Merry Mayhem

our winter solstice included a lot of cozy hanging out, just enjoying being together playing and laughing and cuddling.

lucy and daddy did stretches together.

this is what mornings in our house usually look like. darin gets up with the baby to let me catch a little more shut eye and they entertain themselves for a couple hours.

when daddy gets her dressed she usually ends up in something a little more boyish, thus the added touch of girly headband thrown in by momma. 

b.o.o.t.d = vintage little deer sweatshirt that my brothers wore, booties that my brothers wore, red onesie from old navy, and pants, thrifted. headband from nana. it was a cozy solstice outfit and she wore it from 9 a.m to 10 pm without any wetting through, throw up or spills, hooray!

in the evening we headed over to jorden and becky's house for a warm gathering and some feasting.

veggie enchiladas, quinoa, salad, homemade salsa, spanish rice, bread, goat cheese, and garlic olive oil....believe me there were seconds on my plate...

any day now...we welcome a sweet new tiny friend...

so fun to watch our little community grow together. i love these guys all so much. it was the perfect way to spend part of the longest night of the year.

we came home and before darin and i put lucy to bed we sang her this solstice song, to the tune of silent night:

Silent night, solstice night.

Quiet rest, dim the light.

Turning ever the rolling wheel

Brings the winter to comfort and heal.

Rest your spirit in peace.

Rest your spirit in peace.

Silent night, solstice night

All is calm, all is right.

Nature slumbers in forest and glen

Filling streams as she wakens again

Sleeping spirits grow strong.

Sleeping spirits grow strong.

Silent night, solstice night.

Silver moon, shining bright

Snowfall blankets the slumbering earth,

Yule fires welcome the sun's rebirth.

Hark the light is reborn!

Hark the light is reborn!

and then today, guess who's in town?! my brother's family came across the long icy roads from utah to be with us for christmas. 

i promptly put the kids to work decorating the sugar cookies i'd baked...

they dug right in and were quite proud of their handiwork.

nana helped too.

yay!!! bella is everything you could dream of in a cousin. she is incredibly natural with babies and held and bounced and entertained lucy like a pro.

she gets that pure baby love from her mama!

orion was more interested in the cats. ferny was the only one who'd put up with him, here they are "holding hands." he was very pleased with this picture.

the kids were so excited about all those presents. i let them sort them and rearrange them; i remember that feeling so well.  they made little piles of their own and then redistributed them to keep the randomness since it's part of the fun. just two more days to wait!

and so the true merriment begins....we're surrounded with fun, love and happiness.

i could not be more in love with christmas this year. 

hope you guys are all having a blast with all your holiday festivities. 

i wish i could have sent a card to every one of you, so consider this my blessing and wish for you: peace, wild joy, love and magic this bright and beautiful winter season.