Feasting

A change is as good as a feast, so they say. In my case, a change gets me so hungry for more change that I start looking around with a speculative eye at every aspect of my life. I've got a whole list of resolutions. It's January, and it's a month ripe for changes. It's too cold to do much else, anyway.

I hung a picture today. Somehow, I had never graduated to knowing how to do that beyond tapping a nail in and watching it slide right back out. Today, Husband called me downstairs, interrupting me from folding laundry while watching a really, really stupid movie, and instructed me in putting in a drywall anchor and screw. How satisfying it is to use power tools. And now, one of our two original Clark Ostergaard paintings is hanging proudly. It's of a New Zealand barn swallow flying past a broken barn window (Clark is a painter of the the natural world). The detail is incredible, and Clark gave it to us when Husband found out he had leukemia. It touched Husband's heart so much, and we love the painting. I need to get a picture light for it, and it will be perfect.

After the picture hanging, Husband and I sat and discussed wall colors. We do that sometimes, but usually it's me with all the excited plans and Husband tolerantly listens to me while wondering how much work and money it would cost. By now, though, he's sick enough of the white walls to get behind the idea of buying paint, moving furniture, spending more than we thought on equipment, prepping the walls, and finally painting.

Before I start boring you with decorating details, however, I will share some more pictures, continuing with the Christmas present opening. In my last post, Elannah was admiring Sian's gift, which was some good skin cream Husband found. Sian also got a shopping spree for clothes, as she is growing out of everything she owns.

Gabrielle desperately wanted a Snuggie in leopard print. She also got a clothing shopping spree, and on Monday, Dec. 27, she and Sian and I went to the Big City and spent hours trolling through the sales looking for great jeans and shirts. We ate lunch at Pier 49 Pizza, and Gabbie declared it "the best day ever!"

Sophia is a movie maker, so Husband found her a reasonably priced digital video camera of her very own. She's made a ton of movies on it already. In fact, she made one that she showed Husband and me today, and I'm still laughing. When I get permission from the parent of one of the kids in it, I'll post it here.

This child is so bendable she can stand on her own head. She loves gymnastics and has taught herself quite a few tricks. She's unbelievably strong. For Christmas, she got her fondest wish: gymnastics lessons at last!

For the little boys, it's mostly about quantity. Little Gary, especially, loves to open presents. In fact, when his sisters want to entertain him, they wrap his toys in tissue and he gets to open them. Little Gary got books and puzzles, and Joseph got a LeapFrog computer with a bunch of learning games.

Happy New Year to all! My folded laundry is still sitting on my bed.