Snow & Stories

Today I took my littlest girlies to a snow and story time at a local ice rink (by local, I mean Woodbridge).

 The ice was roughed up so the kids could walk without slipping and there was a pile of snow for them to play in.

 

Sand toys in the snow!  What a great idea.  It's so simple that I feel silly for not thinking of it before.

 Ellie wasn't much for the snow pile, she liked the push toys best.

Can one-year-olds roll their eyes?  Because it sure looks like that's what she's doing.

Ellie wouldn't keep her actual gloves on and you can see from the previous pictures how cold/red her little hands were so we resorted to socks for at least a little warmth/protection.After their ice time the kids had cookies and hot chocolate while they listened to a story.

 Then we watched the Zamboni demolish/clean up their play space.

 It was pretty fun.  I think we'll do it again next month.

Blast off for babies!

Ellie is loving the rec center class I put her in (at the last minute/out of guilt).  I'm so glad that we have a little time just the two of us every week (well for the next eight at least).

She's took to the balls and slides and parachute much quicker than her sisters did which is kind of nice.

I showed her how to slide down head first on the first day of class.

 She liked it.

Lincoln's cottage and soldier's home

Last week we visited President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldier's Home (cause I had a Groupon that was about to expire).  It was interesting and I think that even Andrew, who didn't want to go in the first place, enjoyed himself.  I learned a lot.  For example, I learned that the Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in states in open rebellion meaning that four states remained where slavery was legal (two outlawed it themselves later, and it officially became illegal in the remaining two and any future states through a constitutional amendment).  

There wasn't much to keep Lainey and Elli entertained, but they did alright.  Alaina enjoyed comparing the pictures of President Lincoln to his image on the penny.  Ellie just tried to run away every chance she got.  I swear she's harder to manage than her sisters were (or maybe I'm just older and more tired in general)./

Alaina was convinced that Lincoln's gloves where actually a map and she wanted it.

New Years Eve

We spent December 31rst at Liberty Mountain's second annual New Year's Eve Party.  The kids loved it.  A hotel room, a magic show, balloon artist, games, and dancing--they appreciated it all.  Plus, this year we had our friends, the Pomeroys, join us which made it even more fun.

I have a no-jumping-on-the-beds-or-couches rule at home.  I always tell my kids "we only jump on beds at hotels."  So, pretty much as soon as we entered our room the Liz was asking to jump, saying "mommy, you said we're only allowed to jump on beds at hotels so can I jump?"  It was a little embarrassing for me that she was said this in front of the front desk clerk that was delivering our porta crib.

We jumped and watched t.v. till Drew finished off his shift, then we headed to the party.  The next picture is from the magic show (same guy and act as last year, but the girls still loved it).

I think Lainey liked petting the magician's bunny (named Prop) more than the show itself.

 

Andrew just loved this game.

My friend, Sharon.

I caught Liz mid "whoo-hoo" in the dance train.

All the girls loved dancing.  The magic show that we watch ended at 10 p.m.  Lainey and Ellie were sleepily lolling in our arms, but as soon as the music came Ellie jumped up to dance (notice Lainey pouting in the background because I'm filming Gabrielle instead of holding Alaina).

Holiday Break

So far the first week back to real life (meaning the girlies are back in school) has gone well enough.  Still, I miss the fun and laid-back schedule of last week.  We had fun:

We spent an evening viewing the temple lights.  It was crazy busy and although we planned on getting there around 5, we actually arrived well after 7.  The line for the creche exhibit was longer than I've ever seen it so we skipped 'em.  Skipped the show too.  Next year I'll actually follow Sarah B's sage advice and show up at 5 p.m. and then head over the Brookville Gardens.

I couldn't find Ellie's gloves, so she wore mine.  She was mystified by them and kept staring at her hands.  O course I spotted Elle's gloves peeking out from under my seat when we returned to the car.

We ate Ikea's free kid's meals two different times, and all I can say about those meatballs is, yuck and I'm shocked I craved them for so many years

We nursed colds, I finally finished putting together the basement (after having dismantled it Christmas Eve), and we spent whole days in our pajamas, even venturing outside to play with coats over our night clothes.

 I packed up all the Christmas gear (now I just need Andrew to help me take down the darn tree).

This angel is one of our recent casualties.  Alaina decapitated it a couple weeks ago and the super glue I used to attach her head makes it look like it has a gushing neck wound.  It made me a little sad because this is from a nativity set we received our first Christmas in DC from Andrew's brother.  It survived one cross-country and three local moves, but it couldn't survive kids.

Liz had a mani-pedi at spa-riffic with her friend.  Liz enjoyed it, but my advice is do not take your daughters there because it is a waste of money even with Groupon.  Lizzie also had a cooking class with another friend which she loved (and which was worth the price we paid).

We played at home.  We also ventured out to the cheapie movies to see Puss in Boots.  Liz and Laines loved it and behaved well.  Ellie, on the other hand, was too young to sit still.  In all it was fun and I was soooo glad I went to first showing when I left the theater and saw the awful line waiting to get in.  Glad I missed that.

Played Uno.

Homemade Christmas

I've tried to make homemade gifts for my family (particularly my girls) each year and I'm loving the tradition.  Santa brings the store-bought stuff.  From Mom, the girlies get stuff painstakingly created.  

This years I decided that, instead of giving the girls money and hauling them to the dollar store or scouting out cheap, non-junk gifts for them on my own, I'd give them two options: earn their own money for a store-bought gift or make one with supplies provided by me.  They chose the second option and it was fun.

Lizzie made treats for her friends (and delivered them with a sparkly store-bought ornament).

 Alaina made treats for her friends too (lollipops between two stapled together gingerbread man cut-outs).

 Lizzie made a "massage shirt" for her dad.  We used it for the first time tonight and it seemed to work fine.  As a sidenote, when Andrew first saw it he commented that it was funny that the bottom of the shirt (the southern most parking lot) look like a bum.  It was not intentional (and unnoticed till Drew pointed it out).

 Alaina made worry balls for her sisters out of rice and balloons.

I let her make one for herself too because I worried that she wouldn't be able to give up the others without it.

Lizzie made t-shirts for her sisters (we printed her drawings onto iron-transfer paper).

 I had nine things on my "homemade to do" list.  I ended up finishing four of them (with lots of help from Andrew, of course): the nativity costumes, a set of beanbags, the playhouse frame, and a wardrobe for the dress-ups.  The wardrobe was a Restore find.  Only $6 for an ikea cupboard and $1.50 for a set of four castors.  Andrew attached the castors, I spray painted the cupboard, and then Andrew re-sprayed it (he'd say "fixed").  When Drew saw my initial work he noticed all the drip marks and said, "What happened?  Didn't you read the instructions before you started painting?"  My response was, "Of course I didn't read the instructions.  Isn't spray paint pretty much self-explanatory?"  Anywho, the girlies love their cabinet and I suppose it's good that I'm learning on play furniture and not the girl's actual bedroom furniture (which is next on our repaint list).