A Quiet and Relaxing January

This year has gotten off to a relaxing start! We've spent cozy days at home and have had very low key weekends - it's been wonderful! Lots of playing, inventing games and creativity happening around here! 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes the kids prefer to eat breakfast standing at the counter! 

 

 

While playing at the park joe started showing off his muscles and did some pull-ups on the monkey bars. I then told Jack I would try and I failed miserably..ha but As Jack watched me struggle (big time!) he said "it's ok mama you are strong enough!"

 

 

While working on a project together I pulled out the hot glue gun and explained to Jack what it is.  After telling him all about it he responds:  "Oh mama we just don't say guns in our house. You could call it a hot glue fire scope!"

 

What are you up to Jack?

"I'm building the Hudson avenue building that we own"

What do we do in that building 

"We fix toys and it's right on our street!!"

 

 

I have started a sticker chart for the kids to help them leave their blankies upstairs all day and to stop carrying them around. I told jack at the end of each week he gets to pick a prize when/if he has filled up each day with a sticker. I told him to think hard about what prize he wants after the first week and he said "I would like to make a cheetah mask with Papa! Can that be my prize?" (For now I'll let Jack decide the prize because I was for sure going to take him to the store to buy something!!) Elisabeth does not like to be left out so they made her an elephant mask! 

 

 

Monkey See Monkey Do!

Elisabeth is Jack's shadow and the monkey see monkey do business is in full swing! She watches him and copies him all day and it's so adorable! She lights up when she can be just like Jack! When she is successful in doing just what jack can do then she calls for him to come watch!

 

 

Jack told me today "Mama, Elisabeth thinks I am really cool and that makes me feel so special!" 

 

 

 

 In the morning I can hear Elisabeth from her bed yelling "Jack! Jack!" And I hear Jacks tired voice from his bed respond "yes Elisabeth" until she says it so much that he pulls himself out of bed to go be with her in her room. They then giggle and talk and play! 

 

 

 

Happy New Year!

2017! Wow time is flying! As I order my blog in printed book form I realize this is the start of my 5th book! That's so hard to believe! 2016 was a beautiful year for us full of so many memories and great family time! I feel we spent more weekends playing, building friendships and relaxing and less time focused on our to do list! It was a year of growth and family! 

 

I just love the few weeks around Christmas! My office closes between Christmas and New Year so it forces me to take a break from being at work and just focus on my family! It is the best! And this year with Amy and Zhenya in town we did nothing but family and I loved every second of it!

 

 

 

 

 

As we start the new year with a 3 year old and a 1.5 year old I feel grateful and blessed for my little family and for the new memories we will get to create this year! 

 

They are developing such a great friendship and watching them together warms my heart! Lately Elisabeth wakes up and calls for jack from her room to his. He climbs out of bed and runs into her room and sits next to her bed. They talk, sing and giggle. I can hear all this happening from downstairs and I never want to interrupt it! Those moments are so special!

 

 

 

(It was warm the other day and the kids were helping us wash the cars)

 

 

This is what dinners look like around our house! A full table with lots of conversation and singing!