Tahiti and the fruit ninjas

Is it too soon to start dreaming about far off places where the sand is home base and the sound of the ocean lulls me to sleep?  Yep, I thought as much.  We've been dodging many a crises since this new year began and I'm self medicating with summer fantasies... and this cinnamon pull apart bread which rocked my week.  (ps. if you do make it, for the love of all things maple, please drench it in pioneer woman's cinnamon roll frosting.  You can thank me later...unless your planning your bikini vacation in February and in that case we can't be friends).

Don't think the cup of sugar that you sprinkle on the dough is a typo.  It is absolutely necessary.

In other news, does it take anyone else a full two hours and a triage just to put their kids to bed?  I think we are in serious need of a super nanny intervention.  Let's go through the check list shall we?
bathtime (an epic event within itself)
pick up rooms
comb hair
brush teeth
floss teeth
flouride rinse (since Oregonians believe that putting flouride in their water is a conspiracy)
flouride tablets (see note above)
tylenol
cough syrup with codeine
albuterol
cream for exema on Ava's hands
vaseline for chapped upper lips
wart medication for Ian's finger
jammies
stories
prayer
song
dream lights
hot tea
sweet back to bed voices
jammied feet at the top of the stairs
threatening back to bed voices
tears
more tears
create a mock rainforest in the bathroom for Ava to sleep
repeat step 23 every 3 hours

You would think this ritual would create a state of exhaustion and confusion throughout the day but no, they are up right at 7am ready to take on their secret identities as "Apple Dapple" (who can kill you with any apple he chooses) and "Tutti's Frutti's" (who can turn into any fruit she wants and make fruit salad at a moments notice...not exactly the super powers I would choose but to each his own.)

I think I'm the only one not functioning rationally as I somehow let them talk me into skipping school and eating lunch at Krispy Kream.

Who us?

Tonight I'm implementing a 3:30 veggies only dinnertime and hoping all are in bed by 8pm.  Wish me luck!

2012...last call

We are home from our whirlwind Chicago trip and I'm left answering the age old question, "Does Christmas really happen if you get some kind of bathroom shackled food poisoning four hours before you're supposed to board a plane and your husband is left to pack everything your family needs for ten days and accidentally forgets mama's beloved camera charging on the windowsill?"  Well yes it does actually.  But not without a significant amount of whining and pouting and begrudgingly using her father-in-laws perfectly adequate, but not quite up to certain snobby standards, Sony on the occasional outing.
Did I mention I saw a nativity set for sale at the Costco outlet store that was missing baby Jesus?  Seriously what is the world coming too?
Anyway, after a few days of trying to regain my balance and energy, we had another fabulous holiday being spoiled by the world's best in-laws and today I had to awake to the tragic reality that there isn't a fridge stocked full of foods and a volvo suv waiting to take me to my restaurant of choice.  It is indeed back to reality but this winter I'm armed with blues fighting gifts from my backup dancers.  I've got fruity lotions and peony candles, a kickin rubber bracelet and the biggest bottle of Vitamin D known to man.
I am prepared.
Ok, back to the shots...in reverse order just to mix things up.

Our last morning there we decided to end our trip in style with our favorite breakfast spot.  Ian tasted his inaugural hot chocolate and will never be the same again. 

This girl loves to sweet talk her Nai Nai 

You're not going to be able to drink all that yourself, right?

In perhaps what was our strangest New Years Eve ever we did our wranging at the North Shore Chinese Christian church.  A six hour marathon of dumplings, games, singing, glow sticks, and tray after tray of brownies.  The cousins were enamored by all the activities and I finally beat Ben at scrabble.  It was a good night.

My second family.  You can put us anywhere and we can make a night of it.  Love times ten.

Uncle Matt taught Ian how to play Uno and prescribed antibiotics for his pink eye all in one night.  He is a man of many talents.

Yey Yey treated us to Monsters Inc. in 3D.  Ian barely moved the whole time.  He is such an observer and it was a lot to take in.  He thought the whole experience was pretty awesome.  I couldn't stop laughing at my little man in those glasses.  Happy 1st movie day sweet boy!

Jenni and I fit in a play date and made the most of our three hours.  Highlights:  perusing cook books, baking brownies, watching the girls bond, visiting Blackberry Market (awesome), planning anniversary trips, and just being together. I don't think we could have fit more giddy into this pic.

The girls hit it off.

I drove Ava around Wheaton's campus and snapped a photo in front of their new sign.  Just in case she becomes a future alum and wants a lookback shot. :)

Before we left we fit in a little sparkle and shine with the Terwilliger family.  Joy all around.  The kids loved their new animal blankets!

Jaime and I getting our snuggle on.

All growin up...sigh

puppy boy

Even with nasty viruses and busy travel days, vacation was everything I was waiting for and all I needed to reel me in to a new year.  Four days in and I'm full from my heart to my belly.  I've tossed around a few resolutions but am holding fast to the things that need to stay exactly the same.  God is so good and He has been faithful to our family in the smallest details.  I can't tell you how many places I see water gushing from rocks.  He is and always will be my every expectation and reward.  Happy 2013!

t'was the night before (fake) Christmas

and all the through the house
not a creature was stirring (except an exhausted mama watching house hunter reruns)
the children were snuggled all up in their beds
while visions of pirates and furby's danced in their heads

As usual it's after midnight and I should be in bed.  But I know these next few precious days will fly by and I don't want the details to slip through my fingers.  I anticipate with joy their wide and sleepy eyes as they awake to the sparkle and shine of Christmas morning.  All the days of celebrating lead to the one moment when we can put the baby in His manger and remind each other of the most important gift we have ever received.  A few more records and then I in my cap will into my cozy sheets go...

Advent day 19:  Today you get to take a bath!  (wait for it...enjoy their shocked faces)  Open your gift for some bathtime fun.

Christmas duckies!

Advent day 20:  It's time to send our Christmas cards.  Let's read The Jolly Postman, get out our Christmas stickers and send some Christmas cheer!

Best book ever!  Check it out at your library asap.

Advent day 21:  Tonight we'll take a pajama ride!  Let's get our cookies (and four pounds of candy that mama made because apparently I handle tragedy by using obscene amounts of butter and sugar in the kitchen) and letters and take some treats to our friends.  We'll pop some popcorn and make hot chocolate and drive around looking at Christmas lights.  (Daddy even let Ava drive which was a major highlight.)  

Advent day 22:  Tia's here!  Let's take her out for a special tea date and Ian can have a special pirate date with daddy. (totally improvised this one...again)

"Oh, I'll just have the usual.  Hot chocolate and gummy bears."  Basically she's been on a sugar high for three weeks.

always on her best princess behavior

well, almost always

advent day 23:  It's family music night!  We'll get out some instruments and sing Christmas carols together (while mommy and daddy have a mildly passive aggressive argument in veiled language and hushed tones.) Yay!

And finally we're up to speed (and Ben's snuggled up next to me snoring on the couch so it looks like we'll be speaking this Christmas).  Tomorrow we'll open gifts and then we'll head to Chicago for some crazy cousin fun.  

Merry Christmas!

the countdown continues

Our advent tree is quickly filling up with memories which kind of makes the time go faster.  I wish there could be a few life pause buttons but am grateful for the joys of this unique time.  I wondered if the kids would lose interest at keeping up with something for 25 days but just the opposite.  There is some palpable anticipation building within these four walls.

Advent day 15:  It's time for some Christmas cookie fun in the kitchen.  Put on your aprons and let's have a sprinkle fight (just kidding).  Not that it made any difference on the outcome of the floor.

Advent day 16:  Do you ever wonder what the shepherd's lives were like?  Tonight we'll read about the shepherd's in the bible and eat some foods that they may have eaten in their day.  (totally made up the meal thing...umm they probably had hummus, almonds, chicken skewers and dried apricots right?  who's with me?)

Didn't you know that My Little Pony's were present at the birth of Jesus?  Ava figured the shepherds needed some way to get around.  We asked them a bunch of questions about shepherds which led to a discussion of Jesus being our shepherd.  I think Ava really understood which made this mama's heart so happy.

Advent day 17:  It's chocolate lollipop day!  Tonight we'll make some chocolate lollipops and share some with our friends. (I bought these after Christmas a few years ago for a dollar and they've always been a huge hit.  This year I melted a ghiradelli's peppermint bark bar and it was so good!)

Advent day 17:  Today is Ian's birthday!  We'll open gifts, have a party, and go see Peter Pan at the theater. Let's show Ian how much we love him today.

We always start birthdays with presents in bed.

Ian was all about the pirates this year so we threw a pirate party.  This is a four layer german chocolate cake that finally came together after fighting me for two hours.  Loved the end result though!

I used black candles coming our horizontally like cannons and they smoked after blowing them out!

Pirate party time!

Meeting Captain Hook after the show.  I think Ian's a little worried about that hook. 

I wasn't sure how he would do since he's never been to a movie or any kind of show but he was riveted for the whole two hours.  He talked about it all the way home.  There will definitely be some more children's theater in our future.

One more week until Christmas!

Advent-ures 12, 13, 14...:)

We're still rolling through the rainy December days and finding bits of grace and joy amidst the madness.  It was a rough week for mama with all the tragedy unfolding and I just keep repeating Come Lord Jesus Come in the quiet places of my heart.  I ache for the mama's who hid in dressing rooms with their babies at the very mall I take weekly trips to.  And I ache for the families who lost their babies while they were out running Christmas errands.  This is the very darkness that Jesus entered into in the most unexpected way.  Advent means, "the coming that is awaited."  And as we walk through this season I wait for the celebration of what He has already done and also for the clarity and future joy of the redeeming of this world.  It is only with His daily presence that I can bear it.

"Come thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free.  From our fears and sins release us.  Let us find our rest in thee..."

Advent day 12:  Put on your warm coats!  We're taking an fantasy Christmas walk at Wenzel Farms.  (This place is some cheesy, wacky fun y'all.)

warming up by the fire

Ian loved the bouncy bridge

little houses just their size

And a rockin snow machine!

Advent day 13:  It's game night!  Let's pop some popcorn (which we forgot to do) and pull out our favorite games.  This is our current favorite.

It was also time to eat their gingerbread house.  (Anne made these from scratch and they were a thousand times better than a box version.  I'm still sneaking pieces when the kids aren't looking.)

Advent day 14:  It's Christmas ornament day!  Let's put on the Christmas music, invite our friends over and make a gigantic mess some ornaments.  (we just poured paint in the clear glass ball ones and they turned out really cute.)
The hot chocolate was the really winner with the kiddos




The ninjas say goodbye to our guests