.: Our Three Year Old :.

Two weeks ago our sweet, wild, funny little girl turned three years old. The day before we got about a foot of snow so instead of making a special birthday outing we spent the day at home playing outside, decorating the house, and just enjoying time together. 

 

(Frances in her birthday crown and wearing her birthday sweater which she received first thing in the morning....a birthday tradition!)



 

 

Neva was my eager helper in decorating for a birthday party while Frances napped.  Later in the afternoon, Mum Mum and Popeye arrived for a birthday dinner and brought the greatly anticipated CHOCOLATE CAKE!

 



 



 

Happy Birthday Frances.  How we love you.

 

(For birthdays past you can go here or here or way back here.)

 

 



.: These days :.

 

These days, it's cold.  Snow on the ground, freezing pipes, woodstove cranking away trying to keep our cold cold house even a little bit warm.  Most days it's too cold for us to be outside for very long at all before someone starts complaining of frozen toes.

 

 

But even with all this winter around us my mind these days is on spring.  Maybe it's the bright daffodils we have on our table.  Maybe it's my growing belly and the baby inside who is feeling bigger each day, closer to making his/her appearance.  What an exciting time for us all: waiting for the first signs of crocuses, waiting for the first warm day, waiting for new life.

 

 



.: Sisters :.

 



.: Catching Up :.

It's been over a month since I visited here!  After a wonderful Thanksgiving in Ohio with Robb's family the Advent season was spent celebrating with our typical traditions:  we set shoes out for St. Nicholas in the beginning of December, we lit our Advent wreath each night at dinner and sang a carol, we baked, we relaxed, we spent a wintery weekend away with friends at a cabin in the Poconos. But mostly we tended to not venture beyond our home too much at all.  When our wood stove is cranking it's hard to find any excuse good enough to leave the coziness.  I feel so grateful to be at a point in life when the small and simple are still more than enough, when slow days at home are still filled with imagination, laughter, and delight. 



(Christmas morning revelry!)



Much love and cheer to you in 2015!



.: At the Arboretum :.

(Beneath the mighty Katsura)
 

 

Last week we took what might have been one of our last warm days in these parts to make one of our favorite trips: to the Arboretum.  We were originally going to invite some friends to join us but it ended up just being the three of us.  And that ended up being just lovely. We moved at our own pace, talking, laughing, and sometimes just being quiet together. 

.: Halloween :.

A bright piece of felt, some strands of ribbon, a few scraps of cloth, a play silk, some safety pins, twenty minutes at the sewing machine and VOILA! A princess and kitty. What a night we had!

.: we've been :.

 

 

.: packing away sundresses and bathing suits, pulling out sweaters and hats

.: putting gardens to rest, raking leaves, jumping in leaves, throwing leaves, raking leaves

.: watching many spontaneous ballet performances, most often performed in the kitchen

.: enjoying having two potty-trained kids

.: climbing homemade rope courses (one of the benefits of having an arborist for a father!)
.: (I've been) enjoying my annual trip up to the Hudson Valley for the Sheep and Wool Festival with my sister

.: looking forward to getting our wood stove into action

.: saying last goodbyes to summer, getting ready to head inside