All the things... DPP 2020, Days 11 and 12

 Well, I didn't exactly get around to typing last night's blog so tonight's can share the stories from both days.  This post has a bunch of photos that just feel like a hodge podge of all the things.  But because all the things are real life and some of the fun of this weekend, they will be the only focus of this blog post. This is my 8th year of participating in the December Photo Project.  It is a commitment to remember to take photos and sit down to compose the stories of the day.  Most who do this project merely post one photo a day to a Facebook site.  I do the blogging for me.  For us.  I used to write down stories in baby books of the funny things that the kiddos would say or do.  Things I didn't want to forget.  Now this serves as a one year measuring stick of who my kiddos are during this particular snapshot in time, what our adventures include, and where the blessings and challenges are in the mix of it all.  Here in this photo is some much deserved rest for the man of the house.  We worked hard this week trying to get our home and my parents house back to normal.  I am glad he took a moment to put his feet up and watch TV.  And by watch TV, I mean fall asleep in the chair and deny sleeping should anyone ask.  

      This goofball has lost her mind.  She is staring at her reflection in the window and holding this ruler to her head to try and see how much taller a young man who snapped her would be.  When your 6 foot 1 inch tall and female, these things become really important.  She is marveling about how she would likely only come up to his shoulders. The silly and deliberately over dramatized dialogue she had about this had the whole family laughing.  I am sure whomever this young man is, he will be happy to know he "measured up" to her standards for snapping back.  This girl is quite the character.  

I had sat down to have some apple cider and read a book all cozied up in a blanket.  Like Rich, I was ready for some rest.  I had just gotten all comfy when along came someone who decided she needed to be cozied up too while she played her app time.  It didn't last long because Big Brother B brought down football jerseys for all and they were off to the basement for a fierce competition.  The Vikings, the Cowboys, and the Giants - all in one competition.  It is cute to watch the boys teach K about the rules.  K kept throwing forward passes past the line of scrimmage and that was a wrong that needed to be fixed.  

This game, unlike some others, stayed fun and joyful.  As you might expect, typically someone gets hurt because someone else took two hand touch to tackle football.  Or someone felt wronged by a rule or foul call.  But tonight, the stars aligned and there was only fun had by all.  Towards the end, K was having a hard time dealing with things not going her way letting us know it was time to get ready for bed.  K is becoming quite the reader - and here she is reading me a bed time story.  (You will be happy to know that the anti-bedtime ninjas were not present this evening - see the last blog post if you do not know what I am talking about).

Day 12 started out nice and slow.  Here are the kiddos enjoying some Saturday morning cartoons while their mom and dad had their coffee in the kitchen oversized and beat up brown chairs.  

One of the things I have been working on as a parent is providing rest for my kiddos when they are at home.  As I do research on the onslaught of information that our kiddos get from the culture that surrounds them and the busyness of our present day lives - I am aware at how much comes at our kiddos each day.  I actually think that is one of the greatest gifts Covid has given us is that things slowed way down and we are provided more time for the things that matter more.  Even so, in a pandemic or in their busy culture, our kiddos need a place of rest.  I want their home to be the place they retreat to.  The place when they are weary, they know they can come and find reprieve.  So we have begun to encourage flopped out for cartoons, quiet Sunday mornings cozied up with blankets and a good book, or even snuggled up as a family with some cocoa and some music.  It helped today that there was snow on the ground.  Something about snow makes it even more cozy.  

While the kids enjoyed their cartoons, E and I snuck away for a girls brunch.  We both love brunch and enjoyed the excuse to spend some time together.  I was intentional in letting her lead the conversation and prompted her with open ended questions.  It is good for me to see how she sees the world and how she navigates her way through it.  Even though I know her well, her humor, quick wit, and charm always make me smile.  She is really fun to spend time with.  

Then I ran off to coach 7th/8th grade Y basketball.   No - please don't laugh.  Yes.  I am coaching.  No. I am not qualified.  But we won anyway with some great teamwork.  We were short handed this game due to injuries and stinkin' covid - but the boys played hard and they played as a team.  Big B is not the most athletic one out there but he has this absolutely unpredictable way of moving that he can always get an open shot.  I love getting to do this with him and I will be happy when his real coach returns at the conclusion of this pandemic.  

Finally!  The first of Christmas preparation at our house.  Christmas is less than two weeks away and I have done nothing.  Even typing that gives me heart palpitations.  But with all that was going on in the house, this was the first opportunity.  Tomorrow we hope to decorate it and decorate the house.  As I sit here, it occurs to me that I now have a choice to make.  I can let Christmas create in me stress and worry or I can choose to slowly work through the things to do and whatever gets done, gets done.  Whatever doesn't. . . .doesn't.  Forces me to prioritize.  

 These girls are a bit extra in their Christmas spirit tonight - but they made me brownies so I can support this vibe.  There might be nothing I like more than people who don't take themselves too seriously.  Those that can find so much fun in the silly.  Based on the laughter - I am guessing these two are exactly that.  Now.... I still haven't had a brownie - so I better get going....