Ponderings and Photos

So, I have been doing some thinking lately. I love my children tremendously and I am so thankful that we have the resources available that allow me to stay home with them. However, I don't know how much longer I can stay at home and stay sane. I am missing the classroom something fierce. That said, and considering we have no idea how long Chris will be stationed here, making getting employed in a school district as a full-time teacher challenging, I have decided to start my masters. I am so excited -- classes begin on January 1st. Finally, I'll have something to do during nap time other than clean the house or watch poor daytime TV! It will be so good to start using my brain for more taxing purposes than deciphering the latest whine or protest cry from one of my children.

I am also contemplating starting a small photography business. I love to take pictures. Have loved it for forever. In fact, I'm one of those nerds that reads books on taking photos, even though I've never taken a class to learn to be a better photographer. If there is a class offered on base or in a nearby town this spring, it most likely will end up on my list of things to do.

Back to taking pictures for money. Kids grow up so fast. Taking them into a studio they don't always act/react the way they would in their own home or playground. We live in a society where we don't necessarily live near grandparents or where a parent can be gone on business or a deployment for long periods of time. Then there are those of us that have experienced the miracle of adoption -- we want to document every minute with our bundles of joy. If we are to keep up with our kids then we are going to pay a small fortune in sitting fees and pro-quality photos -- Chris and I spent over $150 for a photo CD from Sears last weekend, and that included a whopping 11 photos taken in about 20 minutes!!!

My thoughts are that I would take photos of kids and sell their parents a CD of the session. I think that this could be a good outlet for me on top of studying curriculum planning and instructional design. I've been moved by the Celebrate Adoption sessions and would love to take pictures of families brought together by adoption. I want to help families who are surviving long deployments -- Chris at least didn't feel that he was missing everything about the kids growing up while he was gone. Plus, since this would be "extra" income, I would donate some of the money to Global Orphan Team.

Now, here are my questions: 1.) Based on photos that I have posted on my blog, would you hire me to take photos of your precious babes? 2.) What do you consider a fair price for a photo CD with 1 hours worth of photos from a location of your choice (with some retouching)? 3.) How high of a quality camera would you expect from your photographer? This is my real big conundrum currently. My girlfriend is getting married next summer and I offered to take the photos of her wedding. She in turn offered to help me buy a camera to start off my business. I really want the Cannon 40D digital SLR that has all kinds of bells and whistles and is a professional grade camera. However, the Cannon EOS Rebel also has 10.1 megapixels but the big difference is it doesn't shot as many frames per second or have quite as fine a resolution. Do I go for the big camera or the Rebel (I have the film version and LOVE it), since I am not sure how much time and money I am going to have to invest into this business. Any thoughts or suggestions you can post are greatly appreciated.

Saturday afternoon in the yard with Daddy:

At the park:

Any time I start to think that my kids are getting to big I just need to see them next to something that I know is big (like a basketball hoop) to be reminded that they still have lots of growing left to do.

Elena's "Uh-oh" face

Superman down the slide

Taking the steps like a big girl

Shot from below while Garrett is climbing the ladder




Fun with wood chips




SWING!

Peek!

So, would you buy my photos?

My boy is CRAZY for the Doodlebops!

Getting out of the shower yesterday I heard the kids making a ruckus in the living room, where I had left them watching the Doodlebops. It's one of their favorite shows, and usually good for me to sneak into the bathroom to get dressed. Well, this is the scene I found when I went to investigate. Elena was on the couch with her brother, but ran away when I went to get the camera. I guess it was a really, really good episode. :)

Tree decorating and just plain silliness

So we finally got our tree up and decorated this past week. I usually like to get our tree up the day after Thanksgiving, but this year we got all our Christmas shopping done instead and then it rained, which makes it not so good to pick out a nice tree. Then there was just delay in actually getting the tree decorated. It's done now (actually done on Thursday night, I just haven't posted pics until now). The kids sort-of helped -- that was a new adventure for this mommy. I fully understand why my parents gave me my own miniature tree (3 feet) to decorate and re-decorate to my hearts content. Maybe I can convince Chris of a similar setup for our family for next year. Any how, here are some photos of our week and the crazy things that my children do on a regular basis. Anyone else foresee me getting a phone call from a teacher about my son, the class clown?

Wednesday we went to the zoo with Cynthia and Jack. Amazingly one of the pandas was awake and facing the audience. Of course, once I got my camera out she immediately hid behind her lunch, but this is still the best photo I've ever gotten of one of these beautiful creatures. Elena was pretty smitten with her, too.

More cookie making fun. This time they're licking the beaters for our Grinch Eggnog Cookies. Yummy.

Getting the lights on the tree Thursday night. My son, the light lover, was out of his mind with joy. "The lights. The LIGHTS!!!" Over and over and over again.

Garrett and Daddy surveying Garrett's work of putting the star on the tree.

The t-shirt says it all.

Checking out the ornaments on the tree. "Mommy. Daddy. Egg." That's right, Garrett. That's the ornament from the Mideast that Daddy sent Mommy when he was deployed the first time - over Christmas. So glad he's home with us this year!

Dancing to the tune on his favorite ornament. Watch the video. It explains it all and it's good for a laugh.

Check out those muscles on my little girl! At gymnastics on Tuesday she did THREE pull-ups on her own, both when Mommy was holding her waist in case she fell and when the coach was spotting. So glad she's signed up for those classes too!

Not enough sleep in the night for either of my boys. What is in the air right now that so many babies are not sleeping soundly through the night? Is it the excitement of the holiday season? Seriously, if any of you have an idea, please clue me in. Chris and I could both use the help.

Feliz Dia de la Quema del Diablo!!!

Speaking of new traditions, the Merrill family is trying to figure out how to incorporate this distinctly Guatemalan holiday/tradition into our own holiday celebrations.

The following is from an article in the Guatemalan magazine Revue:
"The Devil Gets His Due" by Juan Carlos Ordóñez

All year long he hides under the bed or in the junk piled up in the corner, casting misfortune or worse on helpless mortals. But on Wednesday, December 7, at 6 p.m. sharp, the Devil gets his comeuppance, as he is tossed out of the house along with the trash and set ablaze in the Quema del Diablo (Burning of the Devil), a tradition in many Guatemalan towns that literally sparks the beginning of the Christmas Season.
The origins of the Quema del Diablo in Guatemala can be traced to colonial times, when the well-to-do adorned the fronts of their homes with elaborate lanterns on the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, explains historian Miguel Álvarez Arévalo. Unable to afford lanterns, poor denizens instead lit bonfires made of kindling and the trash from their homes. The practice over time evolved into the Quema del Diablo.

How the Devil entered the picture is the subject of some debate, according to eminent historian Celso A. Lara Figueroa. One account claims that the sermons of priests describing how the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception squashed the head of the Devil established the link. What is clear, however, is that the fires, viewed in many cultures as having a purifying effect, came to symbolize the triumph of Good over Evil.

Today, the Quema del Diablo is practiced mainly in the central zone of the country, including Guatemala City and La Antigua Guatemala. The tradition is particularly popular with children, who delight in lighting the bonfires and setting off firecrackers. In La Antigua crowds gather at the Barrio de la Concepción, right next to the fountain, to watch the lighting of a large effigy of the Devil and enjoy music in a community-sponsored celebration.
But not everyone cheers the Quema del Diablo, which in recent years has come under fire from environmentalists who object to the resulting air pollution and burning toxic materials. Authorities now advise against burning plastics, tires or flammable materials and to take special precaution for children whenever using fire or fireworks.

While acknowledging the need to adjust the Quema del Diablo to modern realities and speaking favorably of innovations such as the burning of a piñata of the Devil, Lara defends the deeply-rooted tradition as one that helps forge a national identity. “No one,” he says, “can claim to have the right to put an end to traditions that are the product of the historical and cultural process of a country.”


Seeing as Elena was born in Antigua, we especially feel compelled to kick-off the holiday season in our house by celebrating this day. Of course, with the cross-country move this summer/fall we've already cleared out all our unused items and either donated them to charity or deposited them in the trash. I believe from this year on, we'll be saving our yearly clean-out for the Quema del Diablo -- I'm just not sure that base would allow us to have a bonfire in the street in front of our house. Guess we'll need to get that fire pit we've been wanting to burn some of the trash from our clean out. Also, I like the idea of the pinata being burned. I think the kids could have a lot of fun with this celebration.

Now, any one out in blogger land celebrate this day? Please share how your family commemorates the holiday in comments. Thanks!

New Christmas traditions

This year Chris and I are actively working to revise holiday traditions that we each grew up with and add in new traditions with the kids. So today, courtesy of an idea planted by Mindy (Thanks by the way!), I started making Christmas cookies with the kids -- they're Christmas presents to the ones they love (Sorry to ruin the suprise). The first bunch were snickerdoodles, and I think that they were a hit. I measured out all the ingredients into separate bowls that the kids poured into the big mixing bowl. Based on the grins on their faces I think Garrett and Elena both thought they were pretty big stuff. Then Momma cracked out the big guns -- she let the kids lick the beaters and then taste some of the cookies. Pretty good day. We'll see how the next batch goes (need to grocery shop for supplies first).

Um, Sissy, you've got a little something on your face.

Reading one of our new favorite stories -- the reading of which is always followed by minutes of "Happy Birthday, Baby Jees!"

The true testiment to the fun of the day. These kids cracka me up!



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As for the rest of our Christmas traditions, old and new, I'll do a post tomorrow when my brain is fully functional, minus the throbbing headache. Oh, and we start gymnastics for BOTH kids tomorrow morning! Whoo hoo! Finally the Mommy-gymnasium and my furniture might get a well-needed break :)

Clod hoppers

Evidently, if Garrett is going to tromp around in Mommy's shoes, Elena is going to clomp around in Daddy's. Check out the toes hanging out the top of the left shoe. Oh me, oh my.
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Go Navy! and Oh tree!

GO NAVY! WAY TO BEAT ARMY!!!

First and foremost, this post has to comment on yesterday -- Navy won their 6th game in a ROW against Army! Tradition has it that if either team won 5 in a row the country would go to war. My take on this new mark is that now war will end (yea! All our service members will get to come home to their families!!!).

Eleven years ago Chris took me to an Army-Navy game, his senior year and it was a horrible loss. This year we celebrated the tradition and pageantry at home with the kiddos (replete with their Navy football jerseys). The kids weren't so excited about the game, but they had fun playing and showing off for our neighbors, Jose and Amy. Garrett emptied almost all of his toys out onto the floor of the playroom and used the bins as, well, see for yourself:

Stuck! Stuck! Stuuuucckkkk! Was the cry of consternation when he fell into the bin and couldn't quite get himself out again.

Of course, monkey see, monkey do -- Elena had to follow suit. Too cute!

Ohhh tree!

(Retyping this because blogger just deleted the second half of my post -- ugghhh!)

Garrett and Elena's favorite Christmas cd is VeggieTales The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree. No other music will work in the car -- not other carols, Christmas tree, nor other kid's music -- and we have listened to this particular cd at least 300 times this season alone (if anything, I am underestimating). If I try to play some other music, Garrett immediately starts whining "Oh tree. Oh tree. Oh tree." over and over until I relent. "O! Christmas tree" is the first song that Larry sings on the cd and evidently my son is very fond of it.

Needless to say, the little boy was very excited about getting our own Christmas tree in our very own house. I know that I am little delinquent getting it set up this year, but we are only a week behind, so go with it. This morning the kiddos could not be moved from the tree. Garrett shouted "Oh tree!" over and over. It's good to remember the excitement of the season as seen through a child's eyes. Plus, they look ever so cute in coordinating jammies!

Beautiful girl loves to mug for the camera.

Fascinated -- and it isn't even decorated yet! Can't wait to string the lights and have the kiddos help me create popcorn garland!

Getting too big

Just one example of how my little boy isn't so little any more. He has grown gigantic feet overnight! Look at those clown feet! (Okay, so they are really my shoes but he certainly was funny trekking around the house wearing them.)

However, this weekend the Merrill family took a big step toward getting big. We transferred Garrett from a crib to a day bed (courtesy of a convertible crib). My jumper was getting so much height that I was concerned that he was going to flip up and over the rail and bonk his noggin good.

Here's a pic of Garrett's big boy bed, complete with Diego (goes with decorations we have from Guatemala and Dora will "match" when Elena is ready for her big girl bed).

Once the bed was set up Sunday night Garrett discovered a new jumping game -- leaping from his bed to the rocking chair. I guess we traded one risky behavior for another.

Mom, what do you mean I'm not ready for a big girl bed? You bought all the stuff already. I think what you mean is that you aren't ready for me to have a big girl bed.

Shh, I'm sleeping on my pi-ow.

I'm not sure if Garrett is more excited about his big boy bed, or the fact that he now has his own pillow (pi-ow). The pillow has been going everywhere in the house with him.

So, Sunday night I stayed with Garrett until he fell asleep in his big boy bed. Looking back, I'm not sure how good of a plan that was since it took him an hour to fall asleep. However, I didn't want him to be scared in his bed and then we'd have to go back to the crib. There was only one wake-up during the night and I quickly was able to get him back to sleep.

Yesterday was the first nap time in his new less confined bed, and needless to say Garrett enjoyed the freedom. After to listening to Garrett run around the room laughing hysterically for several minutes I went back into the bedroom (something I try not to do during naps). Garrett quickly hopped back into his bed, put his head down and started to "snore." Yeah, it was hard to not laugh at that -- in fact, Elena did start to laugh at him. I told them both to lie down and I told Garrett he was "not allowed off the bed until after nap time when Mommy comes to get you." Out in the living room I heard the two little voices over the monitor again after a few minutes. However, when I opened the door to the bedroom I discovered Garrett had listened to Mommy and was sitting on the bed talking across the room to Elena. Again they were told to go to sleep. This time Garrett listened and actually took an almost two hour nap.

Now when Garrett goes to bed he says "Dear God" to remind us to say prayers. He loves the cross hanging over his bed (yes, Becky, Chris and I finally hung his christening gift and Elena's is over her bed too). Last night he stayed in his bed until I came in to get him this morning, sitting on his bed talking quietly calling me and trying to wake up Elena. I guess the bed experiment worked. Of course, he wants no part of sitting on the potty like a big boy even though he was super excited to buy his big boy undies. Any of you in bloggerland have potty training tips, I will gladly take them.

One more big boy story to close this post: This morning I was reading Christmas books to the kids. Yes, I love Christmas and we have already decorated for the season, just without a tree yet (too busy getting Christmas shopping done this weekend to buy that too). Any how, one of the books is about why we celebrate Christmas. The story ends by saying that we give gifts to show that we love each other the way that God loves us and to say "Happy birthday, Baby Jesus!" Well, Garrett really liked that last part. He has been shouting "Happy birthday!" (okay his attempt at the word at least), or "Happy Birthday Baby!", or "Baby Jees, Happy Birthday! I love you!" Too sweet! Too cute!

Like I said, my little boy has disappeared and been replaced (for the most part) by a very big boy. Can a mother's heart take this? At least I don't have to hand over the car keys yet Chris keeps reminding me.:)

Here's some video of Garrett and Elena enjoying the new bed:

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Crazy monkey girl

When we first moved in, Elena was fascinated by the freezer on the bottom. She'd really get into playing with the door. Unfortunately, this is the best video we got. Then we added a fridge lock and the fun just hasn't been the same.
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Random photos -- hanging around the house

These photos didn't get posted when we first moved in, so I thought today was a good day for them. We didn't have our furniture yet, but that didn't stop the kids from enjoying their snack (raisins). Sometimes I wonder if I'm raising children, monkeys, or puppy dogs.