Oh So Quiet

We had snowfall overnight.  With Sprout napping and the Christmas tree all lit up, it feels so quiet.  A second cup of tea is in order, but I hate to get up of the couch to make one.  Plus, I'm sure the little one will be up soon, and I best take advantage of this time to write, if I'm going to write...

It has been a while.

...And with that she woke up.  She is back asleep now.  A little nursing and a little rocking did the trick.  Usually she doesn't go back down in the morning, so this may be a shorter-than-intended updated, but we'll see what I can manage.

And it gave me a chance to get that second cup of tea.

Anyway, I didn't intend on being away from this space for so long.  First The Bean got sick.  We were back and forth to the doctor and up at nights with coughing and stuffy noses.  He recovered just as the others three of us started coming down with the same thing.  We're closing out week two now and hoping that it's over soon.  We're all tired of feeling this way.

In the mean time I fell off the photo challenge wagon.  I haven't been great about taking photos lately at all... I thought the challenge would inspire me a bit, but I guess it was just too, well, challenging.  I think I just need to get back into the habit of keeping the camera close by and taking it with us when we go out.  This is a pretty time of year and The Bean and Sprout are changing so quickly, so hopefully that is inspiration enough.

This past weekend we celebrated Sprout's first birthday.  How we are almost at a year with this little girl, I just don't understand.  It seems like just yesterday we were bringing home our "darling, darling".  Though in many ways it also feels like she has always been here.

And The Bean.  He will excitedly remind you that his birthday is coming next.  He makes us laugh, this little guy.  Everyday he has been reminding us to turn the Christmas lights on and undecorates and redecorates the tree.  Recently he been sitting on his nest, taking care of his eggs (egg shakers that St. Nicholas left).  He talks about friends at preschool and other friends which we are pretty sure he has made up.  He asks us to read him book after book.  He stomps around in his loud boots and roars in his dino pajamas.

We celebrated (American) Thanksgiving in PA.  I believe there were 17 of us around the table.  The kids were doted on by older cousins, aunts and uncles, and of course their grandparents and great grandparents.  Both kids were really good for the long car ride.  Sprout cut her top two incisors while we were there.  We're looking forward to going back at Christmastime.

I'm still job hunting.  My name is on a few sub lists, though I have yet to get a call.  I should probably get on a few more.  I also need to apply to the boards.  This is when the hiring for next fall begins.  It's totally overwhelming and so hard not to feel discouraged.  If I don't find a teaching position I need to figure out what I'm going to do.

Christmas season is upon us.  Most of the gifts have been bought and wrapped.  I'm hoping to get a little bit of holiday baking in.  My best friend requested ginger cookies, and making those for her is the least I can do...

It's taken me into the second nap time to finish this up and there are a lot of around the house chores to get done.  I will try to updated again sooner.