Thoughts on 2024

In 2024, Esther grew the most. She went from baby to toddler, and the transformation has been so cute! She's over 25 pounds at 20 months old and wearing 2T--and it fits her just right! She actually needs some more clothes, all the 24 months and 18-24 things I have she can't wear. We are just cycling through the same 4 outfits! Hah. 

Esther in Jan 2024 vs December 2024

I don't really make new year resolutions anymore since having kids, homeschooling and keeping up with life is more than enough for me on the daily. If I had to come up with one, it would be make time to be more creative in my own personal life since that always takes a backseat to the chaos of my existence. I miss painting. I have made several necklaces that I haven't had time to post here and also a few shawls that I need to take pictures of and post! But I am a crafting fiend and always have at least 3 ideas in my head on the daily that just get shoved around until I forget about them.  

I love doing crafts with the kids. Esther has hit an age where I am able to craft more!! Hopefully 2025 brings some slow crafting hours to my busy mom days. 

Becky has grown a lot too. I have seen her go from the toddler-five she was when Esther was born and now next month she will turn 7. She is so helpful especially with Esther and can do a lot for herself that she couldn't do two years ago when I was pregnant with her little and much anticipated little sister. She's having some stomach pain that I hope we can find the cause of and cure in 2025. And I am loving doing first grade with her. Becky loves crafts just as much as I do (And Reuben does too) but she also loves drawing and coloring and her room is a hoard of snipped papers and discarded sticker backs! She's amazing and being her mom is everything I could ever want. I can't wait to spend 2025 seeing her grow and being a part of her life.

Reuben is hitting the tween years. He's so helpful and as the oldest child, authoritative. He will tell me when I'm wrong, and he will also tell me very matter-of-fact what he thinks I should be doing even if he is wrong. Hah! Nine is such a fun age. He's so smart. He remembers everything and has a million questions about the world, space, God, and quantum mechanics. I have fun googling with him but usually I just tell him to ask his father. I don't know what is brain is doing, but it seems to be on large amounts of caffeine that I am not feeding him. I need more caffeine. 

I am loving doing fourth grade with him. Reuben just learned to crochet this year and loves it, besides playing video games, assembling legos, making origami and concocting wild games with his little sister. He's so helpful at bringing me water. I can't wait to see him grow into a teen and young man in the next few years. He loves to remind me that it's only 6 years until driving! Good gracious. He just started reading chapter books like How to Train your Dragon and it's nice to see him cozy up on the couch with his reading glasses and a book. 

Next year he needs to go to the dentist, a lot. Pray we can find a good dentist close to us. 

Brian turns 40 this year which feels like a milestone. I'm so thankful for 12(?) years of marriage and I couldn't ask for a better father for my children. 

Here is to 2025 and all it entails. 

How are you all? Any new years resolutions? Have a great last day of 2024 and I'll see you next year.

A Unexpected Christmas

I wanted to name this post "Barfmas" because one of my kids did throw up in the middle of night on Christmas Eve around 11pm...Brian was up until 2 cleaning it up for the first round of cleaning! I woke up but held Esther who was inconsolable and unable to be put down. 

The smell was terrible. I fell asleep around midnight and got up at 6am on Christmas Day and did a thorough sanitation clean of the hallway, walls, and bathroom. Then I showered (thankfully Esther slept in and allowed all this cleaning) and started on a Christmas breakfast of fresh biscuits, sausage and eggs. It was delicious, even though this diabetic mom skipped the biscuits she made from scratch. I was saving all my carbs for chocolate eating later!

The kids loved their stockings and after breakfast we opened the Big Presents. And then we had the rest of the day to play and rest and enjoy each other. My favorite Aunt came down again and blessed us all with her presence--she's wonderful and a joy to have around. I miss her already. 

Becky got a play dough set from Reuben that she really likes. Reuben loved his Astrobot video game the most I think, and he also enjoyed the crochet Dino kit I bought him. Both kids got an electronics kit which they are very excited to work on with Daddy on the weekends. My Aunt gave Becky a make-your-own headband set that she loves and Reuben decorated his own mushroom terrarium! Oh, so many good memories. 2024 Christmas was not a bust. God always comes through, his ways are better then mine and his Glory always finds a way to shine though.

I've been playing Animal Crossing New Horizons like crazy. Anyone else play and want to island hop? I'll put my friend code in the next post, or leave yours in a comment or e-mail me at moonofsilver@gmail.com if you want to play along! 

We are winding down the vacation and I'm not thrilled for my husband to return to work on Monday. But we will make it through! Homeschooling starts up again next week as well and with that, all the return to normal. Bring on the last of year 4 and year 1 for Reu and Becks, with a baby Esther in the mix. 

It got Worse.

I just have to laugh. That is all you can do, right? Friday comes, everyone is excited because Brian has the whole week off and my favorite Aunt is coming not to mention Christmas and no one is going to be sick, right? Because everyone was horribly sick last Christmas and Brian's flu-or-covid lingered for about 5 weeks and even turned into pneumonia. That won't happen again, right? 

Brian came home Friday with severe gastrointestinal symptoms that we think is from the stomach bug. He put himself to bed right when he got home and he's basically been in bed since! He had a fever, thats gone. He now has a sore throat and his stomach is a bit better. I have been brining him water and food and it's just like last Christmas. I hope he gets better soon. He really is miserable and a few times I asked him if he needed to go to the ER, but he won't. Men.

Becky spent the night throwing up with the stomach bug. At first it was every 45 minutes. Then it was every 2-3 hours. She had trouble getting it into the bucket/toilet and we will leave it at that. She's six, poor thing! She woke up at 7am bright and chipper and she's been fine since, just a little bit of stomach pain which is understandable. 

I am exhausted. Esther rose woke up 3 times to ask for milk on top of all the Becky and Brian sickness wakings. I did SO much laundry today (stomach bug laundry) and so much EO diffusing (because of the stomach bug smell) and a little bit of complaining in my heart (which I now feel quite guilty about). I mean, people get sick! No one is doing it on purpose. But it is also hard to take care of everyone and everything. We watched too much tv and the well kid--Reuben this time--played too much video games, but that's life too? Mom guilt is the worst. 

My Aunt says she will still come Monday if we can pull it together tomorrow and be well, but I don't know if that is going to happen! I just feel so defeated and down. I wanted a happy family Christmas not another sick one! I know, we are a happy family and we will have a great Christmas regardless of who or what happens. I just had one idea in my mind and am struggling to adjust! 

God is good, and I am looking for reminders of his love and mercy and digging deep into my bible for strength. I need to straighten the living room, that always helps. And put on some praise music. 

Yesterday, this is what I texted my good friend (who we had just seen in nature group on Thursday). For context. And because...life.

I really hope I look back on 2024's Christmas and laugh a lot, because right now I feel much more like crying.