VRC had their office party at Duke’s of Malibu. The boys enjoyed looking at the ocean (to which there was no access) and the food was awesome! 🙂
It was a glaringly bright room right there on the water…and this table cloth made a great backdrop!
But this was the best we could get of the boys as it was getting on towards nap time.
On the drive home Peter stopped the car on a turnout and got out with Jerome and Seth. It was a gorgeous day and a beautiful spot in the Malibu canyon.
For the past few years since we’ve lived in this house we have been able to get a Christmas tree! (Instead of making one for the table.) And we’ve had a tradition of asking Peter’s cousin’s along and getting pizza. In the past we have gone out after dark to a farm with hot chocolate, lights, hay bales and mud puddles….and always after Peter’s finals. This year Darrell and Eric piled in the car with us and we went out to a pizza lunch and then drove around town looking at Christmas tree stands. The ambiance was definitely lacking, but we sure had a fun time! We ended up at Target where all the trees were stacked and leaning in a miniature forest with puddles on the floor. The guys found us a perfect tree while Seth had fun climbing through all the Christmas trees…and stomping in the puddles!
Jerome helping on the hunt…he actually lifted that thing out!
Yay!
Then Gigi met us at home to help decorate, but she ended up taking a picture of me and I didn’t get any of her! So sorry Gigi! You can see Jerome’s drawing here that he taped up himself:
Last year my mother sent me a lot of Christmas ornaments from our childhood and ones that had been given to her and Daddy. It was so fun seeing them again and reminiscing with Regina.
Thanks for making our day special everybody! It’s so nice to have family to share in making memories with us! I’ll put up a picture of our tree all decorated soon, we had to dash out to have dinner at Papa’s house with Mom’s brother Harold and his lovely wife Peggy who were visiting from Utah!
Ever since Peter brought home an antler for Jerome he’s been begging to go to Daddy’s work and hunt…or hike. So Wednesday we drove out at lunchtime and had tamales from Peter’s stash and headed out for a little hike in the Westlake hills. It was a magical time of day and I loved seeing Peter in the sunshine! This time of year we only see him either before the sun rises or after it sets…mostly after it sets. The boys picked up sticks and threw rocks and asked a dozen questions. It was fun.
And finally, a self portrait with my baby on my back:
We want to go back on a weekend when we have more time to explore! Thanks for giving us your time, Babe!
Her writings are inspiring to me and her philosophy of education is worth studying. This tidbit spoke to me this week. It reminds me to lift up my gaze, as Dad so encouraged me to do also.
“To bring the human race, family by family, child by child, out of the savage and inhuman desolation where He is not, into the light and warmth and comfort of the presence of God, is no doubt, the chief thing we have to do in the world. And this individual work with each child, being the most momentous work in the world, is put into the hands of the wisest, most loving, disciplined and divinely instructed of human beings. Be ye perfect as your Father is perfect, is the perfection of parenthood, perhaps to be attained in its fullness only through parenthood. There are a few mistaken parents, ignorant parents, a few indifferent parents, even one in a thousand callous parents; but the good that is done, under God, by parents, whether directly or indirectly…The highest duty imposed upon him, it is also the most delicate; and he will have infinite humility, gentleness, love, and sound judgment, if he would present his child to God and the thought of God to the soul of the child.” ~Charlotte Mason
Glimpses of our week…last week:
Seth and Jerome digging first thing in the morning:
Ian is crawling all over the house now, but he hasn’t quite figured out the obstacle course idea:
He’s also learning that Mommy is happy to give him his own water if he’s thirsty:
We made Christmas cookies with Grace!
Jerome usually does his lessons while the little boys nap, not today:
He really is making wonderful progress in his reading and is sounding out small words!
He’s always said things differently, mixing up words and switching syllables. His words are nearly all correct now, but I love how he puts them together and thought I’d share a couple sentences with you:
After two sneezes; “I had two God bless yous!”
“Happy water Tuesday, like the Dollar Store!” (???)
“Tinkle, tinkle little star, up above the world so high. I know how God wonders what you are.”
This afternoon I was sitting on the couch nursing Ian and enjoying the dappled sunshine coming through the window and caressing us, when Seth quietly skips into the house whispering “Fweeoo, fweeoo, fweeoo”. He immediately climbs up onto his stool and in one motion is on top of the counter reaching what I believe is our last apple out of the hanging basket, he climbs easily down and opens the silverware drawer. Now, at this point I know he doesn’t know I’m watching him and as I’m pretty sure he’s after a sharp knife to cut his apple I’m pondering whether to scold him and break the spell or wait and see what he gets. He turns up with a table knife, and humming, immediately replaces it and shoves the apple whole into his mouth for a bite. He then continues opening and shutting the silverware drawer as he’s alternately munching and humming, and the produce basket is still swinging over his head. After a couple minutes he turns around with a grin on his face and tells me: “I got an apple!”. Ten minutes later all he’s got left is an apple core in his hands and I ask him “Was that a yummy apple?” and He said “No.” and looks down at it, “It has seeds in it.” and handed it to the dog who took it gratefully!
