The rest of the story

 this scary pirate got his two front teeth knocked out.....argh.

NOW, we know what Daddy really does when he says he is going "hunting".  His hunting partner texted this to me, now I see why we got nothing this year!

What's on my desktop.....

 Lydia from this summer...........................and turning 2.....

 Raggedy Ann

Periwinkle the fairy, Raggedy Ann, and a ladybug

Saturday Fiddling and Birding

 Twinkle Toes played fiddle at the opening day of the Farmer's Market, she is with a group here, but you can only see her right now, this is her fiddle club group.  Then a group of them also performed on the recorder.

 Then, my kids begged me to take them to the Bird-A-Thon again this year so we trucked out to Ladd Marsh so they could get their Junior Birders patch, they have a whole program for kids and then we went exploring to see if we could see a few birds along the way.

 I love this expression on Grace's face, they really got into the exploring and bird watching.

Grace's pose just kills me in this picture as she is looking through her binoculars.  I worry about how much she can see but we got her some binoculars so maybe they help.

Boil Them Cabbages.....Fiddle Tune

Twinkle Toes had a fiddle jam last week at Bear Mountain Pizza.  Her fiddle teacher was on piano and they all sat in a circle and ran through some of the tunes they have learned this year.  It was a lot of fun to see her perform.  She doesn't look particularly happy but that's because she was feeling sick, so I made her play one of her tunes for me at home so you can hear her.

Here's the links to her playing....(if link doesn't automatically take you there, copy and paste into a new window)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvVloEuXyVQ&feature=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l2wJvsmtVA&feature=youtu.be

Way Behind

I'm a little slow but wanted to share these photos of Sweet Boy and his birthday party a few months back.  He got a special party this year (every other year they get a party) and he wanted to go play laser tag and use the game room at the Maridell Center.  He invited a few kids from his class (we had to limit it due to costs) and our neighbors, Anne and Luis, also came and Luis had a blast playing all the games with the kids!  For some strange reason Sweet Boy kept his snowpants on all day that day, hence, he looks like a puffed marshmallow.

Happy Valentine's Day

 the kids were late for school thursday a.m. because Daddy made a special breakfast.....

 my friend Jamie made us yummy cupcakes and treats......SO NICE!.......otherwise my kids probably wouldn't have gotten any because I'm not so much into making them myself......they did have lots at their parties at school......Lids has 4 going on 5 teeth now....(she is wearing a tiny fairy crown that her oldest sister made)  we had a candlelight dinner as a family and the kids thought that made it super special....

 my oldest Valentine

 my goofiest Valentine for sure.....

cake pops!

A bit about her.......

I haven't said much about my 8 year old lately.  I gotta brag on her a little cause she's really matured a lot.  We're at this really great point.  She is so helpful now and just a real keeper.  She used to be such a hard child, but I guess that was just her determination coming out and my lack of patience, cause she really is sweet.  She helps me out so much and is doing so well at her extracurricular stuff.  She is excelling at fiddle and I think we're probably at close to the same level now (I have a slight edge on her because I can read music) but she is gaining on me fast.  We practice together now and I think it is motivating us both!  I don't know if I'm just a doting Mom or what, but she has this knack for making things look so easy and effortless.  I don't think I have that knack.  I thought it was so with dance but now I am seeing it with fiddle.  She plays jigs now and dances to them at the same time, and I'm sort of amazed.  This is her and one of her best friends.  We went cross country skiing with some friends and it was really fun!

January Fun

 Here is a more recent picture of Lydia walking, she goes everywhere now, she still kind of walks like a drunken sailor but nonetheless she can walk all over the house now, drunk on milk or not.  She got her two bottom teeth a few months ago and is now getting her top teeth.  She had a few grouchy days but not so bad really.  She likes to stick her fingers in chapstick and it goes straight into her mouth not on her lips.  She gives the best hugs.  She loves to wrap her arms around Mommy's neck and then sometimes she will just pat me or rub my shoulder.  She is secretly "my girl."  She laughs and giggles a lot and she has her brother's crazy eyebrows.

 Below is Sweet Boy ice fishing this past weekend.  We had a nice ol Southern fish fry with the catch and some hushpuppies, lima beans, and salad to go along.  Lydia kept shoving the hush puppies in - she loves them apparently!  She didn't eat anything else, but one thing is for sure, she LOVES hushpuppies.

This is a friend's pic, but it's where we went cross country skiing, isn't it breathtaking?  It was a lot of fun.  We just keep getting snow and more snow, so if you can't beat it you just have to join it I guess.