i am my beloveds...

WEEKS ago I started this post with pictures and charming captions from our time in Birmingham, and in between, which is where we went over the New Year to celebrate the marriage of Uncle Daniel and now-Aunt Victoria. Well, I got some urging from dear sister Brett to get some new material on the blog. So, I'm leaving this as it is. Here are some photos, certainly not all but better than none, which is what I've provided you over the past few weeks. Lord willing, there will be more to come. As I wrap this up, my dear Phoebe Pie is waking from her nap and my blogging moment is o-ver.

Who's Who?

here are some babies. they happen to be ours. they happen to be right about the same age. see any similarities?

City Museum :: the.coolest.

so what we're thinking is this: if you are 10 years old, St. Louis's CITY MUSEUM is .the.coolest. place to be. And if you're two, or four, or late 20s, it's pretty ill too. (shout out to Matt P for turning me on to ill this week.) If you're 2 months, you don't much care, as long as you're fed and cuddled. Anywho, on our way to Birmingham for the New Year's wedding of Daniel and Victoria (posts to come) we spent a night and a day in St. Louis, almost the whole day at CITY MUSEUM. Here's what we knew before we went:

a) many of you dear facebook friends recommended it.

b) Housed in the 600,000 square-foot former International Shoe Company, the museum is an eclectic mixture of children's playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion, and architectural marvel made out of unique, found objects. The brainchild of internationally acclaimed artist Bob Cassilly, a classically trained sculptor and serial entrepreneur, the museum opened for visitors in 1997 to the riotous approval of young and old alike. Cassilly and his longtime crew of 20 artisans have constructed the museum from the very stuff of the city; and, as a result, it has urban roots deeper than any other institutions'. Reaching no farther than the municipal borders for its reclaimed building materials, CITY MUSEUM boasts features such as old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile, and even two abandoned planes! (taken from citymuseum.org)

Suffice it to say, we were thankful for the recommendations and glad to know some of the history, but still blown away by this unusual and incredible place to be a kid!

______________________________________

So, here are some photos I swiped from the City Museum website. Because it was a gloomy day outside and challenging lighting inside - and their pics just look way better. :) And, I want you to be as impressed with City Museum as you can!

________________________________________

okay... now these are mine...

xander is looking over his shoulder at his "coach" who is telling him, "keep walking! keep walking! keep walking!!"



someone recognized the photo op in the huge ball pit...

okay... so this wasn't taken at City Museum. it was taken 2 days before, and i like my smiley girls, so i'm posting it. :) it's my perogative.

s.n.o.w.

if you haven't heard, let me be the one to tell ya: we have snow. and more snow. it seems almost silly to post this picture now, but at the time, we were impressed with the mountain of snow in our front yard. this was taken december 26th. as of now, we have more. in the next couple of weeks... more? that's what i'm hearing. can't wait! ;)

Christmas Day ... a few quick shots

It's Christmas Day (in my blogging world) and I have taken just a few pictures. Just a few. I review my albums and think I'm falling behind in capturing my kiddos and their childhood. But, I forgive myself. My hands are a little full these days. :) And truly, I'd rather hold my sweet babe than my camera.

It's Christmas! It's Christmas! It's Christmas!

someone's having trouble sitting still...

and, he's off!

here, xander flashes one of his many "fake for the camera" smiles. this one is unbelievably cheesey. and the unbelievably cheesey deserves to be documented. clearly, he could care less about pictures. he's into opening the gift with the big green X.

someone found the wrapping paper roll. someone likes the way their voice sounds.

this picture turned out horribly. but, it's libby showing off the picture she found in her stocking. Mrs. Holloway drew it for her and stuck it in there one day while watching my kiddos. What a fun treat it was for Libby to open it Christmas morning!

.... and sadly, that's all I have that's worth posting. oh well, trust that we had a really fabulous day. snowed in as a family, eating cinnamon rolls and mints (the kids got mints in their stockings and they are constantly begging me to eat one) and watching movies, shoveling snow, playing games, and enjoying one another's company. Happy Birthday Jesus!

Christmas Eve

I'm not 4, and I get excited to celebrate Christmas. Well, Libby is 4, and she could barely contain herself. There's so much anticipation, all the shopping and wrapping and baking and decorating! Meanwhile, we are preparing our hearts by reading scripture and calling to mind who we are celebrating at Christmas, and singing about him and for him, and planning his birthday party. (Libby LOVEs a good party.) Well, on Christmas Eve Libby snatched my camera and later, this is what I found. In this way, she expressed to me some of what she was excited about that thrilling morning.

this is the kids' little tree. we put it up right outside their bedrooms, and they got to decorate it with whatever they wanted. they wanted snowflakes, a paper chain, bells, and ribbons. :)

I like to have traditions. I think they're fun. Even if they don't hold any special meaning, I like the consistency, the comfort that comes with them. Maybe in the same way I like to have a plan or schedule and know what's coming next. :) Anyway, we have some Christmas Eve traditions. We go to church, eat soup, and drive around to look at Christmas lights. We also read the Christmas story and give the kids a new book about Christmas. Well, this year the snow fell on Christmas Eve and our plans were slightly altered. So, we had to drop some traditions, but we also started some new ones.

Church was canceled. The roads were that bad. :( But we still ate soup. We did not go looking at Christmas lights. We skipped right to... presents. One present each, and one to share. Jammies! Grandma Shelley would be proud. Everyone opened a new pair of jammies to be worn that night, and we opened our new Christmas book on Christmas Eve rather than Day, as we had done in the past. (Thanks, Jeni for the ideas!) Then, dawning our new jams, we settled in to read.

A Christmas Manger

by H.A. Rey

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Agustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, to be taxed, with Mary his wife.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him."

They departed, and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." And they came with haste and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

From Matthew 2 and Luke 2.

And then we got to enjoy the nativity that came in the book. We punched out the pieces and recreated history. Here, Libby poses with her work.

Xander got in on the photo action, but let's be real; he's not real gentle, and standing all these little characters up took a steady hand. He mainly claimed a camel, played extensively with it, and made suggestions for Libby. Oh, and knocked down what she had carefully stood up. :)

Still, he looks super cute standing by his super cute sister's side. And it's fun that they have his/hers jammies.

making a few finishing touches