Happy New Year's!

THIS was our New Year's Eve dinner spread this year!

(please note that our window is OPEN...I had to close the other one because of the candles, but yes, it was 70 degrees today!)

After much deliberation, we decided that the most fun meal to have would be

HOMEMADE PIZZA'S!

So, we made our pizza's, and then ate them by candlelight!

We also had deviled eggs, dried fruit from Grandma and Grandpa, and a cranberry seltzer spritzer...a meal fit for Kings indeed!

...and Queens!!!

CHEERS!

And CHEERS to YOU, from US!

This year, we are also starting a new tradition of decorating a 'time capsule' on New Year's Eve, and putting in a few pictures from the night, a short questionnaire, and maybe a few other things.


Grace got creative with the lid...

...while Alex helped with the main part.

We went with the Pringles can. Our thinking was that the can has gone this long without changing, surely it will be the same eighteen years from now, right??

So one day, when our kids are grown, they will have a storage container filled with one of these for each year! I think it sounds like fun. Now, all we have to do is NOT LOSE THEM!!!

We then enjoyed a nice round of Candyland and then some special New Year's cupcakes before bed! Both kids fell fast asleep without a peep!

Happy New Year's to YOU!!!

Christmas Morning!

I snapped a couple shots of the kids' opening up their stockings, and then gave up with the camera. Luckily, Daddy always knows when to step in, and took it from there!

Grace's first pair of high heels!

(Come to think of it, I have NO IDEA where these are now)

Alex's 'Sid the Science Kid' microphone!

A new harmonica!
Grandma Pam got this awesome book that literally turns into a
Fire Truck!

Momma got herself an automatic pencil sharpener and coffee grinder!

Heaven!!!

Alex got a real deal Handy Manny work bench!

And, Momma's baby got a baby!

So Mom got to show her baby how to feed a baby!

So sweet, right?!

Grace LOVES her new dolls!

We know that Christmas is NOT about the gifts, but this morning sure was FUN!!!

SO MANY THANK YOU'S ARE TO COME!!!

Christmas Activities

I have recently found a blog called

My Montessori Journey

and have copied a few activities and LOVE them!

My most favorite thing about the activities is how much Alex loves them and how I can literally watch him learn things right before my eyes.

My second most favorite thing about the activities is how I can almost always make them right away with materials already available in my own home!

Activity #1:

Sorting

Activity #2:

Transferring

Activity #3:

Weaving

Activity #4:

Transferring

This one was interesting, because Alex could do it alternating the colors, but when it was up to him, this is the way he chose to sort the colors.

We also did this one using a mini muffin tin: same result!

Did I mention I LOVE this website??!

Santa Hunt!

One Saturday, we decided to go on a Santa hunt!

We followed him all around and got to see him three times in one day!

First, we heard he would be having his breakfast at the Lodge, so we headed on up, and lo and behold, there he was!
Grace never did cry while on Santa's lap, but she never smiled either.
Mostly her eyes stuck on Mommy, as big as pies!!!

After saying 'Hi!' to Santa, we enjoyed some breakfast too!

Then we decorated cookies, and made some penguin ornaments.


After breakfast, we heard a rumor that Santa was having lunch at our Activity Center...

and there he was!...Again!

After all of this commotion, we lost our little one to a quick nap while we waited for a parade just for SANTA!

It was too cold to stand outside, so we watched the parade from our car.

A couple of times Alex and Dad jumped out to pick up some candy.

Grace woke up just in time!

And there he was...a final time for the day!!!

We guessed from the SeaDoo's that after the parade he took to the water, so we said our 'Goodbye's' happily, went home for some hot dinner, and all went to bed early!

What a great day!

Our Sledding Adventure!

I LOVE this picture of Grace!

I woke up one morning, looked outside, and there was a TON of snow on our back porch and all around.

It was still dark out when Alex woke up, I showed him the snow, and we quickly bundled up and were off to buy sleds!

It was such a fun adventure for the two of us.

To my dismay, as we left the store and were driving home (after the sun had come up), I noticed that the snowfall had in fact not led to as much accumulation as I thought.

I think there was less than an inch.

But, we had already started our adventure so I was determined to finish it!

Luckily, after some investigation, we were able to find the perfect spot!



Developing a Plan

Woooooo Hooooo!

Advent Calendar

Well, our documentation and execution of our advent calendar this year is severely lacking...but we did our best!

Here is a smattering of some of the things...

A new tradition...

We've decided to make it a family tradition to read this story, and eat clementines, celebrating how easy it is to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, the goodness found in our hearts, and love of friends!

The story is about a boy in an orphanage who loses his only Christmas gift (an orange) as a consequence for breaking a rule. That night, each of the nine other orphans put a slice of their orange into the little boys hand.

One night the kids opened their new Christmas pj's...

Made Christmas Rice Krispy Treats...

We've also read stories, watched movies, went to the light show (with Grandma Pam), and lots of other fun things!!!

It's been a great month!