i'm dreaming... of a mudroom

we woke to the much anticipated snow (er, ice) this morning. though we let the boys trample in it last night as it was falling, they couldn't wait to get in it as soon as they woke up.

too bad bryan didn't want me slipping on the ice.... i was so disappointed to have to stay in my cozy robe and sip on my coffee while watching them through the window....

after playing by themselves nearly 45 minutes, charlie came in with frozen gloves and asked, "mom, why is snow so cold"?

after giving him an answer and thinking we had a great science lesson, sam chimed in "why is thunder so loud"?

after wiping the dumbfounded look off my face i sent them to ask their dad, who was working from his home office ~

oh lovely snow day.

i organized my tail off (bryan is afraid i'm already nesting, meaning surely i'm going to have another early bird), made white chicken chili for lunch, and game day pizza (made with this method - the best!) for dinner.

and since the winning field goal was kicked only seconds ago, i'm going to put it out there. words i never thought this blog would see....

war eagle!

first bike, first trike

i still remember my first bike.

hot pink.

pink and white (or silver?) shiny tassles.

i could fly.

not a care in the world.

except when i was passing the house of the boy i was crushing on.

surely he thinks i'm so cool....side ponytail, teal shoelaces, and shiny tassles blowing in the wind.

when i grew too big and needed an upgrade, i cried.

so this was a very special christmas.

first bikes.

or, first bike, and first trike.

you can see it in his eyes. poor guy was so sick (ear infection and horrible cough), but determined to conquer the parking lot.

he eventually did. and left his slow pregnant momma behind.

but there was one left to keep me company ~

i don't know what their crushes will think, but i think they are quite cool.

***a special thanks to my cousin for the hand-me-down bike. it fits perfectly!

my number two

snow day

this little boy loved running and playing in the snow the day after christmas ~

this one, not so much. this is the only photo of him, as he is saying "no, don't take pisher me!".

winter happenings

being a stay-at-home mom often requires creativity.

especially during the winter months.

so, we've made cookies, crafts, and lots of hot chocolate....

and popcorn with our nifty new popcorn maker~

we've eaten so much of it that i found that drizzled warm olive oil and salt is just as yummy as butter.

(there has also been a bicycle/tricycle/scooter track erected inside our home. hence the scooter in the background....)

we watched more tv than usual - especially one of our current favorites, the upside down show ~

on an especially cold day the boys found their "swim soups" and begged to go swimming.

i let them.

i found the tea set i had as a child and we played barista.

cappuccino anyone?

we still get out lots, frequenting the mcwane center, eating lunch with daddy (especially since his new office at the mall conveniently has a carousel), the library and story times, play dates, etc.

but i'm realizing how few these days at home really will seem one day.

even one day too soon.

(though i surely will have to remind myself of that when monday comes).

popcorn anyone?

a very merry christmas

it began on christmas eve at gg and pops.

and continued at grandmama and grandaddy's...

where 4 (plus two in-utero) cousins ages 3 and under slept under one roof. fun times.

if you don't count trying to get those 4 little ones to sleep, the madness didn't begin until after the traditional reading of the christmas story. but it was the best kind of madness. paper ripping, kiddo squealing, battery hunting madness (though not captured due to participating in it).

the one thing he (consistently) asked for ~ a dump truck. thank goodness one was found (two, actually) on a last minute trip to walmart.

oh, it's the little things.

checking out the snow flurries ~

and enjoying them with the cousins.

a very merry christmas was had by all.