Tree-Deetle-Dee.

My Littles and I went to picked out our Christmas tree at The Ranch's neighboring ranch. The whole deal from unloading to hunt to sawing to loading up took 10 minutes. Savannah led the excursion, she is very efficient. 

The Littles decorated the following morning, we've only broken 3 ornaments so far (grrrr....). Goo is all saucer-eyes while playing with The Polar Express, mostly the engine is tucked under his arm as he marches around the house looking for someone to set it properly on the tracks for him.

Best tree yet.

Shhh...

Do you want to see what is in day seven's box for My Littles?



They are going to love it!

Cursing Time.

Do you want to know a secret?

I live in fear...

of the moment The Little Girls don't want to be like me.

of the moment they think my dancing around the house looks silly or embarrassing.

of the moment they don't want me to do their hair.

of the moment they don't want to snuggle with me.

of the moment they shrug away from me when I give them a hug or worse yet offer me a cheek to kiss instead of lips.
of the moment they don't want me to walk them to their classroom.
of the moment they take someone else's advice over mine.

of the moment The Little Girls would rather tell a friend what happened at school than share their day with me.

of the moment in a future argument when one of them yells, "I HATE YOU."

of the moment when they don't care what I think.

of the moment they feel self-conscious of their bodies or personalities.

of the moment they see themselves through the eyes of someone who will break their hearts instead of the way I see them.
of Little Girls grown up.

I live in fear of time. (Chronophobia.)

Why can't they stay little forever?

 

 

Laying Low.

This week is Spirit Week at Savannah's school.
Here is mustache day:

The Goo is sick, so so sick. Today will be just like yesterday (without the anxious Dr. visit), snuggling by the fire, snuggling on the couch, a close cuddle every time I pick Goo up. I hate to see him feeling so miserable, but I kind of LOVE all the extra snuggling. 

 

Advent Calendar.

The last few years my go-to Advent Calendar has been of the Trader Joe or World Market variety. You know, the ones with the little daily chocolates. We start off consistent but mid-December forget about them and I end up either letting The Little Girls scarf down chocolates to catch up or I magic the whole thing away to the trash out of annoyance. I want something decorative and more permanent, a display all three Littles can enjoy now and in the future. I was thrilled when I came across Jordan's creation and decided to make my own version for my mantel. I love how Jordan does a simple beautiful forest but I wanted to use some woodland animals as toppers. The Littles love their sweet furry faces and Goo is crazy for the VW Beetle.

 

Day one: a ticket to take photos with Santa!

Day two: Chocolate Coins!

 

(If you are planning to make this, get your boxes here!) 

Hmm...

Sometimes I feel as if I am avoiding one mess by creating another. The battle of "The Lesser of Two Messes". While cooking dinner last night and trying to keep Goo out of the Christmas decorations, I gave him a yogurt and a spoon and let him have at it. Goo did what Goo does best-first he gobbled then he gooed.

Mendocino Village and Point Cabrillo Light Station.

This iconic building greets travelers from every direction in Mendocino Village.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch from a favorite cafe and window shopped through the quaintly flowered streets.

Aunt Deeds and her lovies.

Jenny and her Hank-opotamus.

We walked out to the local light station and to our delight the buildings have undergone a recent re-gentrification and now once again look like they did in 1906. There is a geological anomaly here at Point Cabrillo just off the bluff behind the lighthouse. The curator of the museum told us the rock table we could see at low tide is a "barnacle exfoliate" for whales as they travel south from Alaska (October-ish) and then again north from Mexico (March-ish).

 

 (rock table directly behind us)

Little Girls playing on the porch of the Light Keeper's House (it is available as a vacation rental, fun! photo here.) and in the misty meadow.