Overheard at Story Book Land

Charlotte:   WHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!

Santa: She really has a piercing cry!

 Adrianne:  Where is my letter to Santa??

 "Dear Santa,

I would like M&M's, a barbie, a necklace, a bracelet, nail polish and a new dress"

 Daddy:  Stella, Don't you want to sit with Santa and tell him what you want for Christmas?

Stella:  THAT Santa is not getting us any presents!

 Merry Christmas From The Langs

Favorite Christmas Traditions....

I love this time of year.  I love the richness of it...the family time.  The break of our regular routine...the regular books we read...the regular way our house looks.  Everything about Christmas to me feels cozy and comfortable.  Some of it has to do with the way we do Christmas that has really helped to take the stress out of this time of year.  We have many family traditions and are always on the hunt for more!

Our favorites so far are:

1. Traveling Nativity:
On the 1st of December, Mary and Joseph start their journey to the manger from my bedroom closet.  Every night when the girls are in bed, I move Mary and Joseph somewhere else in the house.  The girls love to hunt around until they find where Mary and Joseph have traveled to.  Christmas Eve they arrive in the manger and then Christmas morning, Jesus is there!

2. Tag-less Christmas presents (Thanks Tammy!):
Every year I pick a different wrapping paper for each child and wrap their gifts in that paper.  The presents go under the tree with no to and from on it and it isn't until Christmas morning that I reveal who's paper is whose.  This helps my girls keep their "mitts" off the gifts since they don't know which one is for them.  I don't have to hear any "Hers is bigger then mine" or any other such silliness that make me turn into the Grinch.

3.  Present limit:
We bought a book last year called "The Three Christmas Gifts" and ever since, we've begun limiting what we buy for our girls.  This year besides the usual small stocking gifts, our kids will receive 2 presents.  We want them to know that we picked special things for them and we don't want that to get lost in "over giving".  I've also asked the grandparents to limit their gifts, which was a challenge but hopefully will go better this year! 

4. Christmas Party:
We no longer exchange presents with my siblings.  Instead we have a party a week or so before Christmas where we decorate cookies and make crafts.  My kids LOVE this!  On Jonah's side, we draw names so my kids only receive one present from all of the cousins.

5. Christmas Birthday Cake:
We want to emphasize the fact that it is Jesus' birthday that we are celebrating.  Every year since Adrianne was 2, we've been making birthday cake for dessert for Jesus.  We go all out, decorating it, candles to blow out and then we sing....!

6.  We stay home!
This is by far my new favorite tradition.  We've always been torn between families since we live in the same town as both sides and while we enjoy seeing everyone on Christmas Day, it gets a little harried by the end of the day.  The kids are grouchy, they want to play with their new toys, they are overstimulated.  We are all too tired.  So last year I finally put my foot down and we decided that the grandparents can visit us on Christmas Day but we are not going anywhere.  We had a wonderful, relaxing day last year and I'm expecting more of the same this year.

I know there are some other cool traditions out there that I'm missing out on.  I know I want to start a "Jesse Tree"  (Bethany, you're going to make me ornaments, right?  Ha!).  What is your family's favorite Christmas Tradition?

My Talented Husband

Jonah has began calling himself "The overenthusiastic Hobie-st", since he has many things he likes to do, wants to do, dreams of doing.  When he comes up with a new thing, he gets all the "stuff" and then learns everything there is to know about it.  To my benefit, this past year, he has gotten the photography bug. 

Jonah did a photo shoot yesterday with my sister Stephanie, her husband Josh and their kids.  Even though it was really cold, he managed to get some great shots of their family.

Ready for the weather!

Our favorite past time.  Hot tubing when it's snowing!

For Free!

I am super excited that it is the 17th of November...That means it's almost the 26th of November....That means I can get out my Christmas decorations without my husband thinking I'm totally crazy!!  I'll admit; I have most of my shopping already done.  I've been secretly snacking on mint M&M's for weeks now and humming Christmas carols.  I even broke out the Little People Nativity.  I can't wait to start the count down!
I was really excited to stumble on a promotion that Shutterfly is offering bloggers right now.  They have an amazing line of Christmas Cards and for telling you about them, I get 50 free cards!  SCORE!  Now I'll lay awake at night trying to decide what pictures to use for this years' card...
I'm thinking about using this layout:

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/with-love-blue-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93491

Or this one:

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/we-heart-you-holiday-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93491

Or this one:

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/joy-love-story-holiday-5x7-photo-card-5x7-photo?sortType=1&storeNode=93491

Mostly, I'd just be happy to successfully get Christmas cards out this year instead of sending them as thank you's in January!

You can get your own free photo cards by going here:  http://bit.ly/sfly2010

Oh I can't wait to trim my Christmas Tree!

Beach Babes

 We had a wonderful break from life this week.  We headed to Beachside State Park to sleep in the Yurts, play in the sand and go crabbing in the bay.  I was concerned about the weather before we left.  It was supposed to be WET.  I even ordered Stella a new coat for the trip (which I completely forgot to pack!) to be sure that we could still have fun even if it rained.  We were pleasantly surprised...Dry weather everyday, Sunshine, light wind...totally pleasant.  The rain stayed away except during the night.  The girls played and dug.  Stella loved watching the "Sea Eagles" as she called them.  Charlotte loved being walked by Grandma's Dog.

 Uncle Jack going Dune Diving!  Determined that his rain fly from his tent would make a good parachute.  I think he needed a bigger cliff!

Let's Be Candid

My dear friend Charlee took some great pictures of our family.  Since the girls love their "aunties" so very much, we thought they'd treasure having pictures with them.

Our life right now is lived very candidly.  That's why I love the picture that I put as our new blog header.  Adrianne dancing, Stella marching, Charlotte trying to get away.  What a good life we have.  What a happy family.  We are blessed beyond measure.

marathonrunnerdad

This past Saturday on 10/10/10, Jonah ran and finished his first marathon!  It has been a long 16 weeks of training, but he did it without complaining.  We got up early on Sunday and walked from our hotel to the start line.  It was dark, raining like crazy and windy.  10,000 runners joined him running the 26.2 mile course around Portland.  The rain didn't let up the whole time.  

It was a very proud moment for me to watch him round the corner at the 26 mile mark.  Having done my own marathon this past May, I know the cost: the work, the time and commitment.  I was so glad for him to have the feeling of accomplishment and victory that I have.  

Yay Jonah!  26.2 miles in 3 hours and 58 minutes!

Do you need fashion help?

I have a fashionista for hire!

Stella  has always marched to the beat of her own drummer when it comes to getting dressed.  Starting around 2, she began to dress herself and has always come up with the most interesting combinations.  I describe her style as gypsy meets Palm Springs, FL.  The above picture is her Sunday morning outfit of choice and yes, I did let her wear it to church.

 Charlotte has a shoe obsession.  She loves to try on any shoes that are lying around.  Here she is with some of Sister's cowboy boots on.  What a doll!  I've been known to bring down a basket of shoes just to entertain her.

 And lastly, a bonus shot of my lovely Adrianne.  Isn't she looking so grown up?  She's very concerned this year about "matching" and not in the "this is pink and so is this and so is this" way that she was when she was three.

Sometimes the world looks better this way...

Charlotte is the first of my kids that thinks looking between their legs is super funny.  She sets her self upside down and then laughs and laughs at us.  It is so sweet.  On another note, She has become a "Daddy's Girl".  I love to watch her hold Jonah and stroke his neck.  I melts my heart (his too) to have her love her daddy so.

I see you shine in your way. go on. go on. go on.

Jonah and I headed up to Troutdale last week to catch a concert on the lawn at McMenamin's.  We saw Vampire Weekend (which if you are unfamiliar with them is not a band about vampires) and had a thoroughly wonderful time despite the fact that it poured down rain for the 5 hours that we stood outside.  

The company was good.  The food was good.  Even the beer was good (Ruby is about the only beer I like).   And nothing beats a night in a hotel with the man you love and sleeping until you want to wake up.

Don't let your kids learn anything!

Me:  Okay girls, I'm going to lay down for 5 minutes.

After a few minutes...

Adrianne:  Mom, I think it's been 5 minutes.

Me (with eyes closed):  No it hasn't.

Adrianne:  Yes!  It's been 5 minutes.  I counted to 60 five times!

AAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!

How can I be the mother of a child that is big enough to lose a tooth?  Adrianne has had a loose tooth for about a month now.  I find the whole losing teeth thing very gross.  I don't like the wiggling, the sound, the idea of the root breaking.  I've been hoping that the thing would just hurry up and fall out.  Last night she got it to the point where it would flop over (ick) and this morning she could twist it around (eww).  On the way home from swimming lessons, she began to shriek! It's out!