November 30...

In which I abandon the to do list, go out for lunch and spend the afternoon crafting.

Today's highlights:
~Ella being so proud of the mittens she sewed up for herself out of a felted sweater.  (this picture shows off  the mittens and Caitlin's newly fashioned knitting bag.)  I am also very grateful for a generous friend who offers up her cashmere sweater for creative purposes.

~Hanging up the children's Advent calendars

~Joshua surprising me by making my bed

Happy Advent

 I am so pleased with the way our makeshift Advent wreath turned out.  I was tempted to have a single Advent candle for the center of our table, but the four candle wreath is a tradition all the children love so much, that I couldn't just do away with it.  Finding traditional purple and pink colored candles that don't smell horridly repulsive is a trick, so we splurged on beeswax tapers that smell delicious!

My idea yesterday was to write a highlight of each day of Advent here, in this space, to share (this is especially for you Mother Dear).  However, last night I fell asleep early, and blew my plans on the very first night!  So, while I won't promise every night, I will post our ITOTMs when I can. 

Yesterday was:
~Seeing Joshua outside passing the football with our neighbor

~The three children gathered in a tight little flock at the end of our row in church, arms around each other,  watching Father Joe light the first Advent Candle

~An impromptu Chile dinner at Maggie's, followed by malted chocolate cupcakes YUM!

Today:
~Knitting in the morning sun over breakfast

~Watching Joshua and Gabriel playing a *new* version of football together

~Seeing Joshua play football by himself...this is hilarious...it's like he's reenacting plays in slo-mo


 Finally finished my "newborn" hat, I'm guessing it will fit our baby in July, just when one needs a wool hat!

 Ella thought Star Baby might like to model

Joshua was SO proud of this football field he built today.  The end zone says VMI

Gabriel

 After I read yesterday's post over, I realize I didn't mention Gabriel once! Yet he is the busiest little guy in the house!  So today, I am focusing on Gabriel, with a few examples of his creations that have popped up on the kitchen table recently.
And as for the sweetness factor, today when he was missing Ella he said, "Remember those wonderful chocolate muffins Ella made for us?  That was so nice."  She made the muffins at least six months ago when she was on her Jiffy muffin kick.

A set of stop signs Gabriel made all by himself!  As in cut out the shape and did the lettering and everything!  I guess walking by stop signs everyday left an impression in his mind.

Here he wrote down numbers 4-14.  Don't you love the four that looks like a goal post?  He said the eight is supposed to look like a bicycle wheel.  Once again this was his own idea.

Here he made an eight out of cuisinaire rods, then a nine.  Then asked what eight plus nine was.  I told him seventeen, which he made in green!  I tell you this kid astounds me!  He is fascinated by numbers, especially the concept of doubling numbers as in "what's 1+1? , 2+2? , 4+4? , 8+8?" etc... 

November 19

I realized that I never posted anymore "scenes from New York" so I thought tonight would be a good night to add one.  Two men were blowing bubbles with gigantic wands made out of bamboo poles and string.  The wands were exactly like the bubble wands the kids and I made this Summer out of dowel rods, only bigger.  And of course these guys had a much bigger crowd and a hat out to collect cash! 

Notes from today:
Finished this book.  Highly recommended.

Helped Ella make a hat for her friend out of a felted wool sweater.  She was VERY pleased with the way it turned out, which was great because in the beginning she seemed close to tears.

Filled up the ipod with Christmas music

Ella made some comment about the "eternal hard drive" which made me laugh.  I really hope it is eternal because all of our pictures are stored on there. 

Joshua was gone until suppertime tonight after sleeping over at his friend's house last night.  I asked him if he missed me at all and he said, "No, I kind of forget about you when I'm doing other stuff."

Patched Ella's new favorite corduroys out of her old pair of favorite corduroys.

And otherwise puttered around doing the usual.  Oh, and today marks 27 weeks, but I didn't take a picture.

Also, a lego link for you.  Joshua wanted to know both how legos are made and in particular how the heads and faces are made.  This video shows both.

Feeling Pressure...

to post! (from a certain someone...you know who you are:))  No blogging has occurred recently because of one main activity: WALKING!  Walking to dance, to Latin, to the library, to choir.  You get the idea, our legs have been mobile!  Actually, it has been great; good exercise, beautiful weather (with the exception of yesterday when we hitched a ride to Girl Scouts with friends)  Really, I enjoy it.  The only trouble is we are all exhausted by the end of the day.  Which means we all (including myself) are asleep by 8:30.  I generally wake up around 9:30, back aching from being in the toddler bed and in a fog.  I am too sleepy to DO anything and if I go back to sleep in my own bed then I wake up around 2AM and can't sleep.  So usually I stare at the computer.  Blogs, videos, emails, knitting patterns; not really coherent enough to put together a blog post or even upload pictures. 

However, here is my attempt, rambly as it may be, to put up a few pictures and tell y'all what we've been up to.  Without further ado:

A picture of Ella that I like because her eyes look so blue.  This was taken today before her last choir practice.  I got kind of emotional at her choir rehearsal today.  Luci gave her a gift and had all the kids say something about Ella that they liked.  She will be singing for the last time on Sunday.  (last time in the choir at St. Patrick's...I hope she never stops singing)

Gabriel seems to have grown a bit since last winter:

Joshua working on a spear today.  He has been soaking up this glorious weather.  Outside from morning till night.  Mostly playing soccer, basketball, and a new game he learned called 500.  Gabriel follows his big brother around everywhere.

The two brothers again, this time in a band.  I think that's pomegranate juice all over Gabriel's face. 
                                                                      Goodnight!