Solstice Celebration

On the solstice we gathered with Addison's school community to celebrate the returning of the light. Children are amazing. It was pretty powerful to see the intention and creativity pouring from these small people. They wrote and performed a play for us, made glowing lanterns, wrote their wishes for the new year, sang carols and gave handmade ornaments to strangers. At the end of the night, we wrote our grievances for the year and watched them go up in smoke.

Happy Christmas!

May these Christmas days bring smiles to your face and peace in your heart.

dark, dry December

I thought I'd share a little more from the vineyard. It's been wonderful to have an unusually beautiful December without the usual onslaught of rain, hasn't it?

looking over barrel fence

After a long day of epic waterslides, checking out WWII fighter planes, a not-quite-lunch consisting of nachos, pizza, cookies and slushees, powering through naptime, and narrowly avoiding a swim diaper disaster, the only logical thing to do on the long drive home is stop for a little taste of wine country. Pinot Noir, I heart you.

Waiting for Santa

A Do-ing December

Every year I say I'm going to keep my Christmas gifts simple. Handmade. I say I won't let myself get stressed out about buying useless things people don't need, since no one in my family really needs anything at all. Each year it is a struggle to let it go, but each year I give in to myself a little more and stop worrying what people think. Will Christmas be a disappointment to everyone if I don't buy a bunch of STUFF? The answer, as much as America would like you and me to believe otherwise, is no.

Since we're not out shopping and making ourselves crazy, our family is finally having time this year to do a real advent calendar -- something I've been wanting to do for a few years.

Each day we do something Christmas-y, fun, together, productive, festive. Sometimes its as simple as cutting the kids' toast into little snowmen shapes. On Friday, we went to Storybook Lane, a very sweet, old-fashioned, magical holiday destination without any of the commercialism and donned with the very best Santa you'll find in Portland. It captured just what I'm looking for this season.