Monday, November 30, 2009

Joy (to the World) Ride


So, we started getting all the Christmas stuff out. Well, I started. I plan to just get out those things that Claire and Finn will not destroy, but enough for Duncan to feel like we have decorated. The Little People Nativity is always a big hit, and I'm not at all nervous about them breaking it. Unlike the ceramic one my grandmother made at least thirty years ago, where two years ago the baby Jesus ended up in the Little People Farm silo for about ten days before he was located. So, as you can see, the Wise Men and Joseph took out the convertible and hit the town the other night. I suppose they were just trying to keep him occupied and keep his mind off the new baby coming.

I have strung three strands of outdoor lights and have many more to string before Duncan's thirst for decorative lighting is satisfied.

Tomorrow is the first day we will use our Advent Calendar so I need to get cracking on that, too. Not sure what we'll do about a tree but we will figure that out as well. We threw ours away last year and so need a new one. Perhaps a real one? I will let you know.
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Friday, November 20, 2009

Crafty Crafters who Craft


Okay, in the interest of full disclosure, I did not make this from scratch. Other very crafty ladies came up with the concept and design, and got all the tiny little parts for us, but I walked around the room at MOPS today and glued it all together and stuck the magnets on my muffin tin. That's gotta count for something.

But aint it da bomb???
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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Fall Fun


It was not long after the fun that Claire was buried in leaves and started crying...loudly. But it was lots of fun for a few minutes!
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Saturday, November 14, 2009

Usually when I am lying in bed at night I will think of a relatively clever (for me, anyway) title and accompanying content to blog about. Then I actually sleep, wake up and sit in front of my computer and got nuthin'. This past week has been up and down. Last Sunday was good. We all went to church (as an aside, I must start getting things ready the night before. Am going to do that tonight! It's on my list!) and then came home and spent the day as a family. It was really nice. I cannot recall one single thing we did, but I do know it was a good day. I believe the Cowboys played that night and won. Even better.

No one was sick all week so we made it to school every day, the park a few days, church on Wednesday and Iain and I got to go to Marriage One on One last night at church which involves dropping all three kids off for childcare (frrrreee!), attending a (almost always) fun and interesting speaker/topic for about 45 minutes, then being turned loose for two hours to ourselves to go to dinner and talk about said topic. Last night's topic was basically managing family during the holidays. Nuclear and extended. We are lucky in that our families get along great, and there's never been any pressure from either side for us to drop one in order to spend time with the other. In fact, when we have both sides all together it's always great fun. We did decide that Iain and I need to make some decisions on what we want to do every year with our little nucleus, then build around that with our families. We are also lucky in that everyone is within about a 45 minute drive.

We also are starting to make some decisions on what to do with Duncan for kindergarten in the fall. 9 months away, people. Not even enough time for us to do a round of infertility treatment and have a baby. Cuz, that's the way he have 'em around here. Takes about a full calendar year for the whole gestation. So, next week I need to call to set up a tour of the school we hope to get him into and get the paperwork we need so that we can go talk to the principal of the school we do not want him to go to. I'm excited to have made a decision, but nervous that we don't really have a backup plan other than probably sell our house and move. I'm also starting to like the idea of staying in this very small house for a while. Why??? I think because it feel safe, and familiar. But, the biggest drawback for me is that there are NO kids on the whole street for him to play with. A prayer, perhaps. Please, Lord, let my child have friends in the neighborhood.

In the heartbreak department, a dear sweet friend lost her brother and only sibling yesterday morning in a shocking circumstance. I am saddened and walk around thinking of her, in the midst of all my not so serious stuff. Love you, friend.
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My Review of Kiddy Kaddy Stroller Tray

Originally submitted at One Step Ahead

No stroller tray? No problem! With our universal stroller tray, baby can travel with drinks and snacks at hand. It straps right to the safety bar when you need it, then folds up small when you don't. With two cup holders, snack holder, and two Velcro® toy tethers. Imported.


Wish I'd Read the Reviews!

By Mom to twins+1 from Dallas, TX on 11/14/2009

 

2out of 5

Gift: No

Pros: Easy to Set Up, Lightweight, Durable

Cons: Hard To Adjust

Best Uses: Toddlers

Describe Yourself: Parent of Multiples (Twins etc), Parent of Two or More Children

These are not terrible, but also not great! A bit awkward to fit on and they don't seem to be a good size. I have a Combii double stroller and thought they would be a good solution to the "no tray" issue. Wrong. Okay to hold a sippy cup or water bottle, but I'll keep looking.

(legalese)

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Happy Halloween

I'm just too tired to come up with anything even close to clever. But, we had a great Halloween. Started the day off with a birthday party at the park with lots of friends (Duncan as well as myself) and pumpkin painting. Came home, cleaned up a bit, and had a little party of our own. It was more fun than I'd expected and I think we'll do it again next year. I hope from a bigger house, but we'll see. Claire and Finn hung in there and partied with the rest of us ghosts and goblins. Duncan, though, had the most fun of all. He loves having company and even though no one knew what he was (Sportacus, of Lazy Town) he didn't care because he has confidence. I'm sure once the cool gene kicks in he will want to be something that all his friends recognize, but this year he was secure in his costume of obscurity. Everything is just more fun with kids. Lots of them. I think at one point there must have been 8 or 9 of them in Duncan's very tiny, over furnitured room and they were having a blast. And, no matter how small, people always end up in your kitchen.

Friend Ashley, Sportacus, and a Star Wars clone. What are those things? I live under a rock.

















Witches fingers. Proud party moment.

















Awesome friend Diana with Claire.
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