How Lovely Are Thy Branches

So after my post about different ideas for Christmas trees, I asked Nels what he thought we should do and showed him a couple of alternatives.

We both like all of them, but in the end, wouldn't you know it -- we chose to go get our own tiny tree. :)

It was such a fun day! Hazel had been invited to a birthday party that day, so she opted to miss out on finding the tree with us, but before she needed to be to the party we had time to quickly go take our family Christmas picture all together - which turned out very fun and very cold! :)

SO CUTE! I just love these little Chickies!

After ditching Hazel, we stopped to get some quick grub at Taco Bell and headed down the road.

I was freshly amazed at how beautiful this place is. It is so fun to go driving down some of the back country roads through the mountains. There is a plethora of pines and finding a little, perfectly shaped tree wasn't difficult at all.

By the time we were ready to go grab our little beauty, however, the youngest three had passed out, so it was just me, Nels, and Lilie. It was fun and not nearly so exciting as last year - no sledding, no real trudging :) - but it was calm, beautiful, and really sweet.

It was really fun to have some special time with my Lilie. She was so cute, completely enthralled with the ice crystals that the fog had made all over everything, and totally happy to have the quiet alone time with Mama and Daddy. It was a really great day!

Updating

Hey there friendlies.

I'm going to be spending some time over the next month or so updating some things on my blog that I've missed over the past year . . . What a busy year it has been. I'm thankful that I have my blog in part because I can see patterns in my life that are interesting to me.

One I've found to be true is that when I'm pregnant, I have a hard time wanting to write about what's going on in our lives. Especially in the first half of my pregnancy. As a result, there was a lot from the end of last December to this June that I didn't write about. Then around the time that I started feeling pretty good, Nels was working crazy hours getting ready to Melaleuca's yearly convention, then after that . . . well life pretty much hit the fan. :) So. I'm playing catch up. Not really for you, but for me. When I print my blog, I don't want there to be the gaping holes that there are right now. There are also a couple of spots where I've come across some pictures that Nels took that I never posted. I'm going to add some of those too.

So if your blog reader starts showing crazy posts from a year ago, that's why. Sorry. I guess you'll get a little recap of the past year in our lives. :)

It's a Wonderful Life

What a beautiful day.

So wonderful. I have such a wonderful little family. I have the things that are most important.

I am so blessed.

Today I took a couple of minutes to fill in my calendar for next year with birthdays and school schedules and whatnot. Looking through my calendar from the past year.

Meet up at park with Jandy.
Watch Stef's kids.
Weekend in Bountiful.
Work at the Apple.
Book Fair at Falls Valley Elementary.
Ward party at the Ammon Swimming pool.
Dinner at the Jones's.
Grafs staying at our house for a few days.
Week in Mountain Home with the Chicks.

Looking at our schedule, I couldn't believe how busy this past year was and how much I miss so many good parts of my life.

And then I noticed, intermingled with the fun and the friends, all the times Nels wasn't there with us. Conventions, long weeks or weekends where we only saw glimpses of him. All the trips we took without him (almost all). We missed him, but we'd also been doing it for so long, that it had become kind of normal. Having it be so different now, I can see how much we were missing together as a family. How calm our family feels now.

And I had it confirmed to me again that we are where we need to be. Life has thrown us some fun new learning experiences this year, but man. It's beautiful.

We are together. We are a family. It's just so good.

Today was perfect. I'm so thankful for these years when our kids are little. It was a magical and very happy Christmas.

Dotty Stockings

One project down, three (or ten) more to go!!!

I found this pattern online quite a while ago and I just love it! I haven't gotten Violet's and Clara's done yet, but they'll probably wait until after Christmas. Next year. Right? Here is the LINK to the pattern.

Anywho. I figure I'll post my projects as I have them completed, because it makes me happy to share and I would love some compliments after I've worked so crazy hard on all of them. :) *wink*

By the by, if you are ever interested in learning how to crochet, I came across a great website that has some awesome "lessons." Crochet School by the CraftyMinx

Merry Christmas, Y'all

We had hoped to get these pictures printed and sent out in the mail for Christmas - to bring a little smile - but time and gumption didn't rise to the occasion, so we send each of you our warmest internet wishes from Sandpoint, Idaho! 

What a beautiful time of year.

As this year has sped right along, there have been a lot of changes. Some - the most beautiful and beloved kind - and some - a bit harrowing. With all of the highs and lows that have come our way this year, there is one thing that we have realized very, very clearly:

We have the best friends and most wonderful family in the world.

We have been absolutely overwhelmed with the sweet, sweet relationships that adorn our lives.

Our hearts are full.

Thank you, each of you, for your service. Your smiles. Your tears. Your prayers. Your words of encouragement. For sweet reminders to not take life so seriously sometimes. For meals. For cards. For laughs. For comments. For phone calls and emails and texts. For loving us.

We will never be able to express the supreme gratitude we have in our hearts for you.

We love you. We miss you. You are in our thoughts and in our prayers. Thank you for so often being an answer to our prayers.

Sometimes life looks a little bit unrecognizable, but even then the most important things are there --- namely the love of our Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ. I know that He lives. I know that He loves us. It is so evident in the people that he sends into our lives.

We hope that each of you have such a wonderful Christmas.

We love you!
~The Chicks

The Day the Colors Were Gone

Hey gang, this is Nels doing a guest post! After almost a year and a half (longer than it took to produce In Convenience) I have finally finished our newest family film, "The Day the Colors Were Gone."

The idea was to make a 2010 birthday film for Hazel and Elsie (since there birthdays are only a few days apart).  We shot about half of it in 2010, but due to busyness (and laziness) I didn't finish shooting everything until the end of summer 2011! Even after it was shot, it has still taken me months to put together this simple edit.

With all that being said, I love how it turned out. Rachel told me I had to include some of the behind the scenes footage. Now you can all see how impatient I can be when I'm losing light! We had some fun, and have made a great memory for our family to share. Enjoy!



Big thanks to my big girls for their patience and love. I hope we can keep making fun family flicks like this one. If you have time, watch some of the others on YouTube or Vimeo, and please give them the big thumbs up and a comment or two! Thanks!

– Nels

Violet is FAST!!!

Nels got some new toys in the mail yesterday. This was his first demo.

No wonder I have such a hard time keeping up with her!!!

bits of yarn, fuzz, boogers, and blab

My friend Stefanie keeps asking for pictures of where we're living. I want to do it, but 95% of the time it just feels like a crowded little mess. So. Instead I'll just give you reality.

I've got a hundred different projects going on - trying to finish for Christmas. They're coming along well and I'm pleased with my progress, but as a result the apartment, myself, and my children are a mess.

A mess, I say.

See? Messy.

But what alternative is there?

We've got about 1000 sqft. for seven people. Somehow I can spend my entire day cleaning up after and caring for these seven people -- with little time for anything else. There are not enough hours in the day and enough organization in my brain to be able to sew, crochet, cook, clean, wash, play with, feed, shop, etc. -- for all of everyone. Yes. All of everyone. Don't try to correct me. It's hard to write with someone climbing on you back and yelling in your ear.

Last night I told Nels that the laundry and several other jobs were just going to have to be within his jurisdiction until I get my projects finished. He is amazing and is always happy willing to help. However, it was readily apparent yesterday that if I'm going to dump this on him, I'm going to have to be resigned happy with his limitations as well. He's just no housewife. (Thank goodness, right?!)

This is the way he does laundry. It drives me kind of nuts. But look how much he washed and (sort of) folded last night. Without complaint. :) He's a pretty good fella. :)

Thing 1 and Thing 2 have also been kind of fending for themselves the last little while. It seems as if Linny, Tuck, and Ming-Ming have become close friends and the theme song to "Dinosaur Train" has become the theme song for our lives lately. I have a real love/hate relationship with all of them. Love that they can babysit my kids while I'm actually accomplishing something, but (aside from the whole tv-ness of it) hate the constant sound, noise, and sound and sound and sound of them.

Today as soon as Hazel and Lilie left for school, Elsie started pleading to watch Dinosaur Train. When I told her no, she flung herself onto the couch, covered her head, and started to weep. (oh my goodness, there has been so much weeping in our lives lately!) When I tried to make fun of her distress by taking a picture, she forgot why she was sad.

And instead joined Violet in making their own train.

Choo-Choo!

There are a lot of things lately that I'm trying to decide whether they're absolutely revolting or perfectly perfect.

Like Things that walk and stand all over our books (re-breaking the spine), drawing on miniature pads of paper, ripping spent pieces of paper out and onto the floor, with boogers dripping down to their mouths.

I just can't decide. Gag or smile?

Every time I snuggle my baby, I get partially digested milk dripping down my arm. Every time I hug my children I feel like I'm getting boogers wiped on my shirt (or face). When I decide I'm going to shower today, there never seems to be an opening before 10:00 at night. Sometimes I feel like a dirty burp cloth.

When I tell my daughter that we're not going to watch TV for 8 hours today, she starts weeping and trying to turn it on every time I turn my back . . . over and over and over. Almost like she doesn't understand. -- But I know neither of us are dumb enough to believe that's true. :)

Oh well. Whether they're perfectly gross or grossly perfect, they're all mine. All MINE!!! I sure love them.

Our lives are just a little messy right now. And I am GOING to convince myself that that's okay.

I've got some Christmas presents to finish up and I'm determined to not still be working on them Christmas Eve.

How to Tie a Scarf

Just wanted to share with all of you some of what Nels has been doing here at Coldwater Creek.



Isn't he awesome?! They've got a really great team there and we're excited to be here in Sandpoint.

Amazingly, I haven't even made it to the Coldwater store yet. Can you believe it? It just doesn't seem to be the kind of store that you take 5 kids into the dressing room with you. :) Or I should say WANT to take five kids with you. :) However, I'm determined that I'll get over there in the next few weeks. I've been browsing their scarves online and I think I like this one best.

Source: coldwatercreek.com via Rachel on Pinterest

That's Different . . .

Things being what they are, our Christmas is bound to be a little . . . different this year.

First, seeing as how I am a complete GENIUS, when we went back to Idaho Falls a month ago, I thought, We'll probably be coming back down to I.F. near the end of December. I don't need to take our decorations with us. Incidentally, I gave the same pass to our snow boots. **insert eye-rolling and head shaking here** Stupid. While paying $30 for two flat rate boxes to ship our boots (thank you, Stef!!!) is annoying, it's necessary. However, the same can't be said of my large tote full of Christmas decor. I never really anticipated still being in this three bedroom apartment at Christmas time.

Now, beyond the idiocy of not bringing even one scrap of our traditional trinkets with us, we also have incredibly limited space for a tree -- that isn't in the middle of the room. And then there's the cost involved -- whether fake or live -- for ONE year. Plus it's always a bit exhausting chasing a toddler away from the water for a whole month. Can I get an "AMEN!"?

Anyway. My point. I've been thinking about what kind of alternatives I can come up with to the traditional Christmas tree. I found a couple on Pinterest.

Source: theartofdoingstuff.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Source: pure-deco.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Source: colorcitos.wordpress.com via Rachel on Pinterest

OR. Just maybe, I'll cave in and drag my family up into the mountains with a $5 tree tag and find a little tree that we could put on the end table . . .

Source: designmom.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Which do you like best?

Also, do you have any favorite DIY ornaments? I suppose in years to come, it will be fun to have some fun little ornaments to commemorate this "unusual" Christmas. :)

Christmastime in the City

Today my big girls and I took a trip to Coeur d'Alene to do some Christmas shopping. I wish that we'd been able to spend more time there. That city is always pretty, but especially gorgeous at Christmastime. Lots of lights and novelty shops - right next to the lake. So fun!

Spent most of our time at this store -- Figpickles Toy Emporium -- looking for presents for their younger sisters. Fun. Fun. I love specialty toy stores. Afterward we walked to the bakery to get Christmas cupcakes for the girls and a chocolate croissant for yours truly. Yum. Especially with hot chocolate on the side.

Such a fun day with my two ladies - that are too quickly growing up.