This makes me happy

This makes me happy. This makes them happy. This is how they would spend every morning if they were allowed. In their jammies until noon. Their stuffed animals all around. Legos and other toys brought into play in various ways. Their imaginations run amok in their own world. Their voices changing with each character. Their story getting more and more elaborate. This fills their weekend and this is mostly how we spent February vacation. This is perfection.


But sometimes I worry, "Is this a girly way to play?". Would Justin play this way if he didn't have a big sister that he worships that loves imaginative play?

Then Justin's friend Luke came over to play. And they settled right into their own Star Wars/ Batman/ Rescue Hero world- voices, stories, plots. It made me happy.

And what could hold the attention of two 5 year old boys you ask? Why a video game on our big TV of course.

Big Biking News!

Well as Spring breaks it is time to bring out the bikes. Dee was kind enough to give me her bike since it was just filling up space in her storage area, so now everyone in the family has a bike and we can finally go on Family Bike Rides. The biggest obstacle has been Justin. He will ride past two houses and then stop and take a break because he is SO TIRED. Anyway I find it extremely annoying. So I went out and bought one of those bike attachments. Justin LOVES it! We went out the first time and he laughed (rather maniacally) as we passed everyone. Jessica couldn't keep up with us she kept yelling to us to slow down. But here is the problem I could stop pedaling but Justin would keep on pumping and were cruising. Here are Justin and I on our bike!

Well nothing like a little competition from her little brother to get Jessica going. On one of our family bike rides Jessica was bemoaning the fact that everyone was going so fast without her. Marc told her that you go slower when you have training wheels. Jessica has had little interest in taking off her training wheels. We tried almost all last summer and she just didn't get it. Jessica has always sort of had her head in the clouds in many ways- so when biking she often looked around and chatted non-stop not really paying attention to the task. WELL when she heard that getting the wheels off would allow her to keep up with us she announced she was ready for them to come off. We didn't buy it. She insisted. Marc worked out a compromise with her to allow him to just raise the wheels up so they do less work. She went out and did great. So he raised them again and it became clear that she did not need them on the straight away. Yesterday, Saturday, we took them off for good. And let me tell you that kid can fly now- Justin and I pumping hard together can barely keep up with her. She is so happy.

Here is Marc taking them off...

Holding her trophies...

Look at her go!

She is so proud of herself and loved when a neighbor noticed and told her she was his Hero without her training wheels. We were all going to bike to Friendlys together today to celebrate, but it was a little chilly and definitely windy. But we will do it soon I am sure.

Not sure what Justin is doing here- he was doing some sort of dance with his chalk- he makes me laugh.

A visitor to our yard.

Jessica woke us up last weekend to tell us that there was a mother fox and her baby in the backyard. Well, that got us out of bed. My first question for her was "where is Buddy?". Once I ascertained that he was safe inside we peered out the window. What most concerned me was my understanding that foxes are nocturnal so what in the heck was this one doing hanging in the bright sunlight? Well it seems she has made a den under our shed as well as one under my neighbors shed. We saw her for a few days in a row but not in the past few. As soon as she catches a glimpse of us she takes off.



pardon the poor quality pics but I wasn't getting any closer to get a good shot :)

Letterboxing

We first heard about Letterboxing from the Hartzogs last year. Jessica told me when Devin and Julia first told her about it she thought it might involve boxing each other while trying to grab letters out of each others pockets. I am happy to report it does not involve either of those actions. In a nutshell: there are boxes with stamps and notebooks hidden in various places. You follow the clues to find the box and then you stamp your personal stamp into their notebook and stamp their stamp into yours. It is a fun treasure hunt. I thought the kids might like it and it might get us out more (of course as I write this it is Sunday afternoon and we have gone no where today).

Last Sunday we headed out to the Ludlow Reservoir, one of our favorite places to take a walk. I looked the location on the letterboxing site and found 3 different boxes that are placed at the reservoir. The first one is at the 1mile mark and that is as far as we have ever walked so we decided to try that one. We headed out on our adventure. We got the 1 mile mark and follwed the directions- take 6 paces (one pace = 2 steps- info that Sandy on Survivor could have used) then on your left look behind a hard wood tree for another tree with its roots growing over a rock. So far so good. Then we had to reach under the rock and remove a smaller rock and the box was supposed to be in there. I took a deep breath- please let it be there- they would not have been impressed with this at all if nothing was there. But Voila! or Walla! as Justin says we found the box. Very fun and exciting. We put the box back and hid it behind the rock again. As we were heading back on the path I realized I forgot to take pics. So here is one of them by the rock- it is hidden next to Justin's left foot.


It is supposed to be this secretive thing- because pretty sure the reservoir people wouldn't be pleased to know there are a few tupperware containers hiding in the forest. Justin, of course, has a hard time keeping it to himself. As we were leaving he asked some passersby if they were looking too and he showed them where to look. They smiled and nodded because they had NO idea what the crazy boy carrying the stick was talking about. As the weather gets nicer I think we will go on some more hunts.

Marc's Big Pile

I have been meaning to blog about this for awhile but I am just now getting around to doing it. Back at the beginning of the month we got this freak 8 inch snowstorm. We knew it wouldn't be around for very long since 50 degree temps were predicted for later in the week. By this time the sled run was no longer in existence either, but the big pile was still holding on. Marc went out to snowblow the driveway. He was out there for a VERY long time. The kids had already returned inside and still I heard the snowblower. "What is Daddy doing?" I ask. "He is making a really big pile!" they answer. So I go to look out the window. Yes they were right. Marc did not stop at snowblowing the driveway he went on to snowblow the entire front yard- what people must think of us. Here is a picture of the snow pile the next morning.

Just to put it into perspective...

Here is a very quick and not very good photoshop merge of Justin sliding down the backside of this pile.

Now the best thing about this massive pile of snow is that it will be here for awhile. So our huge pile of ammunition for snowball fights will probably last the rest of the month. We have snowball makers and snoflings that are used in these battles. Watch out Andrew! I think Justin just threw a ball at you!

Nope, Justin takes no joy in throwing snow at people, not at all :)

Not to be forgotten

Justin was playing with legos today and I was playing around with my camera. He came up to show me something and I snapped this one- sorry it is so close up but that's Justin!

My Big Girl!

Here she is! My beautiful 8 year old girl.

We had a fairly mellow day yesterday. She opened her presents in the morning and while those entertained her I headed out to take pictures of a little newborn baby. When I returned we went outside to enjoy the unseasonable 60 degree weather. Her school PTA was hosting a roller skating party in the afternoon. Luckily she got new roller blades for her birthday. So after two hours of skating fun (yes I skated for almost 2 hours as well) we headed home for her birthday dinner. This year she requested Pizza Hut stuffed crust pizza for her birthday dinner. Dee admits to being relieved to not have to eat the Macaroni and Cheese and Grilled Cheese that she has requested in the past.

Jessica has decided to have a summer birthday party this year. Very impressed that she is putting off her birthday celebrations but she and Justin are very excited to have a joint party this year.

One more day- age 7.

Now we are into the age when I was blogging already, so I am pretty sure all of these pictures are repeats for my long time blog readers. It is harder to get "candid" pics of Jessica because she is a big poser- but it is something I have appreciated as I have worked on my photography.




Tomorrow is the big day. The presents are piling up waiting to be opened!

Jessica age 6.

Can you believe I forgot to post Jessica age 6 pictures yesterday?? Were you so sad? Did you keep checking to see when they would go up? NO? I am shocked.

A few weeks before Jessica turned 6 she lost her first tooth when we were in Florida. So I need to include that picture.

For her 6th birthday she had a 12 dancing princesses party (I made those skirts- well except for Addies- right Emily?).

oops forgot some important ones

Can't believe I chronicled year 5 and forgot the first day of Kindergarten pictures! Here she is running to the bus stop. I was so afraid she would wipe out and I told her to slow down. She said she couldn't because her feet were making her go that fast- man was she excited.

Here she is getting off the bus in the afternoon.
For the record she has been permanently scarred by the fact that she wore a skirt and sandals on the first day AND it was gym day- both are no-nos. I doubt you will see Jess in a skirt on the first day of school for many years to come.

Jessica age 5!

This is the picture we used for Jessica's 5th birthday party invite- holy over exposed and out of focus Batman!
Taken in August- she was working on her posing.

One of my favorites from our OBX vacation that year.

Here she is my big Kindergartener!

Four days until Jessica turns 8- time for 4 year old Jessica!

This is the picture we used for her birthday party invitation the year she turned 4- can you guess the theme? I made that hook- can you tell? almost looks real, right? She is trying to look fierce!
This picture was taking in August. Goodness her hair used to be so blond, especially at the end of summer. She is truly a light brunette now but Jessica still thinks of herself as a blonde. I told her that was ok because Aunt Kathy still thinks she is a blonde too :)
Oh wait- I tried, but I can't stand the 2005 processing on the above picture (think I needed to clean that lens or what?). Hold on...

- phew this is so much better... ahhhh

Here are some from my own attempt at taking the "holiday" picture of my kids. I was very into the "soft" filter at the end of the process for awhile.
One more...

... dang I tried to let it go, but I just couldn't. still can't quite salvage my soft focus...

Look at those hands! they look like baby hands.

Manj- I could totally talk you through my processing but you would need some working knowledge of Photoshop- got that?

Jessica age 3!

There are two things I think of when I think of Jessica at age 3. The first was her smile for the camera. It was a diagonal smirk and often included one eye closed. The second thing was this huge mane of hair that she had. Marc did not like to have her hair cut. He used to growl at my friend Karen when she came over to cut her hair. So we were left with this huge knotty tangled mess most of the time. This picture captures both of those things.

Then a few months after she turned 3 Jessica took matters into her own hands and cut 6 inches off the side of her hair. Here she is quite proud of her handiwork.

Then end result after I rushed her to Karen for hair 911.

Here is my cutie, her hair slowly growing out in the fall.

I found this picture in the January folder which means she was only 2 month away from turning 4. a) it is clear my photography hobby has begun because there is a backdrop and b) Marc was losing the short hair debate in our house at this time.

Now seeing the above picture as it was, SOOC (straight out of camera for you non-photog types), was tough for me. I have come along way in my processing of photos so I had a go at it with my 2009 skills. What do you think? Taking the picture is only part of the puzzle- knowing what to do with it also plays just as an important role.

Black and White anyone?

Jessica age 2!

Here she is at her second birthday party. It was a Sesame Street theme with an Elmo cake and Dee found this adorable cookie monster dress for her to wear.

This is taken a few weeks before Justin was born and with our new spiffy digital camera.

Here she is meeting her baby brother for the first time (man I wish her hair was still this cute).

This is one of my favorite pictures of us together. After Justin was born she went through a very "needy" phase- a Mama is my best friend stage. This was taken after I had gone away for a night with some friends and she was quite happy to see me return.