"Somethin's goin on out there"...

The above quote is one Jim heard during our first stint here in the midwest. He was referring to a gentleman who was referring to the weather at the time. And here we are, nine years later still quoting that stranger!

If the weather predictions are correct we should be bracing ourselves for a pretty big storm set to hit in a day or two. Storms like this used to make me nervous, "what if we run out of food?, what if I can't get out of the house?, what if we run out of food?" And then, I have to take a breath and realize that it won't be a storm forever. It will pass. The snow won't be melting until March but the plow and salt man will clear the way until the next big storm hits.

And so, here we are on that eve. Refrigerator is stocked, salt bag is full and ready by the door, and cell phone set to the school for notifications of delays and cancellations.

In fact I know it's officially winter here when it's the plow and/or a snow blower waking me up instead of one of my children. That's when I take a quick peek out the window, see what kind of damage has been done and promptly jump back into bed all excited that we might get to stay home that day and just play, and not have to worry about getting snow gear on and getting to school.

Snow gear is so much more fun when we don't have to wear it. Like on the way up to school I bundle up even the girls so they can stay warm and Sara although a little bulky is fine b/c she has the cush of the stroller and this morning blessed me by taking a little cat nap.

It's Ella Jane that is a little draining. She is expected to walk unless I have Sara in the wrap and she certainly lets me know she is not happy about that arrangement. So up and back we go with more than a bit of whining... but I've come to quickly realize it's nothing a little hot chocolate and candy cane can't fix when we walk through the door.

Gingerbread House Compound

Complete with bed, pillow, gingerbread man, wiring for a telephone, gutter and stack of wood.

as well as a few nibblers and hard workers...

"Mama?...

Some of your teeth look golden."

Said my sweet 6 year old.

Thank you dear.

Go Spartans!

We trekked up to St. Paul yesterday to cheer on our very own UD girls in the NCAA DIV.III soccer finals. Six hours up. Six hours back. Oy. But we came prepared.

DVD player-check!

Arts and Crafts-check!

Picture books-check!

Snacks-check!

Patience???-check!

The girls didn't get the win they were hoping for but it was fun to make the effort and show our support!

Jacks and bits...

A little late, but here is the cutie little picture of the kids' jack-o-lanterns. New this year, Matthew and Ella Jane have both taken pleasure in dropping them over the deck and watching them go SPLAT! Perhaps we have a new tradition to uphold.

(Matthew on the left, Ella Jane on the right)

Haven't written in awhile because I feel like I'm back in the trenches of motherhood. When the big kids were still little kids I was in the trenches and wondering when in the heck I would ever see light. Then I left for a year, maybe even two.

Now I'm back!

The big kids argue. A lot. And Sara is in between that stage of wanting to do it herself yet still wanting to hold onto mama. So, if you call between the hours of 4:00-6:00pm, chances are you'll hear her crying in the background as I try and get dinner on the table and keep the other two from killing each other!

But, there are fun moments in between all this madness. Like this one below. Sara is more than thrilled that she is becoming a big kid too and has the privilege of walking the culdesac with her sister. So cute.


And then there is Ella Jane and her dress up. She's never taken ballet but she likes to dress up and pretend and the tights and the boots were just too much. Had to snap a memory of that.

Matthew is a voracious reader these days and at times can be seen walking around the house with book in hand from time to time. I'm amazed at his ability to retain what he's read even though he reads it so quickly.

(He's in the middle of pushing the chair to the counter so that he can climb up and make his lunch for school...eyes glued)

Nearly three weeks ago now, I set off a geyser in our master bathroom. And I mean geyser like water shooting up to the ceiling and wreaking all sorts of havoc.

The good news is we no longer have a leaky faucet.

The bad news is we no longer have a faucet due to the fact that since so much damage was done, we figured now was the time to gut and remodel. So, it's bare bones in there until we can come up with a new design and find the time to learn how to redo a bathroom. Mmm... this could take awhile.

Well, I'm out of things to say.

Goodnight!

Pumpkin time...

but first, I'm glad to be hauling around my youngest like this again! When I see her legs in this picture I'm amazed at how big girl she looks. She is a year and a half after all. The last time she used this wrap though was about 6 months ago and she was just smaller then.

She's my outdoor girl, always finding her way to the stroller in the garage telling me she wants to go for a walk, so when she sees me get out the wrap she drops what she is doing and comes running. It's so funny. And when she was a baby and I'd get out the Bjorn, she'd pump her arms and legs up and down in excitement. So funny. (And she really isn't naked underneath; Wouldn't that be uncomfortable!)






Anyway...

So, here we are carving pumpkins on our day off from school this week. It was a definite highlight for the kids. And me too really. I'm glad to finally be able to create memories that they will remember from year to year!

This is Matthew's face that we carved. You can't see it in this picture but at one point I found Matthew jabbing his pumpkin with a carving spoon. I had no idea what he was doing, I was just glad to see that it was a spoon and not a knife. He matter a factly informed me that his pumpkin was wearing a belt. And could I do the rest of it? Because his hand was tired. So I completed the belt which looks like the little half dome of an upside down spoon!

...and this is Ella Jane's. I absolutely adore the way she makes people. It's very cute and this little drawing just screams her name. Notice the hair on the sides.

the good stuff...according to Jim who likes to toast the seeds.

And sorry to leave you hanging with no picture of the final product! Perhaps tomorrow night before we trick or treat I'll get out there and take pictures of our new Jack-O-Lanterns.

Can you guess what we did...

We don't do this very often but when we do, the kids come running. And after it's over the room smells like shaving cream! Nice and clean. The weather is starting to turn the corner over here reminding us that winter is not far off. I already know more of these indoor activities are on the horizon...

The kids love this activity and it was the first time Sara was able to get in on it. And get in on it she did! The clean up was another story...these pictures were taken at the beginning of the play time. We were covered by the time we were done but we had fun while doing it.

Filling frames...

It's a daunting task at this house. At least for me it is. Jim? not so much. I usually have an idea of what I want to put in the frame, but when it comes right down to it, I can never decide which one to choose. I've just got too many favorites and then become too critical of the one I actually do want to frame!

As a result, I've been pouring over photographs the last week or two and here are a few (okay more than a few) I wish I could look at everyday.

It seems I have a budding photographer on my hands. Matthew took the two below of Ella Jane and my stepdad reading.

I could go on and on peeps...