December in review (cluster blogging)

A few Christmas pictures. Dr. Mommy checks out Allison's new baby.
Nik got a cricket bat from Santa.Games are a big part of our lives. Are we a bit competitive maybe? Nik got a new one called "Ligretto" that is fast and fun and hyper competitive. Everyone loves it. This is the first game of the day and Andrea is explaining the rules to Melanie who prides herself on being able to compete at grown-up games. Usually she is easily as good as the rest of us at games like "Settlers of Catan" and the Train game, but Ligretto requires a lot of coordination and keeping track of many things at one time, moves really fast, and she's going up against people who have played a lot. A seven-year-old doesn't stand a chance in this crowd. No mercy at card games.
Melanie's new portable chair. It's the most used item from Christmas, fo' sho'.

We are a bit crowded, with Santa's loot for 6 kids in a twin house, but 'togetherness' is a way of life for these PA raised kids - it was a merry Christmas full of fun and smiles and laughter!!

Christmas Pictures (almost!)

What our Christmas pictures might have looked like if we had taken the picture before Christmas (hard to do when Andrea doesn't come home from school until Dec 23 - big ol' awesomely fun snowstorm sorta changed her plans) and IF she had been home earlier, supposing that I would have pulled everything together and gotten a picture and/or letter sent out.... yeah, too much to hope for! Anyways.... Happiest New Year from the Hawleys. We are excited to see what new adventures this year brings for us!! Chuck's job search is wide open geographically. We will go anywhere and are excited to see what plans are in store for us!!

Happy New Year!! Breakfast in bed

This morning when Allison woke up Melanie (who slept until 10am after staying up until almost 2am; we were playing Ligretto (card game) and Milles Bournes and Uno with friends last night. We did actually take a break at 11:59:47 to celebrate the new year for about 20 seconds before returning to our card game - in a room full of competitive people, Ligretto can be rather intense (and fun!).).... Anyways, Melanie announced that she wasn't going to come downstairs all day; would I please bring her breakfast in bed. I took breakfast up (confetti colored cereal, two oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and an orange = good way to start the New Year) and the light was awesome and I took this fuzzy picture.

Then Allison wanted breakfast in *her* bed, and this is her most awesome squinty faced super smile while she eats confetti cereal and "mars-i-mo's" ("marshmallows"; I love the 2/almost 3 y.o. speech!!). It was a great morning.

I have loved reading so many blogs this year and keeping up with all your fun activities. During these slow winter months I will try to fill in the gap from when I last blogged over the summer. Keep posting, all you Superwomen, b/c your posts are greatly enjoyed!! Happy New Year! May peace and blessings and fun and frivolity and sunshine abound in your lives this year!!

Crocodiles for dinner

Melanie, Allison and I were leaving my mom's house to come home to Drexel Hill (about a 2 hour drive). We said a little prayer, I asked if everyone was ready, and then I yelled, "LET'S GO!!"

Allison immediately followed up with, "...EAT A CROCODILE!!" I've never even heard her say the word 'crocodile' and she's ready to eat one?

That kid puts E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G in her mouth.

May 8 in two parts

Part One
My great friends Christina and Baby Isaac accompanied us on a trip to Longwood Gardens, one of my favorite places in the world. When I'm there, I forget that the world isn't entirely beautiful, I forget there are places where nature's beauty isn't allowed to flourish, and I completely lose myself in the beauty of a carefully ordered and painstakingly but lovingly tended world.

Highlights:
These two beautiful people!! (so beautiful, they are in here twice - which I can't fix tho I even tried to edit the HTML; sorry!)

These flowers were amazing close up. Two different colors, several different kinds of petals on each flower. 

The color of brand new leaves in Spring is so cool, so much lighter than Summer green. This is the view from the deck of my favorite treehouse. Notice the cheeseball slightly to the left.

The children's garden area is amazing. There are several fountains and lots of water play. Kids are encouraged to play in the fountains as long as they don't get in. We got plenty wet without getting in anything.

Total cheeseball. I love that scrunchy faced smile! This time, sticking her finger in the mouth of a lizard. I've no doubt if a real one would hold that still, she'd try the same thing.

One of my favorite stained glass windows. 

Allison blowing the 'smoke'.

This is what's hanging over the 'smoke'. Kind of a dark but way cool little corner in the garden.

Longwood gives out a kids map with instructions for the Children's Garden and it says kids can pick the flowers in here. I've never seen anyone do it and I've never been brave enough to tell one of my kids to do it. Would you?

End of the trip: We dropped off the Howdens at their house and on the way home, Allison said the following:

Bye Bye Ki-tina (Christina).

Bye Bye Baby I-yick (Isaac)

Bye Bye Baby I-yick brmmm brmm (car)

Bye Bye Baby I-yick toys.

Bye Bye Baby I-yick rattle.

Bye Bye Baby I-yick blanket.

Bye Bye Baby I-yick mouse.

Bye Bye Baby I-yick mouth.

Bye Bye Baby I-yick nose.

and then she sang "I love Christina, she loves me. I love I-yick, he loves me. We happy fam-i-ly. We happy fam-i-ly.  Happy Birthday I-yick. Happy Birthday Ki-tina." 

It was a great (first part of the) day.

Part Deux:

o  Instead of napping, Allison took off her diaper and wet her crib.

o  Chris' disciplinarian/asst. principal at school called to tell me Chris is suspended tomorrow because he's been late 12 times this semester (that's since Jan 21st).

o  The paperwork for a food order I did got lost.

There is definitely opposition in all things, and there's nothing like teenagers and toddlers to make you appreciate the good times.

March in PA and DE

I haven't posted in a while, so thought I'd take a few minutes and post some random things from the past month.

March started out COLD. We were ankle deep in snow. Many headlines read, "March comes in like a lion" but I find the snow so peaceful. We Hawleys can't resist romping around until our fingers and toes are numb. My little snow bunny. 

And what do you think this tire swing reminded me of? Donuts, of course! (My mind is never far from them, though).

I just LOVE this constantly crumb-encrusted face. So full of life and joy, all the time!

A week after the snow, it was warm enough to go to the beach! (b/n 60 and 70 degrees) We stayed at my mom's in Lewes DE for a coupla weeks . I just LOVE kids on the beach. And I discovered that I love going in March when I'm covered in clothes and can't feel the sand all over me! I could roll all around, sit and play with the kids with no discomfort. And yes, those little black dots in the water are SURFERS. The air was warm but the water wasn't - 38 degrees! Yikes. 

Someone in our family believes that a Leprechaun visits houses the night before St. Patrick's Day (product of Catholic pre-school) so low and behold, someone came to our house and left a confetti trail from the bedroom into the family room and to a pile of cookies. Good leprechaun (another favorite moment in the St. Pat's excitement: Melanie made a card for the Leprechaun, only she spelled it "Lepercon" like it was for some diseased convict.).

The Sage

Every once in a while when I've had a particularly challenging day or week (or month) with Allison, I'll call my mom and complain a bit, and I follow it by telling her I'm trying hard not to wish away this precious time because I'm sure when Allison is older I'll miss these days.

And without missing a beat, with wisdom and a smile in her voice, my mom knowingly replies, "Or not."