Crying

I have a cute story about Grace and her baby brother.  Yesterday, Noah John got really upset right before supper.  I had to cut supper plans short (i.e. not make the homemade pizza til today).  Even though I was trying hard to finish up in the kitchen so I could pick up my screaming baby, I didn't do so fast enough!  I heard Grace say this to him..."Oh, your life is so hard."  What a mess!  Granted she has heard her daddy say that to her.  But still!  Also, today, when I was finally making the pizza, he got upset again!  I wish I could adequately describe how she nurtures him.  It amazes me beyond words!  How can a 3 year old know to do that, and so well?   Today it went something like this:  "shhh, shh, shh, John John, it's ok.  Calm down.  Don't be upset."  (NJ absolutely bawling)  She climbed back up on her stool, trying to continue to help me with the pizza.  Without my prompting, she jumped down and got his sippy cup out of the fridge, took it to him, proceeded to try to sing him to a state of tranquility (it worked for about 15 seconds).  Speaking of him, he's awake now, and I need to feed him!  Cutting this short!

My Birthday

                                                                                                          My birthday was January 7th!  Because there was supposed to be a lot of snow (for KY, 3-5 "), we ordered DiFabio's and Shawn brought a cake home on the 6th.  I got to celebrate for two days!  The food was delectible and the fun was, well, fun!  My favorite dessert is white cake with icing so when Shawn came in carrying a bakery box, I jumped up and down!  When Grace signed my card later, she said, "Momma, I drew a picture of you jumping!"(inside the card, instead of her "signature." ;)  I think she enjoyed it as much as me!  Fun kid.

My new nephew

Welcome to the world Clark Robert Phillips!  Today, my brother and his wife welcomed their third child and first son!  I can hardly wait to go see him.  I have only seen a picture sent via cell phone so far.  I think it will be about 2 weeks before we can get there.  Grace told me she is sad because she wants to go see Aunt Amanda's baby.  I am really, really tickled that he and Noah John are so close (7 mos) in age.  When they found out they were having a boy, I was relieved that Noah John would have a playmate!  Thank you God, for healthy baby.

Sheesh, today was not a fun one.  Grace woke up super cranky.  She cried and whined and argued for the better part of 2 hours this morning.  It ended with a meltdown over bacon.  Yes, bacon.  She dramatically stated that I told her I was making sausage, not bacon.  (And I mean dramatically)  I really lost my temper.  She got a spanking.  I felt guilty.  We left for a playdate with her new little friend Emma.  I still felt guilty.  I wish I could always handle tantrums well!  Unfortunately, sometimes I have one too!  By the time her dad got home at 6, we had eaten yummy Chicken Maribella, NJ had his bath, but G was still in the tub.........Shawn washed her and put her to bed because I told him I was at the end of my rope.  And I really was.  I hope tomorrow is better, for both of us.  One strong-willed mom+one strong-willed toddler=exasperation.  Somebody pray. 

Other than that, the past week has been so awesome.  We had lunch with friends on New Year's Eve, Shawn took Grace to the movies on New Yr's Day, and we have just really enjoyed spending time together as a family.  I always like this time of year best, because of Christmas :), my bday (January 7!), and because Shawn works fewer hours for a couple months.  It is wonderful to have him home by 6 vs. 8!  This is a new goal we have set:  that he will be home more times than not at 6 no matter the season!!!  It makes a huge difference when he's home at 6, because the kids are still awake and we can do supper together as a family and play a game, etc.  HUGE difference!

We are supposed to go to Lexington to an Ag dinner and watch the CATS play on Saturday.  The weather channel says it's supposed to snow on my birthday (Thursday) which I'm excited about (love snow) but I hope it doesn't alter our trip to Lex plans!  It's become an annual thing (UK ball tix for my bday....Lexington brings back such great memories for me).

Christmas in the 'Cello

                                          

My mom, Nonna, with Grace and Callie

(Check back for video...trouble uploading!!!)
While we were in Monticello for "Christmas", Grace sang a duet with my 5 year old niece Isabelle (at church).  She did really well, to be so young!  She got up there infront of 100 or so people and sang away!  Check it out.  The video is blurry, unfortunately, but you can hear them pretty well!  Mom said all she wanted for Christmas was for the girls to sing with her (she played the banjo) and they gave her what she asked for!

This year was the last year to celebrate in the home I grew up in.  My parents sold their home to my brother and his wife.  They bought a neat cabin with about 15 acres and plan to move in January.  I'll remember many Christmases at my childhood home with warm memories, food, lots of singing, sitting around the fireplace, looking out at the land as it snowed, talking, laughing, lots of joking and picking on each other, opening gifts, and more.  This year as we drove in, it started snowing about 20 minutes before we arrived so the ground was white.  It was perfect.  I cried myself to sleep the night we arrived.  What triggered the crying was that dad went out to check on one of his horses very late, near midnight.  I noticed that the kitchen door was opened and looked out at the barn for him.  Shortly, he turned the lights off in the barn and I watched him walk the lane back to the house (in the snow).  I watched him and welled up.  How many times have I watched him walk that lane....I can't even begin to guess how many times...and this time was so special because of the snow and the realization that my childhood home's story has come to an end.  In it's place will be many stories for my my brother, Amanda, and their two (soon to be three) children.  I read something recently that fits perfectly, so I'm going to close with it.
"Home is the magnet...We rely on home not to change, and it does not, wherefore we give thanks, Again Christmas:  abiding point of return, set apart by its mystery, mood, and magic, the season seems in a way to stand outside time.  All that is dear, that is lasting, renews its hold on us:  we are home again.  Is it not one of the mysteries of life that life should, after all, be so simple.  Yes, as simple as Christmas.  Journeys through the dark to a lighted door, arms open.  Laughter smothered with kisses, kiss smothered laughter.  And blessedness is the heart of it all.  ~ Elizabeth Bowen

Thank God for the truth of this.  My childhood home, at Christmas, stood still in time this year as it did every other year that I recall the last 25 years.  I have returned there from undergrad at UK, an internship in Columbus, OH, grad school in Johnson City, TN, and presently from WKY.  Despite being married and now with two children, what I always held dear as a child...I found again and again there at Christmas.  I'll miss it...my journey through the dark, from different places, always took me home at Christmas.  I know how blessed I have been to have it there, with two supportive and caring parents inside, always ready to welcome me in from the cold.  A new story will start in a couple weeks and I pray God's blessing on it and thank him for the memories and love in my childhood home.

Sippy Cup

Post Coming....

Ribbon Cutting at the farm store!

I keep trying to upload a picture of the ribbon being cut but am having trouble!  Technology~grrr.  The ribbon cutting at the store went over well.  We had a moderate turnout and sincerely thank those who stopped by! Since the store's opening in early October, we have hit the floor running.  The Christmas season has proven to be good for business, because customers have been coming out to get quality foods for the holidays.  I'm still doing ordering and inventory and enjoy it, but doing more is not something I have time for or want to do.  I need to learn how to enter inventory into the computer, because right now Shawn is doing it.  When the spring and summer are here, it is going to be utter MADNESS as his hours pick up drastically w/ sod and planting and harvesting and markets....I have to learn this inventory stuff so that I can do it then! 

Bragging Rights

Post Coming.....Noah John started crawling and Grace put together a 60 pc puzzle by herself straight from the box