Nuggets :: Firsts & Last

So many firsts this week, as we jumped into the holiday spirit and tackled crafting projects, social engagements and pausing long enough to enjoy the beauty of where we live and be reminded of our place in this world.

nuggets.

A first for all of us - building a gingerbread house.  Notice I wrote building and not baking.  Oh, no.  I knew I didn't want to tackle making it all from scratch and when the boy begged and pleaded for a kit from Trader Joe's and offered to pay for half of it, well, how could I say no?

It turns out, neither Steve or myself had ever made or decorated a gingerbread house.  Two days later, I let G and his friends devour it.  My cool mom street cred went up exponentially  that day.  Definitely adding this to our yearly holiday list of traditions.

Grady made the first basket of the game last weekend against Our Lady of Guadalupe.  It was also the first game basket he's ever made and he was so proud of himself.  He really hustles up and down the court and is slowly learning the game.  His team didn't leave with a win, but G had a small personal victory and that was a big win for us.

Highway One from Tomales to Valley Ford

Our December skies have been putting on such a show for us & the rains have not come to visit us...yet.

Highway One near Erickson Ranch

Clear, crisp, frosty mornings give way to cloud-soaked skies by the afternoon.  I think the clouds look like floating marshmallow fluff and enjoy the simple pleasure of finding random imagery in their cumulus formations with Grady on the way to and from school.

Hills in the A.M. vs. Hills in the P.M.

 The 14 mile round trip is always breathtaking, especially during the winter months.

Eucalyptus lined highway & tree silhouettes

The evening skies have been show-stoppers.  I liken their late afternoon colors to freshly spun cotton candy and find that my camera just does not do them justice.  You have to witness it firsthand, pausing long enough to say goodbye to the day and giving them a quiet standing ovation.

Grady watched his first "scary" movie with his dad last Friday night.  Something Wicked This Way Comes.  The title alone scares the heck out of me and conjured up images of a storm swept landscape, carnies and sneaky little boys.  Grady just snuggled up next to his father and told me when it was all over that the movie was about overcoming your fears.  It was also a father and son tale.  Watching G growing and morphing into such a nice young man is the best thing about my day(s).  I truly enjoy watching the father and son moments these two have been sharing lately.  They have been building things together in the workshop, playing darts, games of chess, Battleship & getting lost in the book Toby Alone (a suspenseful, social commentary) at the end of each evening.  Did I pick the right man to marry and have a kid with?  Oh, yes, indeed.

And another first this week.

Steve has been monitoring the water quality of our local Salmon Creek watershed for over four years.  He does this quietly and without much fanfare, as he does most things.  But I'm going to share with you the awesome event that he and Grady took part in this past Monday.  They helped with the reintroduction and release of 175 Coho salmon back into the fresh waters of Salmon Creek, as part of the Third Annual Coho Salmon Release along with the Army Corp of Engineers and various other local entities.  You can see a short movie Steve put together here (because he's fancy like that) and read a bit more about it here.  Grady skipped school with our blessing and helped return these 30+ pound fish to our coastal waterways.  Nature never ceases to amaze me and I'm again reminded how much I love this wild and wonderful Sonoma Coast.

Grady looks freakishly HUGE on Santa's lap this year!

Last.  This weekend we had a round of parties to attend (four in all) and we ended our party train at the Jenner Community Xmas party.  The kids fairy godmother, Cheryl, goes all out for the kiddos and this year was no exception.  The girls sang solos that brought down the house with applause, Santa brought bags of books with clementines, silly putty and crazy straws.  Little delights for such sweet little ones.

About a month ago, Grady called me out about being the Tooth Fairy.  He point blank said he thought I was the tooth fairy and that I was lying.  Ouch.  And as I firmly and adamantly denied it, I kind of felt like a big, fat, liar pants.  I got real sad thinking about him losing this childhood world of make believe and it brought into question why we (okay, I - as Steve would just assume to tell him the truth) do the things we do when it comes to holidays, fairies, bunnies and the man in the big red suit.  I came to the simple conclusion that it's about creating magic and it's not forever.  We can make it whatever we want and as soon as he finds out that all of these things are not real, well, then we can move on to newer traditions and make the magic happen for others.  I find solace in that revelation and it's propelling me through this holiday season with purpose, so that I can make this last xmas, where he still kind of believes in Santa, a special one for him.

I know the jig is up, soon.  And I'm holding on for dear life.

Happy solstice eve, everyone!