We Went and Moused

The first - and possibly last - weeklong family vacation has come and gone. We went to Disneyworld! It was really fun, with the exception of the unfortunate weather. We arrived on Saturday night. On Sunday it was cold - high of 52! - and then on Monday and Tuesday it rained. Wednesday and Thursday were the best weather days with some clouds and some sun.

Even though it rained, we had a great time. On Sunday we went to Magic Kingdom; on Monday to Epcot (Epcot was really neat and would have been 100% neater if it hadn't been raining all stinking day long!); on Tuesday to Animal Kingdom (ditto); on Wednesday to Hollywood Studios; on Thursday back to Magic Kingdom; and on Friday to Downtown Disney.

Rose #1 reported that she spent 96% of the vacation with her cousin Sam. Rose #2 was our daredevil: she rode Space Mountain multiple times! Rose #3 made friends with everyone she encountered. I mainly enjoyed not working for an entire week and being with my Roses. It hit me as I was playing a game with Rose #3 one night after we got back to our hotel room that it is a very rare occasion when I can just sit down to play with one of my kids without worrying about a million other things at the same time.

Here is the entire group with Mickey and Minnie.

And So.

January has been a huge dump of things. Some really bad. Others, unexpectedly good, like a little glimpse of sun during a dreary day.

The other night, Rose #1 comes out of the bedroom (all three Roses share a sleeping room, at least for now). She tells me "Mom, I want to tell you something."

Me: "OK, what's up?" (Expecting this to be another long recounting of a complicated playground game or relatively unfunny joke.)

Rose #1: "I am so proud to be your daughter. And Daddy's daughter."

Where did THAT come from? I am so proud to be her mom. And, feeling unworthy of such praise.

Tomorrow, we are off to Florida. I DETEST flying, so it should be an interesting trip. That and we are all seated in totally different locations on the airplane. It is a completely booked flight, so some flight attendant is going to have to work a little magic tomorrow!

Christmas Morning fun

A shot of Roses and cousins opening their Santa gift that was delivered to Sam & Maddie's house:

Mickey and Minnie Mouse watches, because it's time to go to Disneyworld! Yes, that's right, the big Christmas gift at our house was a family trip to Disney the first week of February.

Santa is undoubtedly proud: all three Roses were wearing their new Christmas morning jammies to their cousins' house.

Happy New Year

And, without further ado, here are our Christmas Eve pictures. Sigh.

Here is Rose #2, as a Heavenly Host. When asked what a heavenly host was, all I could come up with was Angel!! Doesn't she look like one?


And here are Roses #1 and #2 together. Rose #1 was a little shepherd. I LOVE her headdress.
And here is the group of family that came to the pageant on Christmas Eve. Left to right: H, me, Poppy, Aunt Boo, Uncle Eli, Aunt Brenna. Second row: Rose #2, Guppy, Rose #1, and in the very front, Rose #3 (who is looking forward to being a CHERUB next year).

Holidazzle and Face Paints

We went to a firm marketing event on Friday night, and they had a SERIOUS face painter there! Here is Rose #3. It is hard to see but her design was a pony. She was VERY shy at the event (snort!). Actually, she has not a shy bone in her body. She is constantly introducting herself to everyone, hugging random people, and smiling like crazy. Maybe she needs to learn a few inhibitions? Anyway, here she is in her face painted glory:

Rose #2 was obviously a butterfly. Today when I was cooking she was sitting across the table from me and reading everything in sight. She read from a ketchup bottle: "Only the best tomatoes for only the best ketchup." All by herself! Great job Rose #2!

And Rose #1...wait for it...Darth Maul! Yeah!

It Is -15 Wind Chill...Let's Go Swimming!

This is a note I found when I was cleaning up random stacks of paper in the dining room:

It's Time To Go To The Swimming Pool [At] 1:00. [Can] We Go Too (sic) The Swimming Pool Plees (sic)? Love, [Rose #2]

Well, after such a heartfelt plea and an earnest note, wouldn't you go?

What Are You Waiting For?

That was the title of our sermon on Sunday. Sunday was a rare occasion where I am permitted the opportunity to go to service with Rose #1. Normally, often, I am teaching Rose #3's Sunday School class. (Montessori style teaching through stories and play for 3- and 4-year-olds!) But I was not on the teaching calendar, so I got to attend service.

Rose #1 needs to learn to sit still better. Just sayin'.

Anyway, after singing the older kids out to their Sunday School lessons, we listened to the sermon. The message - I think - was that we as liberal religious people need to move beyond a theoretical and academic interest in causes. Our minister said that we are great at advocacy, but terrible at being with people in need. That we need to redefine the bottom line - in this country, in our lives. The bottom line needs to be human compassion. Education. Community.

Oh, how I believe it. Most people would. So why is the world so unlike what we dream and wish it could be? Why is the message in church the same each week, and nothing changes? Why am I thinking about these things, musing about them, when a few months ago I would have barely had time to stop to even listen to the sermon?