Taos Tree Project

So we're finishing up a crazy week of baking, mailing, shopping, and packing for what is becoming our own annual pilgrimage to make sure our family doesn't forget what we look like. I don't know how much blogging there will be, but I leave you with this video just in case there is none.

Well Since Everyone is Posting About the Snow...

Yep, this is our second significant snow this winter. I'm very aware of this because during the first significant snow we rushed to Target to get her snow pants, but by the time we got home the snow had melted. That is life in the high desert. But this time we were ready! Yesterday while I was passed out sick, husband took the baby out for a nice long romp. This morning there was another couple inches so we walked all the way to the park! Even in snowpants!

Watching her in the snow is everything I imagined--a total reawakening. Every small detail must be closely examined, sniffed, tasted, or stomped. On the way home she tuckered out, so each time she tumbled she lay back and looked up at the sky in a long moment of winter silence. Peace on earth.

The Annual Auntie Huck Pilgrimage

We had a wonderful visit with fave Auntie Huck in which we went to see a Church Production of "Gifts of the Magi," and made like bandits at the ABQ library sale. Thanks, Huck for coming and taking pictures of us! We love you!

Some Tuesday Cousin Cuteness

Cause you've probably had enough of Steve Urkel.

Lemon Fusilli and Steve Urkel: My Shout out to Kandid Kiwi

So a few weeks ago I was chatting with fabulous girlfriend Kandid Kiwi, who recommended the recipe Lemon Fusilli from one of our favorite Food Network Divas, the Barefoot Contessa. I finally tried it tonight and it so did not disappoint! In fact, everyone who reads my blog should cook it up tomorrow and then comment about how good it was.

It always helps to amp husband up if we're having an untried, no-meat pasta dish, so I casually mentioned that this was a current household favorite of the Kiwi family. After I said that, I was thinking how this must be like, what people in CA eat all the time, and how Jeff Probst probably has it for dinner every night (except Baja Fresh nights) and coveting the oh so glamorous California life. I think it's called dreamin' when you do that.

But then later, when husband told me he went to middle school with Steve Urkel and even saw him a couple times, I realized, the glam is right here people, right here.

Photo Overload...

We had to veto the ladder after something pinched her...but she loved it while it lasted!
Not quite sure what the tree is for.
New Mexico Skies
My baby is a little girl!
Working on Jingle Bell Rock for the family talent show
First climbing wall encounter at the Mountain Store in SF
Madeline with Abigail
The view from our cabin
Fly fishing in the snow!
Self portrait
The 6 a.m. play session
All packed up with her current favorite book (I love it when you Smile)
At home with Mommy

My photos weren't the best, but we had a wonderful Thanksgiving up in the wild snowy Taos--I haven't sorted through my video footage, but hopefully you can stay tuned for Heidi's first snow encounter (she learned the word ski!), our Christmas tree snowtrek extravaganza, and the brief but exciting girls' day out in Arroyo Seco.

In short, we had a great Thanksgiving, and I will take the opportunity to say that we are thankful for you, for all of you.

Halos and Shadows

A constant state of bed head.

Meanwhile

I am debating whether to fold laundry or actually sort through the Thanksgiving (in Taos!) photos for a real blog post....in the meantime, please read this golden post from one of my favorite blogs--it's short, FYI.

I have Found My People

After months of questioning and fruitless googles I finally realized that if you type "baby skis" instead of "toddler skis," the cyber world will answer. This awesome website seems to provide some realistic and useful info for parents who want to teach their tots to ski. At last, I am not crazy! I did not just imagine the toddlers riding ski lifts during my brief career as a snowboard instructor. There are others who have gone before (the baby above is just 7 months and didn't start walking until 12 months!). My role will obviously be very limited since I myself do not ski, but with Heidi's capacity for movement, the more activities she can do outside the better. The nice thing about baby skis is you can just pull your kids around the foothills to get them some practice. It will be great: dog in one hand, skiing baby in the other, pregnant Mama wondering what she was thinking...let it snow!

Newbaby!

Clearly the 1st trimester is over at the rate I am now blogging. The wind is back in my sails and my mind is awake enough to actually think about the new baby that is on the way!

My due date, after much confusion, has been resolved: April 21. So I will expect a baby on May 5. However, from conversation with my midwife, it's doubtful that they will let us hang out for two weeks post-due date, since I'm trying to not have a C-section this time...I forget all the reasons why. Clearly a second child.

Plus, we had an ultra-sound already! It was a bit distracting, since Heidi was scared about all the things they were doing to mommy so the magical moment was a bit muffled with toddler screams. But it was magical, nonetheless--at only 15 weeks, the baby was harder to see, but like her sister, v. active and jumpy. Here we go.

I'm starting to browse baby-gear again, and daydream about fantastical nursery/girls' room innovations--or maybe a boy's room? That thought just occurred to me. We are going to find out, but the tech and I are fairly certain we are having another girl so I haven't even thought about the design possibilities for a boy...whoa, that just brought on the fatigue.

Remind me to have a purpose when I sit down to blog: oh, here's what it was--I am getting really excited about our second baby!! Not that I wasn't, but you know how it goes; it's hard to remember that sometimes in the throes of chasing the one we have.

I'm onto you!

For as long as I can remember, I have been stealing books from my parents, mostly from Dad. Since my dad is like me and tends to hoard rather than actually finish books, he has been all-forgiving of this weakness and only takes them back if he has need of them, and even then, he asks, as if the book was actually mine. If anyone has ever admired my small library, they should thank him.

One of my favorites conquests is an old copy of Tolkien's The Father Christmas Letters, which I was reminded of while reading Kelle's Christmas post over at Enjoying the Small Things, a blog I tend to leave open for long periods of time simply because I like her music. I'm too tired to go into the loveliness that is this book. Just trust me. And I don't have time to go on about my theory that it is really Tolkien's best and most important work, and all that stuff about how important it is to instill imagination in your kids, even if it means spending lots of time creating authentic-looking postage stamps from the North Pole and composing stories about the Polar Bears, Northern Lights, Elves, and Goblins that live there. And I have even less time to expound on the whole magical concept of Northness (Narnia and the North!) that Lewis and Tolkien both refer to constantly in their work and their imaginary and spiritual worlds....

This post is about finding the culprit who stole The Father Christmas letters from me! It seems to be missing from my shelf--I thought that if I could haul it all the way out here to the desert, it would be mine for keeps, but some other Tolkien-junkie snuck off with it. I'm attached to that copy; it has a Wheaton College Bookstore sticker from the 1970s on the back, for crying out loud. It's vintage!

And I have my suspects. namely a certain special one who actually dressed up as an elf for the movie release and spent the day of said release watching Tolkien movies outside in the falling snow with her elf ears on. How northy is that?

Open to confessions.

Let's Salvage What we Can

If you go to this website, there is a petition you can sign that will be sent to Congress, as one of our President Elect's first objectives will be to ensure that there are no limitations on our country's most shameful sin.

Latest Installment of Too Many Photos

Heidi is learning more each day. I don't have the photos yet of her unplugging all the baby proof thingies from the outlets, but we are of course very proud of that skill as well. It's great for our adrenaline, especially when she tries to put them back while telling herself "no!"

She brushes her own hair,

Sight reads almost anything, (from watching all those piano lessons)
Dog whispers,
And teaches Una new tricks like smelling the flowers,
Climbs onto all furniture,
And reorganizes the tupperware on a daily basis!

Also, a brief note on my ambiguous post for husband two posts ago: he was presenting at a conference in Monterey and of course pulled it off fabulously (as always). The paranoid side of me didn't want to mention that he was out of town in hopes that I would sleep better...but anyways, that's what that post was for. I was hoping that he would see it before his presentation, but oh well.

TMI, but it's what memories are made of...right?

Real, Actual Conversation & Events from last night:

Scene: Wife is in bath with book. Husband is in bed with book.

Husband: Come to bed already, please!

Me: I smell smoke! The fireplace must be leaking!

Husband: I don't smell anything.

Me: I swear, the fireplace is leaking!

(Husband jumps out of bed and runs to family room, then returns)

Husband: There is nothing leaking from the fireplace.

Me: But I still smell the smoke! Something is burning!

(Husband takes a sweeping glance at bathroom)

Husband: It's your book. You put it on the candle. Your book is burning up behind your head.

Me: Oh. (removes book, extinguishes flames, gets dressed, opens windows, gets more water, etc.)

Husband: Just go to bed already!

Me (getting into bed): That was kind of funny, right?

Husband (dozing off): Like dumb funny.

Me: Don't you love my little quirks?

Husband: Just please, go to sleep!

(20 minutes later)

Husband: Quirks.

(5 minutes later)

Husband: I love you.

You probably already know what I said back.

For Husband

We love you and we're praying for you today!

For the Spears

We are grieving with you, and longing for Heaven even more today. When I was thinking about you this morning, this Hymn came to mind--it's from Isaiah and referencing Christ's Advent, which, as Pinky said very well, is our only and Greatest Comfort.

Comfort, comfort ye My people
Speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
Comfort those who sit in darkness,
Mourning ’neath their sorrow’s load;
Speak ye to Jerusalem
Of the peace that waits for them;
Tell her that her sins I cover,
And her warfare now is over.

For the herald’s voice is crying
In the desert far and near,
Bidding all men to repentance,
Since the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way!
Let the valleys rise to meet Him,
And the hills bow down to greet Him.

Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
Blotting out each dark misdeed;
All that well deserved His anger
He will no more see nor heed.
She has suffered many a day,
Now her griefs have passed away,
God will change her pining sadness
Into ever springing gladness.

Make ye straight what long was crooked,
Make the rougher places plain:
Let your hearts be true and humble,
As befits His holy reign,
For the glory of the Lord
Now o’er the earth is shed abroad,
And all flesh shall see the token
That His Word is never broken.

Words: Jo­han­nes G. Olear­i­us, Geist­liche Singe-Kunst (Leip­zig, Ger­ma­ny: 1671) (Tröst­et, tröst­et meine Lieb­en); trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ca­ther­ine Wink­worth, Chor­ale Book for Eng­land, 1863. Olear­i­us wrote this hymn for St. John the Bap­tist’s Day (June 24).

A Good Friend is Someone you can Laugh With

It wasn't long before we all noticed the ruckus in the living room. I don't think I've ever heard Heidi laugh so hard for so long. The kid tends to pull a poker face the more I try to get her to laugh. I want to hug Abigail for sacrificing her voice for such a cause--I hope we all laugh together for many years to come, with no incidents whatsoever.

Meditation, Movie Review

Last week husband and I went to see Fireproof.

No, not because it starred Kirk Cameron. And not because we are people who go out and buy every evangelical gimmick that comes down the pike. My guilty gimmick is fad diet books, not Christian propaganda. Our pastor actually recommended it (the movie, not the fad diet books), largely basing his recommendation on the beautiful story of its making, which might be more powerful than the film itself. The movie is produced by a company called Sherwood Pictures, part of the movie-making ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia.

I love the idea of a church collaborating creatively to express Biblical truths in this powerful media of our time. I love that nearly all the actors in the film are members of this church and are continuing to act together, not onscreen, but in real life. I love that on the night we went, the theater was packed with couples, families, and singles, young, and old, and during poignant moments onscreen we could hear people around us whispering, "yes, exactly. that is what it's like." I was a little surprised there were no "Amens!" I imagine there were in Albany, Georgia on opening night. And I love that this was a film about real life, long past the Romantic-Comedic ending that is two people finding each other and getting married after they resolve all their issues.

Least effective for me was the first 20 minutes--viewers used to Hollywood Sensory Overload, special effects, and, Gilmore Girl speed-speech need to get used to the slower pace, dialogue, amateur acting (it's a church, not Broadway) and...cleanliness of the jokes and music.

Most effective for me was how strongly and sweetly this movie portrayed the small, significant steps that make or break marriages. The story begins in the heart of the storm, showing a home torn by strife, bitterness, loneliness, disrespect and the raging infidelity that affects 47% of Christian homes today (according to World Magazine).

The couple is headed for divorce, when the husband, under the wise guidance of his father, agrees to a last resort: a "love dare" challenging him to do one small thing for his wife each day. Much of the film charts his attempts at these labors of love and his wife's harsh and confused response. But even random acts of kindness don't work without a serious change of heart.

This movie spoke so much to me about what marriage is: for better or for worse, richer, or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death to us part, and, this film might add: every single moment of every single day, by the Grace of God, through Christ Jesus our Lord. I was so touched by the husband's small and great works of love, going unnoticed and unwelcome for so long until the song of grace became too deafening for the wife to ignore. And this husband was not alone: he was supported by the prayers of his parents and friends, and depending on Christ for the miracle that is every working marriage. It also helped that he had his own private camp with an outdoor chapel. I so want our own private camp.

I could feel pride seeping in at times while I watched: "Man, I'm glad our marriage is not like that! I would never behave that way to my husband! Phew, I guess we're doing pretty good here." And then it was revealed to me: it is only by God's grace that we aren't that couple, and it is only by His kindness that He will keep us from such a precipice. A marriage that is successful by Christian standards is an easy thing to pat ourselves on the back over, but the reality is that it's all about Jesus and his work in the home. Christian determinism? Hardly. We are given a role. It's completely up to us whether we will sit back in His hands and enjoy the ride while He carries us where He wants us to go or whether we fight Him kicking and screaming. And our response will greatly affect all who know us. But when we stand up and look where we've come, we have only Him to thank when we find we're in a good place. And if we love Him, we know He will always take us to a Good Place.

Once I overheard two men talking. One said to the other (roughly): "I have married a woman whom God has crafted to be like Himself. There's no way I could have set myself up for that. At the time I got married, I couldn't even imagine such a thing."

We like to credit ourselves with our successes, be in marriage or life. We like to say we chose the right person or made the right investment. Such talk is folly. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Oh, and I do recommend this movie. And I definitely want our own private camp. Husband?

Balloons, Pumkins

Heidi discovered the joy of bouncing on a school bus with no seat belt--I really don't know if anything else all weekend topped this. You can see her pure bliss.
Since there was nothing to look at once it got dark, we gathered round an empty balloon basket and watched the pilot throw flames into the sky. Heidi was not so sure about this.Stroller chats with Kate.

Year two of cancelled balloons.The only challenge at the Pumpkin patch was the weather forecast: 35 mph winds, rain, and cold temperatures. Oh, and lots of mud in close proximity to animals. But we are from the Midwest, people. That didn't stop us.

I don't know how we've made it this long without a giant sandbox filled with corn. Husband?
You can't tell from the picture, but we had to climb the giant 20 foot tall pyramid of hay bales for a family photo. Because who are we? We're the Jeromins!
Despite appearances, I'm not yelling at the driver. I know how tricky those little John Deeres are to turn. Right, Grandpa?
BTW, these little cars are made out of feed barrels. We are so getting some.
She didn't really get this.

I haven't blogged much, but this week, Heidi completely fell in love with Nana. I was a little jealous, but enjoyed the free time too. I'm so thankful she connected right away.
We found 4 pumkins: one for Mommy, Daddy, Heidi, and NewBaby, who is past the first trimester, btw. Maybe that explains my newfound energy to type as well as upload.

Despite the 35 mph winds, I think Heidi could have stayed out here all day--her main goal was to climb the pumkins, but she did enjoy rolling around in the fresh, muddy pumkin vines as well. She so gets cornfields. Pumkin fields, whatever.
We will definitely be back next year. Right Nana?