It WAS the most wonderful time of the year!

Alas, the Christmas season is coming to an end, but what a holiday it was this year! So many smiles, so many looks of wonder, so much joy! Here are my favorite memories from this Christmas...

Mason insisted on going to bed every night with his Santa hat on. No exceptions. If he woke up during the night for some water or because of a bad dream, we had to replace his Santa hat in order for him to fall back asleep. Christmas night was the final night of sleeping with the Santa hat on, and now it is retired until next year!

One of Harper's biggest Christmas wishes was to attend the Pacific Northwest Ballet's rendition of the Nutcracker. Not only was it her dream to see the ballet, but her Opa must accompany her! The ballet is not one of my dad's favorite pasttimes, but all it took was Harper asking him to go for him to readily say yes. We almost didn't make it due to the freak snowstorm that bombarded Seattle, but we plowed through the ice and snow and made it there, and even got better seats due to the lack of attendance! I loved looking over at Harper and her Opa swaying to the music and just enjoying one another's company.

Mason and Harper both loved singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" over and over and over and over again! However, they slightly changed the lyrics... "He knows if you are sleeping, he knows if you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for Jesus' sake!" Perhaps they combined Christmas carols with lyrics to Sunday school songs?

And Georgia... our sweet baby Georgia... how she loved all things Christmas! Mason and Harper were both terrified of Santa at her age, but she ran full speed for Santa and leaped into his lap for her chance to tell him that she hoped he'd bring her a "bee-bee" (baby) on Christmas morning. She sang to all of the Christmas carols in baby gibberish, she ate vast amounts of uncooked cookie dough, she hung ornaments around the bottom rim of the tree... She stood in awe on the front porch with her daddy at 10:30 on the night of the first snowfall this year, and her eyes just glowed as she reached toward the sky and tried to catch the tiny flakes. I think she is just as sad as I am to say goodbye to Christmas.

A wonderful time was had this year by all. Now, only 359 days until next Christmas!

Just Hear Those Sleigh Bells Ring-a-ling...

My, the holiday fun we've been having! I guess that is my excuse for why I have been slacking off when it comes to writing. This year, all 3 kids are old enough to be involved and excited about the Christmas season. We went to a Christmas tree farm the Saturday after Thanksgiving... after 5 years of living in the Northwest, I still can't get over how scenic a trip to choose a Christmas tree can be! Mountains in the background, evergreens all around, bridges over streams...definitely better than a trip to the local Home Depot. Mason and Harper loved helping Gareth saw down the tree, and Georgia was a trooper riding on Gareth's back. So far, we've had "slumber parties" every weekend since Thanksgiving and have watched "The Grinch," "Rudolph," "Charlie Brown's Christmas," and "The Polar Express." More to come, I'm sure. This weekend we're planning on experiencing Christmastime in the city-- the mall downtown is 5 stories high, and they have a snowfall (soap foam--but it really does look like snow!) every night at 6 while they play Christmas carols and kids scream in excitement. We may also check out ice skating and the carousel. I will make every attempt to steal a few moments now and then to post more tales of holiday fun!

Happy Halloween

Pumpkin time is here again, time to play Trick or Treat.

Pumpkin time is here again, our spooky friends we'll meet.

See the costumes we have on, monsters, ghosts, goblins, too.

See the costumes we have on, hear us all shout "Boo!"

This Halloween, a superhero, a princess, and a pink flamingo graced the sidewalks of U-Village. U-Village is an outdoor shopping mall next door to the University of Washington, and is loads of fun to visit with little trick or treaters. Mason and Harper remembered their last Halloween well, so they were veterans this year, and repeated "trick or treat" and "thank you" to each vendor that gave them candy. It only took a couple of stops for Georgia to quickly catch on, and before long, she was running ahead and dragging Gareth behind her, eager to get more candy. She was not smiley, giggly Georgia tonight; instead, she had her game face on, and was completely serious as she collected her loot. We only lasted about an hour and a half before we stopped at Starbucks for hot chocolate and a good rest. Then home to watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and clean throw-up off of Harper's beautiful Belle dress. Guess she ate one chocolate too many. Oh, well! Happy Halloween!

Grey Squirrel

Red and gold leaves drifting to the ground... a new crispness in the air... doesn't everyone love the arrival of Autumn? How about a lovely Autumn-themed song sung by my two oldest children to herald the arrival of this season? This treasured melody was learned one year at preschool...the lyrics are as follows, in case you need assistance in deciphering what is being sung in the video!

"Grey Squirrel"

Grey squirrel, grey squirrel,
shake your bushy tail.
Grey squirrel, grey squirrel,
shake your bushy tail.
Wrinkle up your little nose,
Stick a nut between your toes--
Grey squirrel, grey squirrel,
shake your bushy tail!

Budding Artists

Lately, the kids have been very into art time. They love to draw. I love art time, too, because it keeps them occupied for a little while, and I am always interested to see what they come up with.

Mason is a very detail-oriented artist. He likes to draw pictures of his favorite characters, and he gets upset if the tiniest detail does not match the original source. I am amazed that he remembers so much detail. I often wonder if he copies his drawings while looking at a picture, but when I go and check, he is drawing from memory.

Harper is not very detail-oriented. She is an abstract artist. While I know exactly what Mason is drawing, or can at least make an educated guess, I have to ask Harper to tell me about her picture. A lot of times, her drawing is not of something specific... it is just a "design." I wish that she would have just been drawing "designs" today while she and Georgia were at my Moms' group. A nice pair of retired grandmothers volunteer their time to watch the children of the moms at my church while we have Bible study. When I picked Harper up today, she was carrying a cut-out drawing that she had made. When I asked her what it was, she replied, "my bummy." "Bummy" is the kids' code word for their bottoms. Great! Those sweet white-haired ladies probably fainted when Harper told them she had drawn a picture of her bottom! But then she stated, "Don't worry, Mommy. I told them it was a hat."

Georgia likes to draw, too. Georgia doesn't draw on paper. She draws all over her body, her clothes, her face, her neck... Perhaps Georgia won't be the next Picasso, but she could be the next great tattoo artist!

Georgia's Top 10 Favorite Things

10. Eating freshly baked "tookies," especially of the chocolate chip variety.

9. Watching "Blue's Clues" and singing along to all of the songs, and yelling "Maaiiil!" at the top of her lungs (those of you who have seen "Blue's Clue's" will surely know the mail segment.)

8. Rubbing Mommy's ear when she is tired.

7. Hiding from Daddy. (Hiding is laying face down on the carpet in the middle of the living room, in plain view of everyone.)

6. Dancing-- to commercial jingles, the High School Musical soundtrack, Chris Tomlin, and the music that is in her head.

5. Being spun around and around by her Uncle Ryan and her Opa.

4. Tackling and wrestling her brother, who is 4 and a half years older, but only 10 pounds heavier, than her.

3. Anything that involves Daddy. Anything!

2. Idolizing her big sister-- wearing her shoes and clothes, playing with her toys, following her every instruction, no matter how much Mommy may not want her to do, depending on what the instruction may be...

1. Riding in the van with the windows down and music blaring (see video below). Probably not her true #1, but the video is pretty darn cute!

Sweet Sayings

How I wish that I had a filing system in my brain, filled to the brim with images of baby pudge and sounds of mischevious giggles and recollections of sweet sayings. And then on a sad day, or a rainy day, or a frustrating day, I could flip through my files and pull something out and my heart could be warmed by what their innocent minds once imagined.

My favorite saying of Mason's is "yesternight." As in "yesterday", but if something occured the night before, he says "yesternight" instead. He might be talking on the phone with my mom, and say, "Oma, we watched a really good movie yesternight." So cute.

And here is more cute: I was reading "Snow White" to the kids the other day, and as I got to the familiar saying involving the evil queen and her magic mirror, I thought I would test Harper's knowledge of the story. And so I started, "Mirror, mirror on the wall..." and waited for her to finish. She clearly couldn't recall what came next, so she paused for a moment, smiled, and said, "Be careful! Or you might fall!"

So many sweet little sayings, so little time to record them! I resolve at this moment to stop feeling guilty for all of the lovely, comedic utterances that have long since vanished from my mind, and set my sights on journaling from this point forward all of their childhood cuteness that I can muster. Better late than never!

Face Powder Fiasco

If your 2 daughters are supposedly playing in their room and the older of the 2 comes downstairs and says, "Mommy, could you please not check on us?" then be scared. Be very, very scared. I asked why I should not check on them while simultaneously running up the stairs, and by the time I reached the top, the distinct smell of Cody face powder hit me. (You'd recognize the brand-- the round yellow container with a vintage looking powder puff design all over it. I've used it since I was allowed to wear makeup as a young teenager.) I opened the door to the girls' room and saw Georgia sitting in the middle of the floor, playing with Mason's truck. She glanced at me with a look of annoyance, as I was interrupting her play. I couldn't help but gasp; all I saw when I looked at her face were two big blue eyes. The rest of her face-- including her lips-- was one big powdery beige blob. It looked like someone took my baby's head and dipped it into a bag of flour. I imagine that it was the artistic work of her budding makeup artist sister, as I can't imagine that she could coat her own face so evenly and completely. The powder that remained in the jar after the face application (which couldn't have been much) was in a mound on the floor. I won't describe all that happened next, the "I'm so sorry, Mommy!!" and the tears and the thick cakey liquid that washed down the drain. I did ask Harper how the face powder traveled from the downstairs bathroom cabinet to the upstairs bedroom, and she honestly answered, "in my arms, behind my back, while you were washing the plates off in the kitchen." I always dreamed of having fun with makeup when I had little girls... just thought that I might be privileged enough to be part of the application process!



*photograph taken after much of the powder had been removed*

Halloween is just around the corner!

Halloween is still a month away, I know. But the more children I have, and the older they get, the more pressure I feel to find them the perfect Halloween costume. If I wait too long, all of the good ones will be gone! Who cares if they change their minds, right? I give them a mom disclaimer mid-September or so..."OK, kids! Mommy is going to work now! We're putting the costumes out today! Are you sure that is what you want to be? You're positive? Because once I buy it, we're done! No more changing your minds!" This year, I was lucky that we had their top picks in stock. Dash from The Incredibles for Mason, and a flamingo for Georgia. Naturally, I picked hers. With Georgia being 18 months old, I reserve the right to pick the cutest, most over the top costume while I still can. And so she is going to be a furry, bubble gum pink flamingo with a bushy tail and wings and a huge beak sticking out over her forehead. It really is cute... wait until you see the photos. Harper informed me that she wants to be a princess. Naturally! She is 4 years old, and for the last 3 years, she has been a princess. We are making our way through the whole Disney princess family. This year, it is Belle, from Beauty and the Beast. "How sweet" was my frame of mind--cute little Harper in her gold and pink dress, smiling innocently at all of the treat giver outers-- until she told me that she wanted to be Belle because then she could be "MASTER OF THE BEAST!" (I type that in all caps because that is how she said it-- kind of loudly, in this menacing voice, with a devilish look in her eyes.) Oh, my.

I can just picture Halloween this year... one hyper superhero living up to his superhero name, one giggly pink bird toddling down the sidewalk, and one sweet looking beast master taming an imaginary beast. Trick or treat!!

Mutton Bustin' Mason

Sunday was a beautiful day-- sunny, around 80 degrees-- what a better way to spend the day than at the Puyallup Fair? When Gareth told me he wanted Mason to participate in the Mutton Bustin' competition, I was a bit hestitant. My little boy was going to be clinging to a running sheep? A sheep madly dashing from one side of the pen to the other? Why does he have to wear a helmet if its safe? Are broken bones and trampled internal organs possible?? I reluctantly agreed to allow Mason to participate after the director of the event promised that in the 5 years she'd been with the group no one had been seriously hurt.

I sat in the crowd and waited for Mason to have his turn. There were about 40 kids participating, and Mason was set to ride towards the beginning-- 5th or 6th, I believe. Before he got in line he asked us what he should do, and we told him to dig his nails and feet into the side of the sheep and not to let go! As the first few kids went, I thought that it probably didn't matter how tightly they tried to hold on-- after a second or two, each young participant (between the ages of 3 and 6) would start teetering to the side and roll off. Finally, it was Mason's turn, and the mc of the event announced, "Up next is Mason Kenee, 5 years old, from Seattle, weighing in at 38 pounds." (Most kids his age were between 45 and 50!) Then the gate flung open and my boy was laying on his stomach on the top of this smelly, woolly animal dashing across the dirt! I felt proud that he was holding on so well, but then my pride turned to uneasiness... Mason didn't fall off, which was good initially, but when the sheep finished his run and decided to join his herd and Mason continued to hold on despite his sheep running in the midst of his herd, flashes of the running of the bulls in Spain ran through my mind! How long was he going to hold on? Were the little rodeo cowboys dressed as clowns going to be chasing Mason and his sheep around the pen endlessly? Finally, after the crowd roared at Mason's following of his parent's directions to "not let go," he released his grip and landed in the midst of the herd of sheep. He emerged unharmed-- a bit dazed, maybe-- but then he saw me jumping up and down, cheering for him, and he flashed his dimples at me and waved a proud wave.

After winning that day, Mason had 3 things to say:

1. "No one could beat me because I held on so long and I just wouldn't let go."
2. "I squeezed my eyes shut real tight because I was kind of scared, but when I did open them, I saw so many sheep feet all around me!"
3. "My mom is so proud of me."

I told Mason I would have been just as proud if he'd have fallen off after one second, because he was brave enough to ride a sheep running at full speed! The video below is part of Mason's ride... you can't see him joining the herd due to my screaming and jumping about...

Georgia Girl

Baby Georgia, as Mason and Harper call her, is not so much of a baby anymore! It doesn't seem fair that the baby always grows up the fastest. I suppose that having 2 older siblings encourages her to make strides a bit sooner in an attempt to keep up. She is only 17 months old, but you can definitely see the wheels turning in her little mind! I dare not leave her alone, even for a moment. If I do, this is what will happen (based on previous experience):

If I go to the bathroom, when I come out, she will have red lipstick all over her face, and her entire body as well.

If I read Harper a story, she will take off her diaper, and whatever contents were in her diaper will be all over the floor.

If she goes into the bathroom by herself, she will come out soaking wet, having given her dolly a bath in the toilet. She will reek, not from the toilet water, but from Mommy's perfume that she doused herself and her doll with.

If I stick her in our small, gated backyard so that I can rush the groceries into the house, she will climb into the baby pool filled with nasty water that Gareth forgot to dump out, with clothes and shoes on and all, and will be sitting there looking at me with a "What? What is your problem?" type of expression when I gasp in horror at the sight of her.

Well, as you can see, keeping up with Georgia is a challenge, but it is highly hilarious as well. I can't even count the number of times that I have had to bite my lip to keep from laughing as I try to appear stern while disciplining her. I try to imprint permanent images of her in my mind of how she looks right now-- her chubby knees, her little white baby teeth, her blond curls, the expressions of surprise and delight on her sweet face as she explores her world. No matter how big she gets, or how old, she will forever be our Baby Georgia.

A Sassy Sweetheart

How do I even begin to describe my little Harper? Is she 4, or is she 14? Is she sassy or is she sweet? Only a couple of the many questions that perplex me when it comes to our princess. A princess she definitely is-- she loves anything pink, shiny, sparkly, or girly. Many people say that she resembles me in looks, although it is hard for me to tell. I am honored though, since I think she is cute! Personality-wise, I suppose we share a couple of similarities-- we are both kind of shy around strangers, and we both have issues with not wanting to go to sleep at night! Other than that, she is quite her own person. She speaks her mind whether or not she is asked, and most of her statements are made with a hand on her hip, head cocked to the side and eyebrows raised. One minute she is issuing out hugs and kisses non-stop, and the next she needs to be left alone, and retreats to her room for some alone time. She definitely has a great imagination-- I love to pause outside of her room during those times and listen to her fantasies unfold. Harper isn't in school yet, and I can't say that I mind. For now, "ballet school" is enough for her, and enough for me too. I have a feeling that when she does enter school, she will go and go and not look back, and I feel sad when I think of that day approaching sooner rather than later.

Harper dances and sings her way around the house, around parks and beaches and shopping malls, and she dances and sings her way through her sweet little life. My prayer for her is that the dancing and singing never stops!

My Sweet Mason

I can hardly believe that my precious baby boy has just started Kindergarten. He is a few weeks away from turning 6, and in those years that we have been blessed to have him as our son, he has developed such an amazing personality... such a kind soul.

As his mother, I would tell people about his dimples. About how they appear when he is feeling mischevious, or when I tell him how cute he is. I would tell you how Mason doesn't have a filter in his mind yet. He loves everyone he meets and doesn't see their differences. He has so much concern and compassion and kindness in his tiny body. He loves to learn and he loves to talk. He loves to love and be loved.

Mason would tell you other things about himself, I'm sure! Here is what Mason would want you to know about himself...

--I like superheroes. My favorite superhero is Spiderman, but sometimes it is Batman.
--My favorite color is orange, because it is bright and happy.
--I like the beach and my family and cartoons and coloring and my new dog Chewie.
--I want to learn about the planets and germs and weather and God.
--My sisters bother me, but I love them too. I won't let anyone hurt them.
--I am going to marry my friend Samantha when I am 10 and we will live across the street from my Oma.

He would tell you a lot more about himself-- as much as I would be willing to type. I love my boy more than I can say. When he goes to bed at night, my favorite thing to whisper to him is this... "How is it that out of all of the little boys in the whole world, I was so blessed that God gave me the very best one?"

Time flies when you're having fun!

After viewing some of my Facebook friends' fabulous blogs, I've decided to start one of my own. The kids are growing so fast, and I only wish that I'd started one sooner. My mind grows fuzzy more quickly now that I have 3 young children... I wish I could recall all of the funny moments over the past 6 years. Oh, well-- better late than never! I'm going to attempt to do individual posts for each of the kids. Wish me luck!!