Merry Christmas

Project 52: First Theater Experience

We don't go to the theater very often. About once a year actually. And we decided awhile ago that the kids would be fairly old before they went....
We decided that each child would get to go to the theater with just mom and dad and it was finally Liam's turn. We surprised him this last weekend by taking him to see the new Muppets movie. He had a blast and I think it just confirmed our idea of waiting until the kids are older.....makes it a super special thing that they will remember for a long time.

By the way, the movie is fabulous. My husband, who is a HUGE Jim Henson and Muppets fan loved it!

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood

December Days, week 1

Last year I started a special thing during December to make the celebration of Christmas extend. It's an "advent calendar", with slips of paper telling about a daily activity. Each day we do something like make clove oranges, learn about how Christmas is celebrated through out the world, bake cookies, watch movies......the list goes on.
Last year the slips were put into decorated toilet paper rolls. It was pretty cool. But this year, my mom and I made a beautiful Christmas quilt with pockets on it and we're using that instead.

So, here's our first week:

Jon and I put together the Play Mobile advent calendar my parents gave the boys and revealed it on the first day (the boys are LOVING it!)

Christmas Tree Painting with Paper ornaments, and Christmas tree hunting:

A little Elf friend (I have the Elf on the Shelf to thank for this idea...someday I hope to get the book but for now this little guy will work)

When we were reading about how Christmas is celebrated around the world, we read this: The Russians use to celebrate Christmas with great joy and happiness before the Revaluation of 1917. They used to stroll up and down the streets with stars on the end of sticks that they called Stars of Bethlehem. The people went to church services and shared a special meal at home. After the Revaluation the Soviet Government banned Christmas. What the Russians do today is celebrate New Years Day with a special tree decorated like we do ours for Christmas and they have a New Years Day Children’s party. The children join hands and sing songs as they walk around the tree. They wait for DYET MOROZ Grandfather Frost, and his helper SYYEGORACHKA The Snow Maiden to bring them their gifts.
So, we decided to make Stars of Bethlehem for ourselves!

We have also cut paper stars, watched a bunch of Christmas movies, made Jar Luminaries (out of baby food jars---the perfect size for tea lights!) and learned how to say Merry Christmas in Spanish---- Feliz Navidad!

We've been having lots of fun! Come back next week to see more!

Nutcracker 2011

I have wanted to go watch my best friend's daughter dance in the Nutcracker every year since she started dancing (around age 4----she's 9 going on 10 now). It's never worked out for one reason or another. This year when Pam told me Natalie was going to be Clara this year, I knew I had to make it work. And I needed to bring Liam.
So, we did.
And had a ton of fun. Natalie danced so beautifully, the costumes (many of which Pam made! My friend is amazing! I don't have the bravery needed to work with satin. Eek)  were gorgeous and it was lovely.

I am very glad we went. Thanks mom and dad for watching David and Heidi!

Project 52: Hugs

Because sometimes you just need one...
And kid hugs are the best.

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood

Project 52: Weird Sleep Positions

I have found all three of my kids in weird positions while they were sleeping. There's the usual: on their bellies with their legs tucked under them, little bums high in the air. I marvel that anyone can sleep like that.
And then, there's the UNusual. Although in this house, they occur rather often. It's always hilarious. And I almost always risk the flash waking them up to snag a picture.

Here's the most recent score: David fell asleep on the couch while watching TV....from the other direction, he looked like he was just propped up watching the screen.

And, I have to share my most favorite...this time it's Liam:

I love it. Every time.

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood

Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down

While we were at my parents house this last weekend, my dad took the boys out to the front lawn to rake leaves into a pile for jumping. I took Heidi out and she played in the leaves too. It was great fun!

Autumn is my favorite season. By far.

Project 52: Free Labor

There are times when getting my kids to help out around the house is like pulling teeth but normally, they love it. Heidi's just over a year old and already wants to help with just about everything. It is so cute.
So, today, while I was cleaning, I was reminded that the walls needed some TLC....so I called in the kids, armed them with cloth diapers (which are AMAZING for cleaning purposes! I keep half a dozen or so of them in the hall closet!), sprayed down the walls and let them at it. It was great.

Bye-bye, dirt and grime! Yay for free (and not me!) labor!

Oh, and while Heidi looks so serious and a little mad, she was having fun too and got mad at me when I took away her towel! I had to quick grab her another one!!!

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood

11-11-11 and Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day.

Many thanks to all who serve in our military.

I am so truly grateful for your sacrifice.

Funny Photos

In order to complete number four of our Badges of Fun, we made Funny Photos. It was hilarious fun!
It started like this:

Part way through:

Finished Photos!

I got into the action too:

Project 52: Book Love

My mom had gone down to Texas to visit my Grandparents and help my Grandpa move into a nursing home. He has a version of Parkinson's that I don't remember the name of, and could use more help than my Grandma alone can give.
While she was down there, my Grandparents made one of those Hallmark books where you record yourself reading the book.
When we were at my parents a couple weeks ago, she gave us the book. The boys LOVE it. I cried the first time I heard it. It is so precious. The boys (especially David), want to read it over and over and over again. I am trying to get them to be okay with one read-through at a time, in hopes of keeping it around for awhile.

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood.

Project 52: Trick or Treat

My husband likes to take the kids trick or treating, so even though I don't much like halloween, I try to make it work for all involved....I stay at the inlaws and watch movies and eat snacks!
We made a decision a while ago that the child had to be three, so this was David's first year to get to go along and he sure had fun!

The boys tried on their costumes early in the day and it turned into quite a bit of play time:

I borrowed some brown eye liner and gave Liam a cowboy's mustache. He was grinning like this and bigger all night (I think he liked the mustache!):

All dressed up and ready to go:

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood.

Project 52: Climber

Soooo......I had thought David would be the crazy climber child of the family. He climbed ALOT. But, not nearly as much as Heidi does. It seems like her day isn't complete unless she's climbed something. Lately, it has been her high chair. We recently brought it home....as in a few weeks ago, but it didn't take long for her to figure it out. She sure is proud of her accomplishment:

I suppose if I put the larger (normal size) tray on, it might deter her, but I tend to think it would just make it more dangerous! I think I have some mountain climbers in training!

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood

Project 52: Circular Art

I saw an idea for an art project in my recent Family Fun Magazine and just had to try it with the boys. We had alot of fun!

The idea was to draw a picture in circles....start with a small circular item in the middle (I did a daisy-like flower, while Liam drew a pumpkin) and then to continue adding to it in ever-expanding circles: 

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood

Apple Day!

A couple of years ago, I first heard about celebrating Apple Day from my mom's friend on her blog, Storybook Woods. Here is where she explains Apple Day in preparation for this years celebration.
Being a lover of apples myself, I just had to jump on board with this celebration of a lovely fruit. Some years we celebrate just by eating as many apples as we can hold. This year, I made a morning of it.....we searched for hidden apples (apple print outs with numbers on them) and then put the apples in order. We did a fun apple craft, read a couple of apple stories, found the Star inside the apple, ate and compared different apples and ate applesauce pancakes for lunch! It was so much fun!

Happy Apple Day! Happy Autumn! Yay!

Project 52: Birthday Girl!

Last Sunday was my daughters 1st birthday! We sure had fun!

We had a little photoshoot:

And her party included the usual.....presents (she got mostly clothes---Yay!):

And, of course: cake!

Can't believe my little girl is ONE! Happy birthday, sweet Heidi!

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood

Project 52: Pumpkin Farm

I brought the kids to a pumpkin farm last week because of a MOPS playdate and I have to admit, I am SO glad I did! It was so much fun!
I didn't realize how much finding a pumpkin was like looking for a Christmas Tree....the thrill of the hunt for just the perfect one! I am hoping to make this a yearly outing for us from now on!

Project 52: Glimpses Into Motherhood

30 years

It's my birthday today.

30 years.

It seems like too long a time for me to have been around, but there you go.

I have some fun stuff planned.

But, with Sal still missing, it's a little bittersweet (he was my birthday present 4 years ago).

I am determined to enjoy it anyway.

Happy Birthday to me!

Project 52: Art Museum!

Did you know that there is such a thing as Museum Day? Did you know you can get FREE tickets to a museum on Museum Day?!? I didn't until this last Thursday. Thankfully, Museum Day was the following Saturday, so I had plenty of time to get my tickets!

It was my hope and plan to take the kids to the Seattle Art Museum as a school field trip this year. Thanks to Museum Day, we were able to do that this last weekend! We had fun wandering through the exhibits. David even set of an alarm being so David-like (he climbed INTO the Japanese Tea House). Yikes! I was SO embarrassed, even though I got him out and into the stroller before security came around the corner.

We had Joe, Nicole, Pierce, Joe C and Amanda with us as well, and it was a very fun afternoon!

This is my Project 52:Glimpse Into Motherhood picture. Liam, standing in front of a really cool war-dress that looked like it was made out of dog-tags:

David enjoyed himself until the tea house incident. Soon after being put in the stroller, he fell asleep...

This Japanese painting was too big for one picture....I collaged it together:  

The details in this painting were amazing....just look at the lace work on the older child's hem!

And here are a few of the other things we saw!