There's no place like HOME!

"The rain rain rain came down down down in rushing rising rivlets. Till the river crept out of its bed and crept right into Piglet's"

 I love the word "rivelets" it just fits it's meaning.  Don't you love words like that?  The ones that sound like what they are?  Like "balloon" or "mischievous" or "gargantuous."

Oh it is a rainy day today!  The kind where all you have to do is look outside and it makes you shiver all the way down to the toes.  I just looked up the exact temp outside.  "39 degrees, feels like 29." And windy and POURING.   Do we get snow if the "feels like" number is below freezing?   I would just so love to wake Taylor from a cozy rest time to peek out the window at the snow falling.  Not sure the last time we had snow here, but I imagine it was at least 10-20 years ago.  It happens, but VERY rarely.  Well, if it does manage a flurry or two, her and I may have to cuddle under a blanket with some hot cider to watch.  Too bad our fireplace is not accessible at the moment.
 
Today feels like our first real day in our new house.  We had our morning routine in a real living room, not just a pile of boxes that we hope and pray has a living room somewhere inside of it! 

Oh and it is a lovely house!  I become more and more amazed every time I stand and look around my living room, or take a lovely bath in my wonderful bathtub - or cook in my amazing kitchen, or sit at my dining room table, or...oh I could go on!  I am so very thankful for the blessing of this house.  I have a bit more organizing to do this afternoon, but it sounds as if children went down for rest times well so I will take a moment to write, and a moment to relax before I work to get my house ready for visitors tonight.  We are hosting our life-group here so everyone can see the result of all our requests for prayer in the last few months.  And it gives me wonderful motivation to make this house presentable!  I wondered if I would have the urge to name this house.  I typically feel the urge to name 'things' that I really truly enjoy.  I wanted to name both my last places of residence.  The first because it was the "first" place.  The second because it was so much better then the first!  But I feel as if this house already has a name, I may someday learn it.  I believe I must live in it for some time first, learn all the quirks and corners.  Then I may come to learn its name.  I do believe this house is female though, so I am looking for a lady name.  I wonder how long it will take to learn it?

I promise I will take some pictures soon for those that live far away.  I want to get decorations up, and clear the hall of the giant pile of laundry.  (Toddlers, moving and four days without a washer and dryer do not go well together!) So as soon as that is done I will get some and post them so you can all tell me what a lovely house I have! 

I need to go get the mail - but it is wet out there and I have to go all the way across the street.  But I have such insatiable curiosity that I believe I shall brave it!  Ok...be right back.  Oh my goodness it is COLD out there!!!  Soo windy and very very wet.  And for all that?  No mail!  That is what I get I suppose.   Now, if only I could stop shivering. 

I am torn, perhaps you all could help me out.  Should I have a housewarming party?  I mean, I want to.  I would love to, but we are getting so close to Christmas.  I fear all weekends from here on out will be booked on everyone's calendars.  I know no one from LA would likely be able to come up in the next couple weeks.  but it seems so sad no to have any at all, and it seems even sadder to wait until Jan. when technically the house no longer needs warming as it has already been lived in for a month.  Any ideas?  Should I choose a random Thuersday night and promise cookies and hot drinks for all who are brave enough?  Or should I try for a weekend?  I am torn....

As I am asking advice, I will also be-moan my nights to you all.  After all, I get to write and you must read and cannot interrupt!  Ok...I guess you don't have to read...thank you, for all who read by the way!  Don't think I don't love that you enjoy my ramblings (errr...I hope you enjoy them ...oh dear, now I am feeling rather small and piglet-ish).  Anyhow!  My lovely, sweet, beautiful one year old STILL is not sleeping well at night.  Still wakes between 2 and 4am every morning and is awake anywhere from 1-4 hours.  Yes, you read that right.  She has been known to be awake that long.  She is more stubborn then any child I have met and will simply stand next to me, not saying a word, refusing to lie on the floor (and screaming if I suggest it) for well over an hour.  Just standing!  Eventually she will try to climb the bed and if I stop her the screaming starts.  If we try to return her to bed we are looking at several hours of playing chase that never gets better no matter how consistent we may be.  Exhausted and at the end, we let her get in bed with us last night and it was a disaster due to her constantly moving, coming to me, then to daddy, then kicking one of us in the head, then getting down, then crying to get back up again.  This is NOT going well.     I really, truly don't know what to do at this point.  It has been over two months now and nothing we have tried has worked for more then a day or two at most.  I'm tired!  And to make matters worse, she is only napping now about 50% of the time.  So some days we don't get any sleep at night, and no break in the afternoon either.  Hoping and praying this "stage" ends soon!

Today however, I will try to keep my complaining to a minimum.  For by the sounds of things, BOTH children are sleeping this afternoon!  This happens once in a blue moon.  It means Taylor will be awake until 10-11 tonight and Ayla will scream for an hour before going to sleep no matter when bedtime is.  But for now, I will enjoy my peace and quiet. 

Alright - so a moment of rest is in order, then on to completion of the living room.  We WILL be ready for tonight!  Ah, a small funny tid-bit. The biggest change since we moved?  We have switched sides of the bed.  For all you grown-ups out there you probably can imagine how strange this must feel!  For years I have slept on the right side, and now I am on the left to be closest to the wall.  Confused Ayla the first night we tried it!  It is still confusing me.  So strange to think that the edge is on one side and a person on the other only to discover you are wrong.  It made me wonder, are there any couples out there that don't have a "side of the bed" that just take whichever one they happen to get that night?  Or are there couples out there that change regularly just to keep things interesting?  Funny us humans and our habits.  I'm not sure which side I prefer, well...in all honesty if I had my way, we would own two king size beds and put them side by side so we could each have our own (while we are sleeping, we could share one sometimes).  And we would both sleep in the very center of each bed.  Yes, I am fully capable of using up an entire king side bed all on my own (well, me and my pillows) just ask my wonderful amazing husband that has to battle me for a corner of the bed every night!  I really don't know how you couples with queen or full size beds do it and get any sleep at all.

Oh goodness now, my post has gotten longer then expected, and my hands are aching for a hot drink to hold.  So I will take my leave of you for today,  May your feet stay warm and your hearts be merry. Cheers!