Take that Old Man Winter!

First off, let me say that I do realize that we live in Canada and I am fully aware that it is only February. Regardless, the warm weather and sunshine that have been taunting us lately have been making me hopeful that spring is just around the corner.

Yesterday we woke up to more snow. A lot of snow. I am really tired of the white stuff and the cold muck. I am ready for spring and sunshine and colour.

The boys needed some outside time today so I mixed up some paints using Wilton cake gels and some water and cornstarch. I pressed a few "frames" around the yard using a board. This made a compact surface to paint on using the brushes. The spray bottles were easy enough to use just about anywhere. (Next time I will make a solution of just water and food colouring for the bottles. The starch was a bit thick for the sprayers.)

Time to make our own spring colours!

I used yogurt containers for the paints. I cut a hole in the centre of the lid so that the brush could fit through and the container was a little less "sloshy" when little hands were moving it around.




The boys got right to painting and spent just over an hour decorating the yard before it started to rain.

Learning to read, keeping it fun

Picture 054, originally uploaded by selinajean_photos.

Doodles to help remember what a word means.

I see with my eyes.

(That is my curly hair, not a crazy mutated ear!)

Sunday afternoon snack

Sunday afternoon snack, originally uploaded by selinajean_photos.

Thanks for the idea Shanna! I love deviled eggs but never think to make them. Of course, it turns out that the boys do not like deviled eggs, so I am now stuck with a plate of them to myself.

Relaxing

Nick chilling out before we went to the Christmas concert.

On Friday Nick fought his nap and instead climbed up to the top bunk and had me pass him about 20 books to read.



Telling the stories... I wonder if he will be a bookworm like James?



Saturday morning Santa was meant to arrive at Picadilly mall by horse-drawn sleigh. Unfortunately there is not enough snow for sleigh runners and one of the tires blew out. Santa came by decorated golf cart instead! James went to greet him. Nick wanted nothing to do with Santa and watched from afar.





Catching some sunshine outside of the mall



James waited very patiently in line to speak with Santa. He played it cool. He told me afterward that he thought he would be too big to sit on Santa's lap. I think that he was worried about squishing him!





I love the hand gesture in this one. "One more thing, Santa!"

Getting so big!

I suck at blogging! Again, it's been way too long. :) Time to share some photos of the boys with Dada. :) Actually, today it is Nick. I tried to take pictures of them together in front of the tiny fake Christmas tree today but James kept making faces and flashing me a "Rock On!" hand signal and Nick kept running away, blurring the whole picture. I will try for pics of James tomorrow when he's not looking. Even Nick now covers his face when he sees the camera! I have to be sneaky and pull out the ninja stealth moves to get these two on film!

Just for fun, this is last year on Christmas. They look so little!



James when he lost his first tooth in the spring



And Nick stylin' with shades



This was Nick on Friday. He and James received bubbles from Mother Goose and he had fun chasing the bubbles around in a few minutes of sunshine.







Then this week Nick decided that he was going to school. He packed up his "ba-ba" full of toys and headed off. He's backing away slowly from the camera.



Then he ran....



So I went the other way around the van and ambushed him! Like a deer in headlights. :)



And ready to run again...He never stops!



Tomorrow, I ambush James!

Learning to sew, learning rude sounds.

James is getting ready for the Children's Village Market at Centenoka mall on the 21st. They provide tables for children to sell items that they have made. James has made some bean bags using the sewing machine. He made two for Nick at Christmas with my help and now can operate the machine on his own...backstitching, lockstitching, turning corners and all! He is also making some golf stroke counters with beads and plastic cord and he also plans to bake some pumpkin bread loaves and granola-cookie bars.


Nick has discovered how to make very loud farting sounds with his mouth this week. He sticks out his tongue and blows a zerbert into the air, resulting in a loud sound that makes James laugh and causes a stream of saliva to run down his chin. Charming!
His new word this week is "dirty". As in "Nick don't touch the toilet, it's dirty." "Don't touch the diaper pail, it's dirty." "Don't take that out of the garbage, it's dirty." So now he repeats "Du-tee".