Multipurpose Easel

Use number one: Outlet for creative expression

Aptly named use number two: Less-than-perfect hiding place
for kids having potty-training blunders

Christmas Highlights

We have had a great time of it so far. Andrew scored in the present category, that's for sure. Here are a few pics from last night and today. The rest are here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=131005&id=735549854&l=cc751cecbe

Santa 3, Andrew 0

Remember LAST YEAR'S pitiful Santa post?

Well, it didn't get any better this year, either. Here's the best one we got. Not kidding. Andrew wouldn't even get close to the creepy old jolly old elf this time. And there were major tears again. Here is our terrorized youngster running out of the photo, despite all parental force pleading. Ethan just slept, with his gut a-flailing out of the shirt that so nicely matched his brother's (not that you could tell about the matching, what with all the hysteria going on). Crappy Santa pic, year three. Good for comic relief, I guess.

Jolly EJ, Animated Version

We Heart Aunt Kim

Aunt Kim came down yesterday (Tuesday) evening to watch the boys so mama could attend the really wonderful BHS winter concert without enduring constant fear of hideous concert etiquette and subsequent rushing of an infant and an unruly 2-year-old to the atrium to run up and down the steps instead of getting to hear the beautiful music being performed inside the auditorium. It was so very nice to be able to sit there and take it all in on my terms only. Rare.This is the best photo I got of Kim and Ethan. As soon as the kid sees a camera, he whips into his duh/deer in headlights face which makes it tough to get a photo that displays his pleasant, jolly personality. Oh, well.

But, I digress.

Back to subject: THANK YOU AUNT KIM! WE LOVE YOU!

Life story, so far...

...as told by some favorite ornaments on this year's tree.

Weird Weather, Weirdly-Timed Activities

We do things when we can get to them around these parts, so it ended up being "Nightmare Before Christmas" the other evening as Jon, Andrew and I decorated popcorn balls (sent to us over a month ago from an auntie). Here are two of Jon's creations that make me laugh every time I look at them. He is the true artist in this house.

And the weather yesterday was nuts: cold, miserable rain and high winds early in the morning followed by sunny, 72-degree playing weather at mid-morning. As usual, I had Andrew overdressed and he was sweating in less than five minutes. Here we are, enjoying the day.

Tonight's Summary: New Tree1, New Haircut2, Retro Shopping Cart3, and Happily Bathing Boy4

1. Lowe's
2. Sport Clips
3. Mine as a child
4. Kitchen sink

(yeah, I learned how to do footnotes was a little overzealous...)

Yup, we got elfed.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Still reading this thing?

I'm surprised you're here.

I seldom post these days. Keeping the kids happy and out of trouble (well, one out of two ain't bad) seems to be taking up most of my time.

I would be doing an upcoming posting about us searching out the perfect Griswold Christmas tree, but then again, how exciting IS Home Depot, really (I am assuming here that my audience is primarily female).

So, thanks for still being a blogfriend, and reading this lackluster posting. I'm going to ask Santa for some good photos to post and some thoughts in my head that I can write about.

Wanna discuss bodily fluids?

Didn't think so, but since we're all sick around here, that's basically all the content I've got. That, and the fact that Ethan gave us a glorious NINE STRAIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP last night. Could be just due to his cold, but we've certainly got our fingers crossed.

Here are a couple of recent pics: Ethan propped up in the Bumbo today and Andrew at our little nuclear family's Thanksgiving dinner.

National Board Certified!

no, not me... yet...but...

MY HUSBAND JON IS NOW A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHER!

We found out Friday. It's a big deal around here, both professionally and financially. I am so proud of my husband and happy his really hard work has paid off.

I honestly don't have the energy to go into the 8-million hoops one must jump through in order to earn this prestigious title, so here's a link. The short of it is that he worked on his portfolio for MANY long hours last fall and winter, not many people "make it" their first year, and he did.

Congrats, Jon. I love you.


And now, for a handful of semi-random pics....Here's the fam celebrating at San Jose Friday night. No, EJ was not really being fed Mexican food.

Here's the "Chubba Wubba" before our Friday outing... he is 10 weeks and weighs 17 pounds. Not a typo. SEVENTEEN. (Donna, the monkey suit is PRECIOUS - thanks!) And, in case you wondered, that's drool on the pants. We're there with the drooling. Time to whip out the bibs.

And here's Chubba Wubba in an attention competition with Dora the other day.

But, I don't want to end here without bragging just one more time, so here goes:

JON IS A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHER, PEOPLE!!!

trying to see the stars through the darkness

Sunday, my dear friend Heidi experienced what I believe to be the most devastating moment of her life as she lost a daughter due to pregnancy complications at 23 weeks. Our circle of friends has been so terribly saddened for her and her family that we have, on different occasions, found a tiny bit of comfort via a handful of inspirational writings. Here are my 3 latest favorites, on remembering to live in the moment and working to find the good in the bad.

From the writings of Anna Quindlen, discovered for me by my friend Jennifer:
"...But the biggest mistake I made is.....I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less."

Sent to me from my Aunt Phyl and Aunt Rena just the other day:
Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, Lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek-peek-a-boo).
The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo.
But I'm playing "Kanga" and this is my "Roo."
Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, lullaby loo).
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait 'til tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs. Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.
~ Ruth Hulburt Hamilton, 1958

And, here's the most gorgeous thing, again learned from Jennifer who said it was one of her grandpa's favorite poems. It's totally appropriate right now as we are trying to sort out why our friend has had to endure so many tragic things lately.
My life is but a weaving between my God and me.
I do not choose the colors, He works so steadily.
Oft'times He weaves in sorrow and I in foolish pride
forget He sees the upper and I the underside.
Not 'til the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly
will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why
the dark threads are as needful in the Weaver's skillful hand
as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

So, here's to treasuring the "doing." For Heidi. For Emma.

Maiden Voyage

We took the kids to the Village at Sandhill this afternoon. It was the first public outing for the Phil & Ted's Sport stroller. LOVE IT. It folds nicely, fits into the car well, has a swivel front wheel and just kind of floats along. The kids were happy in it. Jon still felt slightly manly pushing it along. Passers-by stopped to ooooh and aaaahh at it. One guy said, "Look, hon, a double-decker!"

The only downside? Now I have absolutely no excuse not to lose the baby (and... ahem....PRE-baby) weight. Rats.

Fun Birthday for Me and the Fam

I turned the big 3-7 yesterday. We celebrated in the morning by visiting a cool truck expo at the children's museum. Andrew was in HEAVEN.



Later it was off to Sumo, our favorite Japanese steakhouse. YUM.

Randomness

Here are some random pics from the past couple of days...

andrew in his studmuffin pose at the children's garden

multitasking daddy

maddie prancing with a diaper


post hershey's kisses this afternoon


blurry (best one i got) pic of little man smiling, which he has been doing for about 2 weeks

More Halloween Shots

puhpick (Andrewese) carving the other night and last night's trick-or-treating fun