My little snowflakes

We made snowflakes to put up in antici............................................................................pation
of future winter snowfall.

They used markers and snaps and glitter to decorate these.  We'll hang 'em up in the front porch when I take down the leaf decorations.

Yes, Shelly, I let the boys play with the stamps (even stampin up).  And, yes, those are their own washable ink pads that have been crossed-contaminated with colors.  Calm your OCD.
Our craftiness cannot be contained by mere rules!

Next up will be white paper and scissors to cut out our own!

Game nights

 I try to play games with the boys at least once a week, non-electronic games.  Now that Tamlin is older, our options for games is less limited and less shoot-my-brains-out/ need-wine-to-get through boring (Think Candy-land).  I enjoy the hunt to find games at yard sales, especially if I find something that we can kick old-school.  And then there is always the Jude factor.  Jude only sort-of understands the rules, so he makes up some of his own.  He does understand how to take turns and to not disturb other people's playing pieces...but sometimes he declares himself the winner out of no-where!  Tamlin and I lovingly refer to it as "The Jude Factor".

Our latest successes have been:
1. Trouble.
Simple.
Makes cool popping noise
Fun to knock opponents back to start.
Jude factor makes it interesting.
Ours goes a smidge quicker because we only have 3 pieces for each color instead of four.











2. Sorry Sliders
A new version of an old game.
It is like the love child of Sorry and shuffle-board mini.
The pieces are hurld gently down the ramps to the target at the center.
There are at least 4 different variations to play...with or without keeping score.
The Jude factor is high in that his pieces are usually interfering with your own shot.



3. Max Backtalk
Very cool old game
A bit like Simon, but you get to make your own sounds for the colors.
HUGE HIT
Both boys enjoyed recording the right names for the colors and then silly sounds or their own names for each.
Fast and fun and can be played solo
Jude Factor low...each individual is responsible for their own ability to hit the color correctly.




Awesome Times

Jude Lately

How has Jude been lately?
My youngest is now 3.5 years old!

- Likes to draw and color...really our little artist.
- Lately really into drawing, especially spiders in spider-webs
- Likes to hop on one foot while holding your hand and likes running around in circles
- Sees Tamlin as an awesome big brother...loves him most of the time (except when Tam is making him mad)
- Enjoys singing, especially ABC song and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- Watches Wild Krats and Umi-Zoomi on the Kindle
- Favorite toys are his Monsters, Thomas the Train (especially the one that came on his birthday cake), and all other trains, and airplanes, and cars
- The number 10 is his favorite
- Still a snuggler.  Hates to be alone or by himself, and always wants to be near others.
- Wants to sit in your lap, whenever he can, especially to hear a story
- He's a monkey.  Loves hanging from the monkey-bars, the bunk beds, and door knobs.
- Still loves butterflies, and horses, and spiders.  He has a momma horse and a baby horse that he tells stories about and sleep with him at times.
- Has a sweet tooth a mile long; loves to candy, cookies, and other treats.  Not so great at eating his dinner or trying new things.  We have butted heads on this...and he has been known to squirrel away a piece of unwanted food in his cheek for an hour+ if he REALLY doesn't want to eat it.
- Funny about what he wears.  HATES button shirts or coats.  He'll protest even wearing a polo with 2 buttons.  Hates them!  He will moan and whimper like a wounded animal in a button coat.  He had to be bribed to wear this shirt for school photos.  LOVES his pink croc shoes still.  Just put them away for the winter. (He had them on for this photo, too).  However, is now really digging his batman shoes.


Favorite Sayings:
1 and 0 make Ten
I'm so silly
How cool is that
Tam's not sharing
Can I get a treat?

Tamlin is 6!

My first born is now 6 years old!  How the time has gone by so quickly!

How has he been lately?

- Loving riding the bus
- Enjoying school
- Making lots of friends, even friends with the girls that chase him around the playground
- Actually likes doing his homework; his writing is becoming much more legible
- Good at helping others
- Chores at home include taking out the recycling, putting his clothes away, putting his toys away, helping his brother
- Likes playing with cars, transformers, and ninjas, and magnetic blocks
- Has been watching Power Rangers, Electric Company, Wild Krats, and Rescue Bots on the Kindle
- Learning how to read and really nailing the sight words.  He's in the advance reading group at school
- Sometimes plays well with Jude, and sometimes not so well.
- Likes to run outside and ride his bike with training wheels...likes to run in our little house too.
- Still very emotional at times, especially when tired...may cry if feelings are little hurt or if he is frustrated or it is the end of the day.  But still often smiling too!
- Trying to become more aware of what's around him and stop bonking into Jude :-)
- Doing simple maths
- loves playing games, anything where the whole family can sit together and play
-pretty good at eating his dinner, or at lease trying everything on his plate
- Doing well with handwriting and drawing recognizable pictures
-Imaginative play becoming pretty elaborate and creative
-Working on learning to tie shoes
- Legos!

Favorite sayings:
Taking a phrase and substituting "nothing": For example, Mary had a little lamb becomes Mary had a little nothing.
"Your my best mom"  or "Your my favorite Dad" (Like he has any others!)