Winter

Winter: That time of year when bath time can last the whole afternoon.

These all from today--first we did shaving cream bath paint then we added the ball-pit balls.


After an hour in the bath Noah's whole foot was prune-y.

Can we blame the full moon?

It's been snowing for the last 24 hours.

I don't know that there is anything else left in the house that the kids have not fought over.  The only time we left the house today was to take some friends to the airport which made the kids cry because we weren't getting on an airplane (for those of you who do not live in New York I feel like I should mention that my friend Matt says the the 3 worst things about New York are 1. The square footage (obviously). 2. Taxis and 3. The airports--honestly, there is no good way to get to any of the airports).


And on a non-related note, Rachel Horner, my kids love this so much. I wish I could say that we will have it until they are old and grown but the way they love it I'm hoping it makes it until next year. Thank you for sending it.

A snowy weekend

A snow storm moved in this weekend and we basically responded by holing up in the house, decorating Christmas cookies and refusing to drive down our very steep hill.

 

As it was hovering in the teens outside we also played with snow the best way--in the comfort of our own home.

And when things had thawed out a little we also went to our church's nativity play.
Claire was a shepherd who refused to say her lines.

She let her shoes do all the talking.

Baby Magic

This morning as I was getting out of the shower I turned to Noah, who had been trying to jump in the shower with me the whole time {BTW--that may seem odd to those of you who get to bathe all alone--just know that there is a whole section of the population who hasn't had a shower without someone banging on the door or pulling aside the curtain in a long time}, and I said, "Noah, get me my towel."  He turned to get the one off the rod in the bathroom and I said, "No, the one with the polka dots by the sink."  He looked confused and I pointed to the towel that I wanted.  He turned around, pulled it off the counter and handed it to me.

You have these babies and then one day you turn around and they know what you're saying and they hand you a towel at the end of your shower. And they have the tiniest pudgie bodies that toddle all around the house.  And...It sounds crazy but it's a little magic.

We have been loving that magic lately.  Noah is irresistible--he runs around the house pulling things off of counters and generally making a mess.  His favorite game is when you pretend you're a monster and you chase him around.  He runs as fast as he can (which isn't really that fast but it involves some serious leg-pumping) and when you catch him you tickle his tummy and he erupts in laughter.  The best part is that when he wants you to play he makes a roaring noise like a monster--then he expects you to chase him.

And in a non-sequitur it turns out that kids who don't know any better love playing in the snow on a 10ft porch just as much as playing in a yard.

watching the snow fall 

Oh Christmas Tree

The last couple of years we've decorated our Christmas tree with paper gift tags from Target (A la here). Last year, in an act that is totally out of character and organization, I actually bought gift tags when they were 1/2 off the week after Christmas (I, of course, did not remember this until after I had made a whole season's worth of ornaments but when I went to open the light for there tree, there they were),

So, as I mentioned, this year we made our ornaments.

We made applesauce/cinnamon ornaments (equal parts applesauce and cinnamon--bake at 200 for 2 hours) and they smell amazing.  I hung some in the window and when the sun warms them the whole house smells like a cinnamon roll.

Luckily while making applesauce ornaments if your mom is doing the mixing you can snack on the ingredients

You don't have a whole set of butterfly ornaments?

We made acorn ornaments and felt circles as well.

Do you see that dazzling sparkeled acorn just to the left of center?  They turned out to be totally darling.

Sadly, I realized a little too late that our tree was a little to round a bushy (for some reason that's the only kind of tree they have here) for such tiny, simple ornaments.  As one of the teenagers who helped us decorate the tree said, "This tree reminds me of like living in olden times--when you had to make all of your own stuff in the wilderness. I am totally into that"

That's almost a compliment right?

I added the scraps of last year's paper ornaments and things are looking up.

In a very lucky twist of fate as our Christmas tree was getting trimmed and tied up they actually cut off a whole other tiny little tree (kind of like our tree's twin).  The tiny tree is exactly what our tree should look like (in an adorably sincere kind of way) and the kids could not be more thrilled that they get to have a little, tiny, sincere tree in their own room.

Sort of Thankful

We went to Boston this weekend to spend Thanksgiving with the Hubb's brother and his family.  It could have been a really good trip.  Could have.  If I would have remembered to put my bag in the car.  So I wore the same thing, for 3 days, had no clean underwear and if you're bugged that stores are open I am part of the problem--CVS thank you for providing deodorant and a tooth brush.  Target, if you would have been open on Thanksgiving I would have stormed the doors and bought socks, underwear and a whole slew of new clothes.

Then, to add insult to injury I started my period.

Can we just forget this Thanksgiving ever happened?

Claire racing ahead at the Minute Men National Monument

Lots of dress ups

Making the center pieces

Snuggle time

Claire and A becoming a junior rangers at the National Monument

Not that I'm not thankful--I'm just more thankful when I have clean underwear.

So....I have a job now.

Last night I went in for training at my new job.  That's right--I have a job.  Ten hours a week working at the tutoring center at Mercy College (nights and evenings only).

I am so psyched about it.

Everything about going to work for a couple of hours felt perfectly natural and after a 3+ year hiatus I am glad to be back (though I will tell you that I have forgotten how to dress business casual {hence the all black outfit}).  The hubbs is so great about it and even worked out his schedule to come home a little early on the days when I have to go in.

And the kids didn't suffer having their dad put them to bed.  This morning they were back to their regular antics.

**I know that the mirror selfie is out but seriously--it's just so much easier.  So I'm just going to buck the trend--mirror selfies until I get a new phone (so not very soon)

Book Club--Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me

Have you read Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me yet?

Mindy Kaling is so funny and this book is hilarious. The hubbs did not think it was that funny but that's because he was stuck in bed with a bed-mate who was laughing so hard she had tears rolling down her cheeks and the bed was shaking. 

Luckily I read it in a 24 hour window so he didn't have to put up with it for too long.

Who is this person?

Who is this person painting and glittering acorns on a Saturday night while watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer?  That would be me. Not characteristic at all but I just love acorns so dang much. And seriously?  How cute are these going to be garlanded around my house?

We also had some wildly successful preschool crafts including...

Hand print turkeys,

And this awesome craft where you add soil and water to a pumpkin you just cut open and you let it grow. We're nearly 2 weeks in and the pumpkin is starting to mold so we won't keep it much longer but it's still awesome. 

Keep Calm 

And 

Craft On