O Christmas Tree!

Here's the best Christmas tree idea ever! It's only 4 feet tall but will last (that is unless we kill it) for a lifetime! It's a live tree in pot that we can bring inside for 10-15 days and decorate with lights and ornaments and then put back outside to grow on our front porch! It costs about the same as a cut tree and can even be donated to the City of Richland for them to plant in a park somewhere if we decide we don't want to plant it in our yard. I am so excited! I just have to remember to water it!

My milk drinking man!

Just a few days ago Blaise had his first sippy cup full of milk! This is exciting since he's so small on the weight scale and could really use the fat in milk to gain some pounds and because he's 18 months and has never had more than a few sips of anything but water! How does he take his milk... he's been drinking half and half with a little chocolate syrup. We went to the doctor today and found that he had gained a full pound! This is huge for Blaise... the Doc even gave me the green light on heavy whipping cream instead of half and half (of course with some chocolate syrup). I am finding he'll do anything for a little chocolate! More chocolate milk please!

New Blankies!

A few days ago I let the kids go wild and watch a little PBS (our new favorite show is Sid the Science Kid)while I put together new blankets for them. I used a pattern from Amy Karol's book for Cal's but Blaise's was just two squares sewn together! So Easy! I threw a patch of their old blankets (which were falling apart) on these new ones and now we have two super cute new blankets!

Baby, it's COLD outside!

The temperature for this week isn't supposed to get above 20! We are bundled up inside. This is our window from the inside our rental house looking out (yes, that is ICE on the inside!!!)! I am guessing this house needs new windows!

The Red Baron

After watching both the Halloween and Thanksgiving Charlie Brown specials this year with Calvin he is a big fan of Snoopy. His favorite part was the Snoopy vs. The Red Baron scene. I think our coffee table is now an airplane with Lego controls! Sometimes he even has a side passenger.

Homemade Playdoh!

I have been on the lookout for a great playdoh recipe and have finally found it! I love homemade playdoh for many reasons. It can be eaten (Blaise just can't help himself) it's warm and really nothing like store bought playdoh and lastly because my mom made homemade playdoh and it just takes me back to my childhood (you're the best mom!). So... after many not so great recipes here's the best playdoh recipe I have seen so far! I am thinking of trying two packs of Kool-aid to make the color stronger. I don't think I've ever used this stuff to drink but it makes great playdoh color! It smells great too (but doesn't taste like it smells as Blaise found out!). http://www.simplymoms.com/ is where I found the recipe.

Kool-aid Dough

Flour 3cups
Salt 1 1/2 cups
Water 3 cups
Vegetable Oil 2TB.
Cream of tartar 1TB.
unsweetened "Kool-Aid" 1pkg.

Mix ALL of the ingredients in a large saucepan.
Cook over medium low heat, until the dough comes away
from the edges of the pan and it becomes difficult to move the spoon. At this point it looks like a sticky mess and will never be playdoh, but once it's cooled it becomes the real thing! Remove from heat. Cool until it can be handled.
Place on counter or wax paper knead 3-4 times.
Store in an air tight container.

New Hat, Old Hat

I have been using any free moment I have to knit lately. It's so relaxing and fun! It has been great to connect with a few gals here and knit and even have a yarn store in walking distance! I bought some amazing yarn and have a new hat to show for it! On that very same note after a visit from Grams a new love for the book "New Hat, Old Hat" has been rekindled! The boys are loving this cute little book. Calvin has almost memorized it and can read it to himself or Blaise (if he sits still long enough to hear it). My next project is to knit two little sets of mittens!

Boys on Bikes...

The other night we went to a friends house for dinner. The highlight of the night for Calvin was to ride on and "rev" a motorcycle. A close second was wearing a "real motorcycle helmet"! It was a little big for Blaise but he loved it too! What fun it is to be a boy on a bike!

What we did with our extra hour...

So, the whole time change thing is just not kind to people with small children. An extra hour of sleep for some people, those of us with small children have no choice but to be up at 5:30 now instead of 6:30 (my little ones are early birds... they take after their mama). There is just no time change switch for their little bodies. This morning there was lots of coffee and "fun breakfast"! We made a puffed pancake (I think I got the recipe from Real Simple) and enjoyed the extra hour with Daddy. It was fun but I am still not a fan of the whole time change kid combo!

Halloween

The little frog and monkey made it out to about two or three houses and a few shops. The boys were too cute! Calvin (or batman) went out another night with Seth. Here he is admiring himself and his really cool batman cape! Of everything we did Calvin's favorite thing was answering the door and giving out candy and chatting with the kids.

So Fast!

"So Fast!" This is what Cal says to me as he runs by me. "Look mom! I'm SO FAST!" Now I am thinking not only does he run fast but he grows "so fast" too! Just two years ago I lead him out on his first Halloween through the neighborhood to get candy. We went to four houses and had almost a full bucket (they were really generous neighbors or did their hearts melt like mine on how cute that kid was? Either way we got a lot of candy!). The bucket was almost as big as him and I ate most of his candy (yum for me!). I remember bursting with pride of how cute my little cowboy was (apparently it has always been my dream to have kids that dress up!). :) This year we have a few Halloween celebrations to attend and he is going to be something different to each one. Which is funny since we had to try on the costume a few times before he would keep it on without crying that first year. Now my little boy is three and tells me he is my big boy. Things are changing SO FAST! A couple of years ago he didn't really know what candy was and this year mama will have to ask if she wants some! Here's that little cowboy in 2006... I'll post later this week on 2008!

Not so crafty me and crayon eating kid!

So, I was inspired by other blogs and crafty sites but craftiness is not my thing. I like practical crafts that are done in less than a hour. Don't get me wrong, I do love to sew and I am working on knitting but I want something I can use at the end. But I thought it would be some developmental skill Cal should learn. Since coloring isn't going so well I wanted Cal to move beyond his love of cutting (scissors, paper and a huge mess). I got out paints and crayons and paper and Cal and I were off! Finger painting with a one year old is too messy for indoors so I put Blaise in his high chair and gave him some paper too (but no crayons or paint). Cal and I were so into our craft that we didn't hear the beaver like mauwing that was going on next to us. How a he got a hold of two crayons while being strapped to his chair I do not know but he polished off most of them. I am figuring that they are non-toxic and we will see them again soon! Fun times! It did seem to affect him- AT ALL! I can only imagine what he will be putting into his mouth in the future! The finger painting went well and Cal has a nice piece of art! But just so you know... washable paint doesn't always mean washable!

We have moved in with a superhero!

We have made the move to SUNNY Richland, WA! I think there has been one day of gloomy weather since we arrived 50 days ago. It has been nice to see the sun again! We are all adjusting and settling into our new place. The boys love the fish tank, the slippery wood floors and the endless supply of grapes growing in the backyard. Calvin has discovered dress up and I think sometimes really thinks that putting a batman mask on makes him really batman. He uses it as an excuse when "batman" hits his brother. It wasn't him, it was batman! Or superman, football guy, a monkey, pirate, cowboy or whatever he thinks he is at the moment. I am now that mom with the kid in goggles and a cape at the grocery store and I have to admit I love it! People look at him and smile. Are they remembering that time in their kids lives or like I was are they looking forward to it! :) I am not sure what superhero this is but it was an active one!

Plastic bag Quest!

So, not using plastic bags has been a challenge. I am bringing a bag in stores with me so that has been nice but remembering to use it has been a challenge. It would be nice if you only had a few things if people asked if you wanted a bag. I have gotten a few looks "you're one of those" when I say I don't need a bag but that's fine with me. Now that I am noticing it's amazing how many things come in plastic... even fast food comes in a plastic bag (though that would be another good thing to eliminate in my life). I bought some "snack traps" for Cal for his snacks so we don't use plastic baggies. It's the coolest thing a little bowl with a rubber lid with rubber fringe so you can fit a little hand in to get a snack yet it doesn't all fall out if dumped upside down (that sometimes happens when you are 2)!

No more plastic bags!

Starting today I am giving up plastic bags! My goal is to give them up for a year but by then I would think that I will be so used to not using them we will continue on. It seems like such an easy way to contribute on a personal level. It will for sure be an inconvenience at times since remembering everything for these two little boys is a lot but I look forward to the challenge!

Insanity in the wintertime!

So, I feeling a little cooped up right now. We have a beautiful day like yesterday and I just don't make it out and then thinking I would today and it's pouring rain! I am wondering if I will go a little insane being in the house all day with these two boys! I am so ready for summer and it's only January! We are making the best of it and finding as many indoor high energy things we can do. I set up a track in the garage and Cal rides his bike in circles. I know there is a problem when I hear the dog howling. They have had a bond since birth (this pic is of Cal and Soren when he was a baby)... the dog howls every time Cal cries. I thought he'd do the same with Blaise but it's only with Cal. I think Soren still hopes we're not keeping the baby.