Tough decision

I love when my boys play nicely together. It seems like such a rare occasion I hate to interrupt. Tonight Zander was playing in their room before bed. This alone was enough to make me happy. So, I let him stay up a little later than normal.




Then Nick joined him. They were washing cars in the closet car wash. And they were getting along. And sharing. And taking turns. And all those other things that warm my heart. So I let them go. Probably longer than I should have. But, I couldn't help myself. See how cute they were?


It was a tough decision. I just hope I don't regret it in the morning!

Frosty Flicks

Our local theater offers $2 family-friendly movies throughout the winter. Up 'til now Nick has only seen one movie in the theater. Zander had never been. I just didn't trust them to sit still and not ask to get up for the bathroom or anything else one million times over the course of two hours. But, apparently I lost changed my mind. Because I took them to a movie. By myself. On a Saturday morning. And they were actually pretty good. We had to get up twice before the movie (Despicable Me) even started (once to get a new straw and another for a bathroom break) but once the movie started they sat quietly and quite still through most of the movie. Zander got a little tired toward the end, but was still very good. I was quite impressed with both of them.

So unfair

Seriously, I know grown women who would kill for these eyelashes and both of my boys have them. Will have to see if No. 3 is blessed with the same good eyelash genes.

Snow day

High winds coupled with powdery snow kept us home from school and work today. But it didn't keep Mike and the boys from braving the great outdoors. I ventured out long enough to get a few pictures before retreating to the warmth of the house. Did I mention some seriously frigid temps came along with this latest blizzard?

The snow around our house doesn't look that high, unless you are two. Then, they nearly swallow you up when you try to get from the front to the back of the house. Mike and Nick made the trek around the house without much problem. After a couple problems with ice dams Mike has worked diligently to keep our roof free from snow and ice, even if it means lots of extra roof raking and shoveling.

Zander wanted to join his dad and brother in the backyard. He lost his glove (and we nearly lost him in a snowbank) in the process.


But, it was big brother to the rescue. Nick came back to try and help the little guy through the drifts. They both fell down a couple times. I saw it all. And just kept taking pictures. I know, I know, Mother of the Year right here.


Unfortunately Zander never made it to the backyard. Mike finished working in the back before his little legs could carry him all the way around the yard. But, the boys had fun in the front of the house too. They "helped" Mike shovel the driveway.




They fell down a couple times.


And then Mike attacked Nick with a shovelful of snow. In his defense Nick had been throwing snow at him, though I think one has a little better aim than the other. I'll let you figure out who won this battle.


Back inside the boys actually played well for most of the morning. It's amazing how good they can be when they are left to play alone (as in not with each other). Nick played on the computer (big surprise, I know).


Zander played with Play-doh. Another shocker. But, at least it was new Play-doh. He got this from Mema for Christmas and we had yet to get it out and put the batteries in. Yes, even Play-doh requires batteries these days. Oh, and for the record, my kitchen walls are not that hideous shade of mint green. I don't know what happened to these pics, but that is just plain embarrassing.




And when Nick finally tired of the computer he threw the infamous "I'm bored" my way. Sound familiar mom? He's definitely my child. So I told him to go play school in his bedroom. This is what I found about 20 minutes later.


I love that kid's imagination -- it's just a matter of convincing him to use it!

Mad scientists

I have never been a fan of science. It was my worst subject in school and it continues to be something I care little about. That said, I want my kids to have a better experience with the class than I did. They are going to need it (along with math -- my other least favorite subject). So, when I came across this science kit on Amazon before Christmas I thought it might be a fun way to introduce Nick, and by default Zander, to the dreaded fun subject. We started the lesson fun simple enough with a mixture of citric acid, baking soda and water.


See the water "dance."


Then we mixed citric acid, baking soda and red cabbage juice powder to create different colored water. The coloring in just water creates a "purple waterfall." Adding baking soda to the mix changes it to one color and adding citric acid makes it another. Combining water from both cups into a third cup creates yet another color.


Next came the especially fun experiment (at least for me). I don't have the recipe handy, but will try to add it later. When I read through the directions I assumed it would make a silly putty/goo kind of substance, so I started by doubling the original to make enough for both boys. I quickly realized this was not that kind of recipe.


Instead, this combination made a weird substance that looked wet (and when you tilted the bowl it would "run") but was actually a solid. I don't know who was more fascinated by this discovery. We had to keep this experiment around to show Mike when he came upstairs from work.


The only downside to science is that sometimes these experiments take time. I think that's why the age on the box says 5+. My boys don't have the patience for some of these activities. But they tried. Nick had fun toting the timer around, for about 2 minutes. Then he was off to do something else while we waited for the 15 minutes to pass.


And then we waited for another 15 minutes. And another. And another. Somewhere in here we ate dinner.


And when dinner was done Nick dumped out his test tube crystals (they were supposed to grow bigger than the tube but that never happened), held them in his hands for a few seconds and promptly threw them back in the bowl, completely uninterested.


I left them on the counter for another day, hoping he would get them out and mess with them again but that never happened so into the garbage they went.

Imagination at work

Mike runs every Saturday morning -- for a really long time (like minimum two hours). Unfortunately, that is also the time I find myself most motivated to get things done around the house, which isn't always an easy task with two young children underfoot. However, every once in awhile the boys cooperate by playing nicely and occupying each other while I clean. Today, they concocted some sort of office/work scenario involving the kitchen. Nick was working at his computer while Zander did some work with the computer mouse (which doubles as a dog on most days) on the other side. A few times I heard Nick ask Zander for something through the window. (Please don't mind the mess -- it's impossible to keep up with the devastation these two leave in their wake).



Later, they got out the blocks (there was a bit of a moment there because there is never enough to go around) to build up some cities - they can't work together on one, they each have to have their own. They even turned down a trip to the library to finish up their building endeavors.


Nick finished up his garages and left explicit instructions for no one to touch it until daddy could see it before moving on to the next activity. Zander, however, can build for days and continued on with the blocks for quite awhile before abandoning his town.


Despite the mess they left behind it was a pretty successful morning in my book.

Why bribery sometimes works

Nick went to a hockey game tonight. He had to show off his Black Hawks tattoo and sweatshirt that his Mema got him for Christmas (and the tickets to the game).


Zander didn't get to go.


But, don't let this smiley face make you think he was OK with it. He wasn't. I had to do a lot of bribing to get that kind of grin out of him.

First, there were nuggets (dipped in caramel of all things).


Then there was a hot fudge sundae (a real treat because we never get ice cream/dessert out because of Nick's peanut allergy).



And then there was finger painting. He made pictures for Santa, dad and me!






All in all it was a great night for both kids!