Siblings

This is Titus. Wearing a baby leash which his sister placed on him, he is holding up his new favorite toy dubbed "Bobee." This is him after saying for the millionth time that day "This is MY Bobee!!!"

Twins in matching sweaters before church and after picking a nose...

"Don't Get Too Close To Her Beak!"
3/365
We had a great time visiting my friend Ruth. This is her lap, surrounded by the five and under masses, with one of her many chickens at her urban eco farm. :) I could not stop jumping every time the chicken moved her head as Ella and Titus were keen on snuggling with the chicken's head. Not really, but it sure felt like it! Wyatt wanted nothing to do with it. The little stinker!

Our homeschool group had a resident artist in Wichita come teach the kids some ceramic techniques. Ella adored every second of the lesson and came home with a pinch pot, some beads, etc. Such a wonderful event! Our Orthdox homeschool group is such a blessing. The playtime with clay was preceded by a lesson from Fr Aron on songs song in liturgy.

Culture 2/365

This picture is kind of cheating since it was taken last November, but it's too much fun to gloss over. The art museum in town has free art classes for pre-k that Ella and the little guy I watch, River, just love! It's sooooooooo stressfull, so much work, so tiring. I bribe the boys to stay in their stroller (a museum rule for kids under three) with organic lollipops and spins in the halls while the older two get their fill of beauty and a creative outlet where Mommy isn't freaking out when paint is accidentally flipped on to the walls. It's hard, but totally worth it.

Potential 1/365

I needed something to keep my hands busy. I needed to reconnect with my creative side which has nothing to do with diapers or a broom or dinner. That which God placed in us; the ability to create beauty and the urge to do so. So, I picked up knitting! A friend (thanks Melissa) so generously offered to teach me and I've quite enjoyed it since. Though I've made nothing yet but a few pretty knots, I can feel that this will be an activity I will enjoy for years to come.

Ella's Theater Experiment

This is Ella with her teacher Ms Brenda. Ms Brenda SO looks like a fairy tale theater teacher! Bubbly and bouncy curled, Shelly Duval'ish.

Ella was the duck in "The Ginger Bread Man." At the end of their skit they got to decorate cookies.

Here's Ella picking her nose in front of the camera. After many practice sessions going over her lines repeatedly, she was able to say them load and clear. Ella who is so melodramatic and jubilant in all she does, was incredibly nervous and had a hard time looking up. She's decided to go to gymnastics. We start this week! So when do they find their "thing?"

Previously Mentioned Super Cool Christmas Party

After a Hard Day...

So it's true... After a long day of opening toys, they decide on a box as their favorite!

St Nicholas Party at Church

I love, love , LOVE the depth and the meaning of Christmas and how it's been elevated to it's rightful place in the Orthodox church. I also love the really cool St Nick suit that our youth leader dons every Christmas for the sake of scaring the children; mine being no exception. We had a great time and the kids had nightmares for a week! Not really...

More Christmas

This is our Christmas card for 2009. Pictures taken by the fabulous Ruth Baker! http://ruthlbaker.blogspot.com/

I tried to keep the sugar fest down to a minimum and made organic sugar cookies and spelt pretzels dipped in organic white chocolate. Yes, still sugar but mostly from brown rice syrup. Luckily my herd didn't seem to notice!

Christmas

It was a quite Christmas. Nice and white and freezing cold! I bought most of the kids gifts once again off of Craigs List. One of the last times it will work I'm sure! Matt's sister came down from Chicago to spend the weekend with us. She is Ella's new hero of the moment and they enjoyed lot's of girly time together (that's them on the sled being pulled by a jeep). I love the picture of the kids piled on the floor next to Grandma watching Polar Express (I can't stand that movie though my mother in law loves it so I have to let them watch it with her). A very relaxing time! I can't claim the pic of Wyatt on the floor but isn't it great? I love the lighting and everything about it. The light is coming off the snow outside the door.

A Wet Birthday

Our goal was to have an outdoor party and unload the slip n slide on our backyard. With our travels last summer and those of our friends, we combined all the kids (their birthdays are 2 weeks apart) celebrations into one hurried shin dig. We tried to keep it healthy and allergen friendly (I made more wheat free, egg free, sugar free cupcakes which my guests used as paper weights). It was loads of fun and the kids were spoiled. The way a birthday party is supposed to be rain or not!

A Pile of People in a Tiny House

We've tried our hardest not to keep up with the Jones's and live beneath our means. In doing so, we bought our first home back in 2007, right before the boys were born and dreamed that it would be just right; not too big, not too small. It was easy to do when there was no furniture! We are busting at the seams now and I can't wait to "upgrade" to a place more permanent; one where the kids won't daydream about moving out just to get a little breathing space. But in the meantime, I will enjoy it. Even when that means that having company requires making your guests sit on the floor! They don't seem to mind...

Flight Museum

I'm going to attempt to catch up now on all the moments and pictures forgotten by my laziness in getting them documented and recorded! Bare with me family... :) I'm going to SUCCESSFULLY (I hope) attempt to join Molly Sabourin http://mollysabourin.typepad.com/ in taking a picture a day and journaling about it. It would be most excellent if I could then transfer them over to Shutterfly and put the entries in a book. Voila! Instant scrapbook with a years worth of entries! Here's to New Year's resolutions!
These are shots from a wonderful trip to the Airforce Museum with our Orthodox homeschool group. Though my herd was a little too youngl to really get into the learning aspect, they thouroughly enjoyed climbing into and exploring old airplanes for a couple of hours! Titus got to co-pilot an old Fed Ex plane. Wyatt wanted to continue doing laps in the cargo hold while Titus played. Ella wanted to join the girls in another group so I didn't get many shots of her. It was a great time!