Homemade Play Dough

It took me a long time to build up the desire and courage to make play dough. I don't like to make things if I'm not sure how they will turn out. But since I've begun baking, I'm a lot more willing to try and see and just live with the results. So I searched the web and found an excellent recipe for play dough and it works wonderfully. The kids has a fun time with this. Plus their uncle had already given them a big box of cutters and tools from play-doh. Walker actually helped me make a batch, just because he wanted a taste most likely. He did not like it at all. The girls helped clean up at the end. A perfect activity for three.

Snowflake and Honey

We're suckers for hamsters!

We read that dwarf Robo hamsters do better with a partner, but one that is from the same litter or they have already bonded to in the cage. Of course, Poppy left two Robo's behind at the petstore, Snowflake's two sisters. So the day after Christmas we ran to the petstore and picked up the remaining Robo, we named her Honey. The small animal section was cleaned out on Christmas but Honey was left behind, waiting for us.

Once we got her home, she and Snowflake were super happy to be reunited. Honey immediately jumped on the wheel and began exploring her new cage. Snowflake also perked up and was really more alert after Honey came home.

Now we have two hamster balls running around the basement but each of the girls now has their own "personal" hamster (their words not ours). We are actually all happy about the new additions, except maybe Kittikens. I think she's just glad it was not a kitten.

We are trying to get them used to us, which is a feat with 10 hands and excited little children voices. So we are not taking pictures up close yet. I'm hopeful we'll get some good ones soon.

Snowman

Carys wanted to build a snowman. It's hard to get me to leave my warm home, even though I love my children dearly. I managed to get all of us dressed and out the door for our second attempt at the snowman. We had tried the day before but the snow was not sticky enough. Even thought this snow was more cooperative, it was still a challenge to build the snowman. Especially with Walker kicking it. But we managed to layer the snow on and Poppy showed up just in time to finish the head and arms and add hair. What a great treat to the end of the day.

Christmas Crafts!

A friend of mine introduced me to cardboard crafts. These ornaments were made by cutting cardboard, wrapping in aluminum, and attaching the string. The rest is glitter glue by kids and the decorating possibilities are endless.


I know this is an old craft but new to us this year. This wreath is made from all the kids hands. It turned out so well, I want to do it again with felt for a wreath we can pull out many Christmases from now.


These are spiced hang ups, another craft from a homemaker blog. What a fun thing these are and great smelling too.

A New Friend!

We got a new friend! Christmas Eve, Poppy brought a little dwarf hamster home to live with us. She's super cute and when she is less shy, I'll post more pics. She's explored a bit in her ball but mostly likes her cage and the few treats we've introduced (apples and grapes so far). The kids LOVE the hamster. They were quiet and did not disturb the cage too much. Carys really wanted to pet her but the hamster is shy. We don't have a name yet, so you'll have to check back later to find out what they choose.

Christmas Baking

The whole gang participated in baking and cooking our holiday morsels. I've been cooking pumpkin and banana bread for church so I decided to give gingerbread a try. The recipe I used worked out, I think my cookies were a bit thicker. But I think with practice in a few years, I'll be pretty good with gingerbread and hopefully able to put together a homemade gingerbread house with the girls.

Sledding

The sledding hill was fun on Christmas Eve. We took a walk to the local coffee shop for a coffee and hot chocolate while he snow lightly fell. The sledding hill was fairly empty and Poppy decided to take the kids sledding. It made my heart skip a beat to see my little ones careening down the hill but they were all smiles and little Walker wanted "more sled"! We need to get another sled for next year, the girls are not afraid to go it alone now.

Merry Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas, Love us.

Happy Birthday My Helen

We celebrated Helen's birthday with a breakfast birthday dinner and cupcakes. This year Poppy was sick and he was unable to participate, I pray he's better tomorrow (or tonight). So things were a little delayed. Thankfully, we seemed to have settled into the tradition of pancakes, eggs and link sausage with lots of syrup for birthday dinners. While it was not easy to juggle it all, we managed to survive, even the girls managed to fight over a few things but mostly played well together. Carys helped me wrap the presents this afternoon and prepare the table. Helen also had an onigiri (japanese rice ball) lunch with cupcakes for her entire class. This Sat. is her party for a few of her close friends and preschool mates.

Walker got a little toy he loves so he was happy for a time and Carys got a little something too since she helped me shop for Helen. I took some pictures and will get them up as soon as we set our computer up. I gave in and Helen got play makeup (totally plastic though she wanted the real "play" makeup) and an entire princess outfit. She's been talking about makeup since she was three. I'm not sure why it's in there but it is. Since I can't convince her to let it go, I have decided to work with it. Maybe we'll find an age appropriate outlet for her love of cosmetics and sparkly jewels.

Thanks to everyone who sent cards and gifts. She was thrilled to hear your birthday wishes.

Outside

Walker also has a blast outside and asks more than the girls ever did to go outside. Of course, right now it's more grunting and pointing but he KNOWS OUTSIDE.
Many days, we are at the park 2-3 times. He loves to climb and is learning to slide.

Worm Hunters Extraordinaire

I cleaned out an area to be completely devoted to vegetables this year. The girls enjoyed excavating in the dirt, many ant mounds were located, roly poly's were relocated and more than a few worms were unearthed. The girls had a TON of fun and Helen found the biggest worm I've ever seen.

Helen and Walker

Usually Helen and Walker are tugging, pushing, pulling, grabbing, hitting, crying, and wrestling. I happened upon this sweet moment, it was not staged. Helen is beginning to learn to read and it obsessed with teaching. She can't read this book yet, she is reading Bob books and is becoming very skillful with Phonics. Walker LOVES to sit in my lap and read so it's no surprise he was sitting in her lap. I can't wait until some of the unwanted physical activity calms down but maybe it never will.

It's Cute Sometimes

Visitors

My highschool friend Angie came to visit me twice, yeah, I'm happy to reconnect, can you tell? Cool thing is we still have so much in common. She loves the Lord, has two great kids, is married and likes to good food and travel. She's great with our kids, and in many ways, it's like there's been no time lost. So, thank you Ang. and Dave for visiting Chicago, we miss ya.

Cool Sky

Stormy night at my house a while back, good night!

Birthdays Past

Walker had a small party at home with a few friends and snacks. He was not happy with the direct attention during the cake presentation but got over it quickly once he started eating cake.









Poppy had a family birthday complete with homemade cupcake tower.





Carys had a small party with some girls from school. She enjoyed having her friends over. We had a ton of crafts, planted some seeds, the girls played Duck, Duck Goose and Simon Says. No one cried and everyone when home with an extra cupcake. Party success.

Ba-na-na

This morning, Walker woke up with his usual hunger. As we were standing in the kitchen preparing to strap into the highchair, Walker pointed to the bunch of bananas on the counter and said BA-NA-NA! I was thrilled! Now, we've not been worried about his speech in particular, but I do think the girls were speaking more words by now. Of course, I shrieked and freaked him out so when I asked that he repeat to Poppy, he just gave his shy grin instead.

Previously, he's clearly pointed to a bird in his favorite book with Poppy, and said clearly BIRD. But has not repeated that with me during reading sessions. He has no problem with the word ball, which when he says it, sounds like BAHL. In fact everything round is a BAHL to Walker.

Today was a very communicative day, he was rubbing his belly for hungry and scratching his hips for pamper change. Plus a few other hand motions I could not quite make out, I have to learn his sign language as well.

Where did Winter Go?

We got i-phones in November and fast forward to April. We have a video function on the i-phone and now mostly send videos to our families via e-mail. It's quick and instantly updates everyone on our goings on. I like this but I'm starting to miss dragging out the camera for those cute shots. It's convenient to take photos and video with the i-phone but the picture quality is better on our big camera. So for a trade off, I guess this has been a bit of an experiment. I can pay to put video here but I'm not sure I want to.

So, I was not sure if I should continue with the blog since we were updating family with video, which was the original reason I created this blog. But I have used this to update old friends and introduce new friends to my family. And as a record for the children, the blog is valuable, since their baby books are hidden in some box somewhere in the basement.

This brings me to updating 4 months. There as been so much activity. Christmas, Walker, Cullen and Carys' birthdays, visits and visitors and Resurrection Day (Easter). Not to mention all the mundane but wonderful growings of Walker and the girls.

So I'll try to slowly catch this blog up to date and continue on for the children who may one day look back at this fondly and share this with their children.

The photos are of Christmas, and Carys and Helen's school Christmas pageants.