Where in the world is the Mautz family? We have had so many changes in the last two years....wonderful, difficult, heartbreaking, and exciting...such is life, such is life... I will just do a very brief catchup on the highlights: Lyla Rose: So much has changed! You have grown like a beautiful flowering plant! you have started soccer as well as ballet, gymnastics, and speech. Add in kindergarten and you are a total superhero!!! you love school, and your teacher, Mrs. O'brien.. You have so much fun in tap and ballet, and you take gymnastics so so seriously.. You never stop trying with speech therapy, and you have the best attitude about your challenges. You are an inspiration for me, to always find your voice and to never never give up! We learned that you love math and are quite proficient and ahead of the game in both reading and math. I have never seen someone love the numbers chart as you do! Of course I want to count to 100 again! You still love to cuddle, and grab ears..Your dad and I joke that it is like a sleeping spell, so hard not to fall asleep with you! You are very funny and quite independant, (which is no surprise to anyone). You love love your sisters, and are quite proud to be able to keep up. (mostly.) We are going to start you on piano after Christmas, and you are already practicing. You are honestly so amazing, fun, loving, and always ready for an adventure! baking pies with your mama...March 2011 Hanging out in sisters' room Spring 2011 Winter 2011 playing in the park Oh how much you loved Montessori Country School Hiking in Volcano...you ran the whole way! (I was more than concerned) Halloween, yes you are Elmo. That is Christine, your favorite person in the whole world. It was impossible to get a playdate with her, but you did play together all day at the MCS! You are so silly! you make us laugh every day.. I love love to watch you at gymnastics! you are definately a fan. You always look for me and dad in the bleachers to give you a thumbs up and to make sure we are watching you. I assure you, we are sweet girl..\ When we went to Disneyland, you were in heaven! Your favorite Tigger gave you so many hugs! The tea cups were your cup of tea! All in all, you are a very happy, spritied, wonderfully funny little girl, whom everyone thinks is adorable!!! Most of all your adoring family Next Up: Avery Olivia

Avery is her Daddy's girl. She loves, loves waiting for him when she knows he will be home soon. On this day, it was rainy, a perfect opportunity to use her new umbrella while she waited ..



Why won't my camera focus on her? I mean, I'm sure in twenty years i'll look back fondly at the plant. aghhh.



Ooooh....here he comes!



It was hard for her to wait for the car to turn off. She ran over as soon as she could...



Her face says it all...

The look of love and excitement in her eyes make this mama smile.



I've never seen a man so happy to carry a pink penguin umbrella



I never thought that I would live vicariously through my children, although, through my lack of experiences with my father, I have to say, I felt myself thoroughly lighting up inside at the father/daughter love I was watching happen right before my eyes. I felt lucky.

How many comma's can one use in a sentence?

Her Favorite Kind of Morning

I love just pulling up to the park, without saying a word. Usually between errands. Her little face lights right up











I love love her dimples in her elbow! So happy that they are still baby like and cute. Don't tell Lyla though, she will school you if you call her baby.



I could eat her arm.



I used to lick the chain on the swing when I was little. That could explain a lot.







The road to Sophia's school.



Having her steel cuts while waiting for Sophia to finish up school.

A beautiful morning with a beautiful girl....

Christmas Magic/Chaos recap

This Christmas season was packed, as usual, with so many activities.
Honestly, I don't think I have ever baked/made/sewed so much in so few weeks.
It was still bizarre to spend Christmas in Hawaii, our fourth. Crazy!!
I do miss snow.
Anyway...

Cookie making...
We made sooo many different kinds of cookies/sweet rolls this year.
these were being made for Avery's kindergarten Christmas spiral/cookie swap.



I am fully convinced that there is no need to have a cookie swap late at night on a school night with five year olds. I now officially feel like the meanest mom, but seriously?? fifty different kinds of cookies being jammed down little throats at an alarming pace. And cookie vomit is no laughing matter. it is just a waste of a good cookie.



Avery's program consisted of singing a few songs, and walking the spiral of light.



Avery's school is actually in a church. A pretty small church. so even though it was really beautiful, it was also really hot.
A note about my husband. He is the most kind, patient, caring man. Unless he is overheated. You can imagine his joy as one by one each child took their turn walking the spirial to have their candle lit by the "angel". His joy was palpable as the last little boy took his turn. Relief was near. But wait.... The kindergarten teacher lovingly thought of all of the siblings of the kindergarteners.
We ended the night with the aforementioned cookie experience.

Next up...
Christmas parties by the sea.





See Sophia's face? This is pretty much what she has looked like for the last six weeks. It is so sad. Because of her mono, We only went to one Christmas party. Then we left early. Boo on mono.



Lyla Rose, however, thouroughly enjoyed the bubbles given as a party favor.

For teacher gifts, I was looking for something cheap, and I came across the German papercutting technique called Sherenschnitte. It is ages old, and holy cow, amazing! Some of the artists that use this medium are incredible. Seriously, if you have a minute, or like silouettes...

This is my humble attempt...



The teacher it went to loved it, so it was a true gift indeed. She really does water her garden of birdies with love....

I also did a Hawaiian quilt inspired one for Sophia's teacher, but I didn't take a picture of it. (Possibly because it may or may not have still been a little wet when I was wrapping it up! Last minute. It doesn't feel like Christmas without a lastminute thing right?)

Also, because I am crazy, and I have been homebound for six weeks, I decided we should all make gingerbread houses from scratch this year. I thought about buying kits when I saw them at the drugstore. They were fifteen dollars each. Another thing, have you ever actually tasted those premade kits? yuck. So fun to do. No fun to eat. So, a hudrend dollars later....

I love gingerbread. It makes me think of a time when we didn't have instant access to as much sugar as we wanted. So a little sweet goes a long way. It is almost bitter, salty, and sweet. YUM!



Our house smelled soooo goood!!! also, I did the gingerbread houses in three seperate days, so we could actually just sit down and decorate them, a must for little duckies!



Rosie's creation. She did this all by herself. Toby and I, of course, think we have a genius on our hands. I mean, just look at that symmetry!!! (parents are great cheerleaders!)
They were honestly a huge pain to make, especially the assembling part. But when I saw this



I knew I had helped make a wonderful memory.