Christmas Eve

Miah opened her stocking beside the fire this evening in her Christmas dress. Afterward we used two of the kid's Christmas stories and the Little People nativity set to act out the Christmas story. She did a pretty good job as I instructed her where the pieces belonged and when (we were too busy acting to take pictures). In fact, when Mark was on the phone with his mom she got the idea that Mary rides on the donkey. I think Mary took a longer ride than she wanted to.

Even though we didn't talk about Santa this year, she got the message that she needed to sleep fast; she only put up one fight before nodding off.

a simple christmas

I hope that Miah is not mad at me in later years for this simple Christmas. We only decorated a small corner of Grandma and Granpa's house this year. We wanted to keep everything simple because next week will flash by with moving Mark to Trinidad, and then I'll be back to my busy schedule in addition to other preparations for Mark's departure. We didn't feel like adding "Clean up Christmas decorations" to our list of things to do. I like, though, that it has kept us focused on the story of Christmas.

 Miah is forever pulling out her Christmas books to "read" to us or her bears. After she posed for this picture--she staged everything--she asked me to read her a story. You can't see it in these pictures, but she also plays with her Little People nativity set when she's not reading, coloring, or dancing to Christmas tunes.

 Speaking of tunes. Miah loves Grandma's tree lights that make music on the first two settings. It's playing now. Miah demands of Mark every evening, "Turn on Christmas!"

The lack of presents under the tree doesn't mean I've been that stingy this year; it's a precaution against curious fingers late at night. One night I woke to find Miah sleeping beside me. I couldn't tell you how that happened, but I could make a good guess: As I sleepily carried her back to her room, I was astonished that the Christmas tree was lit and playing music. On the sofa next to it was a mound of pillows, blankets, toys--and cookie crumbs. I found the bathroom lit with drawers open, so she must have made a beauty stop before rumaging through both cookie piles in the kitchen and making her way downstairs. There she turned on the tree and set up camp with cookies, music, and Eyore. When her eyes became heavy beyond belief she snuck into my bed.

Notice the snowman and round red ornament above it. Miah made those at school this year. She also made a shiny pink mitten I was looking forward to hanging, but she ate the glitter off it on the way home--yuck. 

my sunshine on overcast mornings



"I wake up!"



This is what I look forward to on breaks.

happy birthday jesus preview

Three is so much more fun than two. Miah knows the word Christmas and mostly associates it with the Little People's manger, decorated trees, and books.

I've picked up three more Christmas books this year (for under $7!) in order to accrue a total of 25 Christmas books. My friend over at ecclesiadomestica uses Christmas books for their advent calendar, and I hope to do the same. We're not quite able to do that yet, but I did put a pot of Christmas/Christian kids books out for Miah. We read the Christmas story several times a day this way. Just this evening Miah started to memorize one of our favorite renditions!

How appropriate that Miah continues to perfect "Happy Birthday." I asked her after she dished out "birthday cake" from her "cake platter," "What flavor should we make Jesus's birthday cake?" She thought very hard, then replied, "Black. BLACK!" So we're looking to make a Mexican Chocolate Cake with a white star and white candles for Christmas desert. Every time I ask her about the cake, she insists, with much jumping: "Black!"

Trinidad Chapter 2

We drove down to Trinidad yesterday to view Mark's rental and meet his/our roommate. The problem with being a visual and tactile learner is that you have to use a tank of gas to prepare for your move the following week. It cost us more than a tank of gas, however, as we rolled out on the highway during a high wind storm.

I've been on I-5 in California during wind storms, and I've seen the results of those storms on other people's cars, but I've never seen so many 18 wheelers rolled out in the median of an interstate like bugs on their backs. Other truckers, taking the hint, were parked in long rows on the right side of the road. I could see Mark fight the wind with the steering wheel for most of the drive. So as not to get scared, I buried my head in a game. We were both tired by the time we rolled into Trinidad.

At last we found our destination, a cute three bedroom, two bath, two living room, two decked, and large kitchened house on 35 acres. The two car, oversized garage serves as a shop. Best of all, the house has a prime view of the Trinidad mesa with only a glimpse of town. Below the house Mark is renting sits another house on the same property, rented by a young couple. She works at the elementary school while he attends the gunsmith school. We didn't meet them, but I'm looking forward to doing so.

It doesn't sound like Mark will see much of his roommate who claims to always be at work or school, but it was fun to learn that he also works in EMS while earning his gunsmith degree. That sounds familiar.

Since we've just about exhausted our welcome at the Wonderful House (which is a wonderfully tasty, frugal Chinese restaurant right off the interstate--just in case you're a hungry traveler in Trinidad) I asked Ryan if he could recommend somewhere new for us to pick up some dinner. That's when I learned that what the town lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. Having devoured the Main Street Philly Pizza, I was about to tell Mark he could take me to Bella Luna for a date anytime. Then I remembered how I said next to nothing as I ate one of the best pizzas ever. Good pizza makes for good eating, but not such good dating.

Generally all around encouraged by the trip yesterday, I spread job applications on the kitchen table and finally followed through with everyone's advice: talk to the workforce center. Unfortunately my conversation with the center brought me back to reality. I knew that the new energy policies would have to catch up to the Trinidad area soon. Soon is here: the mining fields have closed, so everyone is taking any job that comes along. Whereas Trinidad might normally have 100 jobs available, it now boasts 15. Yikes!

my new favorite picture

My Granny knitted this sweater approximately 28-years-ago for a little red-headed girl. As a lady in the supermarket once pointed out, it's a unique British/Emerald Isle pattern that is especially suited for little Irish girls. Probably a lot like myself at the age, Miah insisted that her buttons be buttoned and her head hooded with the darling pom-pom on front (and then that Dad take our picture). I know Granny, whom I always miss dreadfully during this season, is smiling.

wishingstarfarms

We had such fun last year at the pumpkin patch that we returned this year. It wasn't quite as brisk last year, but the wind seems to always be a terror in the prairie. 

Mark wanted his turn to walk Miah around on the pony this year. Evan though she was all smiles, I only seemed to capture her blinking on the camera. This picture turned out all right. At some point, Miah decided that pony rides were worth dancing about, and she be-bopped her head side to side which made Mark laugh.

After my experience in the "train" last year, I wasn't sure how Mark was going to squeeze in, but he did. Miah thought this was awesome. 

Miah heaves and ho's trying to pick up a pumpkin. She overestimates her own strength sometimes and then gives a dramatic sigh to show how hard she worked. 

walking through pumpkins

And when we thought we had had all the fun a toddler could have, we discovered the giant tires. Pop goes the weasel. 

When we got home, all we heard about was Miah wanting to ride horses. Out came all of the horses from her toy bins.

when the days get rough, the cooking gets simple

So I've decided this season that there's nothing that the week of finals can dish out that Chicken and Dumplings, Pecan Pie, and (on the especially rough days) Hot Buttered Rum can't cure. The magazine racks are overburdened with 10-30 minute meals, one pot meals, etc., but my motivation the last two weeks has been to create as little mess in the kitchen on weeknights as possible; I do not want to be cleaning dishes at nine o'clock at night. So when I decided to use the rest of the chicken for Chicken and Dumplings, I started to sweat. Traditionally, I imitate the Cracker Barrel, noodle type dumplings, a.k.a. a floury mess. Last night, I sifted through a handful of cookbooks that wouldn't give me a noodle dumpling recipe, for which I'm grateful. I loaded up spoon dumplings with tarragon (approx. 1T), and viola: soul food dinner complete and only four easy-to-clean bowls afterwards.

Meanwhile, Miah and I finished making our pecan pie (long story) which I've fallen in love with this year. I found a not-too-sweet, easy recipe here. Because it's the perfect balance of nuts and sweet, I had a slice for desert, and just now for breakfast. Bring on the finals... and the last of 85 research papers.

I've also come to appreciate a recipe from Make it Fast, Cook it Slow, although I omit the egg nog. Since we don't have a small crock pot, I just make this in a 2 qt pot on the stove, set near the lowest setting. The first night I made this, Mark came in from a bright, bitterly chilly day. Frosty, tired, and hungry, I handed him a mug. In retrospect, I should have measured the rum more carefully, especially as he hadn't eaten in a while, but it certaily warmed him to the core.

Cheers.

story

On our way home today Miah suddenly asked, "Do you want to hear a story?" Wow. What a story. Daddy emerged as the secondary character--don't ask me who the primary character was--and they went flying, had a Christmas party, and all sorts of fantastic things. "Did you like my story?" she asked when she thought it was over and I thought we were still flying over Christmas parties. It's like this all evening, up until she goes to bed and we have to concoct stories about the shadows that will "get her." Tonight Mark told her they were asleep. That seemed to work, but I'm starting to realize how much work it is to keep up with her whims.

christmas dress 2010

Dear Grandma,

Thank you for my Christmas dress! And thank you for patiently waiting for all of us to get rid of our sniffles until the great day came when I could wear my "princess" dress. I had a ball twirling and twirling and twirling.

Mom doesn't know a thing about lighting and cameras, so she made me squint in the bright sun while I posed and posed again. Don't I look sweet and cooperative right here?

I was only still if Tugger stood near me.

You see, Mom started me on the floor. I couldn't stop moving (so she assured me again that we'll be practicing how to "be still"--whatever that means--during Christmas Break). She must not remember the magic of Christmas dresses that turn all little girls into camera hams, but she'll catch on.

Love, Miah

P.S. I hope you liked the pig-tails because I only left them in for your pictures.  

conversations

My screensaver sports a picture of me driving Macaroni. Miah spied the picture a few minutes before I got her ready to go Thanksgiving shopping. This was our conversation:

Me: Are you ready to go shopping?
Miah Go in the school bus, Mommy?
Me: That would be fun, but I don't have a school bus outside.
Miah: Do you miss your bus?
Me: Yes.

Lately, she's been sharing a lot more of her wild imagination. The other day she insisted that we had wings and we can fly. This brings back memories of my desire as a little girl to fly. One day my friends and I cut out, decorated, attached wings to our shoulder blades, and set out to fly around the playground. We were disapointed that we didn't make it far off the ground, but Miah doesn't seem to mind. We just flap our wings all around the house, and she's delighted.

When I have her straighten her shoes, she sometimes lines them up toe to toe and shouts with glee, "Shoe, shoe train. Woo, woo!"

This morning, while we showered and dressed, she put on her shoes--which makes her think she's free to go anywhere--and headed outside with Tugger. I was half dressed when I first heard the cries for help. By the time I got upstairs she had scared Tugger to the back of the house, and felt half-frozen. She was crying, "Mommy! Help! I don't want outside! I don't want outside!" Like I had anything to do with her being outside.

Sometimes her imagination gets the better of her. She's lately become afraid of tigers and monsters getting her in the dark. I put a night light in her room which worked for about four days until she became afraid of the shadows it cast over her bed. Last night she was scared of the ceiling! I didn't have an answer for that one, but she got over it.

chapter 1 of trinidad

We have hotel reservations in Trinidad. It got me thinking:

I'm still not sure when our destination turned to Trinidad, CO, a small town, stranger than most, about which its new mining boom and Victorian architecture it likes to boast. It's a town so small that no one can go on a date without running into friends or family at the restaurant. It's a town where I met the sweetest little lady walking her fluffy dog, and where we met a friendly family who chose a different career only to graduate when job prospects were dim (I wish I had written down their information). Down the road aways is another story. People come from across the country for sex changes, one of the biggest employers is Planned Parenthood, and child care costs $3.50 an hour (how much do people value your child at that rate?). While the town holds its allure--a romantic coffee shop, antiques, wild west history, beautiful scenery--it also holds its aversions.

When we moved out of the house in May, Mark was enrolled in IntelliTec College.  He would be trained in one of the few jobs that didn't evaporate with the economy. He wasn't excited, but at least it was a new direction. We put the new life on hold to take a breath and work at camp for a month.

Camp changed everything.

When did the discussion begin exactly? I know I talked a great deal to Mark's mom and a retired Marine Seargent. When everyone else headed to the camp out I drove Miah up to Trinidad. Expecting the run around like I experienced with Pikes Peak Community College, the friendly, efficient staff at TSJC surprised me. The prospects in gunsmithing surprised me further still.

We stopped by the school on our way home. Suddenly, Mark was enrolled in TSJC, not IntelliTec; suddenly, I was looking at spending a portion of the year apart from Mark; suddenly, Mark's employment plans were in the air; suddenly, we were looking to move again. I don't like change, I especially don't like sudden change--even when I know it's best.

Time has passed now, and I am eager to see Mark off on his new adventure. Evenings when the streets are particularly conjested, I dream of a simpler commute. In the mornings I drive South. I can see the Spanish Peaks down the range, and I picture myself on the other side of those massive bellies, a calmer self. Of course, I keep life pretty simple for myself here, so I'm not sure how much will really change.

Because I want this so much, I get nervous about finding a job. Although I have a strong resume in my field, I don't know if it will appeal to the needs of a small town high school. Students who have come in to my class from rural communities stun me with the low expectations teachers set for them; it's the opposite of my beliefs and training. Am I willing to compromise? Am I willing to anger people? Or is there something else waiting for me, for us, at the end of this chapter?

the broken arm salute

I almost couldn't think of the word to describe this weekend, but I found it: normal, almost peaceful. Miah and I had the morning together, along with AHG, outside. That afternoon Mark let me escape during nap time to a coffee shop. All I did there was read--for fun! This reengergized me to make some sense of the last of our boxes, organize our bedroom, and get clothes run through the wash. The next morning the abnormal event that felt refreshingly normal was sitting with Stephanie over coffee for four hours. The afternoon I spent talking with my husband, grading a little bit, and topped off the day with a special dinner of bay scallops and broiled vegetables. It has felt like forever since I calmly made a nice meal for my family. Afterwards Chris and Amanda came over to play Settlers of Catan, which also made life seem normal.

In honor of Amanda's cast and mending arm, we developed the broken arm salute. During a silly moment, Chris showed us the double cast.



It was wonderful to be together again.

garden of the gods

I saw a lot of this, this angle of my daughter begging me for hugs, all Saturday. This was not what I had expected.

We went to Garden of the Gods with AHG on Saturday morning. I learned new information about the park. Since I had not been for quite some time--I hate fighting the crowds there--I was awed once again by the colors and geography. 

 Based on her behavior at the sand dunes, the falls, and the ranch, I thought for sure that she would contentedly walk through the park. She decided to be two; she proved me wrong, and when she was let down for pictures she refused to be still. I had to carry her for much of the way through the park, which she's starting to get too heavy for. 

She gave me a scare at Balanced Rock when she climbed a ledge during the explanation. Instead of coming down when the group moved on, she headed for the hills, literally. I had to scramble after her so that we could scramble up another rock.

I think she was just hug deprived from the week, so we snuggled a lot during the afternoon too.

a few more memories from last weekend

I forgot I had these pictures on my camera too. On our way home from Ulysses, KS we stopped at a small rest stop a few miles south of Lamar, CO. While I used the restroom, Mark trudged over to these nearby rocks with Miah. As he tells the story, "She just scuttled up the rocks. All the way up! without my help! Coming down was a different story; she needed some assistance there." She wants to be up on everything. This evening she got bored helping me prepare dinner, and shared her great idea of getting on top of Grandma's cupboards. Why would that even look tempting?

It was a good thing Grandma had plans to take the kids swimming because when Miah caught sight of the pool in Ponca City, she wouldn't stop talking about it--not all the way to Wal-Mart, not during dinner, not during preparations for the pool. We didn't have a suit because we had no intentions of coming near a pool on this trip, and Wal-Mart was not prepared for the last minute change of plans. Fortunately, the hotel allowed us to use new clothes in lieu of a suit. Miah was proud of her new outfit, and waited for me impatiently with her towel wrapped around her neck.  

Thank you Uncle Tandon for swimming with me! Miah has taken to pools like salmon to a stream, but she doesn't last long. She was shivering within ten minutes, but her uncle let her jump in a number of times and patiently let her splash all over the place with a wide grin painted on her face. She hated to leave when I called it quits--her shivering made me nervous--but was glad to swim for that little bit. 

We wouldn't call this getting ready for bed. This was the last burst of energy Miah put forth before caving in to sleep a few minutes earlier. 

I also want to remember the morning that Miah came out of the bedroom in her red shirt with the cows. Kellen asked, "Is Miah a farmer?" Good thinking, but not yet. 

Kellen was also very concerned about Uncle Mark's hair: "Do you have any hair?" "Yes," replied Mark, and pointed to his facial hair. But this wouldn't satisfy Kellen who asked his mom about it again later. 

family trip

This past weekend we spent on the road. I thought that four addresses in six months was hectic, but then we slept in four different beds in five days. That put life back in perspective--and the trip was wonderful. 

My camera never had a fully charged battery, and it appears that Shawn ended up with the best pictures (thank you!), but here are a few memories of our own from the trip: 

 Lunch break in Tulsa on our way back to Ponca City.

Cousins. The kids stopped playing and working just long enough for a cute picture. Zayne was helping clear out the metal from the pastures, and Bailey was great help with Miah. 

I don't think Bailey knew how bossy Miah has become since Christmas. After making Bailey tumble with her in the living room, they played "nap time" with Mema's pillows. 

Contemplations and rock throwing at the river's edge. After eating lunch in the park, Mark helped the kids down the river bank and kept them busy while Shawn fed Anna. 

The many faces of Kellen:

Surprise

Fight

Angry

Surprise again

field trip

On October 2nd Miah and I attended AHG's field trip to Chico Basin Ranch, a working cattle ranch about an hour out of town. I wasn't sure what to expect. When the day began with what seemed like a dozen delays, I was not sure I wanted to go at all. But finally Miah and I were in the car with a full tank and full bellies and driving toward Hanover. 

As we tromped across the field toward our unit, we stopped to take a picture of the Monarch. This was Miah's first close-up experience with a butterfly. I was thrilled that it happened to be a monarch because that was the first type of butterfly I learned about as a little girl too. 

The morning was spent at different stations where we learned about ranch life, examined skulls from the ranch (like below), and finally made our way to the bird banding station. The biologists captured small song birds all morning and banded them in front of the girls. Miah had a few close ups with them before the birds were released. She seemed to finally understand that the babies were all grown up and had flown the coop. She still can't stop talking about baby birds... I think I found her the Christmas ornament to remember this year by.

Although Miah was super--a couple moms complimented her--the event was not exactly suited for her age or energy. Periodically we'd wander off toward the fields to run and play around the trees. She adores the outdoors.

looking forward to dinner

As any hurried cook knows, it doesn't take much more than a reasonable cut of meat, rice or pasta, and fresh vegetables to pull together a mouthwatering meal. People with home gardens have an advantage in that all they have to do is slice their homegrown veggies and sprinkle on some salt to make the meal. I, however, must resort to spices to ensure this standby doesn't grow stale. That's why I was excited to discover the Savory Spice Shop this morning (http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/).

The prices for the rubs and blends I ogled were astonishingly reasonable, and then the lady said I could purchase any quantity I needed. Miah and tasted salt with truffles and a smokey gray colored smoked alder salt that I want to return for. Today I walked away with a crispy citrus rub for Tilapia and Long's Peak rub for pork chops tomorrow night. Can't wait!

state fair

Last weekend we drove down to the state fair. The highlight, as anticipated, was Miah in the petting zoo. She was overwhelmed, and just looked at all of the animals. We had to sit her down and bring her animals. Besides puppies, she loves white rabbits. To my delight, she was also excited about the goats.

The corn box.