Everyone needs these

I picked up these wooden castle blocks on a whim while Black Friday shopping. Best. purchase. ever. Though the boys were not excited when they unwrapped them, hands down, they play with them more than any other toy they received 6 months ago. Practically every day. Some days they use every block to build elaborate castles with dozens of towers. One time Andy built one tall tower made of all the cylindrical blocks and then a pointed top. It looked like Rapunzel's tower, and when I said so, he beamed with pride. Today they were making a fortress for their ZuZu Pets (not a best.buy.ever) and other random toys that all get rounded up at the end of the day in to a box we lovingly call the "weird box" for all the toys that don't otherwise have a home.

(there are more blocks that are not pictured. They are in a basket. We have 2 sets which allows us to build awesome creations)

As you can see, Nate gives the blocks two thumbs up.

Sadly, they are not available from the seller or the price that I purchased at on Black Friday. The cheapest is available here. (I think I only paid $10 a set and we have two sets. Ah! I wish I would have bought a dozen and saved them for gifts)

http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys/TreeHaus-75-piece-Wooden-Castle-Blocks/6278353/product.html?cid=202290&kid=9553000357392&track=pspla&adtype=pla&kw={keyword}

We have had other wooden blocks before that the boys were not interested in. I think the painted on windows and doors make a HUGE difference in making it feel realistic and making their creations feel like an actual castle as well as the grooves in the wood that give the blocks character and detailing- shingles on a roof, etc. There are also battlement/crenelation pieces that add to the authentic feel.

I don't know when the last time I heard a song that made me feel like I was flying, but for my boys it was this morning.

I'm glad they enjoy music.

They feel it.

They are moved by it.

(not literally)

(...thank goodness)

(... I def don't need a flying toddler in my house)

(then I would be scrubbing crayon and dirty finger prints off the ceiling as well)

Things We Are Loving

1. We are loving these homemade graham crackers

http://pinterest.com/pin/16044142392615365/

Andy and I made them last week while Nate was at school one day, but the only tiny cookie cutters we had were acorn and leaf shapes. Today a package arrived from Chris's mom with mini cookie cutters in every shape (giraffe was my fav. Nate's was the little dog bone...or the teddy bear...or the baby chick...or the duckling. Andy's the butterfly). Obviously, we needed to put them to use right away.

2. Paper Air Planes made of poster board = Awesome

3. Vintage Baby Clothes

as in my baby clothes that my mom saved! A whole box full. LOVE.

I love hearing the boys refer to the baby as "baby sister". Nate will often come snuggle by me for a chance to feel the baby move. The other day he said, "Baby Sister, we're ready for you to come out now". I told him, "Oh no, honey. She's not ready to come out yet. Her lungs aren't ready to breath air and her body is not ready to live outside of mom yet. Think of a grape, how it has to grown on the vine until it's ripe. The baby isn't ripe yet." He got a panicked look on his face for a minute and then hesitantly leaned close to my belly and said, "Nevermind. Stay in there." :) He is such a sweet, thoughtful boy. It already melts my heart to think about him holding her. Speaking of which, here's his face when we told him we were having a girl

(don't mind Andy, he wasn't feeling well.)

And me the day of the ultrasound. Photo courtesy of Nate.

I know it didn't look like much then, but she is actually measuring a little big (just like her brothers)

Christmas in Chicago

We met up in Chicago with Chris's parents and brother this Saturday (it's only about 1.5 hrs from here). It was great to be with them, and I was able to pass off a box of wrapped presents instead of shipping them, but what a zoo!

The first stop was the Lego store on Michigan Ave.







The pictures don't show it, but it was pretty crowded. Not idea situation for two little boys who have been saving their chore money for months to spend on this day. Chris's brother Jon took Nate around and around the store, finally selecting 3 things (spending every dollar he had to spend). Andy picked out one thing, then just wanted to build with the Legos.

Next we grabbed some lunch. Did some coloring.


We were seated right by the window and a Santa bicycle gang rode by (probably a hundred? a bunch of people dressed up in Santa costumes, as well as a few dradles and a few elves). We would see them through out the rest of the day.





After lunch we walked over to Christkindl Market where the boys bought a nutcracker. On our way there, we stopped in Macy's to get hats for Trudy and Jon (it was cold! The boys had long underwear on under their pants). Christmas widow displays spotted. (I was more taken by my little boy observing them, than the displays themselves)




Andy tried on hats too, but decided his own was the best.




I felt like a paparazzi snapping photos as we walked, but I knew Chris would want to see it (he was at the office working). Nate laying his head on Jon's shoulder as Jon carried him because Nate was cold and just waned held. (Doesn't he look huge?) Andy holding on to Kapka's hand everywhere. I wasn't impressed by Chicago at Christmastime, but I was so glad we went for all of the tiny snippets of sweet memories we created that day. Such as, the bus was too crowded on the way back to the hotel for Chris's dad to sit with us, so he stood in the back and held on to the rail. The boys and Steve blew kisses back and forth and waved and such the whole ride back. It was adorable heart warming.

Introducing Super Catman

"Nice kitty"

Andy and his BFF Henry @ preschool Halloween Party

Because of Pinterest, I am a better mom

Living in a 900 sq ft apartment with 4 people means there is no extra space for non essentials. Cardboard, in my eyes, was a non essential and immediately goes out to the recycling bin.

I have seen so many cool things for the boys to do with cardboard on Pinterest that I am changing my ways and regretting all the boxes I sent to the bins earlier this week.

Here are a few ideas:

http://www.ikatbag.com/2008/07/whats-in-box.html

We made the boat this morning (kinda wishing I would have saved this for later in the winter.... also kinda wishing I would have built this in their bedroom... not sure if I can get it up the stairs now- as you can see from the first pic, it's a big large). Also, I wish I would have saved the plastic wrap that everything is wrapped in now. I immediately threw that out. There were a few pieces left, and we taped those to the front of the boat for foaming waves. I think we need to borrow a mermaid barbie to tape to the front for our figurehead.

And now they are coloring it with markers and stamps.

Boys.

Never

Ending

Fun.

one blessing of living with boys

I have been crafting it up lately making a super hero kit and indoor hopscotch pad for a fundraiser for Andy's preschool. My house is littered with fabric scraps, but no one seems to mind.

Super easy. Would be great for homemade Christmas gifts too.

Classic

I was a parent helper in Andy's class today for the Halloween party. I snapped a few pictures while I was there, but haven't pulled them off my camera. I also came home with this treasure.

Andy obviously had a black eye (from the neighbor's playing with beyblades in an unsafe manner).

But the face

!!

I better watch my back because I am pretty sure social services is going to be sent to us.

Seriously.

What a poor little orphan boy.

Reminds me so much of Goob from Meet the Robinsons

Brian, you better not submit this to one of those "awkward family photo" type of websites... I know it belongs there!

I seriously can't look at this picture without cracking up. When I showed it to Andy's teacher she said, "they do retakes". I replied, "Oh, NO WAY! This is absolutely a keeper!" And it is. I will treasure it forever.

A haunting we will go

The boys are off of school after their Halloween parties on Wednesday.

Thursday.

Friday.

Saturday.

Pumpkin festival, carmel apples, carving pumpkins, spooky movies, lots of art projects to do.

It's going to be a fun weekend.

Tomorrow we are going to make this snack for Andy's preschool class. I am going to try to track down some spider rings to put on one of the fingers.

Lunch idea for Thursday , day one of Russell Halloween Extravaganza

And movie night Friday night.

And hot chocolate after walking home from the pumpkin festival //idea from here//

Life with kids is so much fun!

And a few Andabear pictures, because I love him so.

Pumpkin Patch

We spent the weekend in Iowa City with Chris's parents (who celebrate their birthday tomorrow!)

It was wonderful.

(more to come)

Every Day

The neighbors, minus a few

(Andy was having a hard day)

Every day after school we meet up with the neighbor kids on the school playground.

We walk home together on our treelined streets as leaves slowly fall and dance to the ground just in front of us.

It's magical.

After arriving home, the kids drop their bags, get a snack (usually a fresh baked treat from one of the moms- today it was chocolate chip cookies from us) and go out to play until dinner while the moms lounge on patio chairs reading books or chatting, taking turns to go in and work on dinner.

Yeah, it's a good life.

I absolutely love this sight

Uncle Jon's Visit

Chris's brother was in Iowa for a few days in August and drove up to Milwaukee to spend some of the time with us before returning to med school in California. His visit fell in the middle of the week, so Chris was not around for most of it. When I first realized this I panicked a little bit. Usually Chris's parents come visit when his brother does. This was the first time he was visiting alone, and with Chris at work, I was afraid it would be awkward. He, a MDPHD student. Me, a stay at home mom. How much could we really have to talk about? Then I realized that if this was one of my brothers, I wouldn't think about that at all. And just like that, I realized he is one of my brothers. And it doesn't matter if his interests and mine are completely different. We are family. Family should erase all of the boxes we put ourselves in, define ourselves by and lump us all together in the same box. The love you have for each other and for the other family members is the common ground you start with.

park-playing.

frisbee tossing on the beach.

ice cream eating.

Yeah, we had a good time. all by our selves.

Park Review:

We visited Possibilities Park in Port Washington (right on the lake, just north of downtown). It was a smaller version of the Imagination Station in Oconomowoc, so I was a little underwhelmed from previously visiting the Imagination Station. The great things about this park were: they had a water misting area to cool kids off, it was right by the lake with stairs down to the lake. The beach was very clean and the waves were big. I hadn't prepped for a beach day- no swim trunks or beach toys, but if we go back, I absolutely would. Bathrooms right next to the playground (Imagination Station had port-a-potties). Many picnic tables and grassy areas to run/play/picnic. Great place to spend an entire day: take beach stuff, picnic lunch, soccer ball, bubbles. Port Washington also has a historic light house to visit (but I think it's only open on weekends). Worth the visit. Oh, another fun tip. This park is not a traditional playground. It is geared more for imaginative play (and handicap accessible). I took a bag of dress-up clothes and Nate (and Uncle Jon) ran around like pirates (there was a pirate boat much like the one at Imagination Station) looking for sunken treasure. Nate shared his pirate hat with a handicap girl in a wheel chair. Her mom was so delighted, she called the grandparents over to take pictures. It was a great experience for Nate to play side by side with many handicapped children. So two thumbs up for that. And remember to take dress up clothes!