What Sound Does Applesauce Make?

Five children and some warm-off-the-stove, freshly-homemade applesauce. Nora will tell you, as she proudly told every adult coming through the door at the end of the day, that she helped make it, as indeed they all did, with the help of a whisk and a firmly gripped bowl. Six sorta soggy apples and one definitely soggy pear make enough for five small children.

Simply eating the applesauce is a little too mundane and, well, normal for our Dominic, however, Applesauce is MUCH more fun if you make your spoon Tuh-WOING against your nose!!!

Seems that the other children agreed with him.

Tuh-woing!!!

Tuh-woing!!!

Applesauce is much more fun with a tuh-woing.

Cuddlesome Cuties

Three buddies, a comforter, and a couch

makes for a whole pile of grins

giggles

and all-round adorability.

I love my job.

Valentine Cupcakes!

Thank you to Rebecca and Dominic for the yummy Valentine Cupcakes for our Valentine Day Pajama Party!!!

It does seem a bit of a shame that I didn't think to haul out my camera until after Dominic and Ada had left... But the rest of us were very grateful!

And be assured that Dominic got his share the next day ... only without the photo op. Oops...

Just a Walk

There are always interesting thing to see and do on our walks.Sidewalk plows are ever-fascinating.

Little landscaping walls are fun to sit on.

Wagons with friends are never boring!

Park benches with even more friends are even more exciting!!

And a walk by the river is interesting, especially if there's a dog (not one of mine) out there on the ice!

Not Always What it Seems

"Oh, dear," said the kindly passer-by. "Are they all right?"

I was quick to reassure. No, not a mass convulsion on the sidewalk, nor even a group collapse.

They were fish, you see, swimming in the water. 

Glub, glub, glub...

Happy Valentine's PJ Party!

It is pretty much impossible

to get a good picture of five people

all at the same time. However, I think we managed one good picture of each person

though not all at the same time. Aren't they so CUTE in their PJ's??

Ada's First Visit

I'm not sure if you were all aware that Ada was part of the Valentine Day Pajama Party on the 14th.

Here, she takes in the other children -- and they take her in -- as we head out for our after-hours walk.She looks to Big Brother Dominic for reassurance. "That kid's okay, right?"

She was solemn but calm. A good first visit, I'd say.

A Hug Gone Bad

Ella gathers the 'babies' together.

Nora joins in giving the 'babies' a hug. Dries is largely oblivious to the oncoming affection.

And Addie is ... overwhelmed? ... by it.

'V' is for Valentine

Lunch Clown

What was I serving for lunch that day? Some sort of bean concoction in that tortilla, but what exactly, I don't remember. I do remember that Dominic enjoyed it greatly, and had several helpings.

Thus, I m equally confident that this face was for comic effect...

Nora, who also enjoyed the food she holds so fastidiously, seems less than riotously swept away by his attempts at clownery. "What are you doing??"

Fun to watch their characters emerge, isn't it?

Menu Monday, Tuesday Edition

Tuesday: Macaroni and Cheese, carrot sticks Wednesday: Chicken pot pie Thursday: Veggie Burgers Friday: Pasta Salad with sesame-yogurt dressing

Growing Readers

We have books in the house. We read together every day. I encourage reading and the enjoyment of books.

So when a little group-read breaks out spontaneously,

I warm with delight and satisfaction in a Job Well Done.

So worthy! So educational! So damned CUTE!

Two Chairs and a Blanket...

four toddlers and a puppy...

equals half an hour of non-stop fun.

Whee!

Persistence Pays Off

It wasn't easy, what with the snowed-shut door, the big puffy snowsuit,

and the complete lack of opposable thumbs,

but SHE DID IT!!!

Not that she's, you know, going anywhere. Not before, oh, April, at any rate...

Dance Party 2012

They're a little blurry...

but I really think

that captures the mood

and energy levels

pretty accurately!

Much dancing, much fun!