Cool Family Ens

First Snow

Earlier last week we had our first "big" snow.  See all that grass sticking up?!

Anyway, the kids were thrilled to don their snowsuits and pull out their snow shovels.  Good thing, too.  The stuff didn't last more than a day or two.  :)

These days, its hard to let the kids go out with Anna, too.  And if the kids go out front, I have to go wtih Anna.  She's still too much of a flight risk, see.  :)  However, this day she was content to stay indoors and just watch wistfully instead.  I took pictures.
Waving,

 
Wistful,

What?

 

Lest We Forget

Last week I received a phone call from Jonas's teacher informing us that he was selected to take part in the Remembrance Day assembly the following day so we could come and watch if we wanted.  Each class had a representative or two to come forward to place a large poppy at a cross.
Jonas didn't know until I told him (she told me that was the case) and was so nervous the next morning telling me that he didn't want to go to school because he felt "too tired."  It was easy enough to ferret the real reason out of him.  As soon as we got to school, his teacher was quick to let him know exactly what he'd be doing and who he'd be doing it with; I think knowing another student (and a Grade 1 student at that!) relieved things a great deal.  I also think that telling him he was the "dependable student that [the principal] asked for" helped.  Or at the very least, it made me not a little proud of him.  

The ceremony itself was short and simple as most of these are.  Molly was thrilled that she recognized O Canada.  ( I had to roll my eyes when I saw someone had typed on the powerpoint slide "O'Canada".  Trying for some Irish influence there?)  Anna was thrilled when she recognized Jonas filing in with all his classmates, she almost cried!  I told her she could go and see him and she ran over and gave him a big hug and sat with him a few moments before his class had to shuffle over. 

[Which reminds me of another funny thing: When trying to move the students around, another kg teacher asked her students who where sitting with legs crossed to "move forward five squeeches."  Of course, they all knew exactly what he meant.  Let's here it for onomatopoeia!]

That picture above quickly up at the front afterward as the flash-less ones earlier were blurry.  I know it's not a big deal, but at the same time, it's his first non-big-deal, so I'm playing the proud mommy card here. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

Snack Time

 

When Jonas gets home from school, snack is the first order of business.  We're lucky if we get any coats hung up or boots stowed before Anna starts to bang on the pantry door; she knows where the goodies are!

In the first few years, Jonas was raised on cheerios and raisins.  He eventually (like, 2 years later) began to tire of it and I took pity on him.  Raisins and cheerios are a staple, but we've added crackers and other dried fruits (cranberries, apricots), homemade fruit leather, and if they're really lucky, fishy crackers or chocolate chips in the mix.

However, I've realized that a little protien in the mix does help things.  The 'thing' in particular is their hanging off of my legs (literally or metaphorically) less than 2 hours later desperate for dinner... or anything, really!

So I've been trying a little harder: cheese and apple boats, for example.  Or nut butters on apple slices. 

Ok, so maybe cheese and nut butters is as far as I've gotten, but its a start!

And here they are one afternoon enjoying an indoor picnic downstairs.  I'm glad it went over well: this is what I had in mind when they requested a picnic and I agreed.  They had an outdoor event in mind and didn't understand why five degree weather should put me off. 

Any other snack ideas out there?

Fall Back

 

Daylight savings time came to an end this weekend.  For many, it's a lovely time: Extra hour of sleeping in!  Woo hoo!

Pre-kids, Chris and I would use the bonus time to fit in a breakfast out before heading to church.

Post-kids, this time just feels like a day when they get up extra early. 

This year we decided to attemp the "keep-them-up-later-maybe-they'll-sleep-longer" method, knowing that its success is marginal.  But hey - we're desperate so it's worth a shot.  :)

After the regular routine the kids got to watch a short movie (an animated version of Jonah and the Whale) that's usually reserved for special occasions such as this.   Fun times!

Did it work? 

Pretty much!  The older two stayed quiet and in bed or asleep for nearly an extra hour, right on schedule!  Anna needed to be persuaded to get back to sleep, I'm sure her internal clock was kicking at the "shh, it's sleepy time" exhortation from her parents, but it worked!

Dressing Up

Given that there is plenty for kids to worked up about these days and given that Chris and I are kind of avoid hoopla if we can, this ended up being the first year our kids dressed up and went out for Halloween.  Jonas was in kindergarten, we could hardly avoid it!  :)  However, we did need to educate them on some things, like what trick-or-treating actually is!  It also wasn't until the morning of that he decided he didn't want to dress up after all and I realized we hadn't made the connection clear enough: no costume, no trick-or-treating!  He was quite willing to don whatever after that.  ;)

In the afternoon, Molly (who is always changing her attire) came out in her bathing suit and proceeded to later dress up and this was her outfit.

I guess we could call it the summer version!

However, we convinced her that wasn't warm enough for the evening and she was quite happy in this:

So there you have them: Jonas the Mad Scientist and Molly, who when asked what she was dressed up as replied, "a princess."

Anna didn't participate this year.  In fact, I'm remembering now that at the time we were sending the kids out, she was in her crib resting from a lack-of-sleep day.  It turned out to be the best move for all involved!

Their first stop was a neighbour across the street.  He made some comment about making it look like they'd been out longer ("Can't have empty looking buckets!") and so they had a very generous hand out right off the top.  You should have seen them when they realized the loot to be had!  I tried to get a picture of them from across the street, but nothing would have quite captured their excited prancing as they moved on to the next house! 

Yep, not much beats candy in their world!

Eighteen Monthery

Anna turned a year and a half last week.   Here's what I can think to say about her at this stage.

• She's a bookworm.  You know those times as a parent when you suddenly realize that you've heard NOTHING from that child upstairs/downstairs/in the other room and you dash about worried about what mess/death wish thing they're up to?  When it happens with Anna, nine times out of ten, she's parked in front of the bookshelf, reading. 
  
  
  
• Current favourite reads: Little Blue Truck, Clip Clop, Where's the Green Sheep, and Pete the Cat.
• She weighs almost 20 lbs and still nurses in the evenings.
• She likes to put random things into the laundry basket.  ---->
• The stroller is her new favourite toy and she has no problems letting Molly know that anytime Molly decides to play with it.  (Whoever said that having siblings helps kids to share better?)
  
  
• Colouring, or at least playing with crayons and pencil crayons are a new and entertaining pastime for her.  She does put the pen to paper occasionally, though.
• She's adept with the spoon and likes to stab things with a fork.
• Chatterbox Ens knows a lot of words including: cat (as in Pete the), Mommy, Da(d), Molly (which sounds a lot like Mommy, but isn't), Jonas, "I want", snack, up, bye, cheese, milk, water, and tissue.  She also has names for some of her books, like "Moo, Baa, La La La", "Where is the Green Sheep," and "Clip, Clop."
  
  
  
  
• Since she's the first child who does not play with my hair for comfort, she tends to cuddle in more on  my chest than on the shoulder.
• She loves stroller rides and taking toys her siblings are interested in.
• Singing songs will usually distract her from whatever she's fussy about at the moment
• [What else were you wondering about?]
  To our lovely littlest girl!

Happy Birthday Molly!

Her reaction when we began to sing "Happy Birthday."  She did this at the party, too!

(And I must admit, I'd like to do this too when its my turn.)

 

Blowing out the candles.

 

Green icing!

More green icing!

 

Happy Third, Molly!

Happy (Belated) Birthday Jonas!

This summer Jonas turned five! 

The kids get to establish their own dinner menu.  I believe Jonas asked for noodles.  I think I threw in a few more things to round out the meal.  :)

We're not fans of using the oven in the summer so we let Safeway do the cooking.  I was expecting to get a few cupcakes for occassion but instead found a Buzz Lightyear cake on half-price, baked that day.  (Turns out it was a cancelled order.)  So I chucked Buzz (another toy to kick around the house?  I don't think so. ) and presented him his surprise Space Cake!  All he'd asked for was white cake (which was unusual - he's a big chocolate lover.) and was thrilled with the copious amounts of frosting. 

Happy Belated, Jonas!

Who Needs Beds?

Have I ever mentioned how the kids will often fall asleep on the floor? 

Molly doesn't do it so much these days.  Since she dropped naps altogether in the last couple of months she's out before we can even close the door; no time to move onto the floor. 

I believe it began when Jonas would move from his top bunk to the door so that he was in a better position to eavesdrop on the adults.  I mean, what child doesn't try to do that?  :)

The downside is when Chris checks on them just before we hit the hay it isn't unusual to have some resistance when opening the door.  It's unusual to have them both RIGHT THERE so he took advantage and went for the camera before putting them back in their beds.  See that white wall right where Jonas's blanket is?  That's the nearly closed door. 

Cute.  :)

(p.s.  Yes, we do have pics of the older two all dressed up for Trick-or-Treating last night, but I still have to upload them.  Patience is a virtue.  ;)