Reason no.857.

Aside from your smile, which lights my eyes when you walk into a room, here's another reason I love you so -

This morning, Monday, Christmas vacation still, Daddy home, too. You tiptoed to our door, closed it. I vaguely remember you holding out a container, asking is this plain yogurt, and then a little later I unscrewed the top from the strawberry jam.

And then there you were with bowls on our nightstands, and cups of water, too. Inside, a scoop of plain yogurt next to a dallop of the preserves, covered in granola and a lot of pepitas. The whole kitchen cleaned up, and you so very proud of yourself.

I love you!

And to all a good night!

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas Day and hope that the rest of 2010 is restful and happy!

And, in case you were looking for a new Christmas song to add to your holiday playlist, how about this one that Alla's been singing -

Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere, go tell it on the mountain, Jesus Christ galore!

Rainbow in the snow.

Isn't a rainbow on a Monday, on a snowy day, or on any day just the loveliest thing? We're enjoying our day-long snowfall, looking forward to Alla's last day of school on Wednesday and her and Daddy being home from Thursday into the New Year. We're crafting up fun little gifts, too, and enjoying the quiet.

Frosty book.

The children were gifted a recordable Hallmark book as one of their 24 Days of Christmas. Nana and Pappi gave them the Frosty the Snowman one, and they surely love it.

Fisher spent a big part of Monday morning engrossed. Listening, turning the page. Listening, turning the page.

I love this one. Little finger to little lip.
Though Alla had enjoyed it bunches when it was first opened Sunday morning, she came home after school on Monday and enjoyed it even more.

Thanks for helping make our 24 days joyous, Nana + Pappi!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Fisher always asks what's for dinner like this: What are we having for dinner night? I then generally do everything I can to pretend I didn't hear him so he'll say it again.

2. These measuring cups make me want to go out and buy little hooks for underneath a kitchen cabinet, just so I can display them.

3. I am nearly finished with ROOM, which I highly recommend.

4. Next up is The Passage, which Ron has been waiting for me to read since summertime, and which I hope I can finish before the new year. I have this weird thing about finishing a book before the first of the year so I can start fresh.

5. Alla picked up Happy Birthday, Moon at bedtime last night, and she read it to US!

6. Today was Fisher's last day of school before the Christmas break. When we go back in January, we'll go together on Tuesdays and then by himself on Thursdays! He's doing so well, I think he's ready for it.

7. I made beef stew for the first time this weekend, and it was super delicious. If you make this recipe, it is perfect for two adults and two children who've never had beef stew before and aren't inclined to try new things. However, if there are more adults joining you or you're expecting more saucy children, then definitely double it.

8. Did I forget to mention we were snowed in this weekend? I'm sure you've heard, but in case you haven't we got somewhere between 17-24 inches of snow on Saturday, which means that in some spots there were 2-3 foot drifts and that the pile at the corner of our lawn (hard to say that word in the middle of winter) is at least as tall as Ron. Fisher asked this morning if I could put him on top of that mountain.

9. The big snow definitely put a cramp in our plans to get a tree this weekend. Oh, well, it'll just be that much fresher for Christmas!

10. One of my last things on the Christmas to-do list is helping Alla and Fisher make their gifts for each other. Will have to show pictures of that process and finished products. It's the first year doing it, now that Fisher is old enough to help and also understand a little bit. I might be most excited for this aspect of Christmas!

Something new.

Look closely, see if you can see it, the new thing, the new part of Fisher and our lives.

There. There it is - Fisher now has an insulin pump! So we're a little busy figuring things out, learning, tired from round-the-clock checks.

Happy Monday!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. A question from Alla: Does God have a wife?

2. A statement from Fisher: I'm going to draw an observation about your hay-er.


3. Fisher's up there in his nap singing, The more we get together, the happier we'll be.


4. Alla is currently sorting her ginormous stuffed animal basket. Not to give any away, mind you. No, they all have names and are very dear to her. She's just got this idea that the most important ones need to be in the basket that stays in her room and the others need to find a different place in the house.


5. Yesterday I went to the Mall of America.


6. What an adorable ornament idea!


7. Normally we eat between 6-6:30 and it takes forever and then it's straight to bath. Last night Fisher said he was starving so we ate around 5:30, it miraculously didn't take forever, and then the kids had time to play while the adults finished their drinks while lounging in the living room. It was quite nice.


8. We got 6-7 inches of snow on Saturday, and it is just beautiful around here.


9. I picked up stamps today for holiday cards!


10. Last week a new recycling can was delivered because the city has chosen a new contractor for our recycling as of the new year. The new one is blue, the old one is green. Fisher threw an all-out fit the morning it was delivered, screaming and crying for them to take it back. Ten minutes of protesting the new can. Thankfully, it seems to be over.

Rainbow dress.

The birthday rainbow dress got put on a hook in the playroom, next to princess dresses, tutus, doctor outfit and capes, but was recently rediscovered and Alla could not wait to wear it to school. Today was the day, she hopped out of bed and brought it into the bathroom with her, because apparently it would be too long to wait to put it on after using the bathroom.

I know this dress makes her happy. She makes us happy. I hope that she will always be this outspoken, loud, independent-minded, colorful.