The Long Winter

Asher said this morning, "This season is not ending fast enough!"  But they are actually both loving the snow. It's amazing how long they'll play outside sometimes.  Last week was school vacation week.  On Monday, Reuel and Owen went skiing.  On Friday, Reuel and Asher went skiing.  In between times we kept busy with a variety of playdates and activities.  We bought a fish, the fish died in 24 hours.  We bought two fish, the fish are living 4 days later, but have yet to eat a bite of food.  I think their water is too cold, from the reading I've done post-acquisition.  I put them on top of the computer tower but they're only warming up to 72.  Do I want to invest in another larger tank and an aquarium heater in order to keep 2 three dollar fish alive?  Clearly, I am sort of heartless.  If they had fur, I think I'd consider lifesaving measures more seriously.  Asher named his fish 'Prince'.  Owen selected 'Lancywooder Zancywooder Dancywooder'.  They both stand around the tank saying, "Eat guys, eat!"

Reading challenge:  Mom writes words on index cards.  Boys read words and tape them to appropriate objects in kitchen.  Each correct taping gets a penny.  Asher started sounding out words, and I have given him no training whatsoever!  This was very exciting, let me tell you.  The next day we tackled the living room.  Then, 80 words later, we all kind of got worn out on that game.

Owen EXTREMELY proud of his completely self-made robot.  (You can do anything with Spiderman duct tape!)

Daddy gave me chocolate without asking Mommy!

When out on the town, Eden dares all passers-by to try to refrain from commenting on her charms.  I don't think she's had a taker yet!

Movie Friday

Selected clips from most recent video download...

Owen loves snow...and trusts in its pillowy softness... https://vimeo.com/60224505

Asher is worksheet man!  Give him 20 pages, he'll ask for 20 more  https://vimeo.com/60224759

Eden has not been making any moves to walk...until Wednesday this week.  Then...she's had the persistence of an Olympic athlete attempting to stand up.  (Time spent with walking 13 month old friend Elle?  Perhaps!) No effort to constant effort seemingly overnight.  This is a long clip, but a very small portion of her now daily exercises!  https://vimeo.com/60224877

Owen and Asher gymnastics:  What it's like to live in our house.  All. The. Time.  Pretty great headstand at the end.  https://vimeo.com/60225222

Monday Calculation

Packing up three kids to drive to the mall in 'wintry mix'...probably unintelligent
Chic-fil-A for 3 kids, and a drink...$17!!!!
Two small scoops of Haagen-Dazs...$7.50!!!
Enduring begging at the Lego store...tiresome
Getting stuck in a snowbank on the way home...stupid
Happening to find a neighbor home to lend a shovel, and also follow you back out to help you free the car...humble gratitude-incurring (tennis shoes and jeans are not the ideal gear for climbing into thigh high snowbanks, let it be known.)
Getting out of the house after 3 days...PRICELESS!!!!

Still snowing!

The snow started about 10am yesterday, and it snowed all night and it is still snowing!  The kids were quite giddy to wake up to snow crawling up the front door and to see their favorite swing on the swingset submerged beneath snow level.  Dad's car is nearly covered up to the windows.  When Owen opened the front door, he shouted, "We're trapped by the snow!!!" and indeed, we could only open the door about 6", just enough for Owen to squeeze out and do some shoveling.  Owen sank to his waist and was very disappointed...How do I play????  We got out the snow shoes, but the snow is so fluffy, he still sinks at least a foot.  Reuel is getting ready to go blow some snow!

We had Swedish pancakes (crepes) for a special breakfast, filled with lingonberries, cream, chocolate, jam, all sorts of good stuff.  Yum!  7 more inches to go today...snow not stopping til 7pm.  Wow.

See Reuel's car?

Baby steps

Overheard/saw this in the backseat of the van today:

[Asher picking his nose]
Owen:  ASHER!  DOOON'T pick your NO-oooose!  Get a tissue!!!!!
Asher:  Oh.  Will you hand me a tissue?
Owen:  Sure.  Here you go buddy.
[Asher grasps the tissue with his pinky and ring finger while continuing the mining expedition with his index finger.]
Asher:  Here Owen.  I can't reach the trash can.  Will you frow dis away for me?
Owen:  NO WAY!  Yuck.

Pretty sure the tissue was completely unsullied.  Not so the finger.  I was however impressed with the congenial tone of the entire interaction.  Seriously chuckle-worthy and I'm sure I was spending way too much time looking in my rear view mirror.  :}  At least a tissue was slightly involved.  That's progress!

While the world churns

I have recently decided to cede management of time spent on Facebook to my hubbie...he holds my password now, and last week I asked him to let me in once.  It was nice!  I am not a disabled addict, but still have found myself peering through the portal and living more virtual life than I would have liked.  It was good to do!  However, I traded at least some Facebook time for reading more news.  Maybe that's good?  But wow, as long as you stay semi-ignorant of what happens in the world it's easy to be a happy ostrich.  I find that I was shocked to contemplate what is actually going on around me every day.  Is it immature and irresponsible to stay ignorant?  I think maybe yes, but also it's got to be important to keep my mind on what is good and beautiful and full of grace so as not to forget what astounding blessings surround us at every turn.  I provide subjects for contemplation of grace:

 Owen is an outdoors lover, and when the snow falls, the snowmen grow!  Pictured here using his snowman kit provided by Nunu as a Christmas gift.  We invited over a boy from his class and they begged his mom and I to go build a snowman.  Well...OK...I guess.  Leave us inside where it's warm to enjoy some tea while you play together?  It will be hard, but we'll manage.

The crazy thing is, Eden had not a tooth until sometime after 11 months, and now at 13, she has six...more than this picture, can't keep up with her.  She likes to use them too!

I've had some background guilt that Owen's birthday lands at a time when it's great to throw a big party and make him a super fancy cake.  I'm just always in the mood to do something creative in mid-May, it seems.  Asher's bday has so far always landed while we're vacationing.  So Asher got at least a middling fancy cake for his 3.5 birthday on Monday!  Superheroes are all the rage in our house lately.  He is SOOOOO excited to be 3.5.  If you meet him and don't know it, you will quickly find out.  He really couldn't be much cuter than he is, what an agreeable and happy sort of fellow.  I know, I married his father :)

The days are long but the years are short...nothing truer.

Christmas pix

Ummm....so very outdated now, but I forgot to include the rest of our Christmas pictures (being too cheap to do anything but go to the free sitting at JCPenney, well, they are what they are).  If someone in the family wants a print let me know and I've got the high res and can get one to you.

 (Umm...fake backgrounds are bad enough, but wrinkled?  Eesh!)

 (Nice white socks!!!)

At least the subject matter is delightful!