Go Patriots!

As many know, we are a Patriot loving family! Well, this is OUR year! Yeah! Go Pats!Come on Aliza...Smile for your Momma! That-a-boy Boone! So sweet!
Aliza was practicing the cheers that Eema taught her too. Gooooo Patriots!!!Next weekend Super Bowl!!!! Good Luck New England!

C'mon get crafty!

I saw an article on a man who makes "Faerie Houses" for gardens that are just amazing...and I got excited! I took some of recyclables to get the basic shape I wanted and then just started going to town with cardboard and hot glue! I shingled the roofs and built a chimney too! After a trip to AC Moore I had some more additions to make and then I remembered the calendar the Barb got me last year, the Faireyopolis one, well, when last year ended and I had to take it down I couldn't bare the thought of not seeing thos cute little fairies again, so I cut the whole thing up and saved all the pieces in my scrappbooking gear! I was so happy when I thought of those! I added all the fairies on and the butterflys, some moss, and I used my scrapping paper. Oh yeah, I used tin foil in the windows and some cheap ribbon I got at Target's $1 section a million years ago. I basicly just used the stuff I had around. Not too shabby huh? Next time I'll take pics of the taped together rycyclables so you can see the transformation, I just didn't have the forthought or the confidance that the outcome would be worthwhile.

Sorry that pic is up twice I didn't want to rewrite the text though...no TIME! You can see my inspiration at www.sleepyhollowent.com He uses trees and materials that withstand the elements, I wish I could afford one!!! LOL! This was a really fun weekend project.

Port Discovery...

We wanted to enjoy having Daddy home for the day, so we decided to go to Port Discovery. This is one of the top rated children's museum in the nation, and it just so happens to be in Balitmore. So we walked across the street, got on the train, five stops and three blocks of walking later we were there! It was a cold day, but we barely noticed, we were off to have fun, all together even!

This giant piece of artwork is on the walk there, Kaleb was more than happy to pose for this pic! It looks like someone is doing a balet jump over his head!

This is our three children making a huge bubble in the water works room...too cool! Kaleb got this bubble up over his head and then bent down to blow it...hilarious! They also had a section of water guns that you squirt at cymbols, and chimes we had a really good time with those. We spent a long time exploring the "river" that flowed through the room too!

Here Izaak is sorting widgets! We had a good time racing to see who could sort the most of them! I initially thought Izaak may be getting a little old for a place like this, but there was so much to do and see, they had a wide range of ages covered! Izaak especially loved the Egyptian Realm! It was equipt with 3D viewers to look at the bones of Mummies, hiroglyph (sp?!) codes and puzzles to solve, right up his alley!This part of the museum was a HUGE hit with our family! It is this group of rooms that are all quirky, like you feel like you are in a tilted world! The point of the rooms is to gather clues and solve a mystery...sooo fun! There is a ton of stuff to do in this place alone, let alone the whole museum! This part is where Luke came out of the drain after a pitch black underground maze, finding your way out of the plumbing! After a long day of alot of play Aliza was ready for a good thumb sucking session! So while the boys had there last hurrahs we just relaxed and cuddled on a bench close by. It was a long, great day! We will be going there again, to anyone local I HIGHLY recommend this place for the kiddos!

A snowy day for all to play!

Here in Maryland three inches of snow is a BIG deal! So the kids had a half day of school and came home to get out some energy in the weather!

Aliza's friend was over and they had a good time playing in the cold, but they were more excited when I announced I was making hot cocoa!

Kaleb may have a knack for extreme sports...ya think? Here he is snowboarding with a sled down our trecherous hill!

Izaak spent hours making snowballs to torture his brother with, good thing Kaleb is resilient! They had quite the snowball war and were SOAKED when they finaly got cold! I love that smile!

Stay warm wherever you are!

Couch Cuddlers...

There is nothing that makes my heart smile bigger than when my children are good to each other. I noticed one afternoon after Izaak got home from school that they were sitting together and Aliza was doing her classic thumb sucking/ hair petting combo with Izaak. So I HAD to get the camera!

Izaak is always good to Aliza, knows her limits and even plays baby dolls with her on occasion. A really great big brother if you ask me! The bond they have is remarkable and I cherish every moment like this between all three of them. There are only so many years she'll want to pet her bothers hair!

Ok, OK I'll put the camera down and let you two get back to your cartoons and cuddles! I hope with all my heart you are always this loving to each other! Get real MOM!...A mother can wish!

Kimmie Gibbler...

This is Kimmie Gibbler! Do you remember the quirky but funny friend on that old show "Full House"??? The name fits her so well!

One of the reasons I have been so busy is that we have been fostering a puppy for a rescue group in Baltimore called Recycled Love. We have had Kimmie since right before Thanksgiving and although she has been a lot of work she has come an amazing way! After being told she was housebroken we found that either through regression or anxiety she "forgot" she was housebroken, so we got her straightened out with that in a hot tick! She is amazingly gentle with the kids, and has absolutely no food agression. Isn't she CUTE?!

When we first got her she was terrified and very insecure. She is now thriving and rehabilitated enough to be placed in a forever home! She is a Jack Russell, German Shepard mix, although no one knows for sure. She was abused and had a great fear of men, which is becomming less and less with time. I'm very proud of her accomplishments and although it will be extremely hard to let her go, that was the plan all along and our family feels glad to have helped her.

I believe she had her first snow with us, and she LOVED it! She and Matilda are amazing together, they play and romp and cuddle on the couch together. They share everything, and Matilda hasn't had too hard of a time at all with Kimmie, as Tilda is a miracle in herself! I couldn't ask for a better dog than Matilda, she is my BF!These two romped in the snow for HOURS, they outlasted the kids by far!~ Kimmie even chased snowballs! What a good pup!

I don't know if we will foster another dog, it will depend on how we all feel after Kimmie finds her forever home, but we've learned alot from her, maybe more than she has learned from us. There's no doubt though, we love this pup big, we surely aren't in a rush to get rid of her!

Christmas!

This was the view the kids woke up to on "the best day in the world!" as one of them put it!

I am late with this posting but it's been a busy New Year~! Our Christmas was great this year, felt even better with Eema in the mix! The kids got almost everything on their lists and were happy have to have Gramma and Pop come for the ball to drop! Kaleb got a guitar and has been learning chords, taught by Luke who played base guitar back in the day...

All the kids got MP3 players and Kaleb is now POSITIVE that Santa can see you all year because his player was loaded with all his favorite music, Santa has such good elves!

Aliza got plenty of dolly's and accesories to boot! She has everything she needs for her babies now, Santa and Gramma made sure of it!

Izaak was surprised the most by his MP3 player, as he had a slight mishap with one previously and was convinced Santa wouldn't give him another chance...how could you deny that face though??? He was also pleased to get plenty of art supplies and Nightmare Before Christmas apparel!