Christmas 2013

I love the sight of these tiny shoes by the door :)

I

Snow Day!

School was cancelled so Ava spent the day with me.  A beautiful snow and no wind--so rare and so fun!

 Then back inside for hot chocolate and books by the fire!

Tree Hunting

This was a VERY quick process this year because it happened to be VERY cold the day we had planning to get our tree.  With an icy wind blowing the decision became easy.  Ava waited in the car until it was time to do the actual cutting.

Listen....

Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace. - Frederick Buechner

Fall family times

Late in September Eloise came to spend the night with us.  Lots of cousin love!

Ava is now 7--such a milestone age!  We celebrated with her friends at Birch Bay and then spent the night there.

 We celebrated Jon, Kaci and Ava's birthdays at our house later in the month.

Cara, Doug, Ron and I celebrated in Mom's memory on her birthday (the 18th) at Dos Padres.