The Best Week of the Year

If you are experiencing any of the following, you may be participating  in a stay-cation

* relaxed family time
* puzzles
* multiple sledding outings, all together
* ice skating (with every kid enjoying themselves (!) (?)... who are these people?)
* not really caring about meal planning or excessive clean up or laundry
* minimal fighting among siblings (if ther were no fighting then it would mean they were dead.)
* winter picnics
* snow shoeing around a neighborhood covered in a blanket of Christmas Eve snow
* fort building with the children for no reason other than it was really fun
* family games where everyone is having fun (again... who are these people?)
* immense satisfaction and peace being in the place you are in with the people you are with in the life that is yours



It is December 30th, and no one is more surprised than me that my Christmas tree is still up.

I admit, everything else is gone (Christmas clutter gives me serious anxiety).  But I can't part with the tree.  Probably because it has been such a lovely holiday for Team Workman and I'm afraid that if I box up the homemade ornaments, sparkly balls and poky fake pine that this wonderfulness will be boxed up with it.

We hosted Christmas dinner with cousins from Spokane... the prime rib was so incredible that I ate two more helpings in lieu of photographing the event.  Burp.  

But, other than this, we were alone.  Just Team Workman.  Mr. Workman took some time off, and I'm pretty sure we happened upon a phenomena known as "stay-cation".  I think I pinned something about in on Pinterest once, but I never revisited the issue.

 I consider this past week to be a Christmas gift from my subconscious to myself, my own little heart knew what it needed and turned down my stress-o-meter so that I could truly relax and enjoy...

The perfect end to a very. very. difficult year for me.

Thank you, self.

Here's to looking ahead.  Here's to using the blocks of this beautiful life that surround me to build peace and light and love and laughter.  Mixed with tears.  Because you can't have one without the other.

Ivy's new-to-her dress from Grandma Mary Ann.  It reminds me of 1992 and I love it.

Christmas breakfast.  Yes Please!

I love the way children play on Christmas day.  

Is he too big to be playing pirate?  Perhaps. 

Eden's Christmas wish was a bow and arrow.  (sorry about the bad exposure.  My speed light flash is still a mystery to me.)

My loves. 

Oak is crazy. 

Eden rocks.

Georgia was fearless.

End still rocks. 

Organic snowman.