fun with uncle colin and aunt nicole

my kids are so lucky to have a super fun and competent aunt and uncle duo just over the border.  the kids spent last weekend with uncle colin and aunt "cole," having tons of fun.  this fun included, but was not limited to: going to the library, watching olympics on the big screen, eating a "super healthy" lunch at mcdonald's, crafting, getting manicures (if you're isla), playing lots of games, making cookies, reading stories, and (if you're ezra) learning how to say, "go canana!"  

(thanks to C and N for all the great pics.)

living like the rest of the country

the kids have been longing for snow--real, cold, fluffy, deep, sled-able, snowball-worthy snow.  the two mini snowy days we've had so far have not counted.  so we packed up piles of boots and coats and hats and extra coats and mittens and socks and snacks and drove the very long hour to mount baker.  it was clear and warm when we left bellingham but started snowing as we got close to the mountain.  and at the ski area it was nearly a blizzard!  seriously.  it was frigid, snowing and every so often a biting wind would whip through the sledding bowl area and make little ezzie tuck his runny nose and red cheeks into my body.  poor little guy!

but somehow, we survived, and some people sledded a bit, and no one got frostbite.  but i'm not really sure i would say we had fun...  i will say we had lots of laundry when we got home!

innocent little bundled up boy.  just wait!

this is not fun!

aaron just read this post, and, laughing, said, "but you can't tell from those pictures how extreme it was!"  which is true.  so try to picture this scene set in a remote arctic crater with very steep sides, where every step you take uses up vital energy and where at any time one could be lost under the snow or blown away in a windstorm never to be seen again.  we were lucky to get out alive!  :) 

hearts, hearts and more hearts

with a five year old girl in the house, you can't not make lots of heart-shaped things for the weeks surrounding valentine's day.  so why not embrace it?

cookies for a kindergarten valentine's day party

(pink) heart patch on (pink) shirt

cool pop-up card noah made for us at school

felt hearts (still need to make an "e" one for ezra, poor guy)

the kids made and hung these heart baskets on their doorknob the night before valentine's day, and woke to some treats in the basket and a new book under their pillows.   the heart basket template is from the toymaker.  the helmet is for general safety.

isla's valentine to herself.  we made these fabric-hearts-on-paper valentines for her classmates.  she chose this one for herself, but didn't want to write "to isla from isla," so i had to write "to isla from mama," while she dictated.  funny girl!

heart-shaped pizza.  not lovely in a photo.  also rainier beer is a staple valentine's treat, didn't you know?

heart-shaped cake!  with strawberries!  and licking the frosting off the beater!  hooray!

isla's dolly, light, checks out the cake.  isla told us that light's fourth birthday coincided with valentine's day, so she joined us for cake and blew out a candle.  what a lucky doll!  (and quite young looking for her four years...)

presidents' day reading list

since noah is on a US presidents kick, and we've been reading lots of president-related books around here, i thought i'd share a few of our favorites in time for presidents' day.

we love all the books by ingri and edgar parin d'aulaire.  they are a really talented duo!  their subject matter is a funny mix: scandinavian folklore, greek and norse mythology, and american history.  they have great books on abraham lincoln and george washington.  (also on ben franklin, columbus and pocahontas!)

another great one, and one of noah's all-time favorites, is what presidents are made of by hanoch piven.  noah absolutely loves the clever illustrations in this one!  there is a new version that even includes obama.

we just ordered history busters: the truth (and myths) about the presidents from noah's book order at school.  he loves this kind of fact/myth book, and likes to quiz us.

and lastly is so you want to be president by judith st. george and illustrated by david small.  this one won the caldecott.

we've also been playing a very old-fashioned US presidents bingo game we got at a yard sale.  it's funny to try to describe the images of the presidents in a creative and not-too-derogetory way.  like, "does anyone have the guy with poofy white hair and creepy eyes?"  or, "does anyone have one of the many short and chubby guys in a suit?"  or, my favorite, "does anyone have the guy who looks like a ghost?" (poor andrew jackson.)

happy presidents' day!

the snowy day (and ezzie lately)

we woke friday to a little bit of snow.  enough that the kids were sure school would be cancelled!  sadly, school was not cancelled, and the snow was pretty much gone by lunchtime.  but it was fun while it lasted.

ezra at 22 months old:

loves the book blue hat, red hat.  says "eeps!" for "oops" at the end of each page, and laughs, laughs.

loves goodnight moon, especially the "cow jumping over the moon."  must find the mouse on every page.  i say, "little old lady whispering..." and he says, in a whisper, "hush."

loves the mitten.  when the mouse makes the bear sneeze, he says, "ah, ah, ah-choo!" then cracks up.

loves little blue truck.  at the end says, "beep, beep, beep!"

loves to empty the dishwasher.

loves pockets of all sorts.  is so cute with his little hands inside his overalls!

does peek-a-boo: "cup-pup-boo!"

knows everything pink is isla's.  hands pink things to her (i.e. dishes, water bottle, books, etc.).  says, "isla's!"

really, really, really wants to sleep in the big kids' beds with them.

loves to draw with markers.  says, "ca-yer!"  ("color.")  is actually pretty good about putting caps back on and not coloring on himself.  but if he does, he is happy to wash his hands.  indefinitely.

knows how to swipe and tap on daddy's iphone.  sadly.

LOVES condiments (ketchup, salad dressing, sauces, etc.).  calls them all ketchup.  sounds like: chep-up.  chep-up!!!

continues his obsession with shoes.  lately likes to wear shoes from the dress-up box with isla.  yesterday it was one tappy shoe, one ballet shoe.  insists on "tying" the laces himself.

reads to himself all the time.  right now he is in his room with a pile of books, flipping through, saying, "bookies.  3-3-3!"