Me: “Sophie, at preschool your teacher said you’re learning about winter celebrations and traditions, like Los Posados, St. Lucia Day, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.” Sophie: “Uh huh.” Me: “Tell me about them! What’s Kwanzaa?” Sophie, scrunching up her face: “A planet?” Sophie: “Daddy, is it cold out today?” Andy: “Yes.” Sophie: “On that case, I will [...]
It took me a good 30 minutes to get all three kids dressed to go outside for just a small bit of snow. The boys had never worn boots before, and it was a struggle to shove their feet into them. (I was so thankful for the boots though, hand-me-downs—as are many of the things [...]
Winter has arrived and we’ve long been ready, considering it’s almost February. Sophie keeps putting tiny little snowflake stickers on the brass handle of our front door in hopes they will somehow help make it snow. She’s so desperate for the chance to make snow angels, build snowmen and throw snowballs (at her brothers, I’m [...]
We also celebrated Christmas with my mom’s side of the family and my dad’s side of the family. I was so busy chasing the kids around and talking to family I hardly took pictures! Mangan family Christmas Gebhart family Christmas It’s all I’ve got. But I cherished both days—some family members I see hardly ever [...]
balled-and-burlap Christmas tree handmade gift wrap + tags glass snowflakes and reindeer hanging from chandelier gifts! playing with gifts Mom, Dad, Katy and Tom My mom made one of these dolls for each of the children. I love them, the kids love them, anyone who comes to our house loves them. Thanks, Mom and Dad, [...]
While Andy’s family was in town we went to Cincinnati Zoo’s Festival of Lights. It was cold, so cold that Andy and Jill—who had forgotten hats—bought new (matching!) ones at the gift shop. James, who refused to wear a hat all summer, is obsessed with this hat now, and wears it on a daily basis. [...]
It had been a trying day. It was one of those days in which the tiniest bump or the smallest “no” or the wrong song prompted tears. Every diaper was a “seriously? again?” diaper. No one ate well. No one napped well. A toy no one was playing with became the toy everyone wanted to [...]
Dear Sophie, I dreamt of days like these, before you were born. Days when gummy candy was served on fine china underneath a homemade fort with your favorite stuffed baby lamb as a guest. Days when my childhood bear (made by my mom, your nini), was dressed in a dress you had outgrown and crowned [...]
Christmas evening my parents and brother joined us for a delicious meal, which my in-laws cooked for everyone. It was our last evening to see Kyle, so I was grateful for the time together. Sophie “reading” to Kyle Kyle brought our children gifts, including a “band in a box” for Sophie. I told him I [...]
