Working from Home
Dec 31, 2008 Categorized: Life with Kids • Musings •
Last night I let the kids stay up late coloring at the coffee table while I sat on the couch proofing my latest web project. Most of my work I do after they go to bed, but on this Christmas vacation schedule, we’re not so pressed to get them to bed at a reasonable hour. When they’re occupied every now and then, I’ll pick up the computer and do a little work.
After a few minutes of my chatting, working, coloring, working, watching a video online, then working some more, Will was curious about my work. “Mom,” he asked, “do you have to do that?”
0 Hollabacks
2008 Christmas Gift Report
Dec 25, 2008 Categorized: Life with Kids •
Our emphasis at Christmas time is not on gifts. Most of our “Christmasy” discussion all month long is centered around the manger and the fact that we celebrate the birth of Christ, and not the coming of Santa and his reindeer. We partake in plenty of seemingly secular Christmas traditions, like decorating the house, making ornaments, baking goodies, and giving gifts, but we use those traditions to signify the important event that we are celebrating, just as we have traditions that celebrate our own birthdays. I suspect that most of my readers feel exactly the same way about Christmas. The point of it all is to celebrate the birth of Christ. But we still have lots to do and talk about that seems a bit less spiritual. I don’t want to downplay the importance of Christ on this Christmas evening. However, I think that most of us have had our time of reflection and praise for this Christmas season, and we will continue to do that at least weekly, if not daily, throughout the year. So at the risk of sounding sac-religious, I’m going to use my Christmas blog post to give an annual gift report rather than prolong the manger scene sentiments.
0 Hollabacks
Our 2008 Tree
Dec 24, 2008 Categorized: Life with Kids •
I’ve always admired people who have a Christmas tree in every room. I personally find it far too difficult and time-consuming to put up more than one tree, although I have been known to put up maybe one big tree and a couple of small ones. After all, we don’t usually finish our tree until the day or two before Christmas. We start early enough--don’t be mistaken. The day after Thanksgiving, I’m usually banging my head on the attic rafters while the rest of the world risks being trampled to death in public places. Bill drags out the Christmas decor (less and less each year, at my request), and we get the pre-lit tree put up and re-lit. But we don’t always put the ornaments on it just yet.
0 Hollabacks
Foolproof?
Dec 15, 2008 Categorized: Igununce •
It’s inevitable. When I get in the kitchen, there is going to be trouble. And that’s a problem, because I practically live in the kitchen. If I’m not in the bathroom (tending to kids, of course), I’m probably in the kitchen. As long as we’re moseying along doing everyday sorts of things, though, we’re all pretty safe. But mix in some baking products and a little holiday cheer and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster.
2 Hollabacks
Facing Reality
Dec 10, 2008 Categorized: Life with Kids • News •
We’ve known for nearly four years now that we would come to this point. It’s not a major dilemma, and there are many things that would be much worse. But still, the reality of the moment is weighing so heavily on my heart. Today we received the official news from Hunter’s new endocrinologist that it is time to start growth hormones. All of the realities that we’ve been able to “ignore” for a while are once again on the surface.