Happy Holidays. Bite Me.

I know, I know. It's not the nicest title, but you'll get it in a minute. It has several levels of meaning.

Yesterday was the first foray into the world of Christmas cookie baking this year. I had an easy recipe that souped up a cookie mix I had lurking in the cupboard. We mixed it up, I got out the cookie press, we squeezed out some cookies and the kids each put sprinkles on a tray of chocolate stars.

Here's Erin wondering why her sprinkles won't come out.
I didn't open it until I could help her with it. She's 2 - I'm not stupid.

Here's Luke carefully putting sprinkles on each cookie
(he had just spilled some all over the floor and was now being extra careful).

We put the cookies in the oven and then I allowed them to watch a few of their favorite clips on YouTube while we waited. We had just heard "White Christmas" in the car and they wanted to watch the clips of "Sisters" from the movie - they especially like the part when the guys dance to the record.

Next follows a succession of mistakes on my part. First mistake - let them sit next to each other in the same chair.

I was in the kitchen taking out a pan from the oven (second mistake - leave them alone in the same room for 2 seconds) and started to hear Erin winding up - she wanted to watch "the boys" again & I told her to wait a minute (third mistake - it only takes a second for her to get into trouble). Again, SHE'S 2 (and maybe I AM stupid) - she doesn't know the meaning of the word "wait." So she leaned over and clamped her little mouth onto Luke's shoulder and held on. All of a sudden I heard screaming and when I ran into the room she was still clamped on. I had to pry the little stinker off!! Through his shirt she had broken skin and left a perfect little imprint of her teeth. Get it now? Bite me? ARGH!!

After about 20 minutes of screaming and crying (from both kids) they finally settled down, apologized and sat down to sample our wares. Get it? Bite me?

Look closely through the fuzz of the unfocused picture - see the red-rimmed eyes?

It's pretty much how things go these days. I am a-weary of it. That's why I'm feeling especially sarcastic. So bite me.

We don't think inside the box here

We just sleep in one!

This past weekend we finally got a new couch. I'd been looking for one that would fit the smaller space we have in our living room. An average sized couch would be too big so I was looking for something that would be more loveseat sized. We finally settled on one at IKEA. This one.

Since it was an "assembly required" item, it came in some big boxes. And of course the kids couldn't resist playing in them. Luke took the 2 end pieces and created a little hidey-hole.

A really little hidey-hole.

After we took those pictures, Alec showed him how to unfold the ends to make it bigger. When we did that to both ends it became big enough to lie down in - and take a nap. On Monday, Luke took a nap in the box and I took a nap on the new couch.


Today I got tired of the boxes in the office taking up room and causing a hazard for anyone walking through to the family room. We hauled them up to Luke's room, where he took another nap in them.

Cute, huh?
And he really is sleeping in this picture - not faking.

Playing together

Right now, Luke and Erin play together well about 50% of the time. The other 50% they are fighting. I'm trying to stay a "glass half full" person right now because both kids are at really challenging stages discipline-wise, so I took some pictures the other day when they were playing nicely to remind myself that they don't always fight.

Luke was very proud of himself for building this track by himself. He usually needs me to help him figure out how to make the 2 ends meet.

Surprisingly, he did not fuss when Erin wanted to play, too.

He showed her how to move the trains on the track and how to keep them from falling off.

Just trying to stay positive here. I keep telling myself, "this won't last forever."

Christmas Preview

For all you Bosschers coming out to visit in 45 days or so (who's counting?) here is a little preview:

We had breakfast in our jammies yesterday -- and subsequently discovered that Erin no longer fits into the one-piece footies since she is much taller than she was last year. Guess we'll have to find some new jammies so they can match on Christmas morning again. I'll have to go shopping - bummer.

We then went upstairs and did a little rearranging. We put the workbench in Erin's room and the table back in Luke's room. He said he wanted to do his homework there. Fine with me - will give him something to do during rest time, which he balks against so much these days.

Here's some insight on Erin: see how she forgoes the chair? She also got rid of the book 2 minutes later and colored on the table. The attention span of a gnat, that one. At least she wasn't ranting at me, which is her latest preoccupation. I'd rather not talk about that.

Fun with boxes

Luke and Erin are explorers today, thanks to Huggies. We cut apart a Pull-Up box and made telescopes and binoculars.

Luke searching for an elephant.

"Ooh! A big giraffe!"

Every explorer needs a break for some trail mix.

"Sit down, Erin, so we can drive our jeep."
Incidentally, apparently the telescope can become an exhaust pipe for a jet pack when it is put into a backpack and worn. Very versatile.

"Me too want to drive too!" (still working on grammar with her)