melted smoosh

as the years fly by, I find myself appreciating traditions all the more. pandemics and politics have made the world feel hostile and unpredictable; my own expectations for keeping a tidy house and staying in good shape are often torpedoed by the reality of life with four young kids; inflation and our day-to-day expenses (predominantly educating and caring for those four kids!) have shot up so that now, decades into our respective careers, our disposable income is less than it was when we first started working.  and yet, at Christmas time, all of those gripes and discontents fall by the wayside. I spend the day of Christmas Eve in the kitchen, playing vocal and instrumental CDs recorded years ago by my siblings to share with extended family in the days before Facebook, chopping vegetables and making Christmas cookies just as I did as a child. Christmas Eve dinner will always be clam chowder with rolls (as a kid, we always had Grands buttermilk biscuits; my kids now prefer crescent r...

three months later as I think back to December, my general memory is of chaos and the desperate effort to keep all the balls in the air (school, work, house upkeep, activities) ... and yet, looking back on my December camera roll, the vibe is so full of joy and sweet moments! while that doesn't negate the busy pace of the season, it just confirms for me again why I take these pictures and why I document them here. it reminds me of that classic analogy of looking at the underside of a tapestry. our first perception is the mess of tangled threads and knots without a discernible pattern; looking back, we see a beautiful picture emerge of abundance.  crumbs on the floor, potty accidents, sickness, and scheduling snafus notwithstanding, I am so grateful for this season of life where all of my ducklings are still under my roof!  1) Advent preparations. promptly on December 1, we took the Old Family Truckster out to a nearby tree sale that benefits a local high school marching band. ...