On Monday Lake woke up wide with excitement for the white world he found outside his window. He went into Vivien’s room and opened up her blind, too.

Vivien, Look! There’s 50 drops of snow!

Today he and George went sledding with his new sled Nana and Vivien got on Sunday. Just in time to enjoy the snow… all 50 drops and then some!

“Symbi is so escited for marshmallows and hot chocolate. He thinks it’s a birthday party”

Yes we’re having a nice evening.

“We’re not having a bad evening because I’m not yelling.”

T: yes, we’re having a nice evening.

“We’re having a huggy evening! Love you“

Practicing the Scandinavian art of hygge (“hooga” cozying around together) with a huggy evening!

He’s got some very cute expressions now:

To Baba at Christmas: “I just so much love you! I can’t even stop loving you!”

Then again after Christmas to Clarence: “I just so much love you! I can’t even stop loving you!”

Then regarding some chocolate nut protein food bars: “they’re so yummy. I can’t even stop loving them!”

We watched some of The Crown in our pajamas for New Years Eve (Michael very sick with something approximating the flu).

Lake: “we’re not [going to be] watching a movie with guns and stuff right?

Mama: No, we’re watching The Crown.

Lake: Because my technique is: if it’s a scary movie- I turn my head…like an owl. That’s what my technique is. If you’re scared you just turn your head away like an owl. Then you can’t see the scary part. “

A perfect evening, I’m glad I spent it with you! Happy New Year, all! Hopefully we’re all able to look this year straight on… Happy 2020… it’s going to be memorable!

Lake and I have been the George Balanchine’s Nutcracker danced by the Pacific Northwest Ballet together for three of the four years since his conception. It’s a Nutcracker tradition for us. We enjoy the sweetness of this magical experience. We like to bring Nana and sit right down in the front so we can see everything with the dancers and really get swept up into the story. This year Lake elected we ride the Link and the monorail to MaCaw Hall adding to the adventure.

The best part though comes leading up to and following the event itself. Lake delights all with the Nutcracker performances he puts on at home on the living room carpet “stage”.

A perfect holiday tradition, Lake. I’m glad I share it with you and Nana, and now Baby Sister, too! Thank you for making it so special.

I love you, Daddy! I love you, Daddy!

When I get big than you can I wear your clothes please? We can share, when I get big than you. Is that okay?

Lake references most things to “when I’m big than Daddy”

And he’s ecstatic to spend time together with Michael. Depending on our various schedules and the day of the week, different people will be the point person when Lake wakes up when his light turns green at 07:30. The other day if was a rare weekday morning where Michael was the point person. This was explained to Lake by Vivien that she would be sleeping in and her door would be closed Friday morning because she would be sleeping, and they would spend the evening together. So in the morning when his light turned green he would go to Daddy’s room. Lake’s face lit up; he could hardly believe his good fortune. He double checked with me just to make sure he’d gotten it right. He could open the door to Daddy’s room on Friday morning?!

Yes! They had a great morning!

On Sunday morning he got to crawl into bed with us when his light turned green. He asked if he could climb in between both of us. Then he was close to Michael.

I love you, Daddy! I love you, Daddy!

…and he kissed Michael’s cheek, just how Daddy likes it. So sweet!

A perfect day… I’m glad I spent it with you!

Is your Christmas Treed? Does it have all the ornaments on it? In all the right places?

Lake asked me while we decorated the tree this week.

Getting there!

So many pretty ornaments. So fun to play with. So many so fragile ornaments carrying priceless memories.

Finally our Christmas is Treed. Now we’re ready to enjoy the coziness of the season! Besides visiting with friends and family (eating pie, drinking tea…), our favorite activities are reading books while drinking hot chocolate by the fire wearing our matching pajamas and waiting for St. Nikolaus to come! Er kommt bald!

Lake and I have been spending a lot of time together lately. With Michael’s new work schedule we have eight evenings together in a row including every other weekend. Before the schedule change I was worried how it would be. I was wondering how I would manage as a single working parent for more than half the evenings. It has turned out to be challenging at moments, but a blessing in many ways. We have this incredibly special time together. He often shares with me the sweetest sentiments.

“Lovely Mama” sure melted my heart. He repeated it about four times in a row as it is occasionally his custom.

Tonight during our good night cuddle he was telling me how he loves a long cuddle and then often spontaneously: “I love you!” as well. Then he said an impromptu:

I came out happy.

I loved that now matter what he meant really. But I thought it was worth exploring. “You came out of where Happy?

The kiss!

I came in happy! I came out more happy!

Oh my!

What a lovely son.

You’re Michael’s Sweetie Pie!

Lake triumphs, softly poking my cheek as we cuddle and drift off towards sleep. We had just spent an enchanting evening trimming the Christmas tree with all our family ornaments, drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows and listening to the Nutcracker. Now it’s such a sweet relief to be cuddling in bed, so close to sleep.

You’re Michael’s sweetie pie!

He trills again.

I’m Michael’s sweetie pie!

He continues.

Michael’s your sweetie pie! You’re my sweetie pie. I’m your sweetie pie!

We’re all each other’s sweetie pies,

I agree. It’s true. He has uncovered a truth. A week spent with NanaBaba has added “sweetie pie” and its meaning to his lexicon.

He exuberantly concurs,

We’re all each other’s sweetie pies!!

How sweet. Goodnight, sweetie pie. I love you! A perfect evening. I’m glad I spent it with you.

Lake and I enjoyed Black Friday barefoot at the beach near Westport with family. He’s always up for a downward dog. We were fortunate enough to be able to participate in Buy Nothing as we were visiting my parents, Team NanaBaba, who were feeding, nurturing and caring for our every need. Thankful for a lovely Thanksgiving rest and rejuvenation.

Now it’s back to work and teaching yoga for Whole U at the University of Washington. I love that I have had this opportunity- instructing this yoga class since January. It’s very special to me. Thank you to all my students and teachers for making this possible, my family and the Whole U for supporting me and to Baby Sister for now teaching with me! Our last day of my class will be week 39 gestation. Then the yogi mama will take time out for greeting Baby.

Traveling with your family for the holidays?Hosting a traditional American Thanksgiving Dinner? Whatever your plans for the rest of the week, have fun, be safe, and enjoy our favorite holiday! While the Thanksgiving tradition and turkey dinner may be uniquely American, the concept and practice of gratitude is universal. For happier more resilient kids (and parents!), take a moment to reflect with your children: where are you experiencing gratitude in your life?

Verreist Ihr über die Feiertage mit eurer Familie? Veranstaltet Ihr ein traditionelles amerikanisches ‚Thanksgiving Dinner‘? Was auch immer eure Pläne sind, passt auf euch auf und genießt die aufregende Zeit!

Wir wünschen euch viel Spaß und genießt diesen besonderen amerikanischen Feiertag.

Während die ‚Thanksgiving- Tradition’ und das Truthahnessen einzigartig amerikanisches ist, ist der Gedanke der Dankbarkeit universell. Für glückliche und belastbare Kinder (und Eltern!), nehmt euch einen Moment um die Erlebnisse mit euren Kindern zu reflektieren und fragt euch: Wo erlebst Du Dankbarkeit in deinem Leben?

Lake and I are for sure full of gratitude to be headed to NanaBaba’s for rest, rejuvenation and rejoicing!

Translation credit to Vivien Petersilie. Photo credit to Chamonix Browne (Happy Film Company).

Little did we know it at the time, however we might have been making one last trip to the origins of “the Egg” a few weeks ago when we drove out to the Quimper Peninsula. Our only family car, the Egg, was stolen Wednesday around 3:30 am off our property. Michael and I were both astonished and a bit in shock. Lake asked, “who stealed our car?” We don’t know honey. “Some mans with bad manners,” he answered.

We had a few days to grieve and reflect and make some rapid adjustments. My brother generously flew Michael out to Spokane and loaned us his old family station wagon. Michael drove it back from Spokane and we started thinking about a replacement car seat for Lake. Yes, the thieves ungraciously took a little car with a car seat in it. Then, on Saturday we unexpectedly received a call from the Seattle Police Department: the Egg was recovered in West Seattle! Unbelievable. It had been parked in front of someone’s house for a few days before he reported it to the police. The tire went flat and it wasn’t moving. That was their queue. We were so thankful and rejoiced for our reunion!

We have quite a history with this vehicle and are so glad it wasn’t time to say goodbye.

It was 2002 when I bought my first own car – one of those unicorns of used cars: single owner, bought it new in cash, all records up to date and intact, selling due to moving out of the country. I found the advertisement for the 1998 Honda Civic CX 3 Door in the Peninsula Daily News (was living in Port Angeles at the time) and it was located down Egg and I Road in Chimicum. Now a small dairy farm. Then a chicken farm (see, read and enjoy The Egg and I: life on a wilderness chicken ranch told with wit and height humor by Betty MacDonald c 1945 Lippincott). My brother quickly named our Honda “The Egg”, for its pale color, egg-like shape and specific origins.

In the intervening time, the Egg and I have had 17 years of adventures together. The Egg has been a family affair, kept afloat and on the road by my parents and my brother. In 2008 my brother notably rescued it from a “totaled” claim by the insurance after being rear-ended in traffic on I-5. We bought it back from the insurance company for $500 and he famously resurrected it for an additional few hundred bucks. The Egg saw me through two doctoral degrees, one start-up business, two marriages (one short, one eternal), two trips to the Bay Area, one baby turned toddler, countless trips to Portland, Newman Lake, Bellingham, Vancouver, Port Townsend and Aberdeen. Whenever I would drive out to Port Townsend, the Egg and I would make it a point to drive through Chimicum and past Egg and I Road. This recent trip turned out to be our last.

During our visit on Nora and Ed’s Farm the sheep were wary of Lake. None of the nine ended up letting him pet them this time. Instead he sent them running!

Nonetheless a lovely farm visit with our dear friends. And such beautiful ferry rides to bookend the weekend.

We so appreciate our trusty Egg, (and our friends and family!) for making these getaways possible and enhancing the efficiency of daily commuting for Michael to the east side.