hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week
We had an exceptionally awesome week here. The snow has been falling like I remember it from my childhood. The flakes come fat and meandering, they come tiny and whippy. They come and the temps hover around rosy cheeks and mittens-a-must. Those low temperatures mean the snow sticks and accumulates. Margot keeps saying, through the most giant grin you can imagine, “mama my eyes are freezing!”
Life has challenged me a bit in the last few weeks as holiday orders come in to our home. I am working late into the night and in the wee hours (with the help of my seamstress!) Then there are these two pretty cool kids who want to play play play eat play play eat play in between those late night-wee hour sessions. And so it is full and I feel so appreciative. Thank you for reading, thank you sponsoring, thank you for buying my stuff. Sincerely, thank you for your support.
At this point perhaps you wonder, why funky norman? Well, because as I was editing my photos from this last week they were all so picture perfect, Norman Rockwell-esque. And that’s right on, actually. Our snowy holiday was entirely fun and photogenic. But with all of these photos I am reminded of the actual moment the photo was taken and, usually, the moment the shutter snaps to capture is wacky, funny, funky.
:: The snow started like this:
And, within a few days, it was like this:
:: We lost two sticks of butter last week. They were on the counter and then not. Naturally, we blamed Alice who has a habit of eating four pounds of Halloween candy if given the opportunity. Later, we found a half-eaten stick of butter on Margot’s bed and Andy said, “huh, there aren’t any teeth marks…” And Margot said, “I love butter. I just like to sit in my bed at nap time and lick butter.”
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| Hens haves slowed egg-laying a bit but a light, on for four hours every evening, helps keep up with our fam. |
:: Our Thanksgiving was glowing and perfect. We were with a whole group of foodies and our meal yielded many pleasurable groans. I food shopped the night before with just Margot. The store was surprisingly empty and we had the most fun. She, freaking out over turnips and cut flowers. Me, freaking out over her.
Are you wondering what we made? I’d love to tell you!
1. Apple Pie.
My first ever lattice crust.
My apple pie filling:
five giant granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
juice of a lemon
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
And, of course, the Epic Crust.
2. Chocolate Pudding, made by my handsome, red-bearded husband.
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| Here I think he is saying, “I love you more than ever before (this is going on the blog, isn’t it? shit)” |
:: We were cooking, our heads down in the kitchen, listening to Kanye when we looked up to see still, quiet snow covering our neighborhood. So we left all the chopped and measured food as it was and went for a walk.
And bumped into our neighbor who managed to take a photograph where we are all looking in the same direction and nobody is crying and Margot is not trying to strangle Ruby under the guise of giving a hug. I often race into the bedroom because it sounds like Ruby is being tortured. I find Margot on her back holding Ruby who is also on her back on Margot’s belly flailing like an upturned turtle. Margot says, “No worries. We’re just playing a game.”
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| my hat made by my talented friend |
:: People wonder why Montanans wear flip flops when the temperatures reach the thirties. It’s because this is what our feet look like for months:
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| It’s stinky in there. |
:: Margot’s interaction of choice while in public:
“This is my sister Ruby. Want to say hi?”
“Hi Ruby!”
“Sorry. She can’t talk. She’s just a baby.”
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| The beginning of the upturned turtle “game”. |
:: Ruby is signing like crazy and it totally blows me away. And chicken is so so proud when she gets what she asks for. Water, milk and food are the three she wants with regularity although I keep trying to encourage her to want sleep…
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| See that INSANE, perfect snowflake? A total Norman moment. |
Ruby wanting to nurse is like Margot wanting the crazy movie, as she calls it (also worth noting: I have a crush on every band member, Margot likes the bald guy). Whenever Margot is bored she asks to watch the crazy movie and whenever Ruby is bored she looks to me and signs for the boob. Often, after she gets what she wants, she just laughs. Must feel pretty cool to FINALLY be understood.
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| The book we use for baby sign language: Teach Your Baby to Sign |
:: Cold weather can make us feel a bit cooped up at times. In these moments, Margot does the same, weird thing repeatedly and insists I watch her again and again. The other day, she went from chair to chair in our home to assume this position:
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| “Mama, watch this.” |
Also, she loves to take photos of Ruby and me and it makes us both laugh.
:: The other day Margot picked up a Sierra Trading Post catalog and looked through a few pages and then said, “Huh. Look, right here is says Margot really needs a bandaid.”
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| For the many inquiries about where oh where we get these great, reversible, lightweight, able-to-be-worn-in-a-carseat, super warm snow suits: Patagonia. We love our outlet in Dillon, Montana. And, did you know you can just call them to see what they have in stock and they will mail to you? True. |
:: Margot is very excited about plugging in and unplugging the tree. My Husband The Electrician wanted to talk to her about the implications of her desires. While she danced and tried to tickle him he told her about electrical current, conduction and shock. He asked her if she remembered her bee sting last summer and she said yes. Then he said shock would be much worse than that. She laughed and said, “watch this” as she jumped as high as she could. I said, “Margot, please don’t touch this white rectangle or the cords that plug into it. It will hurt you.” And she said ok. Later, Andy, feeling defeated by my explanation resonating and not his, shrugged and told me she wouldn’t get continually shocked anyway because it is a gfci breaker. Good to know.
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a very important conversation
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:: I am surprising myself with how sentimental I am about the holidays this year. I cried while reading the Polar Express the other night. And, I was super anxious to get a tree. And, Andy has already started audible exhales when I put Pandora on ‘Ella Fitzgerald Holiday’.
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| Our friends needed thinning on their property down the Bitterroot so that’s where we cut our tree. |
Also I was all gushy as we hiked up a steep incline to find our tree. Ruby was snug on Andy’s front, Margot giggled so purely I thought I might burst and Alice literally tripped over herself she was so psyched.
:: ‘Tis the giveaway season don’t you know. This giveaway is dear to my heart and my family’s health. We have fallen hard for theraputic grade essential oils. We use lemon daily in our water, lavender to make bruises and bumps magically heal (used on Margot’s horrible skinned lip in the fall), thieves when an illness looms, peppermint to break a fever, peace and calming for just that and have even become used to (and grateful for) the funky (norman) smell of frankincense. Once you have and use a bottle and realize the simple, natural, effective properties of the oils, I promise, you won’t go back. Also a great stocking stuffer? Yep. Click here to buy.
AND Mama Loves Oils is giving away a bottle of peppermint oil! Leave a comment for a hot, pepperminty chance at a bottle. Not sure what to comment about? How about your funky norman. (Winner will be selected at random on Sunday, December 5 and winner will be posted within this very post so check back!)
The Winner:
Natalia said…Wow, the snowflake on the eyelash is amazing! But the photo I like best is the family portrait, as I know how hard it can be to have all of you in one shot, looking normal. Though you guys look much more than normal – you look happy, content and together. Enjoy the snow!
Congrats! To claim your peppermint oil, e mail me at [email protected]
Just in case you missed our purt near perfect family photo:
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| I see this photo and I think of an endless string of adjectives: Me: optimistic; Andy: charmed (but no doubt dreaming about skiing); Margot: enduring; Ruby: all-knowing; Alice: regal. |
Happy hump day out there.
139 Comments
I have never seen a real snowflake (a patterned one), and there is one on Ruby’s eye. I love everything about this hopeful post, as usual.
Wow, the snowflake on the eyelash is amazing! But the photo I like best is the family portrait, as I know how hard it can be to have all of you in one shot, looking normal. Though you guys look much more than normal – you look happy, content and together.
Enjoy the snow!
Wow!! That snowflake on eye-lash photo is ridiculous! This was a really nice entry for me to read before bed. What a beautiful colorful zany life you have cultivated. Inspiration. Many thanks. And holy cow do I love patagonia too….
Melina
http://www.thewildercoast.com
sweet post
i have never seen a snowflake that looks like a snowflake….now i have : )
about peed my pants laughing at all of Margot’s sayings. especially the butter one. i think she needs her own reality tv show lol
and now i feel better about my own super excitedness about the holidays.
yay!! thanks for inspiring as always : )
PERFECT family portrait, you are all so beautiful
there is something so beautiful about how you share your world with us, both in the way you write and your perspective as a photographer…i would love to see a coffee table book of your world, do you know what i mean? my favorite is the grocery store shot…lovely
OMG ! That snowflake photo is an amazing photo !! and I love the family photo. Being a southern hemisphere gal, i just don’t get snow, but your photos and words do make it sound lovely (do I sound convincing?……no, I didn’t think so ! )
I AM getting Christmas tho ! Very excited and sentimental !!
Enjoy your week and the wonder that is Christmas, Dee x
I think i have almost read every single one of your posts , but never commented . . how rude. But cannot BELIEVE the snowflake photo, wow. Its summer here . .and im hoping for a hot hot hot xmas, cannot imagine a snowy one. I like it here, thank you for sharing…Goin back to stare at snowflake some more.
I know this seems to be the theme of response, but I absolutely am in awe of the snowflake-eyelash picture. Amazing. The family picture makes me happy, too. I love reading about your daily life, and I bet so will Margot and Ruby, when they’re my age.
okay, one…the snowflake. sweetness.
and two, OMG the picture of andy making pudding…margot is his twin! love the daddy daughter resemblance, and your pie makes me hungry :]
Great post Nici!
OMG that snowflake…….flippin’ awesome! I have never seen a real snowflake that is actually shaped like the ones on the picture patterns 🙂 That photo is MAGIC!!!!!
And Margot…..sweet Margot….she cracks me up…every post! Love her!
We are celebrating our first day of summer here in Australia…..crazy to see your snow photos while we’re sweltering hot here 🙂 Very cool!
Enjoy some snow play for me!
xo
Awesome family pic! We aren’t even attempting a family pic for “printing and sending to gma” purposes this year. I got a halfway decent one of the five kids in front of the tree and we called it a day 🙂
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I love reading your blog!!! You seem like an awesome person and an inspirational mom. It just started snowing here. We’re supposed to get 2-5 inches on Friday. I can’t wait! What a magical time of year.
I’m with Margot…LOVE the crazy movie! How cool is that dedication to wackiness?!? (And the butter thing made me snort I laughed so hard!)
Absolutely gorgeous photos. I swear I could feel that tight crisp snowy air in my lungs when looking at them. Well done. And your family pic is beyond fab!
We had our own “funky Norman” kind of holiday here too. The craziness of six boys in my house, one trip to the doctor & my brother in law taking care of nearly the entire meal made for a memorable & thank-full Thanksgiving.
Hope you get some good sleep soon.
xo
Kate
PS And the snowy Alice pic? LOVE!
This post made me laugh out loud hysterically and my three-year-old kept asking “What Mom? Why are you laughing?”. She also does the upside down turtle thing to our younger daughter… too funny!
And the butter licking? Seriously, that’s hilarious. Margot is one silly girl!
Lovely family portrait by the way! All your outdoor pictures in the snow reassure me that I’ll still get great outdoor shots during the winter months. I love snapping photos outside with my Rebel, and I was seriously worried I would have no photos for my blog as soon as Christmas is over. I feel much better now. 🙂
I have never seen a more perfect snowflake! That must be goodluck or something?! haha happy wednesday
The snowflake! The butter at naptime comment! The family picture! LOVE it ALL!
Love the family picture!!! Such a beautiful family. And the snow…amazingly beautiful.
Could you share some of the signs Ruby does? How did you teach her?
I have a 9 month old and want to show her a few signs. 🙂
Also love the snowflake……and the butter story!!!!
perfect!!!
This post totally speaks to me. All of it! I have two girls (2 yrs and 6mths) and the ‘turtle’ game is most definitely starting to show in our house as well. Amazing family pic – those rare great ones are such gifts. And thanks for the snowsuit tip!
I am so looking forward to our girl romping around in her snowsuit this year. Although last year was her first christmas, this year she is much more interested and amazed by the things the season is bringing – lights and snow and decorations. And I am having so much fun making the magic happen for her. Makes my heart all bursty! Thank you for the chance at the giveaway!
Joining the choir here…
That snowflake!?!?! Holy cats, woman! That is amazing!!! Thinking I’m going to link this to my silly sisters who go, “Snow?! YUCK!! Nothing good about that crap!!” pshaw, I say!!
It’s finally snowing here in Grand Rapids, and Connor cannot wait for breakfast to be consumed so that the snow gear can be donned. And neither can I!!
Margot with the butter… LOL!!
In our family, that would garner a nickname of Little Krishna. So hilarious! And I soooo remember the upside down turtle thing! My kids were 2 years apart. They really make life amazing!
WOW this has to be one of my most favourite posts ever ! Made me laugh, grin ,shed a tear and gasp at the beauty of it all. Thank you for your inspiration and for sharing your family with me so honestly and with such passion. Look forward to yours posts always. Sarah x
I love the snowy-doggy pictures. You have such a cute family and life!
My Mom has plenty of butter stories about me, she would have to hide and she would have to hide mushrooms too because I would sneak in the fridge and eat them (if they were the real ones, the can ones are nasty). LOVE that family picture. And do those oils really work? I mean FOR REAL work…I have panic attacks for no apparent reason and they keep switching my medications because nothing seems to work and I honestly feel like they are are doing more harm than good…I’m sick of it! Physicians are too quick to put people on medicine and I feel like I have to listen because I’m not the doctor and maybe they know what they are talking about. Blah!
Beautiful nuggets this week, Nici. Ruby is starting to look a lot like Margot. Sisters, for sure!
This is a fabulous post! Seriously – that is such a fantastic family photo! And the snowflake on Ruby’s eye? Amazing.
I’ve been feeling super sentimental about the holidays this year, too. Just want them to be as magical for my girl as they were for me growing up.
Happy Holidays!
I laughed and laughed in this post – butter, Margot’s sayings, all of it.
And for the rec of Patagonia suits!
Thanks!
I so enjoyed this post! Being from South Louisiana, we never see this kind of landscape. My poor children are always wishing for snow, they think wishing for it will make it happen. Sorry guys, not when you live in a basically tropical climate lol We can wear flip flops practically year round. That picture of the snowflake on Ruby’s eyelash is so awesome, I didn’t realize a snowflake actually could look like a snowflake! Duh!
Oh, and my girlfriend sells those oils, they are wonderful.
From here on out, I will be in my kids’ faces, trying to get a snowflake shot. Awesome pic!
I also wanted to mention the video series Signing Time. Don’t know if you’re into dvd’s for the kiddos, but thought I’d mention them. Both my sons have developmental delays, but were able to pick up sign through the videos. They may have them at your library (that’s where we get ours).
Anywho, I am happy to read about Ruby’s signs, time with the fam, and that you are able to get in creative time. Happy Wednesday!
You snagged some great photos last week! Love the nuggets.
Are you kidding me with that perfect snowflake pic?! Girl, you captured a little bit of magic with that one. Love, love, love these nuggets!
Absolutely love this post and as it just starts to snow…for like the 10th time…here in Northern Michigan, you’re outlook has helped to improve mine. It makes me want to bundle my 20 month old and take the 3 dogs for a walk on our 60 acre farm. Still amazed that you caught that perfect snowflake on Ruby’s eyelash. You and Kelle are truly gifted photographers and such an inspiration. Happy hump day!
so jealous of your family pic! perfect!! love.
Oh. Em. Gee. These photos are AMAZING. As is the post that goes along with them. LOVED reading this week’s nuggets!!
Margot and her silliness! Loved the butter licking story, hilarious. And the pic of the snowflake on Ruby! WOW! Would love to see this in black and white. Great nugs, real, perfect but not perfect, and funny. xo
P.S. Maybe one day when I am not so prego, I will share with you a great apple pie recipe, I think you would be all over it. It has gehost (sp?) carmalized goat cheese shredded on top of the apples before the apple shortening topping… oh my god! The best pie I have every had.
OMG that snowflake photo!!!!!!!!! omg omg. amazing.
LOVE your family photo, I’m so jealous! We have not one decent fam photo where we’re all looking, and my girls are 1 and 3. My friend just finally got a close to perfect fam of 4 shot and her kids are 3 and 5. So I don’t feel TOO bad I guess. haha.
I’m just like you this year, very sentimental about the holidays and got the tree up early…crying at Polar Express and Toy Story 3… I’m constantly saying aloud “Get yourself together man!” And everyone laughs at me 😀
Oh and licking butter! Hilarious!!!
We are getting a tiny bit of snow here right now, first time of the season…my 3 yr old is so excited to go out!
that snowflake is amazing! Love reading your blog, makes me want to come visit montana!!
I am seriously coveting your perfect family photo. We have one kid, no dog and have never even come close.
I love your family picture! you all look great but I espically love they way your dog Alice looks. Like dude this is my family, I am on a walk in the snow, I am beaming so take my picture!
send some snow our way…here is vermont we are only getting rain 🙁
And PS I cry everytime I watch the Polar Express. Happy Holidays!
I will take a turn.
You: smiling. arm looped in Andy’s elbow.
Andy: proud protective. arms out to stretch from Alice, Margot, and Ruby.
Margot and Ruby: both so loved and thinking.
Alice: good girl.
Love the photo! It isn’t almost perfect. It is perfect.
I love the family picture and the picture of the snowflake on the eye lash.
I thought somebody just made that up about the shape of a snowflake-when it snows (oh so rarely) in Houston, the snow looks like something out of a snow cone machine.
You knocked it outta the park this time! My fave bits were the butter story, the snow flake and Margot’s chair game. Great nuggets, and I am soooo envious of all your snow. We’re just getting teasers here in Minneapolis. I began XC skiing last year and am eager to get out there! We also got a dog this past summer, and so far, she loooves the snow and cold.
I love snow and it was majestic out there. I am so glad you guys took the time to take a family walk in the snow. And that snowflake was the most perfect thing I have seen lately. Also, would love some peppermint… 🙂 Happy hump day!
i love love love todays’s post and your norman photo yay to you!
People will say that the snowflake is photoshopped it is so perfect. Amazing! I laughed reading this post. This weekend I read Sulli The Polar Express and cried, we got our tree up and decorated, all the lights strung, and pandora has been blasting Christmas tunes. It is just more fun when you have kids. Awesome family pic.
Oh yay – just perfect! Love the perfect snowflake on Rhubarb’s eye lash, triple love the family pic, the Margoisms have me over the moon but I wonder if we should be concerned about her cholesterol? Who could blame her though – what man, woman or child alive wouldn’t lick sticks of butter if given the opportunity?
I have been reading your blog for a few months now!( After Kelle’s visit) and I love waking up on Wednesday to find your nuggets for the week! This week I was literally laughing out loud at Margot! Thanks!!
That perfect snowflake on Ruby’s lash is an AMAZING photo! Makes me want to up my *hinting* for a better camera to capture those moments of our kids too!
Our Funky Norman moment was Sunday at a birthday party where our 3 and 6 year olds had their first visit to a roller skating rink and they LOVED it, got some awesome videos and pictures too!
peppermint! best thing for an icky tummy… lovely pics. lovely moments captured.
First of all, the snowflake pic – AMAZING. A keeper, for sure.
Second (and this has nothing to do with this particular post..) Have you still been enjoying the Penguin? I have it on my wish list, but am nervous about the CO2 refills…expensive? Hard to get?
Third, Love the family picture. Can’t believe how lucky you are to have snow. We had a “cold snap” (65 degrees) the other day and I was so excited – I got out three sweaters and wore each for a third of the day. It breaks my heart to see them mocking me in the closet… I guess the grass is greener for me. I miss Montana…Haven’t been since my Gramma’s passing.
_janna
Just a quick skim at the photos and a speed read! I could have been the first to post had I known HND was up late last night…Why you ask? Because I was on a mission & FINISHED Ruby Jane’s Christmas stocking at 2:30am!!!! It was fun and a work of love, in the mail this week!
Note from your mama, your #1 fan & in my humble opinion. I should get a quick text when you post …I’m just sayin’ :).
Off to the big C`Box…..more to follow~
xoxo…I love you!
Oh my, this is so aptly timed for me. I was JUST researching the use of peppermint oil to rid our home of mice in a nice, friendly, pepperminty kind of way. Thanks for this offer!
Nearly perfect family photo? If I do say so myself- that’s a perfect family photo! I love everything about it- the colours, the snow, the smiles- its wonderful!
Loved the snowflake picture! We are still waiting for our first snowfall here in Kansas. My older two kids are anxiously waiting to take the baby (15 months) out to play in the snow for the first time!
That snowflake photo is INSANE!!! And what a cute family picture too! We managed to capture one for our Christmas card and I couldn’t stop jumping up and down I was so giddy so I totally get it! Loooove YL essential oils! Thieves oil is my favorite and I use it for e v e r y t h i n g!! Thanks for the tip on the snow suit – off to call Patagonia…
I spotted a perfect snowflake the other day on my coat. Took my breath away for a moment and made me slow down to watch for the little things.
Karen
That snowflake in Ruby’s eye is an epic moment. Dear me…
And so is family, isn’t it? Seeing your children so happy makes us mamas the happiest ones ever.
Hilarious! I haven’t even finished reading, I just had to say that Margot’s comment about butter was so funny.
I kind of agree with her. 🙂
,,,love the snowflake on ruby’s eye, love the family photo, love this nugget,,,let the joys of the holiday season begin!,,,
My girls play the same game all the time. I really loved this post, great pictures! very crazy video indeed)
Great nuggets!! I smiled and chuckled the whole way through. Perfect. Though I was disappointed after seeing all your snow pictures to look out my window and realize the white I was seeing beyond the computer screen was coastal fog and not mountain snow. Ah, well, you can’t have it all!
Thank you thank you for sharing such sweetness!
Were you shopping at Good Food Store? My body is too old to appreciate or function properly on road trip food anymore, so I stopped at the Good Food Store on my way back to Seattle from Casper, Wyo. Got a fantastic (organic) turkey sandwich made just for me, blue corn chips and a great iced tea to go for a very reasonable price. What a great little road oasis!
I have a question about cutting down your own tree… I’ve heard you need to purchase a firewood permit. Is that true? And, if so, what is the cost of that permit? Thanks for your knowledge!
Okay, I think these might be my favorite nuggets ever – smiled the whole time I read them and laughed out loud (literally)at Margot’s butter story and her “sorry, she’s a baby. She can’t talk.” Classic. Ruby’s snowflake photo is flat out amazing – love it. Thanks for sharing such happiness!
That snowflake on your sweet Ruby’s eye is amazing! I can’t get over it! And PLEASE count me in on the giveaway…I lo0o0o0ve me some peppermint oil 🙂 Have a happy week 😀
I loved this post! that snowflake on Ruby’s eyelash totally made my day. And your family picture? Love it. You are SO right, Alice totally looks regal! 🙂
Totally loving scanning your comments and seeing familiar names.
Totally loving the family picture and the stories and yes, one of my favorite nuggets of all time too.
And FREAKING OUT over the snowflake picture. For reals????? Pulled Brett over to look at it because, for all the snow I’ve experienced in my Michigan years, I have never ever seen a real, symmetrical snowflake. Holy what the?????
Normanesque for sure.
xoxo
Loved this post!! The snowflake picture was A-MAZINGt and I’m definitely going to use that pie recipe 🙂
XOXO,
Angie from Ohio
While I think your family photo is gorgeous, that snowflake photo has me pining for snow…and I hate snow! Simply beautiful!
Gorgeous snowflake picture. Wow, that’s a beauty.
I’m still laughing over Margot licking the butter. Fantastic stuff.
Are you aware that your family is too beautiful for words? And are you aware that I love those unidentified boots on the unidentified feet? And yes, that snowflake. It is everything we have always been told that snowflakes should be. And you captured it AND shared it with all of us and that is amazing.
ps- I don’t ski. Am I still welcome in Montana?
Holy Shit, epic absolutely everything about this post! The pictures are so perfect, the snowflake pic = UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE!!
Love it!!
Happy Winter-ing!
I am so thankful for this blog. It brightens my week, every week! Thank you for yet another amazing post and for doing what you do – I am totally inspired.
Love the snowflake pic and I love pepermint, it’s very good for tummies too.
Holy beautiful … this post, your pictures, that perfect snowflake and your family picture!
Happy week …
PS – We got our first snow flurries this week and the kids are psyched (as am I)!
That is the perfect family photo! They do seem to happen when you least expect it!
That snowflake was AWESOME! Just amazing!
:o)
I love your photos and your snow. Where we currently live in Australia, we don’t get snow or even a frost. We are so excited to be traveling to Whitefish to visit family next week.
We are rock climbing in Texas until Dec 21st. It has been an amazing time, but I know I will be so glad to be home again to really experience the holidays for a few days before Christmas.
I agree with the others, what a great post. I enjoyed all of it! The girls are just wonderful, and your family picture is amazing. Really.
Thanks for taking time to incorporate such a beautiful photo/story for all of us. I know you are busy with your orders.
EPIC nuggets today! i love funky norman 🙂
To my sweet niece, Nici…the snowflake on the eye is fabulous, maybe a winner in a contest somewhere, but the family portrait, dog Alice and all, has to be the one you use on/in your Christmas card this year. What a keeper! Love you lots…Aunt Lorie
Seriously? That snowflake is unreal! Also, awesome family photo.
Snow and cold here too – but your nuggets warmed me – the norman – WOW – what a capture – the family photo was the best.
ok, was that snow flake for real!??!?! Great post!! Thanks for writing:)
I LOVE your family picture! We tried to take one with our 19 month old daughter and dog… One of them was always looking away..
And that snowflake… AMAZING!
I think we all might lick a stick of butter at nap time if we could … at dinner with some friends once they helped their 5-year-old son butter his bread because he was not permitted to be left on his own with it. He summed up his relationship with butter perfectly, “Butter is my heaven.” I’m sure Margot would agree. Thanks for the fabulous post!
I LOVE your blog, and love this post – FABULOUS family pic! I find your blog so fresh and inspirational. BUT and sorry!, as a Photoshop user, to me that snowflake just don’t look real. I’ve never seen a snowflake that big actually showing crystals, and it’s a different colour to the rest of the snow on her (beautiful) eyes. We are deep in snow here at the mo and today I was so troubled by your pic that I was out there looking for anything that remotely resembles that snowflake and couldn’t find it … ??? what gives? or am I just being a killjoy?!? It isn’t April 1, is it?
To answer a few questions…
signing: that book I link to above is a great start! We just sign the word we are using while we say it. We mostly sign more, milk, all done, sleep, eat, water. I highly recommend it.
tree cutting: you do have to get a permit from the forest service. We cut our tree on our friend’s land so we didn’t need a permit.
snowflake: Ha, Laurel. No, you are not a killjoy. It totally looks fake! Isn’t it interesting that when something looks so perfectly like nature we think it’s fake? Like ‘oh my that flower is so beautiful it looks fake’? Anywho, I promise it is not fake. It was just one freaky large snowflake…I think all of them look like that but they are itty and clumped together.
Fabulous snowflake and great family photo!!!
LOVE that family photo!!
Essential oils are a must! I recently discovered them and don’t know how I ever lived without them! Now that I have found them I feel like Im always collecting new ones. I am obsessed!
I love hearing the quips of a 3 year old. All day long my little one says funny things that I mean to write down, and your blog inspired me to do just that today in *my* blog! 🙂 Her butter comment is hilarious!
ok. seriously, what are you going to do with that snowflake photo? blow it up? frame it? what!? AWESOME!!!
this was def my favorite post of yours ever. such a fantastically humorous perspective on your daily life with the girls!!!
you should write a childrens’ book featuring margot. oh and that flailing turtle game??? LOL, love it! 🙂 🙂
Okay, this is by far one of my fav nuggs ever!!
Holy sh** on the snowflake picture. Contest winner for sure! Unbelievable!
Family picture screams “framer” and Christmas card and large canvas hung in your house. How great to run into your neighbor and end up with a perfect family picture! You look so beautiful and happy…and colorful. Love the hat/gloves/coat.
Margot and the butter! One of her best quotes yet!
Way to go on the signing. Very fun, isn’t it? Heard of Rachel Coleman and Baby Signing Time video series. You won’t believe how fast your children (and you) will learn hundreds of signs.
Funny about Andy the electrician. Dads are the greatest!
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
Jill B (Overland Park, KS)
I have some of the thieves in my cabinet right now…great on mouth ulcers and even have been known to dab a zit…shhh!
Have never tried the peppermint!
Been reading for about a month and I enjoy humpday nuggets but this is my favorite fo’ sho’. (Hate to be a broken record.) Love Alice in the snow…her excitement radiates. And love Margot and the butter, I ate butter and flour as a kid…brings back memories. Have fun in the snow.
@PJH, p oil works on the mice!
That snowflake picture is absolutely amazing. (original comment I know)
Great post. Beautiful pictures! Thanks.
i actually aloud (thank god the children are asleep) said. ohmy fucking amazing snowflake. and then i read your caption. you said it a lot better than i did.
please tell me you pulled out the bell.
i have an inkling fear that the girls are going to question the disappearance of the bell. i should probably get on that, huh?
my favorite oil to use right now? chammomile on finn’s jawline to help with teething. works amazingly.
i have no funky norman. but i did notice that i haven’t shaved my legs in a month or so. (thank you mother nature. or father winter. or just pure lazy.)
I loved this post! A few reasons why in no particular orders …
1. Your pictures are gorgeous; your family picture (with Alice!) is perfect and the snowflake on Ruby’s eyelash … wow!
2. Margot letting you know that she likes to lick butter at naptime made me laugh out loud, literally.
3. The ‘game’ that Margot and Ruby play is exactly what my girls (nearly 3 years old and 9 months old) do everyday! I run into the living room when the baby cries out to find her sister bear-hugging and pulling her down.
Your blog is very inspiring on many levels so thank you!
Loved this post. You need to enter that snowflake picture in a contest! It even looks like it’s shadowing her pupil perfectly centered. What a moment!
in that case, I join my wows to everyone else’s … and will keep a copy of that pic! never seen anything like it xox
btw I also have a 3-and-a-bit year old who eats all the butter she can get her hands on!And a 1-and-a-teeny bit yr old who would do the same!
What a great family photo. I see this as a gift for grandma, a christmas card to a far away friend. And just a picture to treasure over the years.
You seems so excited about the snow. I’m from Pa, and I don’t think I love it half as much as you do. Maybe it’s the gear, I dislike to be cold.
Have a wonderful holiday season.
So sweet.
All of it.
Wonderful post.
DWall
Opps I didn’t see the that the name of the book was right there.
Thanks!!
🙂
Dude. We got 16″ at our house, but I don’t think I’ve EVER seen a perfect snowflake, let alone on a child’s eyelash! Nice work.
Margot ~ isn’t playing in the snow the best? My fondest winter memories of growing up in Montana have to do with snow … the fun I had sledding, hot chocolate, making snowmen, snow forts & snow angels, snow ball fights and SKIING! I hope there is a good batch of the white stuff on the ground when I visit…we will build a snow man! I have a true confession for you…when I was a little girl your great uncle Skip and I would get up really early, while your great grandparents were still sleeping, & build a fort under the kitchen table. We would bring ALL of favorite things there….pillows, blankets, books, toys, things to drink & eat….AND quite often a cube of butter with two spoons….so there you have it!….you come by it naturally! I Love You A Bushel & A Peck!
Ruby ~ speaking of snow angels, you look like one with that perfect snow flake on your perfect little face! Christmas at your house this year will take on a special meaning with your healthy little body surrounded by the wonder of the season & sharing it with your mama, papa and big sister! You Are My Sunshine!
Nici ~ How I love this time of year ….the joy of giving, decorating the tree, wrapping gifts, stocking stuffers, a good game of cribbage…..sentimental and the holidays are synonymous ….I think being a mother magnifies the beauty of it all, there is nothing like seeing Christmas through the eyes of your children…no matter what their ages are! I still cry reading & The Polar Express, I have already watched It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle On 34th Street, 3 versions of A Christmas Carol, have 2 stations preset with Christmas tunes and have been humming my favorite ones daily! I even sang “Yingel” Bells to the dogs! I just wish I had you close by- someday this wish will come true. I love you so.
xoxo, Mom/Gram
Love the butter story! I used to love it as a kid too.
And the Electrician conversation – I can identify with that too. Wonderful description, you nailed it.
Such a full post!
The oils sound great!!!
The butter! Really? TWO cubes?!
Oh MY! Love it! When I was a wee girl I was addicted to butter too, never heard of another. My Gram used to really get after me for it, while secretly laughing, but I could not walk by the butter dish without taking a big swipe, I tried to learn to have it not show, but it didn’t work, I needed a BIG swipe! I didn’t go for candy or pop, just BUTTER! Mmmmmm! I still love it, but not straight! Girl after my own ♥!
Holy cow, that snowflake photo is CRAZY! You need to submit it somewhere and make some cash.
Beautiful nuggets.
Ok, I had to read this post again because there was so much goodness. 1) my funky norman was this summer when my girls had a photo shoot where they looked absolutely angelic but Anna Cate was a total brat that I came home and cried afterwards. She couldn’t handle sharing the attention her baby sister and it really hurt my feelings/embarassed me. I still hang the pictures on the my wall, but chose one of her with that grin that is often associated with the choking in the guise of hug because it is really what our life is 2)very interested in the oils. I’m wondering if one gets a set to get started to incorporate it in your hom.
3)Love that ruby knows a sign for the boob. My baby Molly is 9 months today and this morning I was amazed that she can crawl over me to nurse on the other side.
4) I have a friend of a friend who just delivered a baby at home (10 pounds!!!!) and her name is Ruby. Maybe you are her inspiration??
5) I teach Ancient history and have tried to be better about encouraging the kids to draw in class for their notes since I usually say “I hate to draw so you don’t have to do that part” if anything asks for them to draw something, but was so inspired by your take on encouraging art.
Cheers to you from Virginia, where I’m hoping for snow since I would get some time at home.
That snowflake is freaking amazing. I was totally going to save that photo as my desktop wallpaper, but then realized it might be strange to have a random(ish) baby on my work computer. Ha! Great post!
You should so enter the snowflake pic in some contest…that is absolutely the most breath taking thing I have seen that reminds me of winter. Snowflake – through a child’s eyes….
Just wow.
So, the incredible snowflake pretty much sums up the saying “through a child’s eyes.” Life is a-m-a-z-i-n-g. The family photo?! Man. Great. I think I could enjoy a thick beard, warm apple pie, hot homemade soup, and a fresh snowstorm if I had a one piece down snowsuit.
Love these nuggets!
xoxo
WOW! Love the picture of the snowflake. I didn’t think they actually looked like that. Absolutely AMAZING! Tis the season!
Happy Holidays from snowy Minnesota!
My favourite post ever. Love the family portrait, its so perfect. Snowflake? Awesome. Signing? Gave up after endless ‘more’. I have only been reading since the Niki/Kelle meeting and in this post that you have been more sentimental than ever before and I’m loving it! Christmas suits you.
Lol at Margot licking butter at nap.
Love, love, love this post! Thanks for sharing
snowflake=perfection=family
It makes me very happy to know that there is a child in the world that feels that way about butter.
It makes me very happy to know that there is a child in the world that feels that way about butter.
It makes me very happy to know that there is a child in the world that feels that way about butter.
It makes me very happy to know that there is a child in the world that feels that way about butter.
It makes me very happy to know that there is a child in the world that feels that way about butter.
Your writing makes me think of Judy Blume, but from your perspective. Just the fun stories of Margoisms.
I had to come back and look at that damn snowflake…I’ve been showing that pic to everyone who comes into my house haha 😀
Upside down turtle!!! Every day in this household with two sisters!!!
That snowflake was amazing. Just bought a snowsuit for our 1 year old today. Hoping she’ll see her first snow this year (just moved to VA from FL). But I must say, I’m glad we’re not in MT with the in-laws! Brrr!
Love the plug for Young Living! Been a fan since the late 90s!
okay. you sister have a hellofalot of comments. i am piping in to say this post made me laugh my butt off. the butter.. my found my little brother licking a stick of it underneath the kitchen table once — i can relate. i hope you are well. i know life is busy all around but know i am thinking of you and read your posts when they come in my mailbox and LOVE LOVE every word. i have a little something sweet coming your way when i get to bottling it. it might be a while so i will pop in when i put it in the mail. love to you. someday we will meet up!!
I grew up in Colorado and snowy ski-y winters. Now, I have to DRIVE to see/play/ski in snow and it is NOT the same. BUT, as I have read your blog, the past two nights I have spent stomping around in deep snow (I actually sensed the cold!) in my dreams! Lovely. Planning a trip to serach out perfect snowflakes in a couple of weeks. Sigh.
Oh, Nici Holt Cline, you never disappoint, do ya? So much I want to comment on! First of all, the snowflake — can we just take some time out to realize how magical this is! You were able to catch one single flake on your one year old’s EYE!! You caught it before she could blink! That’s magic all on its own! Sorry for all the exclamation points, I’m just so excited. You have me believing in Christmas magic again! Also, thank you so much for posting that family photo twice because it’s simply awesome. Love this post, love the article on Andy love for skiing (and your take on it). Love the string of adjectives. And I love (and I’m so thankful) that you share it all!
That snowflake is AMAZING! WOW! What a great catch.
I finally had the leftovers on stock to make it ‘okay’ with my carnivore (and carb avoiding) husband to make the yam/black bean burritos last night. They were great! (Oh, and guess who thought the yams were really tasty?? Yeah, same husband, haha!) Thanks for sharing that recipe. 🙂
Can I just say – that family photo – so FAB – so Montana – do YOU. Love that hat BTW, looks like a glorious season for your lovely family.
I can’t get over the butter thing. It’s so damn perfect. Why hasn’t it occurred to me to do that?
Butter butter butter butter.
I cannot get over the photo with the perfect snowflake on her eyelashes! L-O-V-E
The butter is amazing. Just a quick note to say Happy belated Birthday to Ruby! And a belated Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
I am also a fan of peppermint to ward off nausea.