So glad for the holidays . . .

We have had a busy, but really good week and a half of holidays. The first part was hectic - on Christmas Eve we drove 7 hours during the day (the kids were amazing ) and landed at my brother-in-law's house for a whirlwind visit. During 3 1/2 days there we managed to do some of this:

Followed by a lot of this:

And of course some of this:

Followed by stories with Grandpa.

In the next two days the kids and their cousins managed to roast hot dogs:

Eat ice cream ( I love this photo - it looks like the mini pops version of an indy band cd cover)

Plus lots of playing outside:

And finding places to play inside:

And a visit to the family favorite buffet restaraunt:

Whew. After the busy month we had, and our super packed trip, the kids were ready to go home. So home we went, for some more laid back time that looked a bit like this:

We did all our favorite slow, relaxed, just being together activities (and I did some frantic I-haven't-organized-the-shelves-or-mopped-the-floor-in-weeks type cleaning). Pajamas have been worn all day. Stories have been read. Forts have been built, played in, knocked down, and rebuilt.

Lego has been constructed, broken, rebuilt (well, some of it), mixed together (Jack Sparrow and Joshamee Gibbs are just out of this photo, riding on their carriage to confront the evil empire (or possibly steal from them)), and remixed with blocks and train sets.

Play kitchens have been assembled, and ridiculous quantities of tea and cake (real and imaginary) have been made and drunk.

Art supplies (especially these great pirate and knight rubber stamp kits I got the boys for Christmas) have been re-organized and used.

And I've been able to make food with the kids again. Emma is so proud because that is her very. own. pizza. It is amazing, because I don't think I've done this since the summer, and this was the first time she was big enough to actually help spread out her own dough, put on toppings (five of them) and cheese and help me put the pizza in the oven. I have missed spending time with her, and I was a little sad that making food with Mom was a new and novel experience.

Here's the boys with their pizzas:

As well, friends have been visited, phoned, and hosted. Sewing has recommenced. Snow men have been made. Life has been full but boring in the last week.

I remember when this used to be my every day stay at home mom life and I was sooo bored of it. But now it all seems so fleeting and precious.

Tomorrow Aaron and Emma go back to daycare (I have some prep to do and I want a day to just sew and be alone in the house with CBC podcasts all day) and Andrew will be off here and there for the next three days. Then we go back to our seperate, busy lives again. Dave has a Master's Thesis proposal and essay to write. Andrew has school. I have work. The other two have daycare (blessedly only 3 days a week). It won't be months before I can settle in to my home like this and just be with these precious people. But I am glad to have had this time to feel refreshed after a very long, busy year. Ahhhh