A Coaster's Coaxer

When covered with fresh, fluffy snow, this hill just begs a person with a sled to coast down. Oh, the fun we had on it as kids when we had snow days!

Both Joshua and David responded to the call of the slope and went down several times by themselves. We kept trying to see who could set the new distance record by going farther across the ice of the pond. I was reminded of It's a Wonderful Life..."hee haw!" "My kid brother, Harry Bailey!" But nobody tried coasting down on a shovel.

Sledding

After a fresh snowfall, outdoors was as beautiful as could be. The snow-tubing conditions were perfect.

Ready, Set, ...

Go!

Whee! David instantly took to this new sport.

Joshua loved it, too.

Hi Mom!

That was the bunny slope. Wait until you see the real hill!

Ice Skating

On President's Day weekend, we escaped the throngs in D.C. by seeking winter weather in New York. We stayed with my parents, who happen to have a decent TV so we could actually watch the Inauguration, which we couldn't have done if we had stayed in town (unless we actually went downtown, but we're not that crazy!). In the meantime, falling snow, slick slopes, and smooth ice amply fulfilled our dreams of winter wonderland fun.

Below are some photos of the swamp in our backyard that my dad has spent twenty years turning into this:

This winter was the best and biggest the ice has ever been. It was beautiful, emotional, and thrilling to see my dad's labors and dreams finally fulfilled. A bunch of neighborhood kids have been skating and playing hockey all winter. My dad LOVES it!

Joshua tried it too:

He found it very slippery!

More to come...

Piggers

These two apparitions careened crazily around our upstairs for several minutes.
"Are you bee keepers?" I ask.
"No, we're piggers!" says Joshua.
"Pickles?" I am confused.
"No, piggers!"
"What is a pigger?" I really want to know.
"Well, a pigger is something that puts a laundry bag over its face."
Oh. That doesn't really clear it up.

Later, just to clarify, I began this line of questioning again.
This time, Joshua's definition of "pigger" was this:
"A pigger is someone who puts pigs away on a farm."
Oh. That makes a lot more sense!

Could this all be inspired by Charlotte's Web?
We've been reading the book aloud and at the moment have a Lego farm housing a spider named Charlotte and a little white pig named Wilbur. And now, we have piggers.

How wonderful that imaginations don't get snowed in! And happy pigging, or reading, or whatever it is you do for fun on an icy day.

Let the Music Play

.the Christmas guitar.

.leading carols with Daddy.



.little drummer boy.

And yes, we're still hearing "Angels We Have Heard On High," "Deck the Halls," and other seasonal favorites from our miniature band.

The Birthday Party

For all who have wanted to see the backhoe cake, here it - finally - is! I got the idea from a Family Fun magazine and it was well worth the effort to see how much Joshua and David enjoyed it. Their excitement about the cake really fed their enthusiasm for the party, which surpassed expectations. The boys were overjoyed to be celebrating with their friends and Joshua played the host especially well, cheering on his pals and leading them to the next activity..."C'mon you guys, let's go play hot potato!!"...and lo and behold, they all followed him, amazingly! So, thanks to Family Fun for the great party ideas! Thanks also to all those who came, especially the Davidsons, who came without their son and acted as the official photographers. The photos below are unofficial, meaning if there is anything wrong with them, it is my doing, not Bill's. Now you may dig in and feast your eyes.

Funny Things

Joshua in particular has been saying some pretty funny things lately that I wanted to share before I forget them all.

He saw a car idling and said, "Hey, why is he letting out exhaust? Why is he wasting gas?" (Hmmm...must be the environmentalist in Mommy getting through to him...)

He told his first joke all on his own, a twist on the classic "why did the boy throw the clock out the window?" His version went like this: "Why did the boy throw the house out the window?" "Why?" "He wanted to see a housefly!" I don't know if he caught the double meaning but he thought it was hilarious anyway.

The other night we were going out after the boys were in bed, and as Joshua went to bed he tried to persuade us not to go. We told him we were going to some stores and to get coffee and talk, and he responded tearfully, "No, don't go to any stores. We already have enough stuff!"