Wanted: New Moon

"Moooooon, Mama! Moooon!"

"Awwww...moon broken. It's broken."

"Fix it, Mama. Pweeeease."

Note: That's a bruise on Louisa's chin. Ouch!

Wanderlust Junior

A Post Breakfast Conversation

Louisa: "Bye Mama."

Me: "Bye Lou. Where are you going?"

"Uh...China."

"That sounds like fun. Would you like me to come too?"

"Uh...no."

"Daddy?"

"No."

"Avery?"

"No."

"Okay. Do you need to pack a suitcase?"

**thinking**

Packed!

Girl travels light!

Me: "You know, we're REALLY going to miss you while you're gone.

Who will read to you and make your lunch and tuck you in at bedtime?

And tell you that you need to wear pants?"

**more thinking**

"And I promise that we'll take you back to China one day.

Want to stay home and string some of those beads instead?"

"Okay, Mama."

"Okay, Lou."

A New Favorite

Way to Go, Blue

This was taken moments before I told Charlie that he had been wearing his sweatshirt backwards. Wouldn't catch an Illini doing that.

picnic

Groundhog Day 2010

Six more weeks of winter? No kidding.

Look closely and you can see what has Louisa's attention. Guess who?

the crush

My helper....

is easily distracted by the white stuff.

Must crush it.

What do you know? There's more on the driveway.

Must crush this too.

Crushcrushcrushcrushcrush. repeat.

But THIS piece was save-worthy. ???

Spa Day

Five Words For Friday

"Yes, you still have school."

Christmas 2009

Ready for church. Louisa refused to smile when I held up the camera. stinker.

We let them open two presents before we left...

for each: new hats and mittens plus...

Snuggies!

Here they are on Christmas morning.

Check out Louisa's reaction.

Good lawd, she was excited.

A gift from Santa to Avery: silver Converse. Nice.

That's it. Not sure what happened or why I put down the camera.

Exhaustion, probably. I don't know how Santa does it.

the waiting is the hardest part

Snow (But No Snow Day)

Can't believe it. We put some effort into getting a snow day (come to think of it, that spoon is probably still under Avery's pillow). We just didn't get as much snow as predicted. They say it has something to do with the giant lake just to the east. ???

Anyway, we've discovered that people up here are Weather Warriors. Big time. The kids on our street were wearing SHORTS to school every day until about two weeks ago. Crazy. Maybe we just need time for our blood to thicken. Or maybe all this cold eventually dulls your (common) senses. We'll see.

There was just enough snow for some good playing though. Snowman, snowball fights and some sidewalk sledding. The girls can't get enough.

Hoping for Snow? Nooooooo!

So our neck of the woods is due for some snow this week. Some MAJOR snow. I, for one, am not looking forward to it. Avery, on the other hand, is super excited. Her school actually has rules in their student handbook regarding snow igloos. Yeah. Igloos. Crying here.

Avery's St Louis cousins caught the national forecast on tv and called with some surefire tips on how to bring about a snow day. Here goes...

1. Wear your pajamas inside-out

2. Do a dance around a fork and an orange

3. Put an ice cube in the toilet

4. And sleep with a spoon under your pillow

Peyton, Paige and Talbot -- we'll let you know if it worked. Thanks, I think.

And snow or no snow, we're sending warm birthday wishes to my sister Tracee. Enjoy your day!! Happy 29!

deck the halls