And a Homey New Year

Our home in Kansas, right after we bought it.

To be honest with you, I haven't even thought about new years resolutions. I really like the idea of making resolutions, I just tend to do it more randomly at completely arbitrary times of the year. I think I tend to make them on my birthday, which I think is completely reasonable. But, there is one thing I want to get accomplished this year. Just one little thing, pretty please:
To Buy a House. I am dying to own my own home again. I've ranted about this before and poor Jared is getting fatigued from me constantly dragging him to the computer to look at my latest dream home. But I want one so bad it hurts.
Here are the qualifications:
The MUSTS
Must be bargained priced for a less than modest budget.
Must have character.
Must not be within the realms of a HOA. (no offense, it's just not my thing)
Must have 4 bedrooms.
Must have workable kitchen, lots of cabinets, lots of counter space.
Must have good sized backyard. With grass or the option for grass.
Good plumbing. I don't like faulty plumbing.

Preferred:
Large, mature shade trees. One in the backyard would be ideal for a treehouse.
Nice back porch or possibility for back porch for entertaining.
Close to the arts. Close to a downtown area.
If not close to a downtown area, on horse property. (maybe someday)

I do not have a problem with a "fixer-upper." I actually prefer it. It is SO MUCH FUN. We fixed up our home in Kansas and I loved it. I love seeing the transformation, (even if it is slow). It's magic, plus it reflects our style more.

I am hoping to be able to have our annual Christmas dinner in our own home next year. That sounds like a good enough resolution to me.

Christmas Morning:
Hudson woke up screaming at 3:15-ish. He is teething? Has an earache? Has a cold?
Ella woke up at 3:30, Jared sent her back to bed.
Hudson continues his crying and does not go back to sleep until 5:30
Girls wake up at 7:00. We go out and wait for Hudson to wake up so we can open the presents. Have you ever seen two girls waiting to open their presents. . . they were good sports.
Hudson is up at 7:30-ish.
Presents are opened. We open them one at a time, taking turns to make it last as long as possible.
Everyone is delighted. Santa, aka Grandparents, were too good to us this year.

Rory with her new baby, Hudson being Hudson. (climbing)

Rory's new shoes, Mama's new shoes.

Sweet Ella with her new Wall-E (who Jared had to search the whole house for last night so that she could go to bed) and her beautiful handmade blanket from Grandma.

Hudson and Rory's blankets. They are just amazing.

Hudson's stash, Rory with her baby. I bet you can't guess what Rory wants to wear EVERY day now. . .

Ella's favorite gift, an American Girl horse she named Flower Beauty. (after Black Beauty) Rory and her Easy Bake Oven. She is in domestic heaven. Yesterday Ella said to me, "Mommy, I decided what I want to be when I get bigger, like when I'm 5."
Me: What's that?
Ella: A Real Cowgirl.
Rory: AND I want to be a MOMMY cause I like Babies A LOT!

Hudson and the slinky. Maybe those Reese's cups will last Jared a while. . .

Ella's new Easel and my new reads. (from Jared)

Pucker, up Daddy!
Here is what santa said in the note he left:
Dearest Ella, Rory, and Hudson,
You've been very good this year, you are some very special children. Be sure to remember Jesus this Christmas Day. Love, Santa
P.S. Thanks for the vegetables. . .ho ho ho!
(Ella insisted on giving Santa vegetables. Apparently she wants him to stay healthy!)

It was a lovely Christmas eve.

This year I wanted to start a new tradition. I, along with many of you, I'm sure, get FED UP with the commercialization & materialistic-ness of Christmas, so I decided to do something different.

Jared made a middle-east feast. We had to substitute cheddar for the feta, because I forgot to get some, but it was still delish and very Mediterranean. Next year, we are going to do a little more research to make it even more authentic.

Yum! Lentils, hummus, couscous, bell peppers, and yogurt. All wrapped up some garlic flatbread.

I made a traditional Jewish Apple cake (usually made at passover). It is custom not to eat dairy and meat in the same meal, so this dessert has no dairy in it. (not that it matters for us, anyways, since we don't eat meat) It was delicious.

The Nativity play. We praticed and everything. It was sweet, and the girls loved it, of course. I was the narrator, Ella was the angel, Rory was Mary, Jared was Joseph, Mad-baby (rory's baby) was Jesus, and my brothers were the shepherds.
We wrote our gifts to baby Jesus on pieces of paper and put them in a box. Here are the childrens:

Ella's: Be nice to everyone and say hi to them.
Rory: Take care of my baby brother and be really nice to him.
Hudson: Learn to walk and talk and give mommy lots of smooches. (okay, so I may have helped Hudson a little on his. . .)

We finished the night by opening gifts with my parents and brothers, drinking hot chocolate with home-made peppermint marshmallows (probably NOT kosher). Then we drew names and everyone had to say something that they loved about the person whose name they drew. Can I just tell you (again) how much I love my family??!! It would have been even more perfect if Jared's family was here with us, too. Uncle Brett is up in Utah in a rehabilitation program. We missed him, but we are glad he is CHOOSING to get better. He is taking care of horses and enjoying the beautiful mountains and snow. Our love and prayers are with him everyday.

This image is blurry, but I drew this for my dad and gave it to him Christmas eve. It is his mother, I wanted to draw her at the age she was when he was growing up. I also drew something for my mother, but didn't take a picture of it. Next year I am going to do handmade, but not HOME-made gifts. They are special, but I was stressing out a little. Be sure to remind me of this come Fall, cause I'm likely to forget.

Stay tuned for some Christmas Day action!!

Going on a run

"The Shoes"

Ella and Rory got some "running" shoes for Christmas, so of course they had to join Jared and I on our morning runs. They went with Jared first, and then Ella went with me around the block.

She's all set with her Royal Tenenbaum headband.

Hudson's first steps

The little stinker took his first steps on Christmas Eve eve, delighting us all. Everyone in the family was cheering him on. He hasn't taken very many other steps since. He must not have liked our repetitive clapping and chanting.

More posts to come on our Christmas week!!

Happy Christmas!

Hope you all have a magical Christmas,
with lots of brotherly (or sisterly) love,


kissing under the mistletoe,


and turns on Santa's lap.

Much love to you and yours!!

Or at least she thinks so. . .

I'm a big girl now

I wanna be handled like a big girl now

I'm tired of being babied like a kid of three

I'm tired of having chaperones to follow me

I wanna have some secrets in my diary

I'm a big girl now

(But she'll always be my baby.)

***lyrics from 1940's Sammy Kaye song, and rory's post was Funny Face by Gershwin.

I love your funny face

Your sunny, funny face.

For you're a cutie

With more than beauty.

You've got a lot of

per-son-a-li-ty

You fill the air with smiles

For miles and miles and miles.

I LOVE love Love you, Rory!

Rain is like gold. . .

. . . here in Arizona, anyways. It has been lovely here lately. Chilly, rainy, wintry in general. Days like these make me feel so cozy in my home.
The girls think it is just great. Hudson thinks it's just great, for that matter.
"Can we use the under-ella, mommy?!" (under-ella= umbrella)
"Can we wear our boots so we can splash in the puddles, mommy?!"
"Can we go for a walk in the rain?! PLEASE MOMMY?!"

And how can I resist, like I said, rain is like gold here.

Two girls, trying to share one under-ella, however, is not always like gold.

"SHE'S PULLING IT THE WRONG WAY, MOMMY!"

"The rain is getting on me, stop pulling it the wrong way!!!"
Ah, rainy days. Brings out the best in all of us.