Snow Business

Okay, this isn't our house. Friends are away and asked John to remove the snow as needed. (Darn city rules about clean sidewalks!) Do you believe the amount of snow?!?!?!

And, since there's no mailbox by the road, it's difficult to tell the snow bank is SIX FEET TALL!

What are your kids doing?

Mine are making a happy mess on the kitchen table. Thanks to this post, I was inspired. I don't know how much will exist to be put away later today, but fun is being had.

We've got an entire rainbow of colors! And I think a bakery is being opened: "Allie's Agile Bakery" What do you think?

Happy Birthday to ME!

I don't know what could pass as a good birthday present at *your* home, but this greeted me yesterday afternoon:




Yeah, I know what you're thinking: "Where's the really romantic husband that thought *that* was a good gift?" Here he is!

(and, I am THRILLED with this mailbox - I've tolerated, with thinly veiled disgust, the previous mailbox that was here when we moved in three and a half years ago)

Thank you sweetie!

For my loyal reader

yep, reader. I'm sure that there's only one. I guess I spend too much time reading other people's blogs and not thinking about my own. Or, I just don't have much important to say.

So, I'll leave you with this thought.

Spaghetti, with tomato sauce is a really dumb thing to give to two-year olds. (As any mom would tell you......)

He does have scary hair....

After I discovered a paper mask of Junie B. Jones in my printer.....

Becca: You know Mom doesn't like Junie B.

Jess (to Becca): No, Mom said we can't be scary things for Hallowe'en. You know, like, Einstein.


(you decide who she *really* meant!)

Happy Birthday to Mary!

Now, my four year old is five. And, yes, she *IS* a princess. And, in her words, as we prepared to go to a live Cinderella play:


"You look just like a maid!"


(As all moms should look, I guess, when escorting Snow White)






(I guess I should be thankful, as John pointed out, at least she didn't say "Old Maid.")

Nothing beats a box

Yep. Whenever the UPS guy shows up with a box, especially one filled with the degradable packing peanuts, this never fails to happen. What's new is Christopher getting into the act.

(Yes, Mary is wearing a swimsuit; Christopher's in just a diaper.)

I'm it?

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a newbie. I *had* to ask what a 'meme' was. (Thanks, Ouiz for the info!)

So, I think these are the rules:

Book Meme Rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

While I don't know 5 people, I *am* reading a book! (Fancy that!)

The book is: "Parents, Children and the Facts of Life" (I think this link goes to an online text version....)

Emotion is best explained by the word "feeling." It is how we feel about or react to a prolem or person, whether this be a feeling of pride, content, anxiety, worry, joy, fear, or a hundred others. Emotions have a physical basis; they are felt in the body.

By the way, I am finding this to be an excellent book on the introduction of 'the facts of life' dealt with in a thoroughly Catholic way, albeit pre-Theology of the Body. I highly recommend it!

How to tell a knock-knock joke

Jessica and Mary are trying to teach our German friend Marco how to tell a Knock-Knock joke. The only problem is that they want him to supply the punchline!

So, the conversation goes:
Jess: Okay, Mr. Marco, you say "Knock-knock". Mary will say "Who's there?" You say have to say a kind of word.
Marco: White elephant.
Jess: She'll say "White elephant who?" and then you have to say something to make the joke funny.

Good Dinner Conversation?

Christopher didn't think so.....

I'm not much for shopping...

My DH reminded me of this one as he poured a bowl of cereal tonight.

Jessica commented: "Mom, how many times are you going to go to that grocery store and come home without any cereal?"

Guess I'm not at my cereal buying quota for the month (according to my kids at least!)

But, as a postscript, Jess and Mary devoured half a box of Cap't Crunch on Saturday after I gave into a sale temptation and bought cereal! And then I got to reap the rewards of Beth complaining that she "never got any" Me either!

4 year old thoughts....

(well, my 4 year old's thoughts, not thoughts that are 4 years old!)

Me: Who is John?
Mary: My daddy.
Me: Who else is he?
Mary: Your hub-band.
Me: And who am I to him?
Mary: You're his life.

Later that day, she's coloring a picture and said:
"I have a new hobby. It relaxes me."

(tell me, WHAT does she need to be relaxed from?)