Memoria Arts~ Life in the Making

Everything bright and beautiful...

 

Oh who am I kidding? 

It's joyful chaos around here. Love it! 

Right now the kids are playing "Ace of Cakes" and making dinosaur and  princess cakes. Heeeee. Our whole family has a little bit of an obsession for Duff and his whole cake crew. If a "Ace" marathon happens on Food Network, we all pile up on the futon down stairs and watch and giggle. The things you can do with gum paste!

In true fashion, we're going to attempt to make a gingerbread barn tomorrow. I feel sorry for my kitchen counter already. The last gingerbread thing we made was a train at Grandma's house last year. She was wiping blue and green piping frosting from underneath the tables and counters for a few days. Beware the unwitting soul with light colored pants that slid underneath the table at dinner! I still laugh thinking about it!

For his birthday activity, Isaiah really wanted to go to the local light show near us. Two something miles of christmas light displays in all sorts of fantastic shapes- dinosaurs, snow men makers, even a volcano with fire at the top! The kids were in wide eyed wonder the whole time. I personally think it was more fun to watch their faces than the lights. David's eyes where about to pop out of his head- it was like he was trying to look everywhere at once. The hot funnel cake at the end wasn't too shabby either. 

Ever the good mama, I have to go digging for hats and gloves and boots for all the snow that is being predicted for this weekend. I've only been reminded of this wonderful storm warning fourteen bajillion times in the last hour by certain boys who are beyond excited at this possibility. 

It's beginning to look (and sound, and taste) a lot like Christmas!

Happy Birthday Isaiah!

 
Owly boy, you are the light of my life! I am so proud of all that you have accomplished this year. I can't believe how tall and big you are getting! You have learned so much. I can't wait to see what the next year brings for you. I love you all the way up to everything and beyond!

                                                  Mama

An eighteenth century Thanksgiving...

I wanted to get these up before I forgot, as this blog has definitely become my journal...Tomorrow is Dec 1, and I look forward to this time of peace with great anticipation. I'll definitely be posting some more Advent reflections since everyone enjoyed those so much last year. I've got one thing on my mind that I want to dig into, but I think I may wait until January to begin it.

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    We had the delightful chance to attend a Thanksgiving celebration two Saturdays ago at a local living history site. It was a wonderful adventure! We've taken the children to enough of these sites around our area that they are beginning to have a pretty solid understanding of the beginnings of our little town and the other "hollows" that surround it. In turn, they are also being introduced to early American history as well, since most of our living history sites choose to interpret the years immediately following the Revolutionary War. This is a tradition I have carried on from my childhood: my parents, while having little money for fancy vacations, took us to almost all of the major historical points of interest on the East Coast. I have stood on most of the major battlefields from the Revolutionary and Civil War, seen Washington DC, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, visited Historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Mt. Vernon, with a few plantations and national parks sprinkled in. Knowing the heritage of our country is so important to me, and I want my children to know it too. The nice thing about these sites is that almost all are free or nearly free.

    Hearing George Washington's Thanksgiving Address read while being surrounded by the history of the time truly reminded me of just how much I have to be grateful for, and the responsibility I have as both a citizen, parent, and follower of Christ.

 

A week of celebration...

It's been quiet here while we slipped away to Virginia Beach to celebrate my husband's graduation. Everyone's giveaway packages will ship in the morning- I didn't get addresses in time to send them off before we left!

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 I am so unbelievably proud of James. I've watched him work hard through the last two years to finish his degree in a shorter amount of time than it normally takes (he transferred to Strayer from ETSU). He's a daddy to five, runs a technology consulting business, and is active serving at our church. It's been a full, heavy load. Many, many late nights and early mornings, writing papers while cradling a baby...My heart about burst when we found out he would graduate magna cum laude. That was icing on the cake! 

Ben turned seven earlier in October, and David turned two last Monday. Nana (my mother-in-love) had her birthday too. Lots of cake and fun to be had! But we're sorta over cake now. You can have too much. (It's hard to believe, I know.)

Here are my favorite scenes from our week away:

 


 

On this day in history an Angel was born

Today is my Beloved's birthday. So I have taken over her blog yet again. You are the most amazing wife and mother in this world. I definately don't deserve having an amazing Angel as my wife. Thank you for everything that you do for us we don't always say it or show it but we are grateful for everything that you do. I am so thankful that God has given me such a wonderful gift as you. I Love You.

Catching the first smile...

Baby love...

Excuse me while I flood the blog with baby pictures....

We came home from the hospital on Thursday and are doing well. The kids are absolutely, positively, crazy about their new baby brother, and looking at him is providing endless hours of entertainment. (Isaiah says, "Mommy, when is Josiah going to do something?" At which point, Josiah cracked his eyes opened and fixed Isaiah with a look. Isaiah started giggling.)

Sleep is elusive, but who cares? I have a baby to kiss and cuddle! Besides, whoever thought up that whole 'sleeping like a baby' phrase really intended to mislead, methinks. I think the other children have finally gotten back on their normal sleep schedules (such strange sounds at 3 am!), so hopefully the overall grumpy factor in the house is headed to better places.

So much to tell about our little miracle baby...soon. Very soon. But right now, I am headed back to kiss that little sweet head... Thank you for all your prayers, love, and well wishes!

He's here!

Josiah Samuel was born at 2:38 this afternoon. He weighed 8 lbs. 2 oz. and was 21 inches long.

My princess girl is three today!

My lovely little one turned three today. I must confess I am having a hard time believing it, perhaps because I am so very pregnant- it seems just yesterday she was a tiny wee thing all wrapped up in pink. (And so far, the only girl in this house full of boys.) It was really low key since mommy has been so.very.pregnant. and not feeling the best in the world. Nana was on point this time, and she brought the coolest cookie cake with butterflies galore on top. As is typical, the boys devoured their pieces lock, stock, and barrel. Lorelei, on the other hand, daintily and as carefully as possible ate all the icing off the top (pink, of course), and left the cookie. (Which Daddy secretly ate after dinner when no kiddos were looking. *ahem*) Lorelei got exactly what she wanted for her birthday- dresses, a baby, a baby crib, and some play silks. It's hard to tell which she loved more- the dresses or the baby. She is on a dresses-only kick that I more than happy to oblige....trying to get her into shorts and a t-shirt the other day was quite the fight. I can't even remember why she needed to wear that- I think it was when we were gardening and all her 'play' dresses were in the wash and she had only her 'pretty princess' Sunday dresses left and I did not want them to get dirty- anyways, she had a fit about it. We met half way. I found the most glittery, pretty t-shirt I could find, and then she begrudgingly put it all on, but then bugged me for the next two hours until her dresses were dry! While I didn't appreciate the attitude, I secretly was happy that dresses were at the bottom of the 'tude. Anyways, when Nana asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she said 'dresses'! She really is the sweetest little imp. We all love her to death and everyone knows just *who* is the princess of this house. She is doted on and picked on in equal measure by the boys, and goodness, does she ever have them wrapped around her finger. I am glad that we were able to give her a fun day today, even if we weren't really able to "do" anything.
 

The scope of history...

 Watching my children watching our newly elected 44th president, I was finding it hard not to get emotional. I have heard my parents and grandparents talk of moments of history that they can never forget- Pearl Harbor, the day JFK died. In my own lifetime, I have experienced the horror of that day on 9/11/01. But today, a happy note has been added in that litany. Years from now, I will tell my grandchildren- "I remember when the first African American President was elected." Although I do not agree with the President on many factors and issues, I am deeply amazed and grateful to finally see this day come to fruition. I wish Dr. King had been alive to see it- and as I watched the wizened faces of the Tuskegee airmen on the platform, I wondered what they must have been thinking. I am thankful to see it happen in my lifetime. How proud I am to be an American today, and to witness this moment in history.

O LORD our Governor, whose glory is in all the world; We commend this nation to thy merciful care, that being guided by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant to THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and to all in Authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness; and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

                                 1928 Book of Common Prayer