to put you in the mood (christmas that is)

have you heard?


i haven't really used my blog for plugging products, but rick starr's new christmas cd, an acoustic christmas, is really fantastic. it's been playing at my house non-stop for the last couple of days and it's really set the tone for me and made me excited that christmas is coming. my teenagers especially love it, the sounds he produces are just beautiful.

we were lucky enough to have a personal performance of this song, and rick's talent blew me away!
to hear a sampling of the rest of the songs on his new christmas cd (and buy one for yourself), go to rickstarrmusic.com.

christmas is coming!

silver lining

i don't really know if i'm quite ready for the slushy white stuff.
especially because we've woken up to it for two mornings in a row.
it stinks to add an extra ten minutes of coats and boots whenever trying to get out the door.
which in this house, is often.
and mucking through slushy parking lots while errand running.
bleh. yuck.

but it sure is pretty.
and like most everything inconvenient, there's a silver lining, like...

fuzzy slippers and sherpa boots
extra blankets on the beds for snuggling at night
a cozy house
kids (especially little ones) in snow pants and all the gear
turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and pie
never being too hot (which for me, is always)
craft projects at the kitchen table
fire in the fireplace
movies and sherpa blankets on the couch
organizing inside instead of yard work on the outside
creamy soup - well, any kind of soup really
thick, soft scarves (i found the coolest one today!)
beanies that make my dirty hair instantly cute
christmas!
quilting and crocheting
snow angels and sledding
every single little tree branch decorated with flakes
and the hundreds of photos of the tree branches decorated with flakes

oh ya, it all sounds lovely.
but most especially, i'm ready for this...

hot chocolate baby.

in the morning,

or any time at all.

just a little guy, kind of

i'm having a hard time believing it myself.
but it's true!

my little ethan man, e-dog, big E, tail ender, caboose, BABY

is FIVE years old today.

and i know this, because he's been counting down the days.

in a high pitched squealy voice that becomes less audible with each number closer to one.

hillarious.

the day started (for him) with a funny phone call from the neighbors seconds after he woke up.

he chose mc-a-dee's for lunch (mcdonalds)

enjoyed tons of well wishing phone calls throughout the day

and FINALLY opened presents after dinner.

the theme was toy story, of course.

and we moved into the big leagues with a new bike.

the neighbor boy will be happy that ethan can now stop stealing his.

while i am thankful every day for the joy that this little boy has brought into our home, i'm also a little heart-sick over losing the four year old version of him. there's just something so great about FOUR. i know there will be lots to look forward to with five, but it feels a little like it's officially big boy stuff from now on, he can definitely no longer be considered just a little guy.

sigh.

it's a good thing, i have photos to remind me of how squishy he once was...

but i guess he is still pretty squishy.

and silly

and sweet.

ok, five is good too.