life

probably about a month ago, i began a list of pictures and videos to add to the blog. life has been packed with too much work, and some play, and i simply haven't had time to add anything. in the meantime, life has been passing by, and there have been too many things i'd like to record here, so i need to just start randomly listing things. 

z & s have been enjoying opening the little advent bags each morning. they have to wait until z has practiced his violin for the day, which now consists of him playing three twinkle variations - mississippi hot dog, ice cream - sh - cone, and run mommy run daddy. i hope to have him begin beautiful butterfly twinkle tomorrow. we've been doing a little note reading also. anyway, he calls the advent calendar an "elavent" calendar. 

last week, j was in phoenix for two nights. before he left, i was talking about how i'll get lonely without him here. z heard me, and said, "don't worry, mommy. you won't be alone. you'll have s & me!" it was very sweet. i think he even gave me a hug. i've been leaving notes in the bags for z to read, instructions on where to find little dollar gifts, in addition to the daily piece of chocolate. today's note read "look in the oven." i had left a gingerbread house kit in the oven for them to find. i did my best to make both kids understand that they are to NEVER leave anything in the oven themselves.

we have started potty training with s. it takes a LOT of patience!!!

lots of babies being born. one of my high school mates became a GRANDMOTHER yesterday - her 17 yr old daughter had a baby on uncle b's birthday. our good good good friends p & n welcomed a baby boy early this morning after 36 hours of natural labor. 

we had fun at c & r's annual xmas party last night, and they are expecting a baby boy in january. they actually hired someone to serve (a daughter of a friend) and a coworker to bartend for the party. c smoked a turkey, and there were lots of great nibbles, along with cake pops. they sent some home with us for the kids. truly a fantastic party! we ended up getting  home later than we expected, after midnight. and of course s woke me up this morning at the crack of dawn. 

i should be peeling, slicing veggies right now, prepping them to be roasted, but what the heck - here's a picture from the annual trip to see santa today. we went to the bridgeport village, which is an outdoor mall. in the past, i have had the luxury of taking the kids during the week, so there was never much of a line. today, however, at 10:15, there was a really really long line, in 37 degree weather. poor s - no mittens, wearing a dress with tights and uncomfortable black dress shoes. of course no hat, either, because her hair was in pigtails. z had left his hat and mittens in the car. both kids were very patient. i stood in line, freezing, while j ran around with them. z made me really nervous. right by the line for santa was a fountain, with a little area where you could jump on a small pathway of stones partially submerged in about 3-4" of water. i thought for sure z would fall of the rocks and get his feet sopping wet, but it never happened. thankfully he only tried once. eventually it was our turn to visit with santa. z told santa he wants a plastic boat for the bathtub, and a remote controlled airplane. s, of course, didn't say anything. it was 12pm when we made it back to the car.  

s wasn't smiling. z's smile looked too forced.

z had a great smile, but s wasn't smiling.

finally, they both smiled and both looked at the camera. we were out of there!

 zane said to me after we got back, this is the best day ever! cake pops to eat, a visit to santa, a gingerbread house to make, running around in the frigid air - what else could a young boy ask for in a day? he is such a sweet boy. his mama loves him dearly.

off to prep the vegetables...