  They took a minute to say something about each child.  Here's what they said about our Lucy:

"We will miss your gentle nature and your sweet personality.  You have been a great friend to others and a perfect role model as well.  We have been so pleased to have you in our preschool!"