Oh, the weather outside is frightful.....

I think this is the appropriate song for today.  I was very grateful that I didn't have to work today, So the kids, myself, Markus, and nanny watched as the snow piled up.  The fridge was stocked, and we were ready....

Markus and Garrett went outside in the midst of it to start shoveling, and get "ahead" of it.  Soon, I decided to go join them and take some pictures (of course).  As we shoveled, three of our neighbors tried very hard to get up the street and into their driveway...many neighbors came to the rescue.

Amidst "blizzard" conditions, we still managed to have some fun playing in the snow.

Family...We share everything - even germs.

Our family is very close, I don't know what I would do without them. My sisters and I love each others kids as if they were our own. On any given day, we do not have our own children alone, but a few short our a few extra, sometimes alot extra. Thats what families are for. Overnights, snow days, and starbucks runs are always better with them. Our children (one, two, three, four, five, six) act more like siblings than cousins, but whoa to any man that tries to pick a fight with one - they get the "pack". We have taught the kids to share everything....even germs.

It started at preschool with one sniffly nose, and worked it's way through everyone including our family. Emilia just got the runny nose version, Hudson got the full blown croup, and Lily just got the leftover congestion and low grade fever version.

Being nurses, we wash hands obsessively, but Heather got it anyway. Our theory, if you have to be sick....It's better to be sick together. So, Hudson boy came over with his croupy cough, and Hudson and Lily commiserated together, while aunt Heathee went to the doctor and picked up all the older kids from school. They looked so pathetic and cute that we had to take pics.

Life is a stage....

Well the long days of winter have surely set in.  As I look outside, I am definately thankful for my warm little home.  Coffee, good company, and a fireplace is all that you need.  I am so grateful to have family close by.  The nice thing about family "drop by's" is that no prep is required- heck, you don't even have to be dressed for the day- yoga pants and PJ's are welcomed. 

As many of you know, our cousin Hannah is quite the accomplished ballerina.  Lily is in awe of her dancing, and sat through a full length performance of "The Nutcracker" this December without moving a muscle. She was ready to join them on the stage. Hannah has given some of her old ballet leotards to Lily and they are her prized possesions along with her collection of tutu's.  So as you can imagine, Lily was oh so eager to take ballet instructions from her.  Monkey see...Monkey do....

To Blog or not to Blog...

As you can see from the posting dates, I had aspirations of starting a blog for last years new years resolution.  I have been reluctuant because #1 It is just one more thing on my plate of things to do, and #2  I don't have any extravegant things to blog about, or wise words of wisdom.  I am just a mom striving to juggle parenthood, marriage, work, grad school, taxi cabbin', refereeing, lunch packin, book report writting, clothes washing, house cleaning, maid service, laundry doing, and above all....Keeping track of it all.

But as I look through my pics, I do have some amazing things to share.  They are the little things hidden in the details of my life.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that these small insignificant events ARE extroidinary.  SO although just a recount of daily life in the Calahan home....hopefully by sharing, I will constantly be aware of the many blessings that surround me and look through new eyes.

Child of Mine...

Today was a day of mourning for many.  A young teenage boy lost his life in an auto accident this last weekend.  Although I did not know him personally, I knew his grandmother well.  Everyone at the funeral today has been touched by Alex.  Alex's little sister (15)Kenzie spoke from her broken heart.  I remember when she was born, it seems like yesterday that her grandmother was beaming.   As I sat there listening to an amazing service that was both a testimony to Alex and to Gods prescence in times of tradgedy....These thoughts went through my mind.

How does a mother/grandmother/friend/ sister find peace and meaning in a senseless tradgedy?
How can I protect my own children
How can we have peace when so much pain and tradgedy surrounds us?

The service was amazing....and this is what I took away.

God tells us there will be tradgedy.  This was not HIS plan for us, but we "messed" it up with sin.  He does promise to HOLD us through these trials and tradgedies.  If this life was all that there was, there would be no hope....but we must know that this is not the end goal.  He CAN bring us through the deep waters and through the darkest times. 

A poem was read today that touched me ... It was titled "Child of Mine".  It reminds us that our most precious possession that we cling to, worry about, protect, and would die for....is NOT ours.  They are just lent to us for a time.  Although in our heads we know this...It is hard to know it in our heart.

Today made me want to pull my kids out of school just to hold them and tell them how much I love them.  It made me realize that the important things in life are the "little" things.  Alex's friends shared memories of playing X-Box all night, late night runs for chicken sandwiches, alex's laugh....These were all the "little" things that will be BIG things that his mother and family will miss the most.

Today made me want to REALLY genuinely be present with my children, and soak up all those little things.  To stop worrying about what "next" task is on my list.  As you all know I do not have all the answers, but I do fear that I will miss opportunities to make memories for now , because I am planning tomorrow.

Since you all know I love quotes ...here is my one for the day - Its not what you look at that matters, It is what you see - Henery David Thoureau

As I was working on my blog, I was slightly annoyed with the amount of noise coming form upstairs.  Upon investigation this is what I found....
A teenager, an electric guitar, a full sized amp, a princess Karoke machine, a Taylor Swift CD....and a live concert going on in my home.  Normally I think I would have been irritated that they were up past bedtime...but I stopped and saw how good of a time they were having "together"- I stopped , sat down and watched feeling grateful for this moment.

Betime is overated right ????
http://www.sofinesjoyfulmoments.com/quotes/aChild_OfMine.htm

Rapunzel, Rapunzel...Let down your hair.

As many of you know, Lily's goal in life is to have "long" hair. After four years of eating many vegetables, she still is asking, "Mommy, when is my hair going to grow long like Emilia's??". Emilia and Rapunzel are her inspiration for long flowing hair (pics of Emilia's locks in the right column : )). Much to Lily's dismay, rather than the long flowing locks she dreams of....she has more of an "out-of-control" mullet. I have not wanted to cut her hair, because there wasn't much to cut. Finally, we decided to go see the professionals for help at "Sugar and Spice". Lily was very exited about going to the salon for the first time. She was very enthralled with the whole experience and especially liked the glitter gel. When she was done getting her hair cut, she told the stylist....I'm ready to get my toenails done now please. They had a little girls "pedi -party" going on at the same time. She is definitely a girly girl and likes the pampered treatment....watch out. So here it is ...pics of Lily's "First Big Girl Haircut" at four years old.

She picked the pink jeep of course!

She wanted me to take a picture of her "sparkly" gel....We won't tell her that you can't see them in the pic.