Timothy's First Snow

Yesterday, we had a "humdinger" of a snowstorm, and my two oldest boys loved playing out in the falling snow. Stephen vividly described it. He said, "Mama! I have sugar in my bowl! Sugar is falling from the sky!" :)


This is the first winter, though, that Timothy has actually understood the snow. Last winter, he was just a wee babe and I didn't take him out in it. He wouldn't have understood it all even if I did! I woke him from his nap yesterday and asked if he wanted to go play in the snow. "MMmmm Hmmm!" he said and wagged his head up and down. He was a bit leary of the snowpants and didn't want me to put them on him until I explained it would help keep him dry. I opened the door and he walked out onto the porch...and stopped dead in his tracks. He just stood on the porch for the longest time until Matthew cleared off the steps for him. He walked down the steps, only to stand in one spot in the snow! It was very cute to witness. :D I think he moved only a few steps in a half an hour.


Here are some photos of Mr. Timothy:

Salt Dough Fun!

We decided to get creative one day and make salt dough ornaments for the tree. We used all sorts of shapes- a tree, a moose, a dolphin, etc.

Here are some photos of our salt dough adventure:

Matthew grinding wheat

Stephen "organzing" cookie cutters...

The salt dough mixture (purple and green were the requested colors!)

Matthew first chose the Alaska grizzly bear cookie cutter.

Stephen making a triangle.

So proud!

The finished salt dough ornaments/shapes!

The "Chore Chart"

It seems as if deep cleaning never gets done around here, and suddenly I am sitting in the rocking chair, noticing cobwebs on the ceiling fan!

I have tried to think up a new plan of attack for this: THE CHORE CHART. (I thought I would never type those words!)

It seemed while every mama I knew was buying MOTH I was snickering that I didn't need such a thing, that I "couldn't function that way, with such a rigid schedule"! I think the rigidity of the whole thing was pushing me away from any sort of chart, but I have learned you can adapt things to YOUR life. Just because it is written one way in some book doesn't mean you need to implement it that same exact way!

So, I drew up a makeshift MOTH plan. I listed each day of the week, and put regular things to do on each day. Sundays here are days of rest, not run around days or catch up with chores days. Dishes will be done as needed then, and other emergency things as they pop up. This is a loose "chart", with room for exceptions.

Our makeshift MOTH plan goes as such:

Monday: clean bathrooms upstairs and down (2X/month clean shower and tub)

Tuesday: vacuum downstairs, laundry (wash, fold, put away)

Wednesday: full clean kitchen (spot clean floor, sweep, wipe down fridge and cabinets, etc- 1x/month clean out fridge of ickies)

Thursday- vacuum, laundry

Friday- living room/carpet room full clean (this means straighten bookshelves and other random papers, look under/in couches, etc)

Saturday- vacuum upstairs as well as downstairs, laundry

Sunday- day of rest, emergency clean up as needed

There are other things that are dailies, such as: dishes, put away toys, everyone make beds (we'll let Timothy and Rachel slide, as Timo has just a crib and Rach only a pack and play!), children bring dishes to sink after each meal and clean their respective spots-chairs and table, sweep kitchen floor.

I think this is a pretty reasonable list. There isn't so much on any given day as to swamp me and make me toss the list to the chickens. I think I can handle it. :D

Snow Day

Trees in our yard

A few stubborn leaves cling to the branches...

This is the kind of snow we lovingly refer to as "snowball" snow. I love how it clings so thick and heavy to the branches! Photos never seem to do it justice...

Snowshowers forecasted!

Looking for falling snow...

More Rachel Photos

She is growing uo so fast! These are from late October, 2007. She was 2 months old.

Splish Splash

I finally finished my first knitted washcloth! I am so pleased with it, and excited to start on other ones, as well as new projects. I am planning on making one for each of the boys, plus Dave and my mom.

This was done with #6 needles, Peaches N Creme cotton yarn (color: Fiesta Ombre)

Winterized

Timothy is our happy little man. He wanted so badly to go outside this morning with his big brothers, so I got him all suited up for the chilly weather. This is the first fall/winter for him because last January, he was just born. We didn't put mittens on him then, just tucked him snugly into his carseat bunting.

This explains why today he had a confused look on his face when I stuck his bright red mittens on. He sort of looked like a lobster (a cooked one, of course). :) His face quickly turned to what I captured in the photo when I said, "Let's go outside!"

I am Not Martha...

Note to self: Do not EVER become preoccupied while trying to put yeast into your bread dough mixture!!

I had opened the yeast bag, and started to pour some out into the tablespoon. It rushed out of the bag in a wild fury and so I thought, "Hmm, that looks like about a tablespoonful". Wrong! Yeast is one of those things you apparently must measure exactly!

Excited screeches beckoned me to the kitchen. Matthew and Stephen excitedly pointed to the bowl and errupted into gales of laughter. I didn't think it was so funny. Then, I looked at it again... I, too, started to laugh. Life is too short to get all tied up in a knot over things like this! :D

Knitpick

I got together with some good friends a few days ago and one friend pulled out her knitting to show us what she had been up to. There were knitted dishcloths/washcloths in all sorts of beautiful colors. I have wanted to learn how to knit for ages, but have either pushed it aside or gotten too busy with taking care of 4 children!

I have been thinking lately, though, about how important it is to learn these types of skills. My mother did not teach me these things, probably because her mother did not teach her. How much longer do we want that cycle to continue? I learned how to do basic crochet years ago from my great grandmother, who has now passed away. Too many women are still working nowadays to be "Titus 2" women to the younger generation. I suppose it is up to us to either seek out people who can teach us these skills, or learn them ourselves!

My friend Leah gave me address for a great how-to site on knitting! I am very excited, and I took the opportunity this morning to learn how to cast on, and do the knit and purl stitches. I have done about 5 rows so far, and it is fun. It could very well get addictive and make me neglect the children! I don't want that! ;) I will have to save it for while they are napping or in bed.

Surprise!

We just got back from my dad's surprise 60th birthday party. It was really fun, especially since the biggest surprise was seeing us, as well as my brother and his fiancee from MD. My dad had no clue! To top it off, we went home and watched the Red Sox win the 3rd game of the World Series. The next day, they swept the series. Icing on the cake, and great surprises all 'round.