Winter Weekend

It began like most weekends, with one, then three. . .

 . . .then four babes piled in our bed.

 Later, a little music. . .

Some art. . .

 Some eats. . .

 And a few fairies, as per usual.

A well-rounded, bountifully enjoyed weekend by my measure.
Though clearly, as witnessed by anyone (hello neighbors) who stopped by today, we did not get much cleaning done.

Worth it.

Hope you, too, have a mess to show for your weekends' happenings.

I've Seen it Both Ways

Emme prefers. . .

to wear her bib. . .

 as. . .

a cape.

Super.

Also of import:
Emme's hair is now long enough to sport a single pony and bow,
further discouraging unobservant folk from calling her a boy.
Super duper!

Buddy the Elf

Down the way, I want the girls to remember how their dad
snuck into our garage-turned-santa's workshop during the weeks preceding Christmas and, with
a pile of wood and his own bare hands, made their little dreams come true.

And then how he snuck onto my pinterest board and with his own bare hands
(and some help from gifted seamstress Mom Wilson) made my little Christmas dream come true.

 I'm beginning to be sure there is nothing that man can't do.

Well lucky, lucky me.

The Annual Loss of Reason Leading to the Attempt to Take a Family Photo

Each year with the crisp smells of Autumn that I cherish so well comes another, subtler stench. It wafts up my nose and prickles its way into my brain as a single thought: "Why not take a family picture at this lovely time of year?"

Outfits are assembled, naps and feedings carefully arranged, bribes negotiated,
tripods erected (we are, by necessity, cheap), and dreams of a Christmas card sent by Thanksgiving are born.

And the results are in:

I know what you're thinking. "Will you LOOK at Kate! She is a picture taking MACHINE. She barely flinches from frame to frame despite the bedlam all around her!"
Yet if you look closely there, in my eyes, you'll see:
the dying of that feeble flame called hope.

I jest.
It's all worth it, because I'm so glad to have this:

Big thanks to sis-in-law Lisa for manning the tripod/camera and sis Wendy for her mad ps skilz.

And a few of my honeys:

If you're still with us, and since we did NOT send a Christmas card by Thanksgiving (does seem a bit redundant these days thanks to social media), here are a few bullet points on the Wilson clan:

•Emme loves olives and beans and is obsessed with boxes and sitting in them.
•Olivia likes pentagons and string cheese and wants to go to Dora's house.
•Jane is kicking arthritis in the joints (doing well) and gets love notes from classmates daily.
She enjoys meat and hearing stories from her parents' childhoods.
•Malan loves raspberries and her friends, likes to invite people to church,
and wants to meet a real fairy.
•Kate is getting the house ready to sell, would like more sleep,
and would also like to meet a real fairy.
•Caleb graduates in May with his M.D.
Re: residency- we'll find out where in mid-March and if all goes well, we will be moving in June to:
Dallas TX, Memphis TN, Philly PA, Shreveport LA, Chicago IL, or Danville PA,
Unless we match here in the 'burgh.

That's about it for the Wilson update.
Thanks for reading. And for not smoking.

Great Art

Jane has entered a phase with her art that in years to come I believe will be referred to as her "Flippin' Awesome Period." Here are a few of her most recent works:

"Portrait of the Artist's Mother, Otherwise Known as M♥M."

 

The number of fingers is stylistically exaggerated, likely to represent the mother's attempts to multi-task. The hairstyle, however, is not exaggerated.

From the artist's "Studies with Mice" series-

"Lonely Mouse on Sunny Day"

 And "Kissing Mice on Sunny Day"

 From her "Birds" series-

"Red Bird"

 And "Birds on a Walk"

 And finally, a rare self-portrait of the artist, entitled "If I had antlers, I would use them to bird feeder"

It would take some brave birds. . .

While we're on the subject of Jane and greatness, here are a few choice Jane moments I'll certainly hold dear-

A conversation between Jane and the elderly neighbors we stopped by to visit:

Jane: "Where are your kids?"
Nice old lady: "We don't have any kids."
Jane: "Are they dead?"
Me: (elbow Jane in ribs) "Jane."
Nice old lady: (chuckle) "No, they're not dead."
Jane: "Then, can I have their toys?"
Me: "Jane!!"
Jane: "If they're not dead, then where are they?"
Nice old man: "I'm shooting blanks, kid."
Jane: "What's that?"
Me: "Wellwebettergetoutofyourhair. Thanks for letting us stop by!"

(During our 20 minute visit, Jane also downed 2 bottles of their water and asked to use their bathroom three times.)


Finally, Jane on a car ride to our friends' house for dinner on Sunday:

Jane: "Mom, Malan is skeedooshing me." (Kung Fu Panda style) "Stop skeedooshing me, malan!"

Caleb and I then proceed to start laughing because it sounds like she is saying "seducing me" and then we just couldn't help sending a simultaneous double skeedoosh in her direction, which sent her over the edge:

Jane: "Stop it! I'm going to BUST you up! In REAL LIFE! I'm going to spit on ALL of you!
Plbbhhtt! Phhbbt! Plllbbtht!"

We really did feel bad at this point for goading her on, so we called a truce. Plus, Caleb could hardly see to drive he was laughing so hard.

Oh my, oh my, we love our spicy little Jane, her art, and her moments of comedic genius.

Play Time

My favorite mornings are the rare ones where the sun is shining through our back window and I have nowhere I have to be except on my living room floor in my jammies with my two homegirls.

"Don't jump, Piggie!"

 Olivia arrived in the nick of time to talk Piggie down, but then accidentally bumped him over the edge.

 

Poor pig.

 It looked like he was going to be ok. . .

 

. . .until, tragically, the building collapsed on him.

(fleeing the scene)

With such mayhem afoot, Emme was more than content to just watch from her new #1 top favorite place to be: in a box.

"You pushed the piggie."
"No, you did."

 Peekeboo Emme.

Too many mornings find us rushing off to this or that, usually more stress and less peace.
I hope to keep more of them looking like this one.