For Those of You Who Are Interested...

I'm posting more house pics on flickr.

On the Way to Anchorage

These pictures do NOT do it justice.  It was gorgeous out.  One of the benefits of sub-zero temps.  I just happened to have my camera in the car, grabbed it and took about 30 random pics out my window while I was driving.  I hate stopping almost as much as I hate backtracking.

Oh, and for those of you who have spent only some or no time in Alaska, this was taken a little after 12 pm, so that's as high as the sun gets these days.  We have lots of "twilight" time up here.  

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Emma wearing her pilgrim hat she made for her feast at school.

Jack very happily feeding Gramma.

Okay, so I know that posting Thanksgiving pictures the week before Christmas may be a little...lazy? tacky? something else??

I just didn't get around to it.  I'm sure there were a few more cute shots but these two are my favs.  They show a little kid personality.

I'll upload more house pics tonight or tomorrow.  

Promise.

Actually, Mike promises (even though he has NO idea how to use this computer) he took the pics and wants them up yesterday...

Where's Jack??

Jack is at that really cute age where he's super excited when he gets something right.  

Example:

Mom (Gramma) and I were sitting at the table the other day.

Gramma - "Jack!  Where's your mom?"

Jack - seriously thinking, then points to me

Gramma and I - "YEAH!!!  JACK!!!"

Jack - claps, laughs and smiles in delight

Gramma - "Jack!  Where's Gramma?"

Jack - (thinks again and points to Gramma)

Gramma and I - YEAH!!!  JACK!!!!

Jack-claps, laughs and smiles in delight

Gramma - "Where's Jack?"

Jack - thinks and then covers his eyes.

Because when we ask "where's Jack?" it means that we can't see him and for us to not be able to see him he must cover his eyes.  This way he disappears.  Now, he gets to "reappear" by uncovering his eyes so we can play...

Gramma and I - "peek a boo!"   burst into laughter.

Jack- claps, laughs and smiles in delight.

Seemingly meaningless crap

Okay, so this will probably be a little boring for a lot of you out there.  

The other day I started making cookies except there was all this mess on the counter and it was kinda funny how much messes like this say about us.  First of all you can know we're living with my parents because the speakers for my ipod are not of the Bose variety.  We do however, make use of Gramma's speakers every chance we get.  My poor nano looks a little weinie in there.  There are cords everywhere - my small fridge, my mixer, my cell phone charger and maybe some of my parents things as well.  My mom loves Kenny Chesney, so there's that.  My favorite hand cream is there.  The movie Mike picked up (super fun one) is on top of the pizza box which held the pizza we consumed yesterday.  You can't get anything done without crayons nearby (I think most of the notes/messages I take are done in crayon).  The recipe box back there is one my Granddad made for my mom.  That brown bowl has been around for...well, as long as I can remember.  It's what we've mixed pancakes and cookies in, I sometimes wonder how many batches of cookies have been made in there.  Actually, it's probably best I didn't know that.  After all those studies came out about the link between plastics and breast cancer (NEVER heat anything in plastic) we replaced our beloved Nalgene bottles with Klean Kanteen, even for the kids.  Their shipping prices are outrageous.  They work with Avent bottle and sippy cup tops so they're great for kids.  OH, and lastly in the picture is the kids plastic cup that holds toothbrushes.  You can see here we're down to our last brush, the rest must be in the dishwasher and various places on the floor where they're waiting to be stepped on, or licked by the dog and then picked up and used by Jack.

Happiness is...

In existence

I love that for a two year old, if they can see something, it exists, if they can't, it doesn't.  If they're interested, it's great, if they're not, it doesn't exist.

Mom and I were baking with the kids the other day.  Emma opens the carton of eggs, takes one out, cracks it, and nicely dumps it in the bowl. 

 (You can totally see where this is going)  

Jack picks up an egg, looks it over, turns it around, is now bored and casually throws it over his shoulder onto the tile floor.  As I'm cleaning up the first egg, he picks up another one, looks it over, "nope, no different, not interesting" and casually throws it over his shoulder where it also lands on the floor.  

I do, at this point, put away the eggs.

But what's funny is that as soon as he let go of the egg, it no longer existed in Jack's world.  He didn't look behind him to see where it landed.  He didn't seem curious about the crack/splat sound it made on the floor or even look behind him to see what mom was cursing about.  Just, "oh, not that interesting, I think I'll move on to the next one..."

I guess that's what makes it funny.  If he had thrown it down and laughed at the splat and started to do it again... well, we'll probably be on to that next year.  When he's three.  

A Quick Catch-Up

Emma is that cute little blur you see running into the school.  This is how dark it is here at about 3 minutes to 9am.  You know, 3 minutes before she should be seated in her classroom.

I was a little worried about sending her to Kindergarten, she's the youngest one, being born only a few days before the cutoff.  But let me tell you, I am amazed every time I help out in her classroom at how far "behind" some of the kids are.  I'm also amazed and happy about how independent she is, she does NOT like to be taken to class, she wants to be dropped off like the "big kids"  because she IS totally a "big kid."

Here's Emma in her ballet class with a friend.  It's the only picture I have of her actually in class and I think we're hanging up our ballet shoes for a while.  Long story on that one.

Emma and Jack have taken to "snuggling" with each other before bed.  I love it.  She's tried to give him his night milk snack but he's not into that...yet.

I have to say that there's nothing sweeter than seeing siblings enjoy each other.  It's something that's slowly being discovered.  Unfortunately, with the knowledge of being nice also comes the knowledge of how to be not so nice.  We'll work through it.  Best kids show for siblings EVER is Charlie and Lola.  Emma now speaks in a british accent, she's not half bad but it certainly doesn't help me understand her any better, which we still struggle with at times.

Here's my dad and I in the "playroom" that lovely high table, with the way cool light and orange wall?  Totally part of my ultimate sewing/scrapbooking/crafting/internet station which will be that whole corner.  You can see my playroom sink and cabinets behind dad and on the other side of the orange wall will be the laundry/utility room.  It's all coming together!  I'll post pics on flickr, just use the link to the right that says something like "Our Pictures!!!"

Here's why I love winter.  Lovely, lovely snow.  It's a bummer that I have no time to go riding (snowmachines) at least not until the house is done.  Soon, so soon...