elf on the shelf

this christmas we hopped on the bandwagon and did elf on the shelf. quentin named our elf "berry" because his lips are red like a strawberry. i don't think either of the kids really grasped the whole "elf is gonna rat you out to santa" concept (which is totally fine by me) but they did love coming down every morning to see if and where he had moved. we did not go crazy like some moms on the internets who make their elves get into all kinds of mischief (like emptying the entire contents of your kitchen cabinets onto the floor or short-sheeting the beds and blaming it on the elf. masochism. pure masochism. you know you are going to be the one that has to put it all back, right?) by the end, it was challenging to find somewhere to stash him, being limited to three rooms and places that a 2 and 4 year-old would be able to find him. but we did impress ourselves by never forgetting to move the elf at night. after Q visted lilly's house and learned that her elf was named "mr. noodle" our elf was suddenly re-named "dr. noodleberry".

oh christmas tree

by nature of my DNA, i am required to love christmas trees and especially christmas ornaments. we also have 10' ceilings and a large living room with an ideal spot for a tree. add those factors with my 17 rubbermaid bins of christmas decorations (mostly ornaments) and you've got perfect christmas tree conditions.

quentin was obsessed with candy canes this year

his contribution to tree trimming

helping daddy with the beaded garlands which pickle decided looked better on her than on the tree

seriously. this girl is NEVER allowed to go to mardi gras.

caroline discovers the tree skirt...

and takes its name a little too literally

santa Q

the finished product (after we cut almost a foot off of it so it could actually stand)

the tree was so huge. it absorbed all of my ornaments save for a few trays of generic glass balls.

and somehow it managed to stay up, despite the child and feline forces determined to bring it down.

do you like my hat?

my department ran a mock horse racing event at work last november to raise money for charity. you could buy horses and that gave you naming rights. i bought 3 and named them: sweet carenine (how pickle says her name), gravedigger, and rucky ducky (our household's word for rubber ducky.) there was also a hat contest. i decided to design my hat after my horses. i hot glued some glitter ornaments and sweet neil diamond stuff to it, and sewed a couple of Q's gravediggers on (couldn't glue them - he'd never forgive me!) despite the awesome hat, my horses didn't win.

modeled by sweet carenine herself

the title is a reference to "go dog go". i don't really care if you like my hat. also i won the contest, so clearly someone liked my hat. neeners.

thanksgiving at the beach

we spent thanksgiving at the jersey shore. the weather was insanely good for the end of november. we went to the beach. the day after thanksgiving. crazy.

caroline exploring the boardwalk before naptime

then we went on the actual beach during baby naptime. yes, we were in pants and long-sleeved shirts. but we were still on the beach. the day after thanksgiving. in new jersey.

this picture gives me flashbacks to this surveying atlantic city

running like a crazy man. who wouldn't? it was the day after thanksgiving. and we were on the beach.

driving trucks = fun. driving trucks on the beach = more fun.

contemplating the waves? global warming? i mean, we were on the beach. the day after thanksgiving.

we even let the dogs join in the fun. (yeah, we still have dogs.)

the pre-school dinner paradox

quentin will not eat macaroni and cheese. quentin will not eat tacos. quentin LOVES macaroni and cheese tacos. yes, regular old kraft mac & cheese in a taco shell. he invented them. he loves them. he inhales them. i hope school doesn't judge us too much because he totally having them again for lunch tomorrow.

out of order

i promise i will catch you up on thanksgiving, christmas, disney vacation, and everything in between. i am currently out of commission. disney exhaustion turned into a nasty cold which has now turned into a nasty stomach bug. hopefully i will be back to normal soon.

merry christmas!

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

guess she needs more bows now

pickle's bow collection has long since outgrown the original hanging contraption i made her. now she has a super duper bow holder.

leah - don't show wren. it will spoil the surprise of one of her christmas gifts.

toy story: a short play

buzz lightyear and zurg are fighting buzz: you killed my father! zurg: grumbles unintelligibly buzz puts zurg in a doll stroller buzz: take that zurg. you don't belong here anyway... this is toy story 3.

reindeer: a short play

a short play about three small faux-bronze decorative reindeer, by quentin in the living room reindeer #1: c'mon we have to go! reindeer #2: no! we have to get the other reindeer! reindeer #1: the other reindeer is dead! from the dining room reindeer #3: wait for me! i am not dead!

pickle's favorite book (right now)

"the saggy baggy ellflent"

thanks, boy

good luck finding it.

it's an emergency!

Q just came running in to the living room with the house phone. he shouted in to it: "hello? emergency? we have an emergency! the popcorn is popping! fix it!"

mall santa

thankfully they got a half-decent shot in before cheese-face came out in full effect.

remember thanksgiving?

we celebrated thanksgiving "down the shore" with good friends. i had hoped to get cute pics of the kids in their holiday best in the fancy hotel where we ate or on the beach, but caroline's digestive tract did not cooperate with that plan. (she rode home from dinner with nothing on, if that tells you anything.) so these shots from before we left will have to do. Q would not allow any photos.

all he wants for christmas...

that's one way to construct a snowman

more from the budding author

interesting. at least i didn't steal the penguins!

when life gives you lemons...

eat them?

way behind again

downloaded blogger app for my phone, maybe that will help?