Cousins

 So, I am a wee bit behind on sharing photos.  BUT in my defense, I am always a wee bit behind - so no suruprises.  There photos are in SLC with some  of the cousins.  There were dancing cousins...

And sleeping cousins...(I love this photo of the girls sleeping on a bike rack.  humm.)

And there were smily happy-people cousins.  ooo.  And cousins swarming aunts looking for pens to write on the papered table with....The table at a yummy middle eastern restaurant.  oh how I love yummy chickpeas.

And, there were road-tripping cousins. Keeping each other company in the backseat.

To the North Pole and back, in 4 hours.

Grandma Deb-Deb just left Boise after a whirlwind of holiday fun!  We went on the North Pole Express train ride.  Elliot has spent the last month looking forward to this trip.  She was not disappointed. 
HOWEVER.  I would like to take a minute of your time to complain about fake bearded Santas. (if anyone else wants to pipe in on this one, I'd love to hear it) Even a three year old is not fooled by this farce.  It's going to kill the Christmas magic before she is four.  The first f-b-s had to adjust his beard to drink water.  Elliot saw and noted.  The second f-b-s had a beard such that you could not see his mouth very well.  Elliot thought that Santa's beard looked like a mask.  Thank goodness that the mall Santa is a real bearded one.   Elliot is sure that he is legit.

Here we are, loading onto the train...getting cozy.  Do you like Izaak's Christmas moustache?  Personally, I can't wait until the 26th when it gets shaved.  But then that is just me.

And here are my beautiful babies with Mr and Mrs Claus.  Do you think that Santa's beard looks like a mask?  Can you tell that Elliot is not buying it?  Nope, she is a trifle weirded out that she can't see his mouth when he is talking to her.  I am not even sure if Henry is impressed, or maybe he is.  Can't tell.

And here we all are at the North Pole.  The North Pole is just over an hour from Boise by train.  Apparently.  And, yes.  I agree. The blow up snowmen look a bit cheesy.  But you know what?  Elliot loved it.  She ate up that North Pole, devouring it for the fun thing that it was.  She hasn't stopped mentioning that she got to really see Santa's house and workshop.   Somethings are magical.

PreChristmas 2010: the run down

Gingerbread Houses, 1st Annual event.

Izaak makes Elliot's house.  She takes over to start the decorating.  Izaak starts on the next house. 

 And JJ is diligently working on her own masterpiece.  And what is up with the random banana in these photos? 

Elliot dismantles house and takes a bite out of each candy and cookie. 

Big mess.  Lots of fun. 

Another PreChristmas event was when JJ and I went thrift storing...searching for bad Christmas sweaters. I know it's the new cliche.  But it is so terribly funny. I don't want to give too much away...but let me say this much.  Izaak has been growing a moustache.  There are some bad sweaters ready and waiting. 


Here is the pre show.

when suddenly it dawned on the mother, this would not be a good year to send Christmas cards.

Well, I am sorry to say that on the 20th of December I am giving up and acknowledging that this is not a good year for Christmas cards, photo cards, letters or anything of the sort. 

My reasons number as many as the stars...shall I count them? 

1. Law school applications/paperwork/form chaos is just cleaned up and both of our hands have prema-cramp. 
2. Henry themed birth announcements are still eeking thier way out of our mailbox at a snail's pace. (Elliot's were much easier to send because there was no 3 year old trying to help me:) 
3. We're a wee bit tired after this last semester
4. The Christmas spirit is trying hard to raly through the bah-humbug crappy stuff that keeps happening...a tenant skipped out mid-lease on Dec 1st, It was brought to my attention (Kristen) that the bit of discomfort I have been having may require surgery (test results pending).  If the rule of three's applies we don't want to know what else could happen. 
5. Has anyone tried to snap a picture of small children that was worthy of a photocard?  Sit still?  Henry can't at all, Elliot won't even bother.  The lurching, the falling, the sheer boredom after 1 minute. 

I thought about just sending out new year's cards, so that I could have a few more weeks.  But you know what?  I think we're just going to call it good for this year and scrub the whole thing.

Need a last minute lego-gift idea?

Thought I'd pass this along.  Tagged this as a things you can buy but shouldn't because...?
Well, a lego lunchbox is cool enough (right, JJ?) but it doesn't have a handle.  How do you carry this to work?  It's really a Danish bento box...if that is a real thing.

The cooler and creepier option for your last minute gift giving is the lego head storage box.  Not sure what to think about this.  Might startle me if I head to the kitchen for a midnight snack.

Izaak in the kitchen

Izaak makes the pizza.

and applesauce- lots of applesauce. (in a sad tiny food processor)

with apples from the neighbor's tree.  Here is what was left AFTER a day of making cannable/freezable apple stuffs. 

Izaak also does the biscuits and the pancakes.  He's the family kneader. Very useful person to have around for breakfast time. 

Weaning link

You could link over to an article a natural age of weaning.   The first part is interesting, the end is a bit preachy.

Online shopping

While searching for the perfect Christmas gifts this year...I stumbled upon one that is not perfect.  Not perfect for anyone on my list.  But I thought I would pass it along...just in case. Tumbleweed, really?

Brithing in an MRI machine. Sure why not?

Thought this was cool

Here are some links to check it out

Peaceful Parenting
MSNBC

And there is a video link at
ABC

Our Local Epidemic

An epidemic in Boise.  If you turn your back even for a second SPRINKLES HAPPEN. 
sometimes to biscuits.

pink cuckoo clocks

Pink cuckoo clocks must be a HOT item around the world.  Holla' to the recent visitors from Paris and Pakistan who googled Pink Cuckoo Clock and found this website.  I sure hope you weren't disappointed  with what you found.  (cause you probably were.)

Dear Santa...please disregard the letter from my daughter.

Elliot made her list for Santa.  I am not even sure if we should sent it to the jolly ol'man.  For starters, she does not wear a size 5 shoe.  And secondly, what would we do with a pig?  I mean, seriously a pig?

Grandpa Airplane and 6 month old Elliot.  3 years ago this week.  (btw, 3 month old Henry has those same overalls well filled out already)

 And, in this season of giving and receiving...while Elliot works diligently on her handmade gifts for others...she also makes a few simple requests.  Requests that we beg Santa to disregard.  Though at the same time we want it fully acknowledged how sweet her list is.   Sweet, right?

Elliot's 1st snow in Fairfield, December 2007

And I bring to you, as verbetem as possible...the letter.

Mama:  Elliot, what do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas? 
Elliot: I want Santa to bring me a very big size 10 hat or bonnet, size 5 boots, and my very own computer and a pig in a long box.  But not a cooked pig.
Mama: [dead silence, cause what do you say to that?]



Santa and Elliot, December 2007...happy little thing.