A Week and 1/2 at a Glance

Sorry for the lag between posts...

We've had a really nice Christmas and vacation.

Here's some highlights:


Noah's school Christmas progam the night before vacation











Our first Christmas morning in our house (before heading to all the grandparents)












Christmas Eve with Nonnie and Papa












Tim attempting his first raw quahog to impress my dad and grandfather












...and trying really hard to keep it down!












The boys enjoying their new DS's











Christmas Day at Nana and Da's house











Later in the week, we visited our good friends in Portland, ME who are moving soon











Other events not pictured, a Polar Express party with our neighbors, a post-Christmas Party at Bethann's, an outing to see Alvin and the Chipmunks, and another cool science museum visit. Tonight, New Year's Eve, we are keeping it low-key... ordered in some burritos (tried for Chinese but the lines were out the door!) and are about to watch an Ewok movie, courtesy of Uncle Jay and Lindsay. The boys are so into Star Wars these days. I've even had to ban "Star Wars talk" from the dinner table.

Anyway, tomorrow is the last day of vacation. It's been some really nice family time. Now, time for back to school. And I've gotta get myself ready for the new part-time job!



Happy New Year friends! May it be a year filled with good health and happiness. xo

Fudge and Fowl

What a busy week... getting gifts ready, subbing, school programs, late night work projects (Tim), making, baking, interviewing (me). The beginning of the week, I made some yummy fudge for teachers and others (thanks to Nana's great recipe). I also spent some time sewing up some birdies to add a little handmade goodness to presents.

Later in the week, I got offered a part time teaching job at a small private school close by. After working out the details with Tim and our parents, I decided to accept the job. I will be teaching PE and Life Skills 3 days a week for just a few hours for a variety of grade levels. I am excited for this opportunity, but a bit nervous for the change too. I'll start right after Christmas vacation. Let's see, what else. Oh, yeah, snow. More slippery snow today... another 6 inches or so! It'll be a white Christmas.

Feels like 2 degrees

We've got about 2 feet of frozen snow on the ground. Roads are covered with ice. 2 hour school delay. Major windchill... and, it is NOT even officially winter yet!

You Realize You've Been a Stay at Home Mom...

for 6 1/2 years, when you get a call to substitute teach tomorrow, and it takes you over 45 minutes to find an outfit to wear!

"Awesome Museum," by Noah

hi. this is noah. we went to the boston museum of science today. we saw a dinosaur sculpture and we saw a model of a giant bug and its organs. we went to a lightening show and it was loud! and it was awesome! at the live animal show, we saw a gecko and a boa... my two favorite animals. i love the science museum ("put lots of exclamation points, mom")!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



under the t-rex model


view of the city from the museum


talking with daddy about the giant kraken (giant underwater squid)


(mommy whispers, "thanks for this great museum pass, nana. the boys don't know it's a christmas gift from you yet!")

freakin' out (in a good way!)

I am SO excited! Look at what arrived in my mailbox today! A handmade BEAUTIFUL bag from Jen for my upcoming 32nd (gulp) birthday. A few weeks ago, I dropped some major hints about how I would totally treasure a handmade Jen bag ... I'm glad I did :). I love it! I love it! I love it! Thank you so much, my friend. xo I am very excited to use it!

baby, it's cold outside

yesterday, we had a two-hour school delay due to the few inches of snow





after school, the boys and our neighbor, sean, were building away


today, they are braving the 20 degree temps to play again! (noah says he feels like i dressed him like the boy in "A Christmas Story, Ezra says he looks like a fisherman with his snow pants like that!)

i think i will stay inside and just watch from the kitchen window...

Handmaking

So, I've been working away on my Christmas cards. For four years now, I've handmade all of my Christmas cards, thanks to the inspiration of Ann. This year I was feeling overwhelmed by the thought of sitting down to make 75 original cards again, (and without my girls around to work together on them!). But, then I took out copies of my cards from the years past. I remembered that I really enjoy this tradition of hand-making each and every card; of taking quiet time out on these cold winter nights to indulge my creative side and send holiday well wishes to loved ones. Just trying to keep it simple and remember to take the time to enjoy the process and the holiday season.

This Morning's beverages...

are making me miss my far-away dear friends...

as i heat up chocolate soy milk for the boys before school (ann)

and add fat free condensed milk to my morning coffee (jen)

love you girls

xo

Busy Days

Whew! It's been a busy and eventful past few days. On Thursday, I helped set up for our school's annual Christmas fair, then volunteered in Ezra's class, where his classmates (all 6 of them) sang happy birthday and took home some goodies. That night, we took the boys to the Rainforest Cafe for a birthday dinner and let Ezra open his gifts from us. On Friday, I worked at our Christmas Fair Toy Table from 8am until 8pm, as part of my service credit hours. That night, I took a looong soak in the tub! I worked at the fair again on Saturday from 9am until 2:30pm. When I got home, Tim and I cleaned up the house and playroom for Ez's birthday party on Sunday afternoon. His "Yoda" party included a "Pin the lightsaber on Yoda," a "Darth Vader pinata," and a partial showing of "Return of the Jedi"....AND check out the amazing Yoda cake that Jason and Lindsay made for him! When Ezra called my mother earlier in the week to say that they would be making the cake, he said, "and they are not just going to stick a little character on top of a cake... they are professionals!"



(I had trouble uploading more photos tonight. One of the missing ones included a photo of Ezra and his new (real!) electric guitar and amp from Nana and Da!)

5 Years Old Tomorrow

Where has the time gone, my baby boy. You are loved so very much!

(I may add more photos here later, but I was getting overwhelmed trying to narrow it down to just a few :) Thanks for the idea, Jen)

Sweeny On the Fringe

A VERY big congratulations to our good friend, Dave Robinson, on the publishing of his first book entitled, Sweeney on the Fringe. Last night, we attended his book release party at an Irish Pub in the town where his fantastic ficticious novel takes place. I had the privilege of reading SOTF in it's manuscript format (and even got thanked in the book)! After Dave read some excerpts, and signed many copies, The Soft Drugs helped celebrate with a rockin' set.

Happy 30th Birthday, Ann-Krestene!

I love you and miss you, my friend! Have a wonderful day. Hugs!

Halloween Day

In the afternoon, I went into Noah's 1st grade and read a Halloween story and did a craft with the class.


Noah showed off his descritive writing piece. I love that he used the word, "terrifying!"


Later we celebrated Nonnie's birthday with dinner and cake. Her shirt reads, "I AM the treat :)"


Uncle Matthew, Papa, Daddy and the boys


May the force be with you!! (This picture was taken earlier in the week at a school party.)

Halloween Eve

Ez and Daddy carved "Yoda" Noah named his "Tim"




Then we roasted the seeds with cinnamon, salt and sugar. yum

Trade Ya

I am very excited to have finished a custom pair of fingerless gloves and mittens
for a trade with a very talented jeweler/blacksmith at www.figsandginger.com

I am trading her these for the beautiful "jess necklace"(the first bird necklace you see on your left when you click on the link):

Sleep Deprived

Reason #1: Red Sox

Before moving back, Tim and I never really watched any sports on tv. I played lots of sports growing up, but didn't get into the spectator side of it. That is until the Red Sox made it into the World Series. We, along with most New Englanders, have been up late many nights the past couple of weeks watching our team make it's way to victory! It was suprisingly fun getting to know the players (and finally know who and what everyone was talking about all day :)

Reason #2: Rock and Roll Weekend

Saturday night, Tim's band played an amazing- rocking- super fantastic show in Boston! I got to go since the boys were with my parents from Friday night until Sunday morning. I v ideo taped the show and hopefully I will put up a link to utube soon. Dave and All Smiles also played, so it was a night full of great music and friends!

Now, I am drinking a late afternoon coffee to summon the engery to finish laundry and start dinner.

Cheers

Enjoying a Mild-Weather Fall

Ezra and I enjoyed a trip to our little zoo yesterday... but not before a stop for some hot chocolate and coffee!

The new playful river otters were our favorite

Today we made new friends...

Darjeeling Limited...

Tim and I got to sneak this one in on Sunday afternoon, thanks to Patty so kindly watching the boys for us. Really, really enjoyed it.

5, 6, 7, 8!

Can you say, "All boys hip-hop class" for Ezra!! Tried it out today and LOVED it! He is already excited for the show they will perform in May. I tried to get pictures, but the parents had to wait outside of class. I did peak through the window and see them work on a bunch of old-school break dancing moves!

Sticks and Scanes

So, I've been knitting up a bunch of fingerless gloves lately. I am thinking of trying to get some inventory going and then trying to sell some. We'll see. Not sure where this will take me... but I am having fun thinking about it.

Fall is in the Air!

Okay, I know. I am terrible at keeping up with this. I'll make more of an effort, really I will,... and try to post at least once a week like Jen requested. Well, after several days of temperatures in the 80's and 90's!, the weekend cooled off a bit and made it feel a lot more like Autumn. When we lived out in Seattle, Fall meant an annual trip to the pumpkin patch with our dear friends. This was always a really great time. If you are from New England, however, no Fall is complete without a trip to the apple orchards for some pickin' off the trees and apple donuts, of course. On Saturday, we joined up with our friends, the Brown family, and their "little Noah." The ride out was just beautiful as we watched the red, orange, and yellow leaves pass by our windows. Then today after our soccer game, we ventured out to the Topsfield Fair, another favorite local past time, with Tim's parents. I forgot my camera for that trip, but here's some of the apple picking.





What am I going to do with 20 pounds of McIntosh and Macouns?!...

Apple Crisp from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook (really yummy, no oats, walnuts instead!)