kid fun

Spring is just around the corner. The ten-day forecast has days, like today, in the 50's and rain instead of snow. I know we're not in the clear yet. But the weather is starting to turn.

I took the boys to the playground for the first time this season. Wearing boots was a good move considering the hefty patches of snow still on the ground, and the areas of meltage were covered in mud.

It's really been hard to blog anything, because for the past several weeks, it's basically been about one thing: snow.

I'm getting tired of it. I think we've had well over 80 inches total snow fall this season, which is beyond record-breaking for our region. So it's a bother. Roads aren't cleared well. People just don't know how to handle this much snow. Not to mention being in the city and not really having anywhere to put it.

This past weekend I was supposed to go to Boston for a little conference. I was really looking forward to the fellowship of some good friends, as well as getting to go somewhere by myself over (one) night for the first time since becoming a mother almost five years ago. But, wouldn't ya know, we got a nor'easter. It snowed without accumulating all day on Thurs, blew terribly and accumulated on Friday. Perhaps it wasn't as bad for us as predicted, but still, more snow. (and Amtrak was prohibitively expensive, don't think I didn't check that option!) So I was pretty disappointed. Majorly disappointed, actually. My mom, who was going to come help with the kids while I was gone, came anyway. It was nice to have the company. Maybe I was a little less mopey.

Our previous residence was basically on a state park, so when it snowed we had a wonderland all to ourselves complete with hill for sledding. Now we're city dwellers. We've spent some time on the front sidewalk, while the parent shovels. But yesterday we ventured out to the backyard, which is a postage stamp. I've been reticent to go out there with Marlowe, because every time it snows we seem to get multiple feet, and you know, M is a little guy. At first, M couldn't leave the bottom step, but eventually, the snow got packed down enough, that we were all able to have a really good play time out there, and M could walk around.

Ellis enjoyed jumping off the steps into the snow, and Marlowe basically ate snow the whole time we were out there.

CHEESE!

The backyard worked out great. And I got some time to sit and look at it, and mentally scheme about spring. (We don't have good windows looking out on it, so I don't have the opportunity to gaze out into the backyard much.)

Or, Sometime You Don't Get What You Want.

Act 1
Scene: getting ready for school.

Mom: Ellis, go upstairs and brush your teeth.
Ellis: yells NOOO!
Mom: Ellis, remember what Daddy said about yelling. That is not nice talking.
E: oh. I'm sorry, Mommy. hugs
Mom: Now go upstairs and brush your teeth.
E: No, thank you, mommy.

Act 2
Scene: Marlowe has discovered the container of cookies in a bag of stuff Grammy sent over. M would help himself but can't get the lid off.

Marlowe: PLEASE!!!!!!!
Mom: No, Marlowe, those are for when it's light out. You can have one tomorrow.
Marlowe finds Ellis and hands him the container PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

Thankfully, Ellis was more than happy to play the role of boss: No, Marlowe.

On being a fun mom:

When I'm a fun mom, the kids get to do cool stuff. Like play with water. Or paint. Or scoop rice. They have a blast. They are doing great things that are developmentally good for them. I don't go all free reign with them, but I do hold back the war cry of "Mess!" some.

There is nothing that either my 19mo or my 4 1/2 yo loves more than to play with a trickle of water in the sink. Pouring, filling, stirring. Great activities for the 18mo developing motor skills. When I'm a fun mom, I let him do it, and then mop up later, suppressing the urge to cringe and enjoying his happiness.

The other day Ellis spent nearly 20 minutes moving about 15 popcorn kernels around an empty egg carton that had some leftover liquid purple watercolor in it.

The busy-ness! The happiness! The learning! *sigh* The mess!

My kids had a great Christmas! And I must say, Christmas is way more fun now with kids. One of Ellis's favorite presents is his fire station duplo set. And really, what Christmas is complete without Legos?

And so ends my DPP 2009! It's been real folks.

It's also been kind of fun, because I did the whole thing on my iPhone. All photos and editing were from my iPhone. It doesn't do a half bad job! And it definitely has portability and accessibility in its favor. But still not quite as good as a real camera. (ya think?)

Today Marlowe and I went with Ellis's class on a fieldtrip to visit a farm.

We had a hayride.
Got to visit chickens and turkeys and horses.
And eat apple cider dougnuts.

the end

Well, I can't believe it! I did it all this week.

I made a pumpkin pie from scratch. I really do make the best pumpkin pie in the world. Sorry, mom, I like mine a tad better. And I guess I can say that in public, since you just dissed your mom's pie on Facebook. ha! kidding! (not about liking mine better, though.)

We got M&Ms and candy corn/pumpkins for munching.
And cider for sipping.

Then I made pretty much the awesomest costumes ever for Ellis and Marlowe. I mean, seriously, how can I ever face Halloween again? Our favorite PBS kids offering is Curious George. Pretty much the best kids show ever. In my opinion, waaaay better than the books. If there's a new George on, we're ALL excited. Mom and Dad included. So what better way to celebrate than Halloween costumes. Ellis was the Man with the Yellow Hat and Marlowe was Curious George.

For Ellis's costume, I got some key pieces at the thrift store. The boots were the best find. (they're technically girls boots, but for a costume, who's counting.) I got the pants and belt and hat there, too. I couldn't believe that I couldn't find a boys white shirt at all at the thrift store, so we got a cheap one from Target. I bleached the khaki pants and then I dyed the shirt and pants bright yellow! That was pretty fun.

The hat was actually a sombrero that i grabbed from the costume bin. I trimmed the brim a bit and then I hot glued yellow felt to it. I got a glue gun for the project and now I feel truly crafty. I made the tie out of the same felt and glued the polka dots to it. I was pretty happy with how well the yellows turned out. I also made a coordinating bucket for trick-or-treating out of the same felt sprayed with fabric stiffener. Yea, the awesomeness is killing me.

Marlowe's costume I sewed together. It was actually pretty easy. I used one of his sleeper jammies as a guideline. I got the fleece at my trusty fabric store (which is now within walking distance!) for less than $5/yd. For the front I cut on the fold and for the back I cut on the selvedge so I'd have two pieces. I sewed velcro up the back, so it was really easy to put on and off. I used one of his hats as a guideline for the hat and attached ears. M doesn't like hats at all. But on Friday morning, when he saw Ellis put on that splendid yellow hat, he REALLY wanted a hat, and he wore his monkey hat for hours. I was amazed and thrilled, since it's really key to costume. I also made monkey feet at the bottom of the legs to flap over his shoes, though in retrospect I think it would've been better to attach some elastic to them that could go around the shoes more securely.

On Friday morning, they particpated in the preschool parade at Ellis's school, and Marlowe got to tag along, especially since he's kind of an accessory to Ellis's costume. Ha! Somehow M ended up with a tootsie pop, and was obsessed with it. *MINE!* Thankfully I was able to bribe him away from it with cheese balls.

On Friday afternoon we carved pumpkins.
AND roasted pumpkin seeds.

THEN we went to the Reformation Celebration at our church and the kids had a blast. I took the kids through the original tune to "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" (the "Geneva jig" version). And then the kids played edifying games like "Pin the Theses to the Door." Hey, it's all about preserving our heritage, telling the story, and carrying on the torch.

Then this afternoon they got haircuts. That has nothing to do with Halloween, but they really needed them. Marlowe cried and cried. He got another lollipop. *sigh* But, my, they look handsome now.

And when they got their hair rinsed off, they put on their super cute pumpkin shirts that I made them this morning.

Then after dinner, we went trick-or-treating in the warm, drizzly night. Marlowe had no trouble with the concept. He walked down the sidewalk saying "Thank you! Thank you!" (which sounded more like "day-doo! day-doo!"). And somehow ended up with another lollipop *groan* which ended up lost in the grass somewhere *whew*. I think when Ellis was that age, we managed one house and he didn't really know what candy was yet.

So we had a complete holiday weekend. I can't believe I did it all. And now we're off to the races. Major handmade holiday action engaged. Christmas is just around the corner and there are still WAY too many boxes around here!

I've been wanting to do a little post about Marlowe since he turned 15months a week ago. But well, let me just tell you something.

Last Tuesday, a week ago today, he turned 15 mos. I heard him bustling about in the kitchen, assumed he was at his usual chores of emptying all the cupboards of tupperware and pots and pans. He's so helpful that way.

I walk in the kitchen, and he's actually standing on the kitchen table eating a bag of blue corn chips.
I'm pretty sure Ellis could only walk for about two weeks when he was that age.

I spend all day making sure Ellis is not hauling Marlowe around unwillingly. Making sure Marlowe isn't crawling up some scalable delight.

The rest of the day revolves around Marlowe's favorite word: NAH.
It means, "I want that." He says it all day and points to everything, because basically he wants everything. He will sign and say PLEASE! NAH, PLEASE!!! It's so nice, really. It's just nearly impossible to satisfy.

Some other words are dog, woof-woof, duck, choo-choo, Daddy, Ellis (yuh-yih), hot (accompanied with a blow), please, thank-you, all-done, night-night, and others. It's just hard to think of what they are with NAH resonating in my ears. He signs them all, too.

He's a pleasantly demanding child. NAH!!!

So much to do today, but I just had to say that we had a good time. It was crazy. It was July 4th weekend at a packed out campground in the Poconos. But we had fun. And learned a lot about future family camping. More later....

(And yes, I found matching orange hoodies on clearance.)

Three days down. Two to go. I'm Craft Master, and we're having a blast at VBS. Can't wait to show you pics of the week's creativity. These kids are great!!