Meredith Carson... Across the Pond and Back Again...

With Mimi here at Christmastime, we took advantage of her crafty, artistic skills and made some gingerbread sleighs complete with jelly St. Nicks. Mimi even knows how to make clean up fun. This is Lili's idea of helping.  "Another Kit-kat over here, please!!"  Gingerbread crafting brings out the little elf in all of us.  The finished product... a sweet masterpiece!

If it can be believed, we had enough of card games and banana pudding yesterday.  So we headed out to the big hill for some old fashioned fun.  Mimi had an old fashioned diet Coke in the chalet and cheered us on from inside.   I was feeling genuinely hopeful that running up the hill with Lili literally en tow would help to burn off some of that banana pudding and apple pie as well as those mashed potatoes and Christmas cookies.  It was worth a shot.   Up and down the hill we went over and over again, and I only complained a little when my glove somehow got filled with snow and I lost all feeling below the right wrist.  Eventually I took Uncle David's advice and "quit being a baby." Now we all feel like we've embraced winter at least for now.  Ask me how I'm feeling at the end of March when it's still snowing up here.  For now these chilly sights are warming my heart.

A baby and a blue spruce...   Lili's "Poochy Face" has been captured for your holiday pleasure.   Lili enjoys our traditional Christmas eve spaghetti... Silverware is COMPLETELY optional! "Lord help the Mister who comes between me and my sister!" Another one of our Christmas Eve traditions   Whoop!  Look out!  Miss Griswold is off to do some last minute Christmas shopping!! Snakes and snails and puppy dog's tails GOD BLESS US EVERY ONE! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT! SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PEACE. Love, Meredith

  How cool is it that we live in a town that has its very own Santa House?  Midland, MI is where Santa likes to hang out from the end of November until Dec. 23rd.  He even has a house right on Main Street. Today we visited our bigger girls at school (where Lili allowed herself to be admired by a slew of first and third graders), then we took them out of school a few minutes early and headed down town to visit Santa at his house!  Lili was completely impressed.  There was so much to look at in Santa's house. "I want that!" Sophia had decided there were a few questions for which she needed answers:  1) Why do they call you "Santa"?  2) How many elves do you have? 3) How do reindeer fly?   By the time she actually got on his lap, however, she was so star struck, she forgot to ask any of her questions.  The big guy did most of the talking and Sophie asked for the usual: surprises.  Emma and Sophie both had a turn on Santa's lap and spent ...

Why don't I have any time?  Why is having three children so much more demanding that having two?  How much harder could it be, right?  I think I have solved the mystery this weekend.  Here goes...  Lili wakes up at around 6 am.  Sometimes I can convince her to catnap off an on in our bed until about 7:30.  Then for the rest of the day, she is my constant companion.  She showers with me, accompanies me on all of my errands and climbs onto the open door of the dishwasher and stomps her little feet as I load and unload it.  She begs for bites of my breakfast, lunch and dinner and chats to me while I'm in the bathroom.  If there is ever a moment when she is not by my side, it can be counted on that she is up to something naughty.  She enjoys removing lights and ornaments from the Christmas tree, "cleaning" the toilet and filling it with tissue AND she also likes to empty all of the drawers in my bedroom.  If she takes a nap, it u...

  We made it through the church Christmas pageant on Sunday evening.  It was really lovely.  Emma played a wonder-filled, humble shepherd while Sophie sparkled as a cherubic angel.  The pageant really was fantastic, but the most awe-inspiring part of it to me was the fact that it happened at all.  I mean there were five inches of snow on the ground.  There were howling winds and even more snow was on the way, and all of these crazy Michiganders trundled off to church (in frilly dresses even) as if it were no big deal.  The North Carolinian in me cried out, "This is so wrong!!  We should all be at home, in our pajamas watching the weather channel... in other words, being sensible... after we clear the super marker shelves of bread and milk, of course."  But that is not what happens here. After the Christmas pageant, we all piled into the big family vehicle and headed for our local Meijer.  With all of the snow, we obviously needed...

This weekend involved all sorts of seasonal festiveness. On Friday evening, we (nearly) finished decorating our tree with well-loved ornaments from Christmases past and a few new ones.  We are unfortunately no longer feeling enamored with the blue spruce which bleeds sap, drops needles like crazy and has to be handled with gardening gloves unless one doesn't mind being stabbed bloody.  But Happy Christmas anyway.  The tree still looks pretty and provides endless temptation for little Lili. Last night we all went Christmas shopping and didn't get home until WAY past bedtime.  As I tucked a very sleepy Sophie into bed, she was half mumbling, half singing, "Mary had a baby. Yes, Lord.  Mary had a baby. Yes, my lord..." And this morning we all woke up (a little later than usual) and found a wonderfully sparkly blanket of snow covering the outside world.  This afternoon we are looking forward to the children's Christmas pageant at church.  The North Car...

Hey Y'all.  Winter is arriving in Michigan, and it is COLD!  I opened the door this morning at ten minutes to eight to send my little darlings out the door and down to the end of the driveway to wait for the bus, and it felt as I though I had opened the door to an enormous freezer.  "Goodbye, my babies!  I love you!!" I shouted and quickly closed the door to block out the arctic weather.  Sending my kids to school in snow pants and snow boots is new territory for me. I suppose all of this winter weather nicely accompanies our preparations for Christmas.  On Sunday evening after nursing my ruined "toddler back" all day, we decided to head out to a local tree farm and find the Carson family Christmas tree.  (Incidentally "toddler back" involves literally crippling back pain that results from hoisting on to one's hip and carrying a 20+ pound toddler all day every day.  It takes its toll after a while.  I had a brilliant case of it for at least...

This happy little girl was baptized at our new church yesterday.  I really wish that our faraway friends and extended family had been able to attend since it was rather special.  George and I were a little worried that Lili might turn into a wriggly monster up in front of the church.  She was starting to get antsy and was lunging toward the table behind me that was set with hand bells as we responded to the baptismal vows, but when I handed her to the minister, Dr. McCummons, her two favorite fingers went into her mouth and she watched his face intently as he spoke about why it was such a special day for her.  Before she was "sprinkled" she reached out her little hand and had a good splash in the baptismal font.  Emma and Sophie who stood right by our sides were delighted. Finally she took a walk down the aisle and back in Dr. McCummons's arms and didn't make a peep.  She seemed to be impressed with the fact that she had so many admiring faces watching he...

This morning when George's alarm went off (far too early), the song that played on his clock radio was  "Winter Wonderland."  When I finally managed to pry my eyes open, I noticed that it actually looked a bit like a winter wonderland in our back woods.  I failed to become excited about this until a little later in the day. Lili has been making a nasty habit of waking us up in the middle of the night in hopes that we will play peek-a-boo with her for an hour or two.  The end result of those shenanigans is a not-so-chipper mama in the morning, one who snarls things like, "Don't forget your lunch box!!  I love you.  Grrr!" After I got up and showered and got myself out and about in the aforementioned winter wonderland, I noticed that it was indeed quite lovely.  Lili and I managed to finish our charity Christmas shopping, pick up a little Christmas something for George AND stock up on some new festive Christmas lights.  The variety of lights out t...

Emma and Sophie were so very excited about Thanksgiving this year.  It was the first Thanksgiving that they remember having in the States and it brought with it a four day weekend!!  Before I was even out of bed this morning, Sophie was up and had composed this little 'poem' on the computer, which she printed and brought to me:  Thanksgiving is here! Thanksgiving has taken so long! But now it is here. Let's all give a cheer! Happy Thanksgiving to all! We all got up this morning, cooked a big breakfast while the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade paraded in the background, and then we just relaxed.  I let Lili take a really long, lovely nap on my chest while George and I chatted and listened to old music.  We were engaged in some serious R&R.  Eventually it occurred to us all that we were really hungry, and that Thanksgiving dinner takes a while to cook.  Who was the fool who told me that giant double turkey breast in my fridge would only require an h...

I know it seems a tad early, but today was the day for the annual Midland Santa Parade, and Santa himself (along with Mrs. Claus and the reindeer) came to town at the very end of the parade.  After a week at home with a very sick Lili (yes, again!!), it was good to get everyone all bundled up and out in the fresh air.  The girls got to try out their long underwear, and I gave my new "ridiculously warm" coat a go. The kids came home with way more candy than they got on Halloween.  We chuckled as some of the parade participants passed.  "The Weed Man" drove past and threw out all sorts of candy.  Somehow Emma also ended up with a "Weed Man" sticker on her new winter coat.  The Midland Republicans sped by in a red SUV with snowflakes painted on the windows.  They didn't have any candy to share, but a middle aged woman wearing a fur coat did smile at us and wave a leather-gloved hand from behind the closed passenger side window.  Even the Midland Un...

Emma was concerned when Sophie was getting so much attention on Tuesday evening when she lost her tooth.  Emma needed to make a video as well.  This is what happened when I pointed the camera at her and said, "Okay, Go!"  And yes, there is a banana involved.  Hold on to your underpants.

  BEFORE AND AFTER...   Tonight was a big night.  During parent teacher conferences (where Sophia's teacher absolutely raved about her), her front tooth almost came completely dislodged.  We waited until we got home and managed to get one last photo of that sweet smile with the baby teeth before George helped that toothy rascal find its way out for good.  The new permanent tooth is already visible, so we may not have a cute little snaggle-toothed six year old for very long. "A smile is a curve that sets everything straight."  ~Phyllis Diller

I grew so weary of hearing George call Lili "Joe Dirt" and could no longer tolerate his making fun of her "baby mullet" that I ended up here tonight...  We joined the Fitzgeralds for a completely innocent birthday celebration, and the mockery finally got to me.  "Alright, Kasey!  Get your scissors," I exclaimed knowing that I had been tragically worn down and defeated.  Then we sat in the kitchen and I put Lili's little curls in the very capable hands of our hairdressing friend... Goodbye, Curls!! I don't know why baby's first haircut is so hard for us mamas.  I know I'm not the only one.  Lili now looks cute as can be, and her hair looks much tidier.  George can no longer call her Joe Dirt, but it's still a little sad.    

Yes, my last post was a bit dismal.  I think we can attribute that largely to the fact that George has been out of town all week.  (But he will return tonight!)  George is often the foil to my inner worrier.  When I grumble and fret, he reminds me about all of the good things about any given situation.  He reminds me about scientific and social progress.  He argues that something good can come out of everything, and he is an excellent arguer. Without George here this week to lift me out of my fretful funk, I have figuratively leaned on the little munchkin who is literally leaning on my chest right at this moment.  For my gorgeous little Lili, life really is a bowlful of cherries... or perhaps a bowlful of Cheerios in her case.  The worst thing that happens in her life is that Mama occasionally leaves the room for a few seconds while she throws herself down on the floor and has a right proper strop about that.  (Yes, my clingy infant has now...

America is seeping into my veins.  It is starting to feel like home again.  I vacillate between excitement over all of the American-ness that is around me and the desire to hold a lot of that American-ness at arms length and ponder it with a bit of skepticism.  While in the UK, I thought I missed all of the cheerful, sparkly American goodies and doo-dahs.  Now that I'm back, I examine said goodies with a very critical eye and ask ridiculously serious questions like: "How many calories/ artificial ingredients/ saturated, partially hydrogenated fats are in this thing?"  "Was this cute-as-can-be dingleberry painted in a horrible third world sweatshop with toxic led paint?"   "Is there anything in this store that was not made in China?"  "Is this packaging recyclable?" or "Is this entire thing going to end up in a landfill when I'm finished with it?" These questions tend to take the fun out of a shopping experience.  Ignorance ...

It is nice to have hobbies.

Someone needs to tell my local super center and radio station that it was Halloween less than a week ago.  You all know that I love Christmas and Christmas music, but with the non-stop Christmas music already playing on the radio and Christmas products lining every inch of available store space, I will be downright sick of Christmas before December even gets here.  As D'andre Cole would say, "What Up With That?"  Be where you are, people, and right now we are in the midst of a beautiful autumn.  There is still Thanksgiving and pumpkin pie to look forward to before the fat man thinks about coming down your chimney or the plastic baby Jesus gets placed tenderly in the manger in your front yard. So here is a reminder: instead of hearing those sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too, THIS is what you should  be doing right about now...

Wow.  I am busy.  Constantly doing very boring and mundane tasks like laundry, dishes, baby chasing and food preparation.  Some tasks are more mundane than others.  That being said, I am generally very happy with my life.  Sitting down at the computer to compose a blog post that makes sense does not happen as easily as it used to.  See the above photo which was taken the last time I tried to post pics and anecdotes about Halloween.  Where did she find that peanut butter?  How did she get the lid off?  These are questions I didn't have time to ponder.  I just let her have a little fun and then managed to wash her hand/ arm/ shirt before she spread that peanut butter all over our office.  Just another day. On another note, Lili's separation anxiety has gotten a little better.  She used to cry anytime I was gone for the entire time I was gone.  That is improving.  I have been consistently leaving her in the Jazzercise ...