My nice clean sewing area got entirely usurped this evening.  Nothing like having a hot glue gun right where you've been putting finished projects!

A full day yesterday.  His very first hockey game at the rink.  Breakfast afterwards at the Chelsea.  Later skating on the Meadows.  Smooth perfect ice almost all the way out to the Connecticut River.  It was pretty magical and perfect.

Instead of getting dressed for school this morning they were very sweetly discussing star wars legos.  Way better than the yelling, fighting shenanigans that seem all too frequent recently.

This boy right here has a new obsession.  (We'll count it even though he still likes to talk about Star Wars while he is doing it.)  He carries his yarn around from room to room (like me) and couldn't even stop long enough to eat his breakfast this morning.  Hooray for finger knitting!

We went to the 3rd annual Gingerbread House Party last weekend.  I was so impressed with Davey's staying power and his aesthetic.  It felt like an initiation into bigboyhood.

The indoor warmth of a fireside dinner and decorating the tree certainly helped ward off the overwhelming darkness outside.

It was a windy, cold, frozen day on the hill.  Still, we though half of Bratt would be there.  I mean, it was the first snowfall of Winter.  I guess only the hardiest (or craziest) among us even tried!

With 8 plus inches outside, today's ups and downs were smoothed out under the falling snow.  Now everything is beautiful.

Just another day of carting children around ... 
to-and-fro...
to-and -fro... 
to-and-fro...
Davey's long rambling stories keep me entertained, though.

The star wars  o b s e s s i o n  continues. 
(Click on the photo to see it up close.)

What a wonderful way to celebrate the first snowfall.  Up on our land, walking through the woods, with that unique type of peacefulness that only falling snow can bring.  

My sweetest, bestest, smartest, strongest, most handsome loving boys...

The library was a bustling place this afternoon.  Good thing, too.  No one cared about a little blond boy throwing a near full blown tantrum on the floor in the middle of the children's section.  At least they had the book we came for. The Gingerbread Man saved the day.

After battling the swine flu (I think), I am finally feeling back to myself.  The novelty of being a part of everyday life again is already starting to wear off, though.  Bills.  Ugh.

Yeah, who wanted that cool hornet nest we got down from the front tree, anyway?  Smashing it with a rock is soooo much more satisfying than calm admiration. (I wanted the hornet nest!)

My very first Thanksgiving dinner.  Massive mess cleared off of the redwood table?  Check.  Shopping done?  Check.  I am feeling pretty good about this.  Festive, even. 

Oh, how to tell if those cries of "help" are legitimate...

It didn't rain that much last night!  After intense bailing, very cold feet, paddling to the boat ramp, and pulling it up onto the trailer, our boat rescue was complete.  Thank goodness for the unseasonably warm day and glorious sunshine.  Maybe next year we won't wait until November 20th to take out the boat.  Maybe.

Lower Elementary's Annual Poetry/Movement/ Music Performance

I could see him obsessively licking his lips from accross the room.  It was the only clue that he was nervous.  Then he stood up twice and performed as part of a small group (once with a drum and once as a "dancer").  It was amazing.

Perhaps I expected too much of an impromptu after school playground trip.  A few smiles followed, but were short-lived.  The sun had dropped so suddenly, too, turning a warm afternoon into a surly, cranky scene!

The leaf fairy seems to have been to every house but mine!
She also forgot to take

the slowly rotting pumpkins...

This little man stayed home from "cool" sick today.  He recovered

enough for a rousing bubble bath this afternoon, though. Mostly

perked up by that point, he kept saying with feeling, "I need to lay  

my head down because I am really, really, really sick." 
Cue my stifled laughter!

I thought that candlelight

might subdue the intense rowdy energy

that bounds right into dinner time.

Actually, it worked quite well.

Oh, yeah...I'm playing with fire...

folding laundry and drinking red wine at the very same time.

I guess I have to put a little excitement into my Friday night!

Seeing the gaping hole in his mouth, I can suddenly and clearly remember having one in my own.  How big those new teeth are, just waiting for the face to catch up!

My little sickie stayed home today with a stomach bug.  First time throwing up in his almost 7 years!  He is already on the mend, though, and basking in the doting mommy care!

 

ALL days recently are filled with the shriek of

"I can do it by myself!!!  Hmph."

Lots of deep breaths are required on my part.

testing, testing