Peg people

A new obsession has taken over our home. Peg people from Lee Valley. So far we have made Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf, Granny and the Woodcutter; Octavius, Santa and Joseph in his Technicolour Dreamcoat. We have just received the rest of the backorder. Before painting (or Sharpie-ing), the regiments led by Octavius and Santa have been mowed down by DaVinci's catapult. Things might change once they are painted. But hopefully not.

(I guess the morning's breakfast may have helped.)

on the eve of a new year

Our house is happily peaceful. The children are playing a game, Pieman is searching MLS listings for a new home for his parents, I'm puttering getting ready for our friends to arrive tomorrow afternoon. The Christmas lights are on and there is a fire in the woodstove.

These past couple weeks have been good for us. Christmas, of course, came in the middle of that and we were able to be with family, which was good. We finished school a week before that; I don't think we could have gone on much longer without a break. It's been a stressful few months. Those first few days off we mostly slept and read and ate healthy food. Slowly, I began to have ideas and played with them. Ideas like a new recipe or some decorating. I finished up the gifts I had planned. And then I napped and read a book.

The children were meanwhile showing similar habits. I have been deeply contented to hear their comments of "hey, let's (do, go, try, play)...." It feels like a long time has passed since I've heard that. It has made me sad.

Although Pieman has had to work much of the time we've been larking, he has told me that he feels good and is looking forward to Monday's day off to rest some more. Mind you, his idea of resting often includes running or cycling or some other feat of sweat. To each his own.

All this to say to you,

Happy new year! May this year be full of riches, blessings and good things. May you learn from the hard and be grateful for it all.

"After all," Anne had said to Marilla once, "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string."

I've not been in picture-taking mode for months. Instead, imagine...

...the sound of remote control cars endlessly circling has been the background along with frequent refreshings of our new worship CDs. The kettle has nearly continuously refreshed the teapot with yet another new flavour to be poured into lovely pottery cups just big enough for my hand and small enough to necessitate a refill, again and again--it was the year for tea gifts!
*happy me*

With cold sunny light pouring in the windows and a cozy woodstove within arm's (or back's) reach we have felt little need to venture far. A few walks or runs for the brave, church and gatherings with friends. Christmas weekend has been a haven. Our hearts are full to overflowing with our blessings and we have been challenged to renew the keenness of our awareness of God and our ears to hear him through a more intimate and deliberate relationship with him.

As today leaves thoughts of Christmas behind and turns towards the new year, so my thoughts turn slowly and thoughtfully to the next year and the plans that already start to fill it. I have a window of planning time--a whole week to work at some of those ideas I'd put off till 'later'. Likely 'a whole week' will be not nearly enough time but I hope to not waste it. Yes, it's Christmas holidays and we have friends to visit and turkey to eat. Life's pace is more relaxed though no less full and my mind has time and space to roam and to return refreshed, hopefully with ideas blossoming into concrete plans. I hope as this year unfolds for myself to be gentler with my family, more dependant on God and thus productive in lasting, satisfying ways. Ways that may not be obviously lasting but by their very rightness will be satisfying.

Perhaps my words are leaning towards the philosophical and esoteric. My apologies for the confusion since I am hinting only at my thoughts and not stating them clearly.

Ask about it over a cup of tea someday....

With Christmas and New Year behind us--already--we have settled back into our school routine. Admittedly re-entry has been a little bumpy. It's not helped by my fuzzy cold and sinusy head. A good nap this afternoon was welcome while Pieman took over teaching. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

As for Christmas, well, with the whole family here I was thrilled. A little noisier than is normal at our home but certainly a beautiful time for me. Thank you for coming! BTG wondered why the pappaenate lasted longer than the jam-jams when we had made them first. She hadn't realized I had frozen half of them. She did request new year's cookies today even though new year's is past.

The best part of our school day is by far the read-aloud time. I sit down with a cup of tea or other warm drink, the children grab their 'yarn work' (knitting mostly--it's the year to learn how) and I read. Currently we're reading Walk In My Woods by Margaret Epp (this is the reason BTG requested those new year's cookies) and The Fellowship of the Ring by Tolkien. We read the Hobbit earlier in the school year and the kidlets loved it. I wasn't ready to start the trilogy but I tell you, when my 9-year old begs me to read a book, it's hard to say no!

We finished up our Christmas holidays with a get-together with 3 other families. They came for supper, each bringing more than enough for their portion! They stayed for toboganning, coffee and tea, dessert and more coffee and tea. Much later than is usual at our home on a Saturday evening, the lights were on and the children playing.

I learned much about myself over these holidays. I learned that having a crowd of people here brings me joy. And it really isn't that hard to plan. I learned that our house is much warmer with a crowd of people in it! Another good reason to have parties. I learned that an adult woman is still a daughter and sister but she can 'grow up' and change those habitual ways of relating to family members. I learned that brussel sprouts aren't so bad. (Speaking of growing up.)

But chocolate is still better.