The Winston Family!

Flashback Photos

2011-05-22T21:15:00.002-05:00

Back during my long silence on the blogoshere, we took an awesome vacation to Florida to visit Stephen's grandparents. Here are some cute photos of some critters we got to touch at Jungle Gardens, a fun tourist attraction in Sarasota.

Yep, They're Still Cute

2011-05-15T19:17:00.003-05:00

I know some of you were worried that my kids had retired from cute picture taking, but no, they are still in business. I have just been behind in posting. So, to help you get your long overdue Winston Kids fix, here's a little update on some of the springtime fun we have been having. You can expect even more cuteness as the nice weather gives us more photo opportunities.

Merry Christmas!

2011-01-04T19:02:00.003-05:00

We have been in a bit of a holiday blur. Just letting you know we are still here and still having fun. More posts will be coming soon.

Merry Christmas to all!

Good Mom, Bad Mom

2010-11-15T22:21:00.002-05:00

I was a good mom today because I gave my kids a healthy breakfast.

I was a bad mom today because I ate candy for my breakfast after they went to school.

I was a bad mom today because I let my son talk me into buying a toy at the store.

I was a good mom today because the toy I let him talk me into was a birthday present he wanted to get for his big sister.

I was a good mom today because I surprised my kids and took them to the brand new playground after school.

I was a bad mom today because I totally forgot that I should have been at someone's parent teacher conference instead of the playground.

I was a bad mom today because I let my kids stay up past their bedtime because they were having so much fun playing together.

I was a good mom today because I let my kids stay up past their bedtime because they were having so much fun playing together.

Hidden New York Treasure

2010-11-07T21:38:00.003-05:00

We spent Saturday downtown exploring a soon-to-be-extinct New York must see. The Forbes' Galleries have a glorious collection of toy boats and toy soldiers, collected by the Forbes brothers later in life. We are talking hundreds of boats and thousands of soldiers from different decades. It was fascinating. They also have the oldest surviving copy of the original Monopoly game, and several other early versions of the game. It was a really interesting exhibit, and sadly, it will be closed down in two weeks. I am really glad we got the chance to see it while it was still here. There were no pictures allowed in the gallery, so you will just have to take my word for it that it was awesome and that my cute kids enjoyed themselves.

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-07T21:32:00.000-05:00

From Wonder Woman, Superman, and the Incredible Hulk

Toilet Paper Madness!

2010-11-07T21:20:00.000-05:00

We went to an awesome birthday party a couple of weeks ago. They played a fun game where the kids wrapped each other up like mummies. Once the game was over, that's when the fun started for Seth. He burrowed into the left over toilet paper and went to town. He had the time of his life. Now I know what to do if I need to keep him busy for 15 minutes or so.

Boo at the Zoo!

2010-11-07T21:12:00.000-05:00

The Bronx Zoo always has some great Halloween fun in October, so we decided we just couldn't miss it. We squeezed it in one Saturday morning. The kids didn't wear their "real" costumes, because we were going to a birthday party afterward and didn't want to lug around a change of clothes. So Rose was a snowy owl, Seth was Tigger, and John was either Peter Parker or Stephen (dad), depending on when you asked him. In addition to regular zoo fun, they had a hay maze, a magic show, a haunted safari (ooo, scary poachers!), and a few other Halloween extras. We all had a great time.

Rose's Walk-a-thon

2010-11-07T21:02:00.000-05:00

Rose had a great time at her walk-a-thon. Thanks to everybody who sponsored her. We haven't heard a grand total for how much money the school raised for cancer research, but it definitely helped raise the kids' awareness. Plus, they just had fun. They all got t-shirts, and marched around the track at Columbia's Baker Field. It rained briefly, and some classes went home, but Rose's class hid under the bleachers and then went back out to finish their goal of walking a mile. I had fun working at the water table. It was nice to see all the classes working together.

THE PLAGUE

2010-11-07T20:44:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I have been really under the weather. Several hundred feet under the weather. I didn't actually have the plague, but I did have THE COLD OF DOOM. And yes, it must be written in capital letters. It lasted about two weeks, and left me feeling like I had been hit by a bus. Luckily, Stephen had some time off, so we all survived. I finally went to the doctor and got some lovely prescription medicine, and now I am back in the land of the living. Of course, life does not stop when you're sick, so now it is catch up time. Stay tuned for fun adventure updates.

Something Special

2010-10-19T16:52:00.002-05:00

So, we took a weekend off and didn't go to any festivals. We did have something special, though. Sunday was the kids' Primary program at church. It is their chance to show us what they have been learning all year long. They sang songs, and each kid had a little speaking part. John answered questions about keeping the commandments. Here is a transcript:

Teacher: What is one of the commandments Heavenly Father has given us?

John: (yelling into the microphone) PRAY!

Teacher: Do you pray with your family?

John: YES!

Teacher: How does that make you feel?

John: HAPPY!

He also kept whispering to the teacher before it was his turn, asking to hold the microphone. It was pretty darn cute.

Rose actually got to give a little talk. She was very excited about it, and did a great job. She talked about miracles, and how we still see them in our lives today. It was sweet.

I was proud of both of them, and I am very grateful for the leaders, teachers, and music leaders that help teach them such important things. We are really blessed to have so many great examples in our lives, not just at church, but also among friends and family. Thank you all for being a bit of a miracle in our lives.

Pumpkin Guts are Fun

2010-10-19T16:50:00.000-05:00

On Columbus Day, Rose went apple picking with a friend. John, of course, was insanely jealous, so we decided it was time for our own special activity. He picked pumpkin carving, and the boys and I headed out to the store to pick out a couple of likely gourds. John spent some time trying out different designs, and this is what he finally settled on. Seth's was so small, we could barely squeeze a face on it, but we managed to pull it off. Both boys really liked sticking their arms into the pumpkins and pulling out the guts. Guess which one tried to eat them...either way you will be right.

Yet Another Fun Festival

2010-10-10T21:02:00.000-05:00

This weekend our festival of choice was the Harvest Festival. So after we finished with Birthday-Palooza we hopped on the train and headed back up to Washington Heights. The festival was super cute, with lots of games and crafts. We got there too late to get a pumpkin, but we did go fishing, toss bean-bags, get crafty, decorate leaves for the Thanksgiving tree, and finish up with a sack race. It was up in our neck of the woods too, so we saw lots of friends. It was a great way to spend an afternoon. The highlight? When John got a medal after coming in dead last in the sack race and shouted "Look Mom, I'm a winner!"

Birthday-Palooza, Day 3 Part 2, Build-a-Bear!

2010-10-10T20:51:00.000-05:00

For the culmination of birthday-palooza, we took Seth to Build-a-Bear, so the kids could make him a buddy. At first we were afraid it was pointless, because he didn't care for any of the animals in particular. After a lot of toy-skin waving and "isn't this cute-ing" we were about ready to just pick for him. But then he found the toy of his dreams. A big blue pteranadon. (Apparently we know it isn't a pterodactyl because it doesn't have teeth.) He shoved the other toys away and grabbed onto his new friend. Finally! An opinion! The big kids helped pick sounds for him, stuff him and bathe him (really blowing air on him and scrubbing him). In the end, Seth had a sweet new friend. After much serious discussion we decided on a name for the dino. We wanted it to be something Seth would be able to say, so we went with "Bubbasaurus" or "Bubba" for short. It is definitely safe to say that Seth loves his new friend Bubba. Especially the chewy parts of him.

Birthday-Palooza, Day 3 Part 1, Bryant Park

2010-10-10T20:26:00.000-05:00

Our grand birthday plans took us downtown. While we were there, we stopped by Bryant Park to ride the carousel and enjoy their "reading room." We also hit a street fair, but Seth slept through that, so I don't have any adorable pictures. He did wake up in time to try a deep-fried oreo. (Tasty, but not necessarily something I will need to try again. I am holding out for a deep-fried Snickers bar.) The best part? A suprise visit from Aunt Suzie and Uncle Jacob! They drove down from Connecticut and met us at the street fair. They were even more exciting than the oreos.

Birthday-Palooza, Day 2, Friend Party!

2010-10-10T20:17:00.000-05:00

In our family, the rule for birthday parties is that you get to invite the same number of kids as the number of years you will be. The big kids insisted that this meant Seth had to have a party, and he had to invite one friend. Luckily, we were already planning on having a friend over on Friday. Tada! Instant party! We played with bows and blowers, had some tasty snacks, and made our own ball pit in the pack and play. It was a lot of fun. In fact, we left the ball pit up, since he is still enjoying it tremendously. Hooray for friends!

Birthday-Palooza, Day 1 Part 3, Cake!

2010-10-10T20:08:00.000-05:00

Here are some fun shots of the birthday boy enjoying his pumpkin cream cheese cake. He even licked the plate clean!

Birthday-Palooza, Day 1 Part 2, Presents!

2010-10-10T20:01:00.000-05:00

Seth loved all his presents. As usual, it was hard to get him to stop playing with one in order to open another. The big kids loved all his presents too. They didn't want to stop playing with them either. I am hoping that the picture of him opening the book from his grandparents will turn out. He has the biggest smile on his face. I love that he loves books!

First-Birthday-Palooza, Day 1, Part 1

2010-10-07T21:42:00.003-05:00

Well, the big day is finally here. Our little guy is officially one year old. Today we had our family dinner (Seth chowed down on his favorite foods, quesadillas, avocado and watermelon), followed by presents and cake. The big kids had a lot of fun helping with the cake. And yes, Rose is dressed like Wonderwoman and John is in his underpants. And no, that's not unusual.

We still have fun birthday plans for the next couple of days. More adventures and more pictures coming soon.

So Darn Cute

2010-10-07T15:55:00.000-05:00

Just some fun shots of my fun family.

Little Red Lighthouse Festival

2010-10-07T15:52:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season for awesome festivals. (Check out our adventures at Raptor Fest last weekend.) A couple of weeks ago it was time for the annual Little Red Lighthouse celebration. We went fishing (and caught some seaweed), decorated little red lighthouse cookies, got a photography lesson, watched some performers, and finally managed to get up in the lighthouse thanks to an awesome friend who got there early and got us tickets. It was a little claustrophobic climbing up to the top, but a great view once we got up there. And now we can say that we have done it, and cross it off of our list of iconic NYC experiences.

Raptorfest 2010!

2010-10-07T15:36:00.000-05:00

Spent some time at Raptorfest in Central Park this weekend. The kids were in heaven. They got to pick through owl pellets, watch a flight show, and meet lots of birds of prey. We even have some new favorites. There was a cute spectacled owl. We didn't even know those existed! (They are from South America, which explains the gap in our education. We have been very North America-centric.) And our friend Ranger Rob had an adorable saw-whet owl. So tiny! The weather was perfect, we had good friends to play with, and delicious snacks from the farmer's market. Lovely.

Only a week away

2010-09-30T13:02:00.002-05:00

So I am just sitting here going about my life and minding my own business, when BAM! I realize that my baby is going to turn one. In a week. How did that happen? I still haven't done all the important baby things, like teaching him to sleep through the night or moving him into the big kids' room. I mean, yes, he likes to eat the same food we eat and he is taking a step here and there, but he's still a BABY. Except I guess he's not so little any more.

Anyway, I just ordered some presents online (Barnes and Noble has same or next day delivery in Manhattan, how crazy is that?) and am busily plotting/planning a little celebration. In the back of my head, though, it doesn't quite seem real.

And We're Back!

2010-09-28T16:00:00.003-05:00

Well, I took a little summer vacation from blogging, but now that we are three weeks into our new school year it is time to get back into the swing of things. We had a great summer, but it just flew by! There is no way I could sit and describe it all, so you will have to be content with little teasers now and then. So, to kick off our new season of semi-regular blogging, here are a few fun pictures from a trip to Union Square Park with friends, way back in July. Enjoy!

John's Sort-of Graduation

2010-07-24T19:34:00.002-05:00

Cute John officially finishing up his year in the 3's room at preschool.

Insert Witty Comment Here...

2010-07-24T19:19:00.004-05:00

Whoever comes up with the best caption for this picture wins... something. Just not sure what.

For example: "So. Have you given any thought to life insurance?"

Kindergarten Graduation

2010-07-24T19:08:00.004-05:00

Our fairy princess on her big day. They had a big singing, dancing program in the auditorium, then handed out diplomas in the classroom. It was adorable.

Flower Power

2010-07-24T18:59:00.001-05:00

Some shots from Rose's dance recital. Cute!

Goodbye Uniform

2010-06-17T13:41:00.002-05:00

Rose brought home a note from school today announcing that uniforms are not required for the rest of the school year, as long as the kids are participating in the silly dress-up theme for the day. Of course, she is thrilled to get to dress up. I think it will be fun too. It is weird, though, to realize that today was her last day in her cute little uniform, and I didn't even know. I feel like I should have taken a picture or something. Oh well. 'Till next year, uniform!

Cute Kids

2010-06-17T13:39:00.000-05:00

Just some random shots of my goofy kids.

Bake Sale

2010-06-17T13:36:00.000-05:00

John's pre-school had a bake sale, and Seth and I helped out for a bit. It was too hot to bake anything, so I cheated and brought watermelon instead. It turned out to be a very big hit, because of the aforementioned heat. Seth sure liked it. John knew it was a good chance to actually get a sweet treat, and went for the more traditional cupcake instead. I had a blueberry muffin. Yum!

Rose's Piano Recital

2010-06-17T13:31:00.000-05:00

The kindergarteners at Rose's school get to take keyboard lessons as part of their "Music and the Brain" curriculum. Recently, they had a recital to show off the fact that they had learned all of the one-handed songs in the curriculum. Each child got to pick a song to play as a solo. Rose chose "Grasshopper." I asked her why she chose that particular song, and she replied "because it was the shortest." (Ahh, my little over-achiever!) It was short, but sweet. She did great.

Things You Don't See Every Day

2010-06-17T13:22:00.000-05:00

Some unusual sights during our weekend with family here in NYC.

#1 A giant Hello Kitty statue

#2 Part of the Berlin Wall

#3 My kids eating treats from the ice cream man

Almost-Celebrity Sightings

2010-06-17T12:48:00.003-05:00

New York City is crawling with celebrities, right? Well, not where I hang out. So far my only sighting has been almost sharing an elevator with Molly Shannon (of SNL fame), except that our strollers wouldn't both fit. John once had his nose tapped by Angela Landsbury in Whole Foods, but I was with Rose looking for dairy-free treats and missed it. That's it in the 5 years we have been here.

So I was a bit surprised that this Memorial Day was filled with almost-celebrity sightings (some celebrities I almost saw, and some people I saw that were almost celebrities). We had family in town, so we spent more time than usual in the more touristy parts of the city.

Almost sighting #1: While hanging out around Rockefeller Square we heard wild screaming, and saw people rushing back to a spot a block or so away. Apparently, the cast of Glee had just left the building, and people were very excited about it. I decided not to join the mob just to get a fuzzy picture of the back of someone's head (sorry, Suzie!).

Almost sighting #2: Walking through Central Park, my father-in-law watched someone walk past and said he was pretty sure it was David Archuletta (he didn't remember his name, but we figured it out from his description). Stephen thought it could be him too. I didn't see him, so I couldn't offer an opinion. Again, I didn't feel inclined to rush after him to get a shot of the back of his head. Later that day we saw a sign that he was performing nearby, so we are pretty sure it was indeed him. So it does count as a sighting for Stephen and his dad, but I missed it.

Almost Celebrity #1: I was sitting in a square in mid-town with the boys waiting while Rose and Grandma got their nails painted (so cute!). The guy who was the evil lady's secretary on Ugly Betty (can you tell I watch the show?) came and sat down at the table next to us. He was meeting with a director or an agent or something, talking about performing in what sounded like a very scandalous play. I wasn't sure it was him at first, but eventually he did make a reference to the show, so my suspicions were confirmed. Didn't feel like taking a picture of someone whose name I didn't even know, so I didn't. He did have a pretty cool fold-up bike, though.

Almost Celebrit(ies) #2: Stephen went to see the Green Day musical with his dad and his brother. Later we saw some of the cast members walking by. Since I hadn't seen the show, this didn't count for me, even though I actually saw them. Again, it does count for those who actually saw the show, but for me they were just almost-celebrities.

Field Day

2010-06-17T12:41:00.000-05:00

Rose's school had a field day, and the boys and I helped out at the parachute event. We had a great time helping kids toss balls up in the air (and also had fun collecting them afterward). Rose went from station to station with her class. We did get to visit her while her class was doing the dress-up relay. (She is wearing one of my bright yellow rain boots). She said that her favorite event was when they got to get in the sandbox. Took me a bit, but I figured out that she meant the long jump. That's my little track and field star.

Hanging Out

2010-05-26T18:18:00.000-05:00

There is a pull-up bar in the park near our house. It cannot be ignored.

TEETH

2010-05-26T18:16:00.000-05:00

Here is some photographic evidence of Seth's new dental accomplishments. We are quite proud.

Best Backyard in NYC

2010-05-26T18:08:00.000-05:00

We live just up the hill from the last surviving natural forest on the island of Manhattan. Last weekend we spontaneously decided to spend about two and a half hours hiking through the woods. It was green, quiet, and beautiful. The children ran, climbed, and explored. Most of the time we couldn't even see or hear the city. It brought peace to my country-loving soul. But next time I am not wearing high heeled sandals. Ouch.

Solfeggio

2010-05-23T17:29:00.002-05:00

Rose has been learning the classic teaching song in music, Do Re Mi. She has put her own twist on it, though.

This is what she came home singing:

Doe, a deer, a female deer

Red, in tropical and sun

If you say, I call myself

Far along the way to rise

So I need a pulling thread

For our lost and found today!

Sitting is for Babies...

2010-05-22T07:37:00.002-05:00

Other babies, that is. Seth is just not interested. He will roll all around the room, army crawl his way up close to something he is interested in, and even get up on his hands and knees in a great pre-crawl pose. But sitting? No thanks. He watches other babies sitting up, but remains unimpressed. He can sit unsupported for a little bit, but soon something catches his attention and he flings himself backward, ready to go after it. And so we wait. Sooner or later he will decide that something is interesting enough to sit still for.

Deep Thoughts from John

2010-05-13T19:17:00.002-05:00

"Ducks are amphibians, because they can be in the land or the water."

After a discussion on primary colors..."I is a primary word, because you don't have to mix it with any other letters to get a word."

"A spider can be a bug, but not an insect, because it just has too many legs."

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-13T19:15:00.000-05:00

I was truly and thoroughly spoiled this Mother's Day. I got flowers, breakfast in bed, lunch and dinner cooked for me, and lots of hugs and kisses. The highlight was definitely the coupons the big kids made for me. Here are a few close ups. #1- Big Hugs, #2 Go to Bed, #3 Clean Our Room, #4 a close up of John's Stop Fighting picture. I thought it was so great! I am pretty sure there is a headlock going on there

Spring Festival- Etc.

2010-05-04T11:01:00.000-05:00

Here are a few fun shots we took throughout the day at the festival. Too cute to leave out.

Spring Festival- Face Painting

2010-05-04T10:58:00.000-05:00

There was a professional face painter volunteering at the festival, and the kids waited (surprisingly patiently) in a long line to get their turn. It was worth it, since they were both extremely pleased with the way their faces turned out.

Spring Festival- Water Fun

2010-05-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

They turned on the sprinklers for the festival, which was nice since it was hot hot hot. Seth got to try them for the first time, but was not overly impressed. Rose and John (and friend Loretta) had a fun time, though.

Spring Festival- Petting Zoo

2010-05-04T10:42:00.000-05:00

We had a great time at the annual Spring Festival this weekend. Four years ago, this is where Rose fell in love with birds of prey, and we have gone back every year so she could see them again. This year there weren't any! So sad. But there were baby goats (3 days old!) and a week-old lamb. And bunnies and chicks. So we still managed to have a good time.

Flashback Entry: Holidays are Exhausting

2010-04-26T13:44:00.000-05:00

Here are some fun flashback photos from our visit to Maryland over the Christmas holiday. John literally fell asleep standing up while watching us play a board game. The other shot, I have to admit is faked. We were visiting some friends and both Rose and Seth fell asleep in Stephen's arms. He pretended to be asleep just for the artistic merit of the picture.

The Perfect Neighborhood

2010-04-26T13:34:00.000-05:00

Rose had to design her perfect neighborhood for a homework assignment. The teacher told her to put in anything she wanted. This is what she came up with. Row 1: Ice Cream Shop, Petting Zoo (complete with pipe cleaner animals thanks to dad), and Farm. Row 2: Park with Playground, Hotel with Pool (colored with toothpaste), Farmers Market. Row 3: Dinosaur Park (why not?), Movie Theater (with real popcorn), and Candy Store. Sounds like a pretty good neighborhood to me.

Seth's FIrst Haircut

2010-04-18T21:51:00.000-05:00

We finally decided that Seth was just too bald in the back to pull off all of the hair in the front, so we stopped by the barber shop that Stephen and John go to and asked Ray to even him out a little bit. So here you have the haircut. Before, during, and after.

Fancy Shmancy Easter Duds

2010-04-18T21:41:00.000-05:00

Here are the promised pictures of the kids in their oops-didn't-wear-them-on-Easter outfits. Also as promised, the kids were adorable. Rose's beautiful braids come courtesy of our friend Annette, and Seth's short haircut comes courtesy of our barber Ray. (Stay tuned for pictures of that big event. The action never stops on this blog!)

Empty Threats

2010-04-16T17:43:00.002-05:00

One of the rules of effective discipline is to never threaten a consequence that you aren't willing and ready to follow through with. If you do, the kids figure out pretty quick that they don't really have to worry about what you may say, they can go ahead and do what they want.

I have always tried to follow this rule, but today Rose turned into a little demon, and I came very close to running out of consequences that I was actually willing to enforce. As the showdown escalated, I had to try very hard not to make empty threats, because it was pretty obvious that she was going to earn each and every consequence I laid down.

Rose, however, was not tied down by any qualms about being able to back up what she said. Here are some of the threats she flung at me when I wouldn't back down. She started with the classic "That's it! You're not my mom anymore!" and quickly escalated into the absurd and wildly fantastic.

"I am maybe even going to live in Antarctica. And when I come back to visit, I will hit you in the head with a piece of ice. I will wait till a sunny day loosens some, then I will pick it up and bring it for a visit. And then BAM!"

"Do you want me to break your bed? I'll get a saw and cut it up!"

"Do you want me to move to outer space? I am going to build a space ship and go. I will!"

"You aren't allowed to pick me up from school anymore!"

"Do you want me to take away your black chair from your room and put it in my room? I'll move the shelves and put it in my book nook. Then I will get some glue and stick it on the ceiling. And when it dries I will get a ladder and climb up, and I will be tiny, so I can fit into it. And only John and I will share it."

"Do you want me to glue your face to a light bulb? Then your eyes will really hurt! And it's going to be gorilla glue!"

I am happy to say that none of these threats were carried out. In fact, we were even friends again before she went to bed. I have John to thank for that. After I refused to let Rose eat gummy bears for dinner she told me she hated me. John leaned over and whispered in my ear "Everybody hates you." It was too much, I started laughing. Rose asked what he had said and when I told her, good old reverse psychology kicked in, and she proclaimed "No! I love her!"

It's good to be loved.

More Urban Wildlife

2010-04-10T22:21:00.000-05:00

Here are a few more animals we saw at the Urban Wildlife Festival. When we told the kids we were going to a festival focusing on animals that live in the city, they immediately started speculating if there would be a coyote. We tried to prep them for disappointment, but in the end they were presently surprised. This coyote was stuffed, but it was close enough to satifsy them. The horse was huge and impressive, especially when it jumped into it's trailer. The skunk was a little scary until they told us it had been "de-stinked." Or should I say "de-stunk?" Either way, they are a lot cuter when you know they can't spray you.

Birds...of...PREY!!!

2010-04-10T22:07:00.001-05:00

We went to an Urban Wildlife Festival at Fort Tryon Park today. It was lots of fun, but the highlight was definitely the birds of prey. We got pictures of the falcon, the great horned owl, and the barn owl. We also saw a tawny owl, but didn't get a picture. We chatted with one of the rangers about bald eagles. He remembered Rose from the Nature Center by our apartment, and since he knew she was really into birds of prey he gave the kids talon keychains and gave Rose a special flip-book guide to birds in New York. Hooray for preferential treatment! It was pretty awesome. We also found out that Pale Male is still nesting on 5th avenue. (I smell a field trip!)

Looking Good

2010-04-10T21:45:00.000-05:00

Stephen and John took a trip to the barber today. This time, John came out looking extra sharp. I just may have to buy some gel and try to recreate the look.

He's a Viking!

2010-04-10T21:01:00.002-05:00

The latest installment of Seth's cute jump-up videos. This time with costumes and an original soundtrack.

My Boys

2010-04-05T21:29:00.000-05:00

Here is a fun shot of my boys watching Conference. I know that John is in his underwear, but at least he is wearing a shirt. I have a terribly difficult time keeping clothes on that little nudist.

FOOOOOD!

2010-04-05T21:26:00.000-05:00

Since Seth couldn't enjoy the turkey ham we all had for dinner (which was delicious by the way) we decided to let him at least have some real food. He tried some rice cereal, but was not very impressed. There was significantly more food on his face and his clothes than in his mouth, but it was a good start. Up next, barley cereal. Someday, the good food that he really wants.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T21:14:00.000-05:00

Another midnight visitor came to our house. The Easter Bunny left baskets for all of the kids, with all kinds of fun goodies. Stephen added his own Easter fun by making special pancakes. Check out the lamb and the bunny. Pretty impressive. But don't tell John it was a lamb. He thinks it was a mule deer.

It was also a special day, because we got to watch General Conference (a semi-annual meeting for our church where we get to hear directly from our prophet and other church leaders). That helped us remember the real reason for the holiday, not just the fun side of it. It also meant that there were no meetings at the church building, so the kids never put on their Easter finery. When they do, we will post pictures, and they will be adorable. And I do mean adorable.

Spring Break- Sleepy Hollow Part 2

2010-04-05T21:01:00.000-05:00

Here are a few more fun pictures from our Sleepy Hollow trip. On the site of the bridge and at the actual Old Dutch Church from the story, waiting at the train station, and John having fun on the train.

Spring Break- Sleepy Hollow

2010-04-05T20:49:00.000-05:00

Our biggest adventure this week was a trip upstate to Sleepy Hollow- the REAL Sleepy Hollow. There was a celebration for Washington Irving's birthday, which included treats, cake and a visit from the headless horseman himself! We went with some friends, and had a great time. It was a fascinating cemetary, with several famous tombs and many more beautiful ones. We even got to go into a real mausoleum where John caused quite a stir by knocking over a skull and triggering some scary music. He was slightly traumatized by the incident (the kid is scared of Angelina Ballerina for goodness sakes) but recovered quickly. The horseman himself didn't scare the kids at all, because they heard him responding to someone asking him if he was thirsty. Rose said "we know he wasn't real because he said 'I'm great.' The real guy wouldn't talk without a head. And wouldn't be great."

Spring Break- Isham Park

2010-04-05T20:27:00.000-05:00

On Friday, Stephen pulled some strings and got the day off of work. We decided to stay close to home and hang out at the park just up the street. The beautiful weather inspired us to have picnic followed by sidewalk chalk, climbing, running, strolling, hula-hooping, and even bike riding. It was the kind of day that makes me remember that I love New York City.

Spring Break- Central Park

2010-04-05T20:16:00.000-05:00

We spent a long afternoon in Central Park. We followed the bridle path across, and since it was unpaved the kids could dig for dinosaur bones the whole way. We bought tasty hot dogs from a cart for dinner (supplemented with fruit and snacks from home) and ate on a huge rock outcropping. Towards the end of the day we found a fun new playground and enjoyed ourselves until Stephen got out of work. The kids were so excited that he could come home with us, and it sure made it a lot easier for me. Hooray for Dad!

Spring Break- The Jewish Museum

2010-04-05T20:01:00.000-05:00

One of New York City's treasures is the Jewish Museum. We went for the Curious George exhibit and stayed for the Archaeology Zone. The kids loved pretending to find the artifacts and playing in the 1900's Israel dress-up house. We even got to make placemats for Passover (or Easter at our house). It was a great way to spend a day.

Full House, Fun Times

2010-04-03T20:50:00.000-05:00

We had all kinds of fun visitors last weekend. My sister Becca and her family (husband Sean, and cutie cousins Toby and Amelia) drove up from Maryland on Thursday night. On Saturday morning my parents came too! We absolutely loved having all of the company. We had plenty of adventures, but the best part of the busy weekend was just getting to play with people we love. Well, that and the strawberry shortcake cheesecake from Junior's. Mmmmmmm...cheesecake.

More Thoughts on Being Sick...

2010-03-25T10:40:00.002-05:00

Our poor little guy is under the weather again, and has come up with some more quotable quotes to describe how he is feeling.

"It starts like a sick tummy feeling, but turns into a potty feeling...FAST."

"I think I will just poop my tummy ache into the potty."

"Laying down is a good idea."

And of course, the oft repeated classic..."Tummy tummy tummy tummy tummy..."

We're Goin' to the Zoo Zoo Zoo...

2010-03-23T09:28:00.000-05:00

The kids were singing this song all week, so we decided to make it a reality and take Seth for his first trip to the zoo. We got a late start, since Stephen had a very important dodgeball game in the morning, but still managed to have a lot of fun. We saw flamingos, BIRDS OF PREY!, the reptile house, the monkey house, sea lions, and bison. The Bronx Zoo is so big, we barely made a dent in all of the exhibits, but we will definitely be back.

"We're going to the zoo zoo zoo.
How about you you you?
You can come too too too.
We're going to the zoo zoo zoo."

Bouncing Baby Boy

2010-03-23T09:07:00.002-05:00

Leprechauns!

2010-03-20T09:57:00.000-05:00

This St. Patrick's Day we had some unexpected visitors. Apparently, in the wee small hours of the morning, some Leprechauns snuck into our apartment and caused a lot of mischief. They turned the table upside down, messed with the couch cushions, and were just generally sneaky. They spent a lot of time in the kitchen where they left footprints, flipped magnets, and even turned our milk green! The kids had a great time finding all of the things they had done. They even blamed some of their own messes on the little green guys. It was a lot of fun, and they are busy plotting ways to catch one of them next year. Watch out leprechauns!

Eight Years Later

2010-03-16T22:05:00.000-05:00

Eight years ago today, Stephen proposed to me. (It is a sweet story that I won't share now, but trust me it is good.) We have come quite a long way since then, but hands down, these are the three best things we have done.

Sick Boys

2010-03-14T09:31:00.002-05:00

Well, our boys are under the weather. It is no fun for anyone, but they are obviously miserable.

Here are some of John's thoughts on being sick:

"Wow, it's really warm between my knees."

"Hey, how come it's so hard to walk?"

"Tummy tummy tummy tummy..."

(Seth just confines his comments to an ever present "waaaaaaaaaah!")

Wait...Which One Is Our Day Job?.

2010-03-13T09:16:00.003-05:00

John: Mom, will you sing the honeybun song with me?

Mom: Sure!

(Singing ensues...)

John: Wow. I'm going to be a rock star when I grow up, because I sang that song really well.

Mom: Sounds great.

John: You can be a rock star with me, since you sing very nice too. Do you want to?

Mom: Sure!

John: But we can also be a mom and a zoo-keeper just for fun.

Later....

John: Mom, when I am a bus driver once I am old enough, where do you want me to take you?

Cute Cousins

2010-03-07T09:41:00.002-05:00

Here is another flashback entry. Just some cute shots of Seth hanging out with his cousin Daniel (and their Pop-Pop) on Christmas day.

Story Time!

2010-03-07T09:31:00.000-05:00

Here's a sweet shot of some brotherly love...John reading Seth stories while I actually got some clean-up done!

Happy Breakfast!

2010-03-07T09:28:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you just need to have a little fun with breakfast. My version is on top, John's is the middle picture, and the bottom is what was left of Rose's by the time I got there to snap a photo.

Snow Baby

2010-02-26T11:15:00.000-05:00

Here is photographic evidence of Seth's first official encounter with snow. It never actually touched his skin, and he spent less than a minute physically on the ground, but it counts.

SNUGGIES!

2010-02-26T11:07:00.000-05:00

Guess who jumped on the "as seen on TV" bandwagon and got the big kids Snuggies for Christmas? Yep, we did. And you know what? They LOVE them.

The whole idea for the gift came from John, who lamented one morning while trying to eat his snack while wrapped up in a blanket, "Ohhh, why can't I eat my crackers and keep my arms warm?" Well, now he can.

And so far, the thrill hasn't worn off. Yesterday we trudged home through rain and snow after picking Rose up from school. Once we were inside, Rose requested hot chocolate and John requested (you guessed it) their snuggies.

B-A-T Spells Bat

2010-02-22T13:46:00.002-05:00

So the other day, we noticed that John was doing pretty well at sounding out letters. Curious as to how much he could do, we wrote a simple word for him and asked him to try to read it. He sounded out the letters (buh-aaa-t) and then put them together (buhaaat) and announced what the word was (it says bat!). We were amazed! So we tried it out with several other small words, and he did great! There is still plenty for him to learn, but he can officially be classified as a beginning reader. What a nice surprise!

My Valentine

2010-02-16T22:45:00.000-05:00

Eight years ago on Valentines Day, Stephen and I had our second date. It was one of the funnest dates I have ever been on, but I had no idea that is was only the beginning. So in honor of our eight Valentines Days together, I will list eight things that impressed me about him that day.

In no particular order, I was impressed by...

1- his sense of humor
2- his intelligence
3- his creativity
4- his thoughtfulness
5- his knowledge
6- his kindness
7- his cute accent
8- his great smile

Eight years later, I am still loving all of those qualities, and he is still finding new ways to impress me. I am so lucky to have him as my valentine.

Snow Day!

2010-02-12T14:14:00.001-05:00

Wednesay was a snow day for all New York City schools. Unfortunately, it wasn't a snow day for all New York City advertising agencies, so Stephen still had to go in to work. He did manage to squeeze in some sledding with the kiddos in the wee small hours of the morning. They were all excited for Seth's first sled ride, but he slept through it. In fact, he never even emerged from his blanket to even see the snow falling, let alone sled in it. The big kids had fun, though.

John was a little leery of the sled, so he invented his own way of getting down the hill (much slower) and they both enjoyed the classic dad sled maneuver. Afterwards, hot chocolate and cream of wheat for breakfast. Mmmm...warm.

Gratuitous Cuteness

2010-02-08T22:29:00.000-05:00

Another flashback blog entry. This picture was taken at the zoo way back in September. It is quite possibly one of my favorite pictures of all time. That's all I have to say about that.

A Semantics Question

2010-02-05T14:23:00.002-05:00

Okay all you English buffs, here is a question for you. When your three year old develops uncontrollable diarrhea the day after he wins a prize for finally being potty-trained, is that ironic, or just lame?

Catching Up: First Day of School

2010-02-03T22:04:00.000-05:00

One of the many many things that happened while I was incommunicado was the big kids starting school way back in September. I never posted the obligatory "adorable kid in front of the new school and in the new classroom" pictures. So here they are.

Rose is in Kindergarten now (Eek! My baby is in Kindergarten!). It is a public school just down the street, and she loves it. They wear uniforms, which I thought would bug me, but turns out to be both adorable and easy. No fuss over what to wear! Kindergarten admissions in NYC are worse than college, I swear, so we were really luck to find a great school nearby AND to actually get a spot at that school.

John is in the 3's program at the preschool Rose went to last year. He goes three mornings a week, which is a good amount for him. He likes being big enough to go to school, but also likes having "days off" to spend more time with mom and Seth. He really loves his teachers and is also a big fan of the school's pet Tortoise.

I also get to go to school this year, since I am teaching music at John's preschool. I spend half an hour with each class gettting into some very basic musical concepts. I am really enjoying the chance to be back in a classroom setting, without the responsibility of being a full-time teacher. It is still very rewarding. Today one little boy talked to me for the first time. All year long the other kids have been telling me "He doesn't talk," and I just kept telling them "Of course he does. And he will when he wants to." Well, today he wanted to. He not only spoke, but also made a puppet sing a solo. I almost jumped out of my seat, I was so happy.

So anyway, hooray for school and hooray for cute kids, both mine and the students I work with.

More Pathetic than a Wet Kitten

2010-02-01T10:06:00.000-05:00

Here is a shot of our baby boy using his nebulizer. At first he HATED it, but now he is actually kind of enjoying it. We read books, sing songs and play with toys during the treatments. He even falls asleep sometimes. I am just grateful he isn't screaming and fussing all of the time. The first few treatments I think I cried almost as much as he did, it was so sad.

He is doing much better this week, and has a doctors appointment today. Hopefully he will have whipped those bronchioles back into shape and this will all be a distant memory by this time next week.

The Sky is Falling!

2010-01-28T11:49:00.002-05:00

In a very Chicken Little moment, I got smacked in the head with something. It wasn't as big as the sky, but it was definitely bigger than an acorn. It was a bike.

One of our clever New York City space-saving strategies was to hang the kids' bikes up from hooks on the kitchen ceiling. They have been up there for months, and it seemed like a great idea. On Tuesday, though, Rose's bike had apparently had enough and came crashing down. I was unfortunately standing underneath it, and took the hit.

The good news: I was not holding a baby at the time. More good news: It landed tire first, inflicting much less damage. Even more good news: The hook just slipped out of the ceiling without bringing huge chunks of plaster with it. Still more good news, I am staying home with a sick baby anyway, so I can take it pretty easy until my perma-headache goes away.

I talked about it with John afterwards:

Mom: That was pretty scary when a bike fell on Mommy, huh?

John: What bike?

Mom: Rose's bike.

John: When?

Mom: A few minutes ago, when we were in the kitchen and a bike fell on my head.

John: Oh yeah, I saw that.

Bronchiolitis is not a made up word...

2010-01-25T22:34:00.003-05:00

... And a nebulizer isn't a gun from a science fiction novel. Those are two things we learned when we trudged through a pseudo hurricane (rain isn't supposed to go sideways!) to take Seth to the doctor today. It was all worth it, though to hear those four little words: "Everything is just fine." Except that's not what I heard. I heard: "It's probably not pneumonia." Now, 'probably not' is good, but I really prefer 'definitely not.' Eventually we got a more definite diagnosis- bronchiolitis caused by RSV. We also got a nebulizer to take home so we can administer breathing treatments to our wheezy little guy. So not pneumonia, but definitely something.

It is good to have a diagnosis, and I am hoping that this will help him feel better fast. He has been really miserable the last few days (and we are all desperately sleep-deprived). I realize, though, that this will only confirm me in all of my mom-paranoias. From now on, whenever I tell myself "it's probably not a big deal," I will think: 'probably not' is good, but 'definitely not' is better.

Surprise! We're still here!

2010-01-24T16:34:00.004-05:00

Despite what the complete absence of posts might lead you to believe, I have not died or lost my ability to type in a tragic thumb-wrestling accident. I have just been busy (see exhibit A on the left--note the existence of a new Winston). And also kind of a technology-phobe. We got a new camera and a new computer, and I am still figuring out how to put the two together. (By the way, that is a lame excuse. It is really easy, as I have recently figured out.)

Anyway, one of my bevy of new year's resolutions is to blog at least twice a week. I figure it will help me remember some of the really fun moments that are just flying by right now. It will also give me a chance to empty the mental landfill now and then. Be warned, potential readers, there will probably be ranting. And lists, lots of lists. And tons of shameless cute-kid promoting. I just can't help myself. So if you find yourself wondering "what is she rambling about?" just remember: you knew what I was when you picked me up.

Feliz Cumpleanos!

2009-01-13T22:12:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures from Rose's party this year. She wanted to have another owl party, but we kind of talked her out of it. Eventually she decided she wanted a fiesta. So we had all kinds of fun making maracas, hunting chili peppers, pinning the tail on the burro, and learning an extremely simplified version of the Mexican Hat Dance. We had a sombrero cake, and some maraca cupcakes. And of course, to finish up, we had a pinata. (Check out John cheering her on in the pinata picture. It's awesome.)

Tiny Dancer

2009-01-13T21:06:00.004-05:00

Rose has been taking dance class at the Y. She doesn't like it. She LOOOOVES it. John is insanely jealous and keeps trying to lie his way into the class by telling me "I'm allowed to go in there. I'm three!" In December, Rose had her first recital. The day was nearly marred by tragedy when I (prepare to be shocked) forgot her tutu. I know! Horrible! She was getting ready to be scarred for life, when another mother saved the day by lending us an extra. So she was able to dance away, and I was saved some hefty therapy bills later on. She was adorable, and we even have video to prove it. Here is a snippet. (There's a word I don't get to use nearly enough. Snippet snippet snippet!)

Oh Hey! I Have a Blog!

2009-01-13T21:02:00.002-05:00

So, I don't really know if anyone noticed, but it's been a while since I posted anything. It's a little late to do anything about it now, but I will add some older pictures, etc, so there isn't a huge, gaping hole in our little internet history. Besides, we did some fun stuff in the last 5 months or so. Man, I am a slacker. So anyway, stay tuned.

Amelia Jardine Brown!

2008-08-23T05:53:00.002-05:00

We have a new niece/cousin in our family! We are happy to welcome Amelia (finally!). She really took her time getting here, but she was worth the wait. We will have to find an excuse to visit her and her brother Toby. And I guess their parents, Becca and Sean. But everyone knows that parents are just gravy to their kids' mashed potatoes. You love it, but it isn't the main event. So anyway, hooray for Amelia!

Funny Boy

2008-08-19T21:55:00.002-05:00

Here are some great John quotes from the past couple of days.

Grandpa Jack: Do you call your sister Rosie, or do you call her Rose?
John: I call Rosie an orangutan!

Mommy is humming to help John go to sleep
John: Hey! There's no letters in that song!

Tonight he was trying to request some humming. He asked "Mommy, make some noisy sounds."

Rose is also funny. I will post some of her gems another time.

The Big 2

2008-08-17T22:05:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to John! He knows he has passed one, but when you ask him how old he is, he says "not three." We are working on it. He is definitely feeling grown up, though. Rose called him the birthday boy, and he said "No, I'm the birthday MAN."

We had a dinosaur birthday party (see his pterodactyl shirt?). He ate dino-nuggets for dinner, then played a couple of dinosaur games. We opened his presents (Rose helped) and then dug into his dinosaur cake. He didn't really want to eat much, because he wanted to get back to his new toys. Later, though, he and Rose headed back over to the table and I heard Rose say "Don't tell Janet, we're going to lick up all the cake." I gave them some more, so they didn't have to be sneaky. It was a great birthday, and we are looking forward to spending some more time with all of his new toys tomorrow.

Amateur Photography

2008-08-17T22:01:00.003-05:00

Rose has a new hobby. She loves to take "real" pictures. Here are a few of my favorites. I am sure there will be more to come.

A Day at the Beach

2008-06-29T17:05:00.002-05:00

Here are some fun shots from our day at Coney Island. In honor of S week, we went down there with a friend (Stacey) and her Son, to see Sand, Shore, Sea, Sun, Shells, and to Swim. We also went to the aquarium and saw Seals, Sea Otters, Sharks, and the Sea lion Show. It was Super. Once we got home we learned all about Sunburn. Now the kids know that if you wear Sunblock, like they did, your Skin is fine. But if you forget, like mommy did, you get Scorched. Thank goodness it happened on a Friday, so that Stephen could Slather my back with aloe for two days before he has to go back to work. Hopefully I will be able to raise my arms over my head by then. Ouch.

Wall Art

2008-06-29T16:56:00.002-05:00

So a while ago, I decided that Rose was being entirely too quiet, so I went to check on her. I did not find her in her room where I had left her reading books. She was in my room creating this masterpiece on the wall by my bed. Her medium was lipstick, and I think it is very expressive. When I interrupted her, she jumped about a foot in the air and then burst into tears. Don't worry, she wasn't afraid of getting in trouble, she was crying because the lipstick was all gone. Once she calmed down she helped me clean it up (or at least start cleaning it up!). We had a long talk about when and where she could indulge her artistic tendencies, and everything was fine.

Chicken Pops

2008-06-29T16:51:00.003-05:00

Yet another witty Rose-ism describing, you guessed it, chicken pox. Did Rose have them? Maybe. The official diagnosis was "probably not, but maybe, so keep her home just in case." They didn't seem to bother her much, so we had a fun week of quarantine, and now she is double immune, since she had already had the vaccination.

Cabining!

2008-06-29T16:40:00.002-05:00

Here are some pictures from our family camping trip in April. We went to upstate NY. It was supposed to rain all weekend, so we stayed in a cabin at a KOA campground. Rose knew it wasn't real camping if you weren't in a tent, so she said we were "cabining." It makes sense to me.

We really enjoyed the campground. They had two great playgrounds, a mini-golf course, a lake full of fish, and even paddle-boats. (Don't we look nice in our life-vests?) The nearest town (Canandaigua) was really quaint and fun. We also visited some church history sights (Palmyra and the Hill Cumorah were close by). We had a great time.

We fulfilled a long-time ambition by visiting the Jello Museum in LeRoy, NY on our way home. It was all that we hoped for and more. We highly recommend it for anyone who happens to be in the area, although not many people are crazy enough to take a trip just to see it like we did. Maybe next year we will make it to the Corning Glass Museum. There just wasn't enough time this trip.

Sorry so slow...

2008-06-29T16:37:00.002-05:00

Hey all. Sorry for the ginormous wait between posts. Our computer is having issues with our camera, so I have to wait until Stephen's work laptop is at home and the kids will actually let me sit at it for an extended period of time. I will try to catch up as much as I can. Thanks for being patient. I know some of you are in withdrawal for pictures of our adorable kids. Be strong!

True Love

2008-05-10T22:39:00.002-05:00

What is love? I would like to suggest that true love is doing the dishes EVERY night. At least, that is one really good way to show it. My amazing husband has taken over this job for me, and he is tireless! I can't thank him enough. Definitely true love.

I is for Inventive

2008-04-17T19:45:00.005-05:00

At the end of quiet time today, I knew Rose must have fallen asleep, because she was actually...quiet. I went into the living room, and I couldn't find her! Finally I spied her asleep on the edge of the beanbag between the rocking chair and the wall. I guess she was too tired to reach for the blanket I had left her, because if you look closely, she is wrapped in one of our living room curtains. She just pulled down the closest fabric she could find. Genius!