Saturday, January 25, 2020
Monday, April 1, 2019
My friends over at Momnesia Podcast asked me to write about a motherhood story I want to remember or one
wish I could forget. What to pick, what to pick? Click through to see
what I decided on, and then head on over to iTunes, search "Momnesia Podcast," and subscribe to hear great stories from all kinds of mommas!
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Monday, October 29, 2018
Halloween 2018
Halloween is a big day in our house. I've actually had to make a rule that we cannot talk about Halloween until after Labor Day! For the kids (and for me), Halloween kicks off the magical holiday season that leads into Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we revel in the anticipation and creative spirit that it brings.
I plan to post a look back at the many costumes we've worn since the last time I wrote about Halloween on this blog, but for now here is what the kids are wearing this year. Since only one of them let me make her costume this time, I signed up to host a trunk (for the first time) at our church's Family Fall Fest and made a costume for our car, too!
I plan to post a look back at the many costumes we've worn since the last time I wrote about Halloween on this blog, but for now here is what the kids are wearing this year. Since only one of them let me make her costume this time, I signed up to host a trunk (for the first time) at our church's Family Fall Fest and made a costume for our car, too!
 |
| Jude as Kylo-Ren, Dahlia as a pirate, Lucy as Mary Poppins, and Isaac as a Flametrooper |
 |
| Lucy was the only one who wanted me to make her costume this year. We went to a couple of thrift stores and found everything we needed to put together the perfect Mary Poppins! |
 |
| For our church's Trunk or Treat, I transformed a CRV into a hungry, hungry hippo! So simple, yet so much fun! |
Monday, December 25, 2017
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 25, 2015
They're 7!
 |
| Isaac wanted a 7 continents cake for their 7th birthday. Wish granted! (left to right: Isaac, Lucia, Jude, and Dahlia) |
Friday, December 26, 2014
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
They're 5!
One week ago today, four special 4-year-olds turned 5 years old! And this time we weren't visiting the abuelitos like we were last year ... now we actually live with them, in their house, in TEXAS!
Something else was different, too. The kids have always had birthday cupcakes in four different frosting colors, but this year everyone got his or her own cake! Isaac requested white cake, Lucy wanted strawberry, Jude asked for chocolate, and Dahlia wanted banana. Mommy baked everyone's special order and frosted the cakes in each kid's corresponding color:
The girls wore dresses made by Abuelita. Lucy's biggest wish was to have a dress that touched the floor, and she got it!
As usual, there was a mountain of gifts. Maybe the biggest pile yet ... with four kids getting presents from parents, two sets of grandparents, two sets of tÃos, and wonderful friends, new and old, near and far ... it really adds up! And the kids were definitely not complaining!
One of the best things about a Christmas Eve birthday is knowing that you are getting even more gifts the very next day. The only thing that makes that more exciting is having special birthday jammies to wear while waiting for Christmas morning. This year the kids were thrilled to go to bed dressed as superheroes and princesses—Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk, Ariel, and Aurora, to be exact:
But before hitting the sack they took some time to jam with Isaac's new drum set while wearing their birthday crowns from their beloved preschool teacher in Indiana, Miss M:
It was the perfect end to a very long, very fun day. Thank you to everyone who remembered our kiddos and helped all of their birthday wishes come true!
Something else was different, too. The kids have always had birthday cupcakes in four different frosting colors, but this year everyone got his or her own cake! Isaac requested white cake, Lucy wanted strawberry, Jude asked for chocolate, and Dahlia wanted banana. Mommy baked everyone's special order and frosted the cakes in each kid's corresponding color:
 |
| Isaac, Lucia, Jude, and Dahlia turn 5! |
The girls wore dresses made by Abuelita. Lucy's biggest wish was to have a dress that touched the floor, and she got it!
As usual, there was a mountain of gifts. Maybe the biggest pile yet ... with four kids getting presents from parents, two sets of grandparents, two sets of tÃos, and wonderful friends, new and old, near and far ... it really adds up! And the kids were definitely not complaining!
One of the best things about a Christmas Eve birthday is knowing that you are getting even more gifts the very next day. The only thing that makes that more exciting is having special birthday jammies to wear while waiting for Christmas morning. This year the kids were thrilled to go to bed dressed as superheroes and princesses—Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk, Ariel, and Aurora, to be exact:
But before hitting the sack they took some time to jam with Isaac's new drum set while wearing their birthday crowns from their beloved preschool teacher in Indiana, Miss M:
It was the perfect end to a very long, very fun day. Thank you to everyone who remembered our kiddos and helped all of their birthday wishes come true!
Friday, July 5, 2013
On two wheels
Ever since the weather warmed up this year, we've been spending a lot of time like this:
Today, however, thanks to the kindness of neighbors we'd never seen or met before, neighbors who just happened to be on their driveway when we rode by, our daily trike ride changed forever. We now have a bike! The boys are especially thrilled:
Since they've only ever ridden trikes before, it took a bit of practice for them to get the hang of pedaling without braking every rotation or two. I must admit that I was particularly frustrated trying to teach Isaac how to pedal without braking. He eventually figured it out, but not before teaching me a lot about perseverance: Every time he'd "mess up," he'd get right back on the bike and cheerfully say, "Let's try again!" Jude also struggled a bit, but he found his groove a lot more quickly than his brother:
The challenge now will be managing who gets a turn with the bike and when. I envision a bike purchase (or two or three) in our near future!
Today, however, thanks to the kindness of neighbors we'd never seen or met before, neighbors who just happened to be on their driveway when we rode by, our daily trike ride changed forever. We now have a bike! The boys are especially thrilled:
Since they've only ever ridden trikes before, it took a bit of practice for them to get the hang of pedaling without braking every rotation or two. I must admit that I was particularly frustrated trying to teach Isaac how to pedal without braking. He eventually figured it out, but not before teaching me a lot about perseverance: Every time he'd "mess up," he'd get right back on the bike and cheerfully say, "Let's try again!" Jude also struggled a bit, but he found his groove a lot more quickly than his brother:
The challenge now will be managing who gets a turn with the bike and when. I envision a bike purchase (or two or three) in our near future!
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Adding up
A while back I noticed that Lucy was starting to understand that if one kid left the table, only three kids remained, and other such scenarios. Eager to encourage any burgeoning math skills, I started occasionally creating my own word problems in the midst our daily life to introduce the kids to the the idea of addition, subtraction, fractions, and the like. Apparently this approach is exactly what Lucy needed to learn to add without any formal instruction! Check out what she can do:
Isaac may be our numbers guy (he taught himself to count to 100 well before any of the others could reliably count to 20!), but it looks like Lucy's the first to understand what you can actually do with numbers. Girl power!
Isaac may be our numbers guy (he taught himself to count to 100 well before any of the others could reliably count to 20!), but it looks like Lucy's the first to understand what you can actually do with numbers. Girl power!
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Ride's over
Today marked the end of an era in the life of our little family: We sold our choo choo wagon! And because people around the world seem to have enjoyed the kids' first choo choo ride so much (or maybe just because we are dorks!), Ted and I decided that the most fitting farewell would be to film a little sequel:
Goodbye, dear choo choo ... you served us well!
Goodbye, dear choo choo ... you served us well!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Read it, brother!
I recently came across a book that I hadn't read to the kids since they were babies. On the way home from church today, Dahlia asked me to read their "new" book to her, but because she was sitting in the seat behind me, I couldn't do it.
Not only did he read an entire volume of novel text to her, but he also did it with feeling! And so patiently, too. Here's a clip:
Nice to know I've got a good little story-time sub in the back seat!
Isaac to the rescue!
Not only did he read an entire volume of novel text to her, but he also did it with feeling! And so patiently, too. Here's a clip:
Nice to know I've got a good little story-time sub in the back seat!
Friday, April 5, 2013
Out of the box
A box is just a box.
Until you look at it and decide that it's actually a doghouse:
Until you realize that you can get in, shut the "door," and be alone, for once:
Until you figure out that you can push two boxes together to make a cozy, private cave for two:
Until you round up a couple more boxes to create a haven with just enough room for all of you:
Until it occurs to you that maybe, just maybe, Mommy will let you decorate your new homes with markers:
A box is just a box?
Not when you're 4 years old!
Not when you're 4 years old!
* I would like to thank all of the boxes pictured in this post for endlessly entertaining the kiddos this week—and helping to make spring break at home a little more enjoyable for all of us!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
For the love of art
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
As a kid, I always thought that I'd be an artist when I grew up. Although that dream faded and died long ago, my love of art and art history did not. Lately I've been thinking a lot about how I can foster the same art appreciation in my kids, especially since they are starting to exhibit a real interest in creating their own masterpieces. Check out the paintings they brought home from preschool yesterday:
Don't you just love how each kid already displays his or her own distinctive style?
Each piece they produce is like a little window into their minds and makes me so excited about what they are capable of creating, especially with some further instruction. Call me crazy, but I'm hoping to start teaching them a little about art myself soon, via some of these kid-friendly art projects inspired by the masters. Donations of art supplies (or extra patience) welcome!
Pablo Picasso
As a kid, I always thought that I'd be an artist when I grew up. Although that dream faded and died long ago, my love of art and art history did not. Lately I've been thinking a lot about how I can foster the same art appreciation in my kids, especially since they are starting to exhibit a real interest in creating their own masterpieces. Check out the paintings they brought home from preschool yesterday:
Isaac
 |
| Clockwise from bottom: "Tree, car, house, snake, tree, snake" Isaac says: "That's my friend's house. The car is racing!" |
Lucy
 |
| "A window circle" I told her I think it looks like a stained glass window! |
Jude
 |
| "A monster. His name is Cacas. He likes restaurants. He sleeps on a convertible that is purple like him. He has 3 stomping feet." The paint really is purple; it just doesn't look like it here. And look at that texture! |
Dahlia
 |
| Self-portrait with "dirty grass, umbrella, blueberry, light bulb, a duck on the ceiling, and the number 6" As usual, Dahlia's favorite thing to draw is herself! |
Don't you just love how each kid already displays his or her own distinctive style?
Each piece they produce is like a little window into their minds and makes me so excited about what they are capable of creating, especially with some further instruction. Call me crazy, but I'm hoping to start teaching them a little about art myself soon, via some of these kid-friendly art projects inspired by the masters. Donations of art supplies (or extra patience) welcome!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
