Gift Guide for Dads who are Artists.

Shopping for my husband has always been a challenge. He doesn't want "stuff" so concert tickets and a replacement to-go coffee mug have always been my go-tos. When I stumbled up on the site Kindling Quarterly, I knew an annual subscription would be the perfect present. Here's what the magazine is all about:

Kindling Quarterly is an exploration of fatherhood. Through essays, interviews, editorials, art, and photography we highlights creative individuals whose work and lives are inseparable from their role as a parent...Men who are active caregivers are not a novelty and we do not depict them as such. 

My husband is a stay-at-home-work-at-home dad. His life, passion and profession blend together and this publication celebrates this in a sincere, realistic and humbling way. Highly recommended for anyone with a creative significant other.

The Dad slash artist in your life might also like:

• For those who love the great outdoors -  cologne distilled from plants, moss and mushrooms.
• A book to help breakthrough those creative blocks.
• When in doubt, Paddle Your Own Canoe. 

Happy gifting and giving! 

Merry + Bright

Ingrid and I are equally obsessed with this sweet video.

She dances along and says "Buh-bye!" each time the four girls ducked their little heads. 

And attempts to play along: 

All I want for Christmas is that piano flute.

Wishing you a joyful day!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve has always been a favorite. Dan and I typically spend the day together before all of the Christmas craziness starts. Make a decent meal (to combat the sugar intake), go for a long walk with Harper and relax around the house all day. 

Unlike past years, this year I learned to slow down and enjoy the moment. It took Ingrid and I a solid two hours to make sugar cookies yesterday. She loved dumping in the flour into the bowl and watching as I "Mixa! Mixa" the ingredients. She kneaded her little toddler hands into the cookie dough to form blob-like shapes (and I tossed the messy dough into the trash - no one wants sweaty toddler-hand dough). 

In 2012, Ingrid's second Christmas, her favorite seasonal things are: 

• Sparkly Ornaments 
• Dancing on Tissue Paper 
• Cooking (specifically sprinkling and dumping) 
• Christmas Lights 
• Chocolate 
• Advent Calendars 
• Snowmen 
• Bubble Guppies Happy Holidays Mr. Grumpfish Episode (natch)  

Today felt special because Ingrid sort-of understands what's going on. She knows that Santa says "Ho ho ho," understands the concept of presents and that tomorrow is Jesus's birthday. She has no idea what a birthday is - but you get the drift. She tolerated cookie decorating and we somehow convinced her that the frosting wasn't OK to eat. 

Her innocence to the scope of the season is wonderfully refreshing. No wish lists. No visits to Santa. Just some good old fashioned dancing on tissue paper and sprinkling sprinkles on hastily decorated cookies: 

Holiday Traditions

This weekend truly felt like a weekend. To me that means: time with family, time with friends, brunch on Saturday, brunch on Sunday, a little baking and a lot of relaxing. This stress-free weekend was especially energizing for me as I'm between job changes. You could say that I've been a "hot mess" and I wouldn't argue with you. Leaving some place you love is a bummer. The anticipation of a new challenges\ is nerve-wracking.

Looking ahead to our holiday gatherings, the to-do, to-make and to-buy lists are slowly and steadily growing. Compared to the stress of a job change - the next few weeks feel like they are going to be a piece of cake. 

Speaking of cake - have you guys ever had sponge candy? You probably have. But if not, it's one of those wonderful, sugary confections that surfaces this time of the year. Dark chocolate surrounds a piece of crunchy, cake-like candy. A friend introduced me to this last month and I'm officially hooked. I've allowed myself to buy two bags (so far). It's over-priced and worth it. 

Back to the holidays. 

In addition to drooling over sponge candy, introducing Ingrid to Christmas traditions has been incredibly rewarding this month. We took her to Cathedral Square Park and admired the lights. Ingrid insisted on visiting the playground for a quick swing and loved laughing at us through the looping lights. 

This weekend, we made Cranberry Bread for her daycare teachers. Ingrid stood proudly at the counter and sprinkled on a topping while reminding us "Ingrid help! Ingrid help!" 

Then, we pushed the envelope and had her paint mugs. What a brilliant idea it was to use the smallest bib imaginable in hopes to catch the multiple paint splatters.

Even though her clothes were painted in the process, she did a really great job using the paintbrush. I think it's because it involves dipping the brush into the paint. Kids love to dip. I'm starting to learn that carrots are best with ranch and chicken is best with a quarter cup of mustard on the side. 

Baking and crafting are holiday traditions that I loved as a kid. They were traditions that I could carry with me to college and to my first apartment in Milwaukee. We don't have the room for a tree, Ingrid doesn't know who Santa truly is and we're still in search of a church - but these simple traditions always get me in the holiday spirit. 

What are your favorite holiday traditions? 

What do you recommend we try with a young toddler? 

A Tree for Ingrid

Every season brings a new batch of holiday traditions to be remembered or created with Ingrid. It's hard not to get swept-up in the moment. Let's take today for example - as I was a few phone calls away from booking an unnecessarily expensive Breakfast with Santa when a coworker reminded me that we don't have to do everything this year. 

Breakfast with Santa can wait. Wish lists for Santa can wait. Cutting down our family's first real Christmas tree can wait until next year when we're in a bigger place. 

I love that Ingrid only understands a small percentage of what's going around her this month. She loves looking at the Christmas lights twinkling on front yards. Tonight, the holiday section of Target blew her mind as she yelled "Sparkly balls! Sparkly Balls! SPARKLY BALLS!" Hilarious and accurate. 

The decision to postpone the "real" tree was a slight disappointment for me but, I perked up when I saw this little Pinterest-gem: A Felt Tree for Toddlers.

It took Dan five minutes to cut out the tree from green felt, while I created as many ornaments as Ingrid would let me finish. At first she called the ornaments "makeups." It was one of those moments where she looked at me with such conviction as if to say "Excuse me Mom, these felt circles are now referred to as makeups, not 'ornaments'. How old are you?" 

At least once a day, she'll toss her baby to the side and happily jog over to her tree to "pat-pat" her ornaments (felt sticks to felt!). She'll admire her handy work and then aggressively wipe the tree clean and decorate it once again. 

She loves it and uses it daily. It cost roughly $5 and took 20 minutes to create. Our real tree can wait until next year. 

Nice ornament layering. 

Patting the ornaments to make sure they stick.

What's happening?
Someone cut my bangs. 

Although her expression would lead to you believe she's in a tragic situation -
Harper actually loves snuggling under this tree. 

Here's what I used: 

• 1 yard of cheap green felt 
• Leftover felt 
• Double-sided tape 

Happy Everything.

This past year, we welcomed so many joys into our lives, the number one being Ingrid. 

Just one more day of work and then we can all celebrate the holiday together!
Repeat the sounding joy!

A Glimpse

As kids, Christmas was obviously a magical time. We didn't need any commercials to rope us in - gifts from a magical man in a red suit, singing, sweets galore, and a week off of school - amazing!

Then, enter the cynical teen-years. Too cool to get excited about...anything, really. Shopping for my little sister? Please, I was too busy not zippering my coat when it was 20 degrees.

Fast-forward to college - where it was acceptable to "get into" the season once again. My six roommates and I managed to purchase and and rig-up a real-life Christmas tree (that sat in our house until well-past Valentine's Day - and was eventually pushed into the Chippewa River), we played Christmas music and I'm assuming consumed an inappropriate number of cookies. I even started going to church again with my mom. It was back. The warm-fuzzies of the holidays were back in full force.

Since then, I've enjoyed the holidays with roommates and eventually, with husband. Some years it's fun, others the holidays are a pain - but no matter what, I find joy being in the kitchen.

A few weeks ago while unpacking a small tote of decor, Ingrid's face lit up when I plugged in the lights. She let out an "Ohhhh-galllll" which in "Ingrid," I'm assuming, means "Wow, that's really pretty." It was a small and wonderful glimpse.

A glimpse into many years of singing and crafting - a glimpse into creating traditions and making memories as a family.

Next year she still won't entirely "get" Christmas, Santa and the whole shebang, but years from now - I can't wait to wrap gifts, create crafts, bake cookies, visit family, watch plays, sing songs and create new traditions together.

Hopefully, this era lasts for many years, until she's "too cool" for Christmas - hopefully she'll be cool enough to zip up her winter coat.

Holidays.

The holidays are hectic. True, but they are also wonderfully pleasant. When else can cook amazingly decadent food, bake dozens of cookies and decorate with glitter? I love giving into my "inner Martha" and get into the holidays. Everything's just so sparkly and wonderful. Except for the whole family situation because, dividing time between our four families is...hard.

Ugh, I'd rather dust. Or drink wheatgrass. Or do whatever you find mildly unpleasant.

My parents and the husband's parents are both divorced and many of them, remarried. Now, don't get me wrong, I love our family. I would just love if we could make one or two trips to see most of them.

Ok, it's not just the number of visits or the multiple meals - it's the having to call the other set of parents on our way to see someone's parents. It's missing out on someone else's family function. It's small "stuff" but, it's constant and it's not fun.

And for some reason, you'd think it would get easier as we get older. As kids, everyone held our hands through the unfamiliar Divorce process. Fifteen years later, we - the kids - are in the driver's seat and we're left feeling guilty for missing out on multiple family gatherings each holiday.

It sounds a bit silly, really, "we just have TOO many people to please!" But I crave tradition, stability and comfort. Knowing that we'll be overtired, hopped up on cheesey dips, dropping gifts off here and there - sounds a little...less than relaxing.

I'm looking forward to creating special traditions with our little lady. Where the history is fresh and we have a clean slate to make a lifetime of memories.

Don't get me wrong, I love these wonderful family gatherings, I'm just looking forward to taking it easy - someday - with our little unit.