Flying

I didn't grow up celebrating Halloween but I have always been a huge fan of playing dress up. Sometimes a deadline also makes me do something that I wouldn't otherwise make the time for. With two families sick, co-op was canceled for the week so we had a bit of extra time to work with as well. When I asked the older kids what they would like to dress up as this year, Ellie said that she wanted to be a princess swan and Peter, who initially said that he wanted to be an electrician (?) said, rather predictably, that he would like to be an airplane. Ellie already had a white ballet-type dress that was a good base and I figured that some cardboard, duct tape and paint would do it for Peter.

In the spirit of involving them in the creation process, I cut out the crown and Ellie decorated it.

Painting gold glitter onto the swan's crown

Peter said that he wanted stripes, words and glitter. He somewhat halfheartedly dripped a few drops of red glitter on the wings and tail and went back to smearing on the paper that he was working with. Oh, well.

The PPE airline decorated as per request--with red glitter raindrops

A great use for those too-long suspenders. The clips held pretty well but required some adjusting after going up or down stairs. The wings were proportional to the body, which meant that they were too wide to get through gates or narrow walkways. Peter got really good at gauging whether or not he could fit through and we made a pretty good navigating team.

Can I go fly yet, mommy?

It fits!

Wings, crown and tail feathers from a dismantled feather boa. We also started reading The Trumpet of the Swan this week so there were lots of swan sounds echoing through the house and yard.

See my wings!

Koh-hoh!

We took the obligatory pictures and finally turned them loose.

High-yi up in the sky...

When your heart is full and your brain is busy

Share pictures, right?

Easter Eggs

Peter's first year coloring eggs. They drew designs on the eggs with crayons--Peter chose green and Ellie chose pink (of course).
Wearing wings, showing off her drawing:

Drying off the yellow egg:

Mommy helped a little bit:

Ladling in and out of dye:

Adding stickers:

Inessa in her Easter dress:

She cooperated with the egg coloring by napping.

Summer Dancing Bird

 When a three year old dresses herself in character, you have to wonder how colorful she is on the inside too.

"I'm flying!"

This is my view a lot of the time.

For the record, that is butterfly shirt, pants, swimsuit, sash, cape, wings, necklace and rainbow headband. Fully decked out!

Egg Painting

Doing the Puyallup, Spring Edition

I took the kids and met Jonathan's parents at the Puyallup spring fair this year--a first for us. It is smaller and less crowded but that was all to the good as far as being able to enjoy ourselves without pushing past so many people.
Ellie knows all about stomping on this kind of keyboard from going to the children's museum.

 Peter all cozied up to try for a snooze as we walked around:

 She followed the goats around the petting pen and tried to touch each one.

 And I got to have a bit of fun too.

Getting ready to go:

Playing Outside

Isn't This the Truth

Seen at Northgate last weekend.

Cheerio!

The silly things we do to make mealtimes more fun for everyone...

Turning 30

This was hiding in the drafts folder.

Jonathan surprised me by inviting everyone to our house for a delicious Italian dinner prepared by Camille. I was expecting a dinner out as usual and asked for an early night since I was already feeling sick and tired (happy birthday--welcome to pregnancy sickness). We headed home after work to "pick up something Jonathan had forgotten" only to discover everyone there. A special bonus was Jonathan's brother who was in town for work that week.

We already had a plan for sharing our news with the family but it was so hard not to spoil it with everyone there. Camille did a great job with the thirty candles on the cake.

We joined my family to watch the Blue Angels performance from a hilltop in Renton the following Saturday. It was a little hazy but the high altitude elements showed up well.


The show was followed by a round of truly mini golf. No windmills or Eiffel Towers here--just a tiny course complete with sand traps and water features.

Very serious business.
Or maybe not.

Quotables

We are cleaning out our house in preparation for the new resident and are coming across all sorts of odds and ends.

Quote board from the guys bachelor apartment:


Quote board from my apartment with Elsa and Jacqui:


But seriously, DO you like blood?

Some people rent moving trucks...

Others feel that their pickup is quite sufficient:

Sleeping Boys

So cute!

18 Years

In case I haven't mentioned it, I love snow.

Eighteen years ago yesterday, I was in 6th grade. I went to school as usual and my mom headed off with my youngest sister to do Christmas shopping after dropping me off. By noon there was three inches of snow. Now in some places, that is just a light a pleasant dusting. But here, where 1/2 inch of snow means school and road closures, 3 inches in four hours is serious business. School ended early that day and I had a lovely (if chilly) walk home. My mom made it back just in time. In the morning, there were six more inches--and no more school until after Christmas. We took out the toboggan and went sledding at the local elementary school and golf course. We rescued people who had been stuck in their cars and generally had a great time.

Yesterday, I went to work with a rapidly melting 1/2 inch or so on the ground and mostly clear roads. Buses were late and chained up but I made it. After watching some of the heaviest and most consistent snowfall that I have seen in quite a while (eighteen years, maybe?), I and the others that were relying on bus transportation to get home, left. Never have I regretted my lack of forsight in not wearing my boots so much. Two hours later, I was home and warming up--just in time to go for a much more enjoyable and appropriately bundled up walk with Jonathan. We got about 5-6 inches altogether and the temperature never got above 27 degrees.

Today, there is not yet more snow but iced-over roads mean cancellation or limitation of most bus routes and, for the first time since I have worked there, a reduced staff level at work. Snow day!

Fun with Friends

We had some wonderful friends over while Nathaniel was in town with his girlfriend. I always think of the phrase "band of brothers" when I see these guys together.

One of the many blessings of being married to Jonathan is getting to know not only they guys but also the rest of their circle, including the lovely and gracious hobbit-wife, Whitney and now Nathaniel's soon-to-be-wife, Suzy. There is so much to enjoy and learn from in these dedicated workers, students, thinkers, wife and mother, hosts and followers of Christ.



And a great deal of fun and hilarity as well!

New Year's

Our New Year's Eve is generally quite uneventful. My family does not have any traditions to speak of other than helping out with the youth group event at church. Three years ago, Jonathan honored one of his family traditions by proposing to me. The next year, we celebrated by watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and realizing afterwards that we had missed the moment of the changeover. Last year, I had influenza and we did absolutely nothing. No one was sick this year but after all of the fuss and bother of Christmas, it was nice to just relax.
However, we went down and met more family at my in-laws house on New Year's Day.


I also am in the process of receiving the baking torch from Jonathan's grandmother. Creme brulee, anyone? The two new items this year are bullar, a Swedish version of cinnamon and cardamom roll:


and pepparkakor, a spicy, paper thin cookie:


Very tasty!