Nothing says Happy 4th of July like a fully-lined knit penguin hat.
Livia’s Auntie Bean gave her this super cute winter accessory last weekend and of course Livia put it on immediately. Who wouldn’t want to wear a penguin hat while lighting fireworks?!
From the first moment you held her in your arms to the way you play tickle-wrestle, from the sweet baby cuddles to the sweet big girl cuddles, from the soda parties to the lava games to the yard work by daddy’s side, you are the best daddy to Livia Raine.
I love parenting alongside you. Today is just another day where I tell God how grateful I am for Jeremy Tredway.
Happy Father’s Day to the men in our lives! To Jeremy, to my dad David Lawton, my father-in-law Bill Tredway and my brother Adam Lawton. We are so grateful for you!
Christ the Lord is risen today! We serve a risen Lord—praise God.
Happy Easter, friends!
From Isaiah 9:
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.
In the lobby at Berean Church, moments before the Before the Lamb concert started tonight.
Fabulous, fabulous show. Praise God for such talented musicians that bring light to this season of Christ’s birth.
We have a tradition of buying a Christmas book every year to read as a family. I write the year purchased in the front cover and add it to the pile of books from years before. Except, this year my bookshelf-and-armoire-organizing husband organized the heck out of our dining bookshelf and armoire and now I’m not so sure where the pile is. I’m pretty sure I’d find it, though, if I looked hard enough. (Have I mentioned how awesome it is to be married to a guy who vacuums, washes the floors and organizes my chaotic shelves?) Today, however, is not the day of searching for old books; it is the day of buying the new one. So now we have one fabulous Christmas book to enjoy, The Night Before Christmas, retold and illustrated by Rachel Isadora.
Livia learned that Santa wasn’t real last year, so I figured this book’s setting—in a village in Africa, complete with a black Santa—wouldn’t ruin anything for her. If anything, it solidifies the fun of Santa around the world, and how this mythical character is imagined and enjoyed in most every culture. The illustrations are wonderful and the poetry is as Clement C. Moore intended it.
I can’t wait for story time tonight.
It’s my birthday and I am blogging as a 33 year old woman who has had her fill of cake today. I planned my birthday celebrations around food (and family) and I declare this a very successful birthday indeed!
Lunch was spent at the Green Gateau in Lincoln because they have, hands-down, the best roasted red pepper soup I’ve ever put in my mouth. It is divine. Dessert, a slice of apricot torte, was a winner as well. But I went for the soup—and the company, my folks!—and left a happy birthday girl.
Dinner was centered around dessert. Tonight the fam met up with my mother and father-in-law at Granite City because the restaurant serves a chocolate cake that is out of this world. It’s got a million layers of chocolate cake and chocolate frosting, all set on a layer of whipped cream with—this is best part—a rich butter whiskey sauce you pour over the top. Oh goodness gracious. Happy birthday indeed.
Thanks to my sweet family for loving me so much they indulge my gastronomical whims. I love you guys!
I’m munching on a piece of Kristin’s a-mazing apple pie (homemade crust, mmmm so good!) and listening to the dialogue of Aang and Katara regarding fire-bending and whatnot in the background. I feel wired for the next task—Christmas tree decorating—but I might be the only Tredway up for that at this point in the evening. Liv is crashed on the couch and Jeremy’s eating leftovers next to her. I think they’re on season two of Avatar.
Between making sweet potato souffle and corn casserole yesterday, Livia and I braved the freezing winds outdoors to find sticks for a gratitude tree—thanks, Leigh, for the idea! While Livia worked on another craft, I made leaves and marked them with names of beloved family members we are so grateful for. The tree became the centerpiece for a very Fiestaware Thanksgiving table. Fun!
I am also grateful today for my neighbor Heidi who willingly put her nurse skills to work this morning when I called for her help. Jeremy whacked the crud out of his forehead and produced a wound that bled all over the place before we could grab a towel. We’re talking majorly painful owie here. A little medicinal glue did the trick and stitches weren’t needed. I’m grateful the cut wasn’t more severe, but still—yowza.
Folks, a lot of us are intensely and, really, undeservedly blessed. Let this Thanksgiving Day be the starting point for a Christmas season that is filled to the brim with generosity.
My Christmas spirit has come early this year. I don’t understand it in the slightest. I’ve always been one of those people who are slightly Scroogey before Thanksgiving, one of those who shakes her head at Christmas tunes on the radio before the pumpkin pie comes out of the oven on turkey day thinking, that just ain’t right. But this year is different.
I have a small tree up in the house. Granted, it’s getting returned to the store (too small), but I admit I like having it up. Liv opened up a box of candy canes from Nana and Papa and has already swirled one into a steaming mug of hot chocolate. I’ve already purchased several Christmas gifts and can’t wait to get the rest. And tonight as Livia’s final bedtime song (where normally I sing the shortest song I can recall), I sang O Holy Night with fervor and as much grace as I could muster. It was long, it was earnest, and I hope my audience of one enjoyed it.
December is such a joyful month for me; I’m glad it’s come a bit early in 2010.
