Thursday, February 17, 2011

Christmas -2010

Christmas Eve we had Adam's family over for dinner and Christmas Day we went to my brother Kevin's house for dinner.  The highlight of the day was all of the kids shaking their booties to some sort of Wii Dance Game.  Too funny. 

This was the first year that Henry was really into Santa which made it a lot more fun.  We had to leave our carrots and cookies on the front mat because OF COURSE Santa does not have a key to our locked door.  I have to admit- that the thought of a fat, old, strange, bearded man breaking into your house IS a bit creepy, however jolly he might be.

Things the kids asked for: they both wanted pillow pets.  Molly wanted the lady bug and Henry wanted the dog.  The rest of Molly's list was "Dora Stuff" and Henry wanted a video game player, a spongbob toothbrush and a stuffed spongebob doll.

Here are some pictures right after they woke up on Christmas morning.  We must have concentrated on the video because these shots really are not that great!






Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Random Cute Pictures

Digging through the archives these are just pictures that I liked.  This outfit was one of Molly's own creations.  Her Easter basket, a necklace Adam bought her, pajamas, different pajama pants, and socks on her hands.  The last one is a classic Molly face where she is giggling at her own joke.



 In these pictures Henry must have just gotten his hair cut.  He has some sort of hair product in his hair that he would never let us do at home.  I just thought he looked very handsome that day and the last shot reminds me of what he will look as a teenager staring at the TV.


Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Tree Day - December 16th 2010

Ever since Adam and I started living together we have always gone to get our Christmas tree on December 16th, which was my Dad's birthday.  We have continued the tradition with the kids.  We make a big spaghetti and meatball dinner, drink some wine and yell at each other while trying to get the tree straight in the tree stand.  We buy our tree from the same guys from Canada each year who stay for the entire season just off 181st Street.  We pick the tallest, skinniest tree we can find, pay an exhorbitant sum of money for it.  Adam drags it home while I snap photos.  Invariably the camera lens always fogs up and the pictures are terrible but it is documentation nonetheless. 

Since we have always lived with very little storage space (no garage, attic or basement) I have traditionally made new ornaments each year based on some sort of theme.  Since the kids have been born I have really focused on non-breakable ornaments that they could touch.  We have since gained some storage space so I am able to keep what I make from year to year.  It is fun to see Molly react to the felt Elmo ornament just as Henry did when he was her age.  This year we added to the collection by making some beaded ornaments that I bought in kits.  We also all painted some glass ornaments as a family.  I personally enjoyed watching Adam out of his comfort zone doing crafts.  Henry really enjoyed making the snowflakes which had the tiniest little beads.  I was surprised that he could even work with them and how much attention and time he devoted to making them. 


Family photo-  That is Molly stuffed in my coat.  We got a late start and she passed out as soon as I put her in the Ergo carrier.


Getting the end sawed off the tree


Close up of some of our home-made ornaments

The finished product

Monday, February 14, 2011

Molly's Second Birthday Celebration!

Here are the photos from Molly's big day in December.

Picking out her birthday breakfast at the diner



At the New Jersey Chilren's Museum

The Knight.  Just prior to the picture she was chewing out some poor boy who had the nerve to enter her castle

Ride 'em cowboy!

Molly with her best friend Roen.  Roen and her mom and brother stopped by to see her new dollhouse

Molly with her Dora cake

Molly at her birthday tea with two of her friends. 

Pink cupcakes- Molly's only birthday request

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Now That is Some Craft Box!

As background, Henry and Molly have a craft box with assorted things:  paper, crayons, pipe cleaners, string, paper clips, glue, stickers, streamers, feathers etc.  Henry is quite the inventor and is always making all sorts of contraptions.  Yesterday it was putting feathers on the backs of his Toy Story Figurines so that they could fly.  Today it was stringing a line between every chair and knob in the dining room making a tight rope that he planned to walk on.  Good luck with that one right?

Anyway, the kids were taking their naps this afternoon.  I heard Henry leave his room and go into the bathroom.  A minute later after his business was done I heard him back in the bedroom having a very earnest conversation with Molly.  I went in to see what was keeping her from getting out of her bed.  Henry filled me in since she was not speaking that Molly had to use the bathroom but she didn't want to sit down.  She wanted to stand like him.

We are always taking about the differences between the boy and girl anatomy in this house.  Usually more than I would like but whatever.  I explained to Molly, yet again I might add, that she didn't have a penis so she would have to sit.  She looked at me and sighed, I sure thinking that I was lacking something, maybe imagination.  It was definitely a condescending look.  Henry, sensing trouble brewing on the horizon, started spouting off ideas.  His best and my favorite was: "I know!  We can make Molly a penis using stuff from the craft box and then she can pee standing up!"  Henry, I love your enthusiasm and craftiness!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Apple Picking- Fall 2010

Looking through our pictures, it seems that all we do is pick fruit on the weekends.  Since I am trying to be thorough for Grandma, I now present you with Apple Picking at Masker's Orchard in Warwick, NY.








Friday, February 11, 2011

Halloween 2010

We started off the day at the NY Botanical Gardens where they had a Halloween celebration for kids.  We then had an appetizer contest/Halloween party in our lobby with the neighbors.  We took second place with our bacon wrapped, ricotta stuffed dates which was very exciting!  We even got a trophy.  We then did some trick or treating in our building.  Molly didn't want to wear her costume until she got the real idea of what Halloween was about.  She quickly changed her tune!


Molly running through the hedge maze

Henry in the maze

Sitting on the log furniture

Sitting at the mini log table and chairs

Doing some sort of botanical project.  I think it was what they find in animal stomachs or something gross like that

Spongebob and the Red Crayon setting off to find treats in our building

Making their very important selections.  I wish I paid more attention since I wound up eating most of the candy!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Henry's 4th Birthday-palooza, October 2010

Henry's 4th Birthday Celebration spanned many days.  First, we celebrated with his friends in his Pre-K Class


Then, we opened gifts at home before heading to Great Wolf Lodge. Henry got Magnatiles and the home arcade claw machine that he has always wanted.




Showing off his bunk beds and some sort of snake that he must have won through his claw machine addition

 Trick or treating in the Great Wolf Lodge Hallways.  Notice Molly's ire and lack of costume
 Showing off their howling and wolf ears at the buffet

Then, we had Uncles Kevin and Barry, their families and Papa Joe over for lunch.

And then Henry sprung his last minute desire for a party with his friends and I whipped something together before I passed out from the sheer exhaustion of it all :)