Merry Christmas

Christmas in NY was 70 degrees, so while Millie was napping I went to the park with the big kids.  

Obviously we brought some equestria girls and a ferry boat with us. 

School

Claire had school up until the 23. Those poor teachers. Luckily they had fun, wacky things all week. Monday was jersey day (which we did not participate in because we don't own any jerseys--except for the Ecuadorean selccion obviously), Tuesday was twin day

And Wednesday was crazy hair day.

Millie has crazy hair everyday but I decided that we may as well not document.

This season

This season there has been a lot of this 

(That's a wrapped present and he's trying to guess what it is--terrible iPhone photos)

A little of this.

Lasagna

Last week I had one of those experiences that make you hate New York. I immediately thought of this quote. 

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft

Mary Schmich, Wear Sunscreen: A Primer for Real Life

I'm worried New York is making is hard. I don't want to raise my kids on a place where you just get to say whatever you want in the name of being "real."  

But then I made lasagna with Millie and I remembered that you can just get real full-fat mozzarella at every grocery store here. And I thought, "maybe I'll just be sure to teach my kids temperence and then they can still eat full-fat mozzarella."

The Most Magical Time

On Tuesday Claire's teacher called to tell us that she thought Claire was ready to start bringing home books to read.  Yesterday Claire's little backpack was stuffed full of books for her to read to me at home. We waited until a little late to start homework, so while the Hubs bathed the little kids she read to me. She breezed through 4 of the easiest level books and we worked through 4 of the slightly harder ones before I hurried her off to bed. 

She wanted to have all of her books with her in bed so she could practice again. She prayed that she would get better at reading. As I walked away after giving her a kiss I heard her whisper to herself, "I can read! I can read!"

The most magical time of the year indeed. 

And if you think that I haven't been weepy all day just thinking about it, you are wrong. I've also been weepy thinking about all the little girls just like Claire who don't get to get to go to school because they are girls. 

Malala, take all my money

Arts

By the time she was 3, Claire was doing all kinds of crafts. She was painting regularly and playing educational games. That's because I was more in control of my life. 

Noah* has just starte painting with great passion.  When he made this one He told me he was working on one to put on the fridge.

*before you feel too bad for Noah, know that he gets chased around the house by the tickle monster WAY more than Claire ever did. 

Fashionistas

Last week one of the kids told Claire she looked funny in the hoodie she was wearing. It was devistating. She is suddenly very concerned about what to wear. 

Claire's worry about fashion seems to coincide exactly with Millie being worried about the same thing. 

At least once a day she brings me her snow pants and she wears them until she is just too sweaty to keep going. No one ever said fashion was easy. 

I love Kindergartners

For those of you with smaller kids I will just tell you that Kindergartners are the greatest. This girl has suddenly become an Uno champion,

And last night she read me a book.  It was magic

*just to be totally honest I will tell you that kindergarten has hard parts too, like how my kindergartner is still pretty tired when she gets home from school so the hours before dinner are kind of witching and the fact that she is suddenly very consolidate of what she wears.  But overall? It's awesome. 

Painting.

Guess what Millie likes about painting. 

Botanical garden

This week we met up with one of my friends from single life for a trip to the New York botanical garden. Between us we had three kids, three and under. I'm not sure we spoke one coherent sentence to each other. 

You'll note I didn't get even 1 picture with all 3 kids looking at the camera.

And yet, I'd totally do it again. 

Tonterias

While driving to the store their other afternoon we saw the most amazing cloud. 

Luckily traffic was at a stand still so w could safely capture it

The flu

We all had a stomach bug this week. So not much happened. 

Just some of this 

I've been staving off the bug by making sure any organism to enter my stomach is immediately drown in toxic Diet Coke. (That's the center consol of the car)

And Millie. Well, Millie's just been being Millie

Sick day

Last night Noah was up with a stomach bug (that's a nice way of saying puking all over everything).  

He could not be more thrilled about the situation. He gets to sip juice and watch movies all day. Best. Day. Ever. 

We went downstairs to play for a few minutes. When he was done playing he asked to watch a movie because "being sick is exhausting"

Early Morning

Two or three times a week Noah wakes up around 5 and heads to finish up sleeping in our bed. The Hubbs wakes up at 5:30 so I'm always quick to let Noah in, in hopes that he will be deeply asleep before the alarm goes off.

A few days ago I looked across the bed when I was waking up (long after the Hubbs had left) and this was the scene.

Loving Noah means that you find Hotwheels cars in your purse, your pockets and, even your bed.

At the corner of brilliant and incredibly stupid

This week I had an idea that teeters right on the brink of brilliant and totally nieve. 

We made a sandbox in the basement. 

And we used it to make volcanos

http://youtu.be/9hx_VhlW0EQ

Thankful

This year my brother and his family came down from Boston for a visit. 

We went to the Macey's day parade 

On Friday we went on a double decker bus tour of the city which has been on our bucket list for a while. 

The bus tour was fun and made us a little sad that living in the meat packing district  isn't really in the budget. 

On Saturday when the big kids went to a Broadway show we took the little kids to one of our favorite places. 

A weekend full of family, food, and lots of kids sneaking away to the basement to play video games. So basically, perfect.

Talent show

Saturday is the ward talent show. We decided to sing a song with the guitar a a family. 

Claire was in charge of making the list so she could do eeny miney mo to pick our song. 

We're going with Dead Skunk (which won the third round of eeny miney mo and therefore, was clearly the winner)

It's always fun when grandma comes

My MIL visited last week, and we had a wonderful time. Sharon free up on the Easr Coast so she loved seeing our fall here. Fall this year has been incredible, warmer than average, and the leaves have stayed on the trees longer than normal. 

While she was here we went to an outdoor scavenger hunt with the YW and YM 

We played lots

And basically had a great time 

And yes, Claire and Noah are holding hands on the carousel.  

Raising them Right

I forgot Claire today.

I was hard at work, writing an article for a website I work for.  I was really in the groove, the baby was sleeping, and Noah was watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse when I got a phone call.  School had been over for a half-an-hour and Claire was waiting for me in the office.  I am mortified and I feel so guilty.

She wasn't even mad.  She was just so relieved that I was there.

Oh the guilt.

Luckily, Claire provided one of the best Claire-isms ever today.

Claire: {Looking around at the beautiful fall leaves} I can not believe that Heavenly Father made this whole world in just six days.  Everything.  I just can't believe it.  It would take me at least a week.



At least I'm raising her to be confident

Software Upgrade

I am hoping the new software upgrade on this little one will stop her from pooping in the tub. Every. Single. Time. 💩😫

Family Style

My Mother-in-Law is visiting this week. She dabbles a little in photography so Sunday, after church we tried to take a family picture. 

We took 115 pictures, and 3 were acceptable.

There was crying, bribing, and feeding kids Pez from an Elsa Pez Dispenser in between shots to try to get them to smile. So basically, just an average day around these parts. 

And here are some accurate-to-life outtakes in case you need to feel better about your life. 

Why Everyone Should Keep a 3-year Old Around

Today, after a trip to the gym, I put the baby down and turned on a movie for Noah. I sat by him for a second and then told him I had to go upstairs to take a shower because I was so stinky I could smell myself.

He cuddled close and said, "you don't smell stinky to me."

I mean right?