it's been snowing and snowing (and snowing)

I heard it's the biggest October snowstorm in 12 years for this area. I don't know exactly how much we got, but it was over a foot.

There was too much for this poor tree to hold up, anyway.

Molly KC, look who arrived from sunny Nicaragua just in time for all the fun!

I think it took us over an hour to dig out Brynn's car, but at least she finally found her snowboots and didn't have to keep wearing flip-flops...

Kindergarten Halloween Party

We went to L's class to join in their Halloween celebration. A. and BR. were a little confused about what to do...

there is no audio for this video. (you're welcome.)

He says, She says

BR has had a lot of practice lying lately. He's not so good at it, though.

Him: "Mommy! The snow shovel bited me!!"

______

A. was pretty excited when I told her we would be babysitting Baby Cash tomorrow:

"Can we milk him!?"

Trick or treaters...

I'm not so good with seasonal decorations. Luckily, L. is on the ball. There's a fire-breathing dragon, a bat, a monster and a snake. Be very afraid...

note to self

don't post about how you are all over being sick or you may tempt the flu gods.

we are currently in week 3 of on and off and on again illnesses. ugh.

Riceball...

...proudly showing off his beloved basketball shirt.

__________

me: "Come back, BR!"

him: "I am come back-ing!"

fall visit

Grammie and Papa came to visit a couple of weeks ago. I have been slow to post photos because we have been sick, sick, sick. (Bo-ring.)

Not boring is all the stuff the kids did with P&G. Pumpkin farm visit, trip to Chuck E. Cheese, hike at Red Rocks, visit to the Nature & Science Museum, and more.

getting lost in the corn maze...(seriously, it took us about 20 min. to find our way out!)

a Papa pyramid:

While P & G held down the fort, Mom & Dad flew to Boston to attend an annual Emergency Med. conference and to network with folks about jobs. We've narrowed the search down to three continents: Asia, Europe and North America, in order of preference. We'll keep you posted.

(all photos taken by Grammie. thanks for sharing!)

L says

"Why does 'w' start with 'd'?"

-------------

I was getting frustrated while trying to make an origami bird for L. the other day...

"Mommy. You're talking to a piece of paper."

yesterday

it got down in the low 20's.

the trees were a bit traumatized. by the end of the day, this is what the backyard looked like:

le petit docteur

they never stop talking

yes, there have been fewer photos than text posts on RandB lately. That's because they NEVER STOP TALKING.

BR: "I know! Let's play hide and seek!"
Me: "Sure. Let's eat dinner first."
BR: "I know! Let's play hide and seek!"
Me: "Yes, just eat your dinner."
BR: "I know! Let's play hide and seek!"
Me: "Okay BR, just eat, please."
BR: "Mommy, I know! Let's play hide and seek!"
Me: "Stop talking and eat."
BR: "I know, Mommy, I know! Let's play hide and seek!"
Me: "Listen, buddy. Put the food in your mouth and chew."
BR, whispering: "I have a secret...Let's play hide and seek!"

a perfect Sunday evening

ice cream and a movie:

some favorite quotes

"That's HUGER than a daddy spider--that's a Papa spider!

_____

A: "I wish there was ice cream inside my head."

competition & games

We like games around here. You have to listen carefully to the instructions because sometimes they can be rather complex...

A: "Okay, listen up: whoever is NOT holding a doll loses."

We have also been making use of that childhood favorite of mine, "who can be the quietest." The kids love it, especially BR who has got this competition thing down pat.

me: "On your mark, get set, GO!"
BR: "I lose!"

so much for creativity

there we were, at the library craft hour. L. was making a snake with dinosaur tattoos all over it (of course).

her: "This is SO fun."
me (so pleased that she loves being creative): "Oh yeah? You really like this, huh?"
her: "Yeah, I love snacks."
(sigh)

Then I remembered how she recently told me that lunch was her favorite thing about school.

me: "I guess eating is one of your favorite things to do in the whole world, huh?"
her: "No, actually watching TV is my favorite thing to do."

enjoying each other

these two have gotten close now that they get to spend so much time together alone. A. has taken over the role of main "boss," and BR has (mostly) accepted it.
They are goofy and very entertaining together.

I especially liked this conversation the other day, over lunch:

BR (making an 'angry' face): "I angry."
Me: "What? Why?"
BR: "I angry at Ah-ma-wee."
Me: "Why? What did she do?" (nothing at all...we had all been sitting there happily and silently chewing)
BR: "I [am going to] make her cry!"
A.: "That's not nice!"
Me: "Why are you going to do that? She didn't do anything!"
BR (trying to keep his 'angry' face on, but starting to smile): "Cry!"
A.: "No, happy!"
BR: "Cry!"
A.: "Happy!"
BR: "Cry! Happy! Cry! Happy! Cry! Happy...Pooba!"

("Pooba" is the go-to "silly" word around here). I guess he just couldn't hold up this "angry" thing for very long.

Here they are trying to make"angry" faces (which apparently just means putting your chin on your chest and wrinkling your brow). Whether or not you smile while you are "angry" is evidently irrelevant:

i'm proud of this one

So a few Sundays ago I tried to come up with a fun and easy craft idea, but failed in the "easy" department since it involved so much clean-up.

But yesterday I nailed it.

Here is what you do: take a piece of paper. Cut out the largest triangle you can. Then, with a ruler and pencil, demonstrate to your kindergartner how you can turn one triangle into two by cutting it from one point to another side. Then, show her how THOSE triangles can be made into two more each. Then, make even MORE.

See how they get tinier and tinier but they are still triangles? Endless fun.


Then, guess what she did? She started making stuff out all those triangles. If you glue three together, you can make a fish with a fin and a tail! (we lost it--no photo, sorry). And a mask, if you cut out some holes for the eyes, and so on...
I am so proud.

BR is brilliant

The other day, a lady at the zoo stopped me to let me know she thought BR was "SO smart." I had to laugh because he had just been counting the (two) cheetahs: "One...three...six...eight...nine!"

_______________

moi (at the sight of the second diaper in 2 hours): "BR, you are a poop machine!"

him: "No I not! Baby C. is the poop machine!"

yucky trucks

BR is at that magical age. Always into trouble, never listens to me or his dad, aggressive toward his sisters, and entertained by the littlest thing. That last part is probably the most fun, for me. It means that books called "Trucking" or "I love trucks" are his favorite. Never anything too complex. Here's the first, and last, line of the book: "Trucks, trucks, trucks. I love trucks."

He walks around saying that about everything now: "Shoes, shoes, shoes. I love shoes."
"Mommy, mommy, mommy. I love mommy."

He really does love trucks and pushes the one I bought L. at a garage sale back in Chicago, oh so long ago, around and around and around. He calls all trucks "yucky trucks." We're not really sure why, but usually it's accurate, I guess.

And then yesterday he told me what he wants to be for Halloween. You guessed it: a truck.

(BR with his beloved firetruck puzzle.)

who could be the guilty one, I wonder...

I keep finding the letter "A" all over the walls of the house, in crayon.