Choosing

Just a minute ago Anson was running around being entirely too happy. Aaron looked at him and asked "Why are you so happy?" Anson's reply was pretty profound. "Because I choose to be."

Today I choose to be happy.

St. Lucia Day... in July?

This post has been a long time coming. But it was too good to just forget.

Don't know how many of you know the Scandinavian tradition of St. Lucia. Long and short of it: the oldest daughter of the house wakes up bright and early dons a white robe, red sash and a wreath of candles on her head. She then brings her parents a tray of saffron buns and coffee and says "St. Lucia invites you to breakfast." Traditionally this happens in mid December.

July tenth at about 3a Aaron and I are peacefully sleeping when all the sudden we hear. "St Lucia invites you to breakfast." Our oh so intelligent response was, "What?" "St Lucia invites you to breakfast." At about that point I wake up enough to realize that Jael is standing there in costume with a cookie sheet of "breakfast." Breakfast consisted of apples, bananas, a piece of dry bread and a glass of milk for each of us. Her costume was a gray shirt of Aaron's with a pink play silk sash. Her crown is Anson's belt with the handles from a glow stick light saber stuck into them.



Jael went on to explain that she and Anson had been planning this for two days. She's gotten up at 2a to prepare breakfast for us. I'm still amazed she was able to get the cookie sheet out quietly enough that I didn't hear her. Anson was supposed to help her, but she couldn't get him to wake up. At that point (3a) she expected us to wake all of the boys up so that they could have breakfast too. I managed to choke down the dry bread, one of the hardest things I've ever tried to eat at 3a. Finally we were able to convince her that we should put everything in the fridge until the boys woke up and then she could do it again.

First Feis

Jael competed in her first Feis (pronounced fesh) today. We aren't allowed to take any pictures or video while they're dancing so this is what I got.


Lined up waiting for her turn to dance her reel. She smiled like that the.whole.time. Just a bit excited.



We knew that she'd get a medal, even if she didn't place, because it was her first feis. We were pleasantly surprised (read:shocked. Have you ever met the poor kid's parents?) when she place third in her light jig and earned a real medal.

I think it's official: she has the Irish Dance bug. She's already talking about her next feis in the spring.

Shad Says

Shad: Mom I want a drink.
Me: Ok. Get one.
Shad: But I want you to get it for me.
Me: Why?
Shad: Because I love you, and you love me!

Can't beat that logic.