all sorts of fun...

Snow kicker 2010

JD doing an awesome jump.

The boys

Ruby and John

Ruby LOVED sledding. She could have gone a zillion times. Here she is with Soph at the top of the hill. So cute! She screamed happily down each run!

Ruby, not sure what she is wearing, or doing..

Ella and Sophie

Parker, being Parker

Thanks friends for such a fun day! It was so fun to hang out with everyone!

the marathon birthday

My little baby turned six! How is it possible? It was days of celebration. How fun!! John decided that birthdays are just perfect for someone like Sophie, someone who loves the extra one on one attention, that truly she doesn't get a lot of. I told him that "oldest children and their needs" are still a mystery to me. He he he. Just kidding.

Soph is seriously becoming such a delightful little kid. I just adore her super big heart, her kindness to her siblings, her cute LOVE for all things fashion and her "over-excitement" to EVERY meal I make. Gotta love her. She is so fun.

Birthday breakfast

Out to lunch with Mom at Zupas.

Getting her ears pierced! So fun!

Birthday cake and presents at Grams with both sets of grandparents and some family!

The super exciting first (and maybe only) pet: Naranja the fish.

The birthday party "up do" from Lauren, the hair professional.

Cute Lauren, gave all the girls a fancy hair do!

A tea party lunch with hair do's and manicures

And the dolls included, they were invited for lunch

The darling crew for the party!

(thanks jenny for the idea. i copied abby's party without you even knowing it!)

Happy birthday Soph! What a fun couple of days.... We love you!!

And how could I forget? A sleepover at Mushie's with breakfast at The original Pancake House.

Good grief. Her 7th birthday is sure to be a let down.

Happy Valentines Day

For your listening pleasure this Valentines day, a few of our favorite love songs.
5- Time After Time- Eva Cassidy. Skillfully combines two of my deepest "cred-busting" loves- coffee shop folk and top 40 pop music. Could be a minute or two shorter, still pretty solid.


4- I Will- The Beatles. One of my fav love songs, which isn't saying a whole lot because I don't really love a bunch of love songs. Also one of my favorite Beatles songs. Now that's saying something.


3- God Only Knows- The Beach Boys. Beautiful song and sentiment. Considered by some* to be the only thing close to "the perfect sound."

(*listen to "At That Day" by Paul Jacoben and the Madison Arm.)

2- Slow Show- The National. One of Ashley's all time favorite songs. Can't fault the girl's taste here. "you know I dreamed about you, for 29 years before I saw you."


1- The Book of Love- Magnetic Fields. Maybe John's number one pick. Peter Gabriel just released a cover which seems to be getting some play. I haven't heard it yet. Can't imagine it topping the original though.


Happy Valentine's day.

Secret Agents....

I have been laughing to my self all night. You see, this afternoon Parker and Sophie started calling themselves secret agents. I wanted in on the fun, at first only because they would actually listen to me if I referred to myself as "Secret Agent Mom". Then... I realized that they actually wanted me to send them on Secret Missions. Oooooh, it got fun. Let's see..

1. Secret Mission Clean the entire Playroom

2. Secret Mission Clean the downstairs

3. Secret Mission Get in Pajamas

4. Secret Mission Brush your teeth

5. Secret Mission Go to Bed.

Bad Mom or Good Mom? The jury is still out. But truth be told, I actually haven't laughed that hard with my kids in a long time.

And the playroom is totally clean.

Now, where on earth do I find a "Secret Agent" to clean dinner up, and scrub my bathrooms?

I like Wednesdays.

I like Wednesday. It is currently my favorite day of the week. Here is why:

1. It is the only night during the week that both John and I have nothing. No Young Womens, no soccer league, no guitar classes, no dance... nada.

2. Good tv. Loving Modern Family.

3. I never cook on Wednesdays and yet...

This is the meal that appeared at my doorstep tonight. Roasted chicken with balsamic bell peppers on top of mashed potatoes. Oh, and a heavenly side of green beans with toasted almonds on top. And do not forget the yummy twelve grain bread.

Nope, not the Schwan's man. Or Nutrisystem.

One year ago my neighbor/friend Tatiana and I invented our own food swap. I cook two nights a week for both the families, and she cooks two nights a week for both our families. It is glorious. It isn't that much harder once you are cooking to just make double. I am not sure if either of us knew it would last this long, but it has, and we LOVE it. It works because we cook very similarly, we aren't trying to out-do each other (though tonight I might believe otherwise) and we only occasionally throw in a dessert. Good life.

Sweet, sweet Wednesdays. I love you. And I love you "Tatnana!"

*photo and recipe courtesy of Cooking Light

gingerbread men

Thanks Gummy for the Gingerbread boys tutorial. It was a perfect afternoon, much needed at our house. A good break in the routine with good company. (Why are there no pictures of you and I, Adrianne?) Best part of all, I still have dough and frosting in the fridge for another sinfully good batch. Yum.

p.s. Sophie did her own hair... rockin' the sweet headband made out of ribbon! he he.

a couch of her own

I am lucky. I'm lucky because I have five amazing sisters. It is really fun, sometimes a hair dramatic, but mostly really fun. My actual youngest sister is Lauren. ( Younger than her is Naomi, who is actually my cousin but my parents have custody... enter long story for another day.) Lauren is cool because she is just as beautiful on the inside as she is outside. She is happy and nice and she is just so fun to be around. I was at the perfect age, 9 1/2, when she was born, for instant bonding. I loved toting her around, getting her dressed, setting her up in photo shoots with all my stuffed animals, and sneaking her out of time-out. Ya know, the things you do with little siblings. She was such a fun "baby" of the family because she kept us all young at heart.
She was a funny little kid who loved things "her" way. She had her "own" couch that only she could sit on while she watched Elmo or that darn "pink video" of young children singing primary songs. She was the youngest and super cute so of course she got away with it. We loved her!
Ruby today showed her deep down rebellious side. She avoided the nap completely even after two long (1 hour each) attempts by me. Delirious, but awake, she was finally rescued. She then went straight to the couch, took off all the pillows and blanket and sat down cross-legged and held the remote at the TV. I turned on a show and she sat there and watched. (Thank you Yo Gabba Gabba.)

Just like this. No joke. I did not pose her. She did this all on her own. She has never even watched a show before or given the TV any attention really, I mean she is one for crying out loud.

I tried to sit with her. So did Parker. So did Soph. We were all pushed away with intensity. She wanted her own couch. It reminded me of someone I love very very much. And if Ruby turns out anything like Lauren I will be so happy!