Life Lately

'Tis the season to completely neglect your blog...fa la la la la...

Here are some highlights of the happenings here at the Coles' since Halloween.

I painted and applied a cute design to our lazy susan.  Crafting doesn't come easy to me, but it sure is rewarding when my project turns out just as I envisioned it.

Our little Elsa and strong army guy at Halloween this year.

The weather was perfect for trick or treating.  Sam wanted to go with his neighborhood friends and Lena with her's, so Rich and I split up and tackled the neighborhood with the kids' chosen trick or treat mates.  It was a fun night!

Sam went to work with me one beautiful fall day to hang out while the teachers were having an in-service day at school.  He loved being downtown and thought my office was cool.  Lol.  I loved having him with me. 

We had a little birthday gathering for Matt at a restaurant near the airport.  Good times with family just can't be beat.

Our last preschool Thanksgiving feast. It made me a little sad at how fast these years are going and so proud at how our kids are growing into awesome little humans.  

We were a little late (for us) this year getting our Christmas decorations up.  But we finally finished on Thursday - Lena added the final touch!

We had an old Christmas wreath whose berries had melted while hanging on our front door at the old house.  I liked the grapevine/pine cone base of it, just needed to get those sad little berries out of there.  So...brace yourselves...I crafted again.  

I cut out all of those melted plastic berries and created the cutest wreath ever!

Just look!  Isn't it beautiful?  I used an idea from pinterest as my guide, because that's how I roll, and was shocked how well it turned out (3 hours later).

I love it!

Thanksgiving at Aunt Nancy's yesterday was so fun!  It's been awhile since we stayed in town for Thanksgiving, so it was extra special.  Spending time with these people, my cousins and aunts and uncles and grandma, well, it was just the best day.  I love my family.  My photos didn't turn out too great, but I did catch a couple of cute moments.

I also had my annual GWA (girls' weekend away) at the beginning of November, but I did not take one photo.  What?  I'm not sure how that happened.  As soon as I snag some from the other girls, I'll post more about that fun weekend.

Hope you're enjoying this holiday season as much as we are!

Wallowing in the Season...

Things have been, as I'm sure they are for every family this time of year, hectic for us since I returned from my road trip. 

We had Lena's preschool Thanksgiving party where all the students dressed up like Pilgrims and Indians and ate goldfish and popcorn (you know, authentic Thanksgiving day fare), then we headed up north for Thanksgiving with Rich's parents, which was super fun and special but far too short.  We threw in a movie on the way home from Chardon and, the next day, had Sam's nearly-a-month-early-monster-themed birthday party. 

 

 

All within a week's time. 

Whew. 

Last weekend we had the Wingers (minus Matt) over for dinner, nearly had simultaneous heart attacks with every man, woman and child in the Columbus area while watching the OSU game, and went to Jack's Christmas pageant at their church, which was adorable and all the kids did so well.  And this week Buddy the Elf came to live with us (the kids are equal parts creeped out and amazed, but either way both are on their best behavior = score!).

This weekend is our annual ride on the Polar Express in Newcomerstown, but we have to come home right after because our kids have their Christmas pageant at church Sunday morning and then will be singing some selections from the pageant later Sunday evening at our church family potluck (my band is also performing at both).

Whew. 

Then it's my birthday, Sam's school holiday concert, Lena's preschool holiday party, Sam's birthday, Christmas in Chardon and then the Kraft family Christmas Eve party at our house complete with grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins, kids, gross amounts of food and a visit from Santa Claus,  culminating with our church's (and the band's) Christmas Eve service. 

Whew whew. 

It seems like a lot as I write it all down.  And some days it feels like a whole lot more when it's mixed with all the other day-to-day stuff going on at work and the kids' schools and our house.  Fitting in quality time with the kids and Rich, making special Christmas memories, finding time to make good meals, buy presents, address cards, write blogs, and work on the rocking chair I dug out of someone's trash, and, and, and...

Sometimes these dizzying days flash by me too quickly to hold onto any of them as tightly as I'd like, to let the true reason for the season fully sink into me.  And my memory is for shit, so next week I'll forget which kid said what tender sweet thing to the other when no one was watching or that special hug Rich gave me when I really needed it or what Pastor Frank said during the sermon that struck me so true. 

But some moments stick.  Some still quiet moments within each day pull at me, remind me, calm me, center me. 

The simple perfection of reading book after book to the kids in a big overstuffed chair in our living room, all snuggled under a blanket, their little faces illuminated by the lights of the Christmas tree beside us.  Thursday lunches with my sister, catching up and laughing and commiserating and eating and connecting and fostering that relationship because, for me, it's one of the most important relationships in my life.  Sinking into the couch beside Rich every night after we put the kids to bed, feeling his quiet love and strength beside me.  The tingling goose bumps I sometimes get when I'm singing with the band, when we're all feeling the song and the holy spirit fills us and everyone in the room with its palpable presence.  The way the morning sun hits the water of the reservoir, throwing silvery white light in every direction...it's so awesome each time I see it that gratitude to God for such beauty consumes me, as do meandering thoughts that include whether that warmth of glistening watery sunlight in any way compares to the light I will surely see when I finally gaze upon His face. 

So yeah, even with my shit memory and our rushed holiday schedule and the speeding up of time as I age (what's with that, by the way?), all is not lost.  Tis the season to be stressed and jolly and crazy and joyful, right?  That's life.  It's up and down and sideways and slantways and longways and backways.  Is it better to have no messes, no noise, no rushing, no stress, no inconveniences, no worries if it means having no friends, no family, no joy, no relationships, no love, no laughter?  Because one doesn't exist without the other. 

Life is messy.  You can either wish it way or wallow in it. 

I'm ashamed to say that sometimes I wish for a day to be over, for a bad day to hurry up and end. 

But today...today I wallow.

November

Like everyone else, things at our house have been a little hectic this holiday season.  Somewhere to go, something to do every weekend since the beginning of November. I'm not going to lie - I've been a bit stressed out.  But it's a good problem to have, really.  All this running around, all these people to visit and things to do...it means we love a lot of people and a lot of people love us.  And that's a beautiful thing.  Making memories for our sweet blue-eyed kids, fun holiday memories full of family and friends and laughter and hugs and kisses...well...it's a tough job, but someone has to do it.  :)

The first of two November happenings I haven't posted yet: putting up our Christmas tree.  The first week of November.  Don't judge us.  We love Christmas.

It was Sam's turn to put the star on this year.

 

After Rich and my weekends away with friends (see His and Her Weekends), we packed up the fam and headed up to Chardon for Thanksgiving at the Coles.

 

 

Much more to come for December's activities, including Polar Express and Sam's birthday party.