12/18/2009

Making Cookies


Look: What is the holiday season without making cookies.  On this day we rolled out our dough and tried to make shapes.  We did this right before lunch so we could eat the cookies for dessert.
Learn: My hubby liked doing this!  I thought the kids would eat the dough, but surprisingly they were working hard at making the shapes.
Love: Both G and C were very proud of their work on the cookies.
 

 

Redecorating the Tree


Look: Our tree has been up since the first week of December.  What is fun about this post is that it happens everyday.  Whenever we're in the living room, the kids take the liberty to take the ornaments off the tree and play with them. So each day our cute little ornaments find a new home. 
 
 Learn: I need to brainstorm more things that can be an ongoing activity for the kids. 
Love: I love the excitement every morning when we plug in the tree.  Both of their eyes light up and they are so happy.












Light Show

Look: We took the kids to a Philadelphia tradition, the light show in the old Wanamaker Building.  First we walked all around the store.  When it was time for the show, we sat right on the main floor on watched a great light show set to music.  The kids loved it.
Learn: The city is manageable, especially when I have Chris with me.  This trip made me excited for these type of annuals thing.
Love: This was such a fun time out!




12/06/2009

The first Snow!


Look: Yippee, the first snow of the year fell on the perfect day.  We had nothing special to do, so we were able to suit up and enjoy it.
Learn: Chelsea is a natural snow bunny.  I don't know if it's the age, but she was all over the place running, building and playing in the snow.  Gavin wasn't as into it.  He went for a little walk with Daddy, then looked a bit miserable and cold.  I think by next year I will be able to suit them up and send them in the yard for playing!
Love: We made so many great memories on this terrific snow day.



Fountains and Santa

 




Look: Today we went to the mall to see Santa.  His helpers  had a sign saying no cameras.  This year Chelsea did a great job and sat right on his lap.  She told him what she wanted for Christmas.  Gavin also sat on Santa's lap but wasn't happy about it.  Both the kids got a painting pictures from Santa.  After seeing Santa we had a great lunch and then played at the fountains. 
Learn:  Every year could be different when it comes to visiting Santa.  I wonder who will like it next year.  We've gone to the fountains before, but this time we spent about twenty minutes watching the water go up and down.  They loved it.
Love: On the love this today was how cute my kids looked wearing red when visiting the guy in the big red suit and the great red fountains!








11/28/2009

A visit from Colton!



Look: Oh ya I should mention that Uncle Bob, Uncle Matt and Aunt Jen came along...Colton didn't get here by himself. We were lucky to spend some of the morning on Thanksgiving with our cousins from Harrisburg. Colton really seemed to enjoy all the different toys we had and my kids just liked playing in general too.
Learn: All babies seem to be drawn to baby gates. I had to snap the pic of Colton at the gate because I have numerous photos just like it of C and G! Also, family visits are the best and we need to schedule more time to just hang out with Colton and his awesome parents.
Love: What is there not to love about a sweet ten month old playing with stuff for the first time. It's great to see the wonder in his eyes when he tries something new!

Leaves, toothbrushes and exercise (just pics)





Playing with cousins



Look: We hosted a Sunday night dinner for two of my brothers and their families. The fries I was baking were taking extra long so I whipped out a guess who type of game. I absolutely adore games and can remember always cheerfully saying yes when my nieces or nephews would ask to play.
Learn: There are very few games that are truly multi age but this seemed fun. We didn't play by rules of keep score, but we had some laughs and that is what matters.
Love: I love seeing my family!

Finger Painting



Look: I've been avoiding this activity because of the mess. We've used a lot of mess free alternatives to this but I finally had to try it with C and G. So after dinner and before baths I put their smocks on and covered their hands in paint...willingly, yikes!
Learn: G didn't really understand what was going on. He would touch his paper now and then, but didn't get as into it as I had suspected he would. I had help him by showing him how to run his finger through his work. C loved doing this and went through two pages (both of which were soaked through with her paint). Clean up was a snap since our new art room, by that I mean laundry room, has a sink. Bath time was next but most of the paint was gone by then!
Love: Next time G is asleep or when I want a special activity just for my girl...this is what we'll do.

Ramps


Look: On this night we made ramps for our cars and balls (and whatever else my two wanted to try and roll) in our playroom. The pics just show one type but we made a few and the kids spent a good portion of the evening rolling things on ramps. It was simple to make ramps we used painters tape and an odd shaped box that we had cut up.
Learn: They may not get the idea of what rolls and what slides but we will revisit this one when they will. What they enjoyed most was putting another car or object at the bottom of the ramp, then letting something smash into it. It completely delighted G and he would shout "boom" every time.
Love: We had fun doing this, but I love the pic I got where G is really studying what he was doing!

VF walk and talk


Look: Once a month we go for a long walk with other mommies. In November it was to Valley Forge Park. The moms walked about 3 miles and then stopped at the historic cabins to let the kids enjoy the beautiful November weather. We couldn't have asked for a better day.
Learn: Just beyond one of the fences was a huge line of milkweed plants. The cases had dried and fluffy seeds were just waiting for the kids. I showed some of the seeds to C and one of her friends and before you know it we were all enjoying throwing around the white feathery pod seeds.
Love: This was an absolutely beautiful day and an excellent way to spend a morning!

10/27/2009

Library- Costume Storytime



Look: Story time today was with costumes. So I dressed my little tiger and octopus up today for Library. They both loved wearing their costumes out. C roared at several people and G just liked his hood.
Learn: Halloween isn't just about candy when they are this little. I hope they continue to love the costumes more than all the other stuff.
Learn: I learned a lot making these costumes. First I learned duct tape doesn't stick to all fabrics. Next I learned that hot glue burns and blisters skin (ow!) Finally I learned that these costumes look much better in pictures than in person.
Love: I love that C proclaimed she was going to be a princess for Halloween while wearing her tiger costumes. Really lookingforward to Halloween now!

10/26/2009

Lunch at Wegmans

Look: So I'm addicted to the new Wegman's they just built. It has ALL of C's special foods...previously I went to 5 stores to gather all her goods. We'd always run out of things or have to make extra trips. So this is just great. We are eating well, I can tell you that.
Anyhow they had the cutest little "kid" eating area. I've only seen that at Ikea, so I was excited. The kids sat at their little table watching a huge TV and really enjoyed lunch. Chris and I had a yummy lunch too!
Learn: So now not only do I have a great place to shop, but another great place to take the kids that is child friendly!
Love: Okay, I'll say it again, I love Wegmans!

10/25/2009

Carving Pumpkins


Look: Carving pumpkins today. We made three. C picked the shape of the eyes and nose for their pumpkin. Triangle eyes and a pig nose were her pick. G liked taking the lids and running around with them acting like it was a weapon of some sort (boys!).
Learn: This was a good outside activity. Again I learned that my dog has an iron stomach, she ate seeds, pump and would have eaten the whole pumpkin had we left them out.
Love: When it got dark we lit them up and both my kids cheered!

10/24/2009

Air Balloons


Look: I didn't plan this one, but today C turned on the ball popper. As usual they had jammed so much junk in there it was hardly blowing. So I unjammed it and it started me thinking about what would float. G loves to put his little head above the blower and let it blow his hair. It reminds me of the little air machine in the bowling lanes. Anyhow so we tested things and a balloon floats in the ball popper!
Learn: This got me thinking of what other toys or objects can do double duty...I see another blog or a book coming.
Love: They played like this for a half hour. So simple, so fun, so magical. G's eyes were wide when he saw the balloon floating!

10/23/2009

Ellie's Party


Look: Today we went to Ellie's 2nd Birthday at the playground. The kids got Elmo party hats. After that I forgot to take pictures because I was busy chasing the two of them. Ellie loves Elmos...so her mom (supermom), Anne made cupcakes and had Elmo bubble bath for party favors...so cute. The kids loved running around with their friends.
Learn: Give Chelsea a hat with Elmo on it and she'll wear it all day. She wore it to the store and to Daddy's work for lunch. Everyone kept asking if it was her birthday...and I'd explain it was sweet Ellie's Birthday and C was addicted to the hat.
Love: This age is great because all the kids loved this party, the playground was a perfect location!

10/20/2009

Cookie Video


Look: Today while at the library Chelsea announced it was time for cookies. I didn't understand until she sat at the table with the painted cookies on it. Gavin saddled right up to the table and this is the video I got.
Learn: My little 15 month old can already pretend. He does pretend a lot but many times I'm unsure if he is just acting silly. Today it was clear...what an imagination.
Love: The yum yum noises are the best. I could have sat in the library all day with him.

Looking for leaves


Look: Today Chelsea and Gavin gathered leaves in a big bucket. We walked all over the back and front yard looking for leaves. This was the planned part. The first picture shows the unplanned part. C decided to bring all the leaves into her little house and dump them. Then she and G threw them in the air while jumping around...so cute.
Learn: Gathering, filling and emptying are skills any toddlers enjoy. We need to do this with anything we can find outside much more often.
Love: I love where my two little chicklets took this activity. So darling to watch them jump and yell in the falling leaves. Looking forward to making piles with daddy soon!

10/19/2009

Sweatsuit Day


Look: Okay, so sweatsuit day isn't a special event. But since we were feeling lousy, I thought comfort. What was special was that C didn't demand to wear a dress, she went along with it because everyone was "suited" up.
Love: I love the hugging pic, its my new fave!

Last picture is from balloons, couldn't get it to go away

10/18/2009

Balloon Morning

Look: I have two sick children. Yuck. Last night I decided to blow up about 30 balloons and litter our family room with them.
Learn: This lifted everyone's spirits. Being stuck inside with sick kids is no fun, so doing something special was important.
Love: Their faces were awesome when they saw the balloons. They played without crying, whining or complaining for about an hour!!!

10/08/2009

Monkey Bags


Look: Last night I learned a little bit about sewing on a machine. Theresa had some gals over and gave us lessons and let us do projects...SO FUN! I took two old shirts (one for c and one for G) and made little monkey bags. No I am not that creative, but Disney Family Fun magazine is (just got the new issue...so excited!) The kids liked their bags a lot and have been carrying around some of their favorite knick knacks.
Learn: I learned how to make a bag and hem a curtain on the machine. So many of the cute crafty projects in those magazines call for a sewing machine. Now I can consider doing those crafts too.
Love: I love how the bags turned out. These were the cutest tees from the summer and my kids outgrew them...but I still get to have them around because they are bags!

10/07/2009

Walk and Talk




Look: Today we did a 4 mile walk on the Radnor Trail with some other moms. The weather was beautiful even though it was calling for rain. G fell asleep on the way and slept through most of it. C was shy at first but lit up when her friends came.

Learn: 4 miles is too far, next time we'll max out at 2. By the last quarter of the walk everyone was crying :( boo!

Love: This picture of C and her friend holding hands is soooo cute!