Snow Days

Watching the snow.  (Yes...in her Halloween costume dress.  She has gone for days wearing it until we peel it off her crying body to wash and put it back on again.  It's pretty fun to have a girl that likes to be girly.)

Playing together

A Geo-Trax track (train set we play with almost daily...still after having it for 5 years!), Imaginext guys as passengers, snack food as freight, and the latest excitement from Nathan's birthday--Ninjago lego spinners going on the plate in the middle for the passengers to watch.  I just love when these three get imagining together!

Nathan's Birthday

We can hardly believe we've got a boy that's 7 years old!  We've decided to try doing a bigger "friend" party every other year.  So...this is our first attempt at doing a more "low key" birthday occasion.  (Please note "low key" in parenthesis.)  Nathan is our great anticipator, and for many days before his birthday he woke up at 5 or 5:30 a.m. with excitement and ideas and questions.  What a long wait for all of us for the day to finally come!

Nathan's birthday landed on a day with no school (term had just ended).  So, we decided to have a "play date".  Two friends and some younger siblings and a new set of Nerf guns made for a great time for everyone!

Daddy even dropped by with some Little Ceasar's for lunch!

Even the "little sister" got in on the Nerf action.

Greg also pulled off another amazing cake!  Nathan has totally locked on to "U of M" in the last few months.  So, his cake, napkins, and even crepe paper had to "represent".

That evening we had a dinner with our family.  Since Chinese New Year was only a few days away, Nathan wanted to "do Chinese" for his birthday dinner.

I didn't do a very good job of picture-taking.  But, for the occasion we:

• made Chinese lanterns,
• made placemats from black posterboard...and glued onto them the Chinese Zodiac Animals and their descriptions.  (My favorite part of Chinese restaurants where you find out what animal you are based on what year you were born.)
• Nathan worked very hard to create a Chinese dragon using this idea/pattern from Family Fun.
• Each child got a "Red Envelope" with $1.06 inside to spend at the Dollar Store.
• We made some of the dinner...and splurged a little on our favorite Honey-Seared Chicken from Pei-Wei.
• With a few decorations my parents brought home from their mission in Malaysia, some chopsticks, and fortune cookies from the grocery store...it felt like a real celebration!

Last year we played a really cute game at our friend's house for a birthday.  It's simple, with homemade cards, but a cute way to focus on the "birthday child" by guessing their "favorites" of various things, or other important facts about them.  We borrowed the game this year and had a great time playing it after dinner.  I'm in the process of creating our own set...hopefully I'll share it when it's done!  Thanks Cindy! 

Fire and Ice Festival

A favorite of ours...a free annual event in our downtown.

Had a great time strolling the streets...

Checking out the ice sculptures.  (Each store in town sponsors one.)  

Joshua with Buzz Lightyear

Nathan with Super Mario.

Stopped at the "warming station" for hot chocolate...

And making s'mores! 

Love Notes

One fun Valentine tradition we have involves the little mailboxes you can find at Target in the dollar section.  With one for each family member, a stack of 3 X 5 cards and some Valentine stickers, the Nathan and Joshua have a great time writing and sending notes.  And, especially love finding their own mailbox with the flag up!  This year at a party store in town I found a great variety of candy "open stock candy" 15 for $1 and other little "favors" 5 for $1.  (It's nice to be able to get a variety without having to buy a whole bag of something at the dollar store.)  So, I'm planning to have one little note or treat from me waiting in their mailboxes for them after school/nap time each day until Valentine's. 

A Sewing Attempt

I was totally inspired by a tutorial here.  And, by the fact that Elizabeth loves her "so pretty" Halloween costume dress so much she wears it most days right now.  It's finally been time to give sewing something "girly" a try!  (Elizabeth was too busy dancing to pose for the picture.)

This skirt has two layers.  One that is just a Valentines cotton print, and underneath a layer of tulle with black ribbon around the bottom.  Maybe next time I'll get more daring with more layers and more trims, but it's a fun start!  Mostly it's fun for me to take a little time to remember that I used to craft and sew!

(When Elizabeth wouldn't pose for the picture...Nathan and Joshua volunteered to show her how.)

Nathan turns 7!!

We had a great weekend celebrating our wonderful boy!  Details to follow!

Togetherness: Enjoying the Ride

Does it ever seem to you that no matter how much space there is in the house, or how many toys you own...the children all seem to find themselves in one small space trying to share the same toy?!  I think these pictures totally capture the joys and challenges of being this far into winter.  Long days snowed in from school breed bonding of all kinds!  May we survive the cold and the togetherness!

(Found these kids all riding the same little rocking horse after church this last Sunday.)