'Tis A Joy To Be Simple

So I love being a mom, but lately, it seems like my life goes a little like this:

Feed the baby, change the diaper, pick up the toys, cook the food, clean up the food, and repeat. And I realized recently that, at the end of the day, the baby still needs to be fed, her diaper still needs to be changed, there are still toys out, there are dishes in the sink, and I'm still hungry!!

All of you other stay-at-home-moms out there, can I get a witness?! You know what I'm talking about.

But then I found this quote by a wise woman named Winnie, and it really resonated with me. So I'm throwing it out there for anyone else who can identify with my life.

"A house does not have to be perfect to be a home of joy, a child does not have to behave perfectly to love and be loved, and every moment of life does not have to be perfect to be of value. Too often, I realize, we fail to see the glorious reality of the simple joy that abounds in the seemingly mundane routine of day-to-day living. Instead, we tend to idolize the past, idealize the future, and devalue the present. . . What better way to show our appreciation to Heavenly Father for what we have than to embrace our lives, albeit 'ordinary' and 'unexciting,' with joy?"
- Winnie Dalley

So here's to a December filled with simple joy (I'm raising my glass of Dr. Pepper into the air - feel free to join in.) I am looking for the happiness in the everyday, mundane thing. . . like having a sweet baby to feed and 2 great helpers who will fetch me a diaper, a husband who more than picks up my slack, and "the glorious reality of the simple joy that abounds in the seemingly mundane routine of [my] day-to-day living." Cheers.

Gingerbread Friends

Sunday night we decorated our 2009 Gingerbread house.
As we started, I realized that we have an actual family tradition;
this is the 3rd year in a row that we have had a gingerbread house.
Then I realized that this is the first year that I have been home to help
Lucas and the kids decorate said gingerbread house.
So Iris and I are both having a first this year - and we were happy to be a part of it!
Well - I was happy. You can see for yourself what Iris thought of the whole affair.

Huxley has some mad piping skillz.

Afty rockin the frosting.

Lucas showing Hux some tricks he picked up at the Bread Box Bakery back in the day.

If you look close, you can tell that Afton is sucking on a candy.
I'm pretty sure she thought she was sneaky and that I didn't know she was eating them.

It's snowing sugar!

Sugar snow is much more delicious than regular snow.

Who's bigger?

Afton loves that baby!!

Turkey Lurkey!

Afty and Hux both got pilgrim hats at school.

Thumbs up for America!!

They were being so silly. I love when they smile for real in photos!!

Baby Iris, Six Weeks Old

Our sweet Iris Jane is already 6 weeks old!!

Our friends The Odd's sent this adorable little hat for her.
Huxley especially enjoys it.
Sometimes I put her in her cradle for a nap and then,
when I come back to check on her, she's wearing the hat.
Hux loves to sneak in and put it on her.

She's starting to be awake a lot more.
She's such a happy baby!

Bath Time

Iris taking a little bath in the bathroom sink.
She's so tiny to fit in there!!

It's like her own personal hot tub.
She's 5 weeks old here.

Sleepy Sisters

Afton wants to hold Iris as often as she can. She has been such a good helper for me! The other night she was laying by her and the next thing I knew, they had both fallen asleep on the couch. I had to take a quick photo before I moved them to their beds.

Spooky Spooky!

Huxley's 3 eyed spider pumpkin.

Afton and her best friend from school.
Afton is a vampire witch and Elle is a dead ballerina.
This is the first time Afton has embraced the spooky side of Halloween.
I guess we're past the princess stage!

We only tortured Iris with this costume long enough to take the photo.
She wanted nothing to do with it, but she does make a sweet pea!

Huxley as the swamp monster and Afton as a vampire witch.
They were so excited to have blood dripping down their faces. Creepy!
Oh, and according to Huxley, Swamp Monsters hate sunlight and water.

My sweets.