Winter Sensory Bin

i put together this simple winter sensory bin for the kids a few months ago and am just getting around to blog about it. contents: cotton balls, plastic snowflake confetti, tiny presents, bows, plastic ornament balls, scoops and bowls. norah spent lots of time sorting, counting, dumping, pretending. ivan preferred playing "in and out" and discovering the texture of the cotton balls.

Resolutions

the first day of a new year feels like the first day of school. always exciting, high hopes and expectations of myself. here are ten things that i have resolved to accomplish this year..

1. develop a closer relationship with my Savior. read. study. pray.

2. spend at least 30 minutes of disconnected (no phones, computers, tv) time with my husband each night.

3. play. play outside with my kids every day. for at least 15 minutes.

4. put that gym membership to good use. exercise. at least 3 times a week.

5. gain weight. 10 pounds. eat like a 300 pound man.

6. minimize and simplify my house. purge. focus on one room per week.

7. read a good book every month. from start to finish. starting with a few on my wish list.

8. be a finisher. finish what i start; from a sewing project to a preschool art project. finish it.

9. find creative ways to increase our income. sell our junk.

10. live. live in the moment. then document it.

plain and simple

{one of norah's first "people" :)}

{check that runny nose, courtesy of the colds that have been through us all at least two times this fall}

i am much more apt to post on this thing if i remind myself that my posts don't have to be elaborate or fancy. so that's exactly what this is not: elaborate or fancy. here are ten random things about lately...

1. we are plugging along with preschool. if anything has been gained it is norah's social skills. it is so fun to watch her use her imagination with her little friends.

2. we have been enjoying our Truth in the Tinsel advent experience this month. it's simple: a daily scripture relating to the Christmas story and an ornament craft.

3. i don't know how this happened, but Christmas is less than ten days away (whaaa). my good intentions of making handmade gifts this year have once again disintegrated. i am convinced that amazon can read my mind and i think i am ok with that.

4. joe takes the bus to work almost everyday. he works in tyson's corner which is a 20 minute drive without trafffic. on some mornings, it can take over an hour to make it there (dc traffic is horrid, really). he opts to take the bus so he can relax and make it to work in 20 minutes (the bus pretty much has its own highway).

5. most days i feel like i am a referee around here, but then there are those moments when they snuggle on the couch and watch curious george together. i melt.

6. i so want these glasses. unfortunately, i have already spent my Christmas money. santa? are you out there?

7. we are going to the temple to see the Christmas lights with friends tonight. a perfectly free date night, if you ask me.

8. my brother got a little rottweiler puppy and i cannot wait to see ivan get his little pudgy hands on the thing. ok so his pudgy little hands on anything is the. cutest. thing. ever.

9. anyone have any magic tricks to get a 3 year old to take a nap? help.

10. NYC this Christmas. 'nuff said!

halloweenie

a petite butterfly and a chubby bumble bee.

a most unlikely pair.

a bumblebee with a slight addiction.
a mommy bee who can't resist.

alive and well

oh my goodness. 4 months! that's a record for me. we are alive. we are well. we are busy! i decided to start a little in-home preschool with a few of norah's friends and it has been so fun (and a little time consuming). i'm also working on 18 credits this term (ay caramba)! you see, blogging is what i do when i'm avoiding the things i should be doing. so here i am! joe started a new job at freddie mac in september. we are enjoying the stability of salary life :) we have been living in virginia for a year and a half now and we still love it. we have made so many amazing friends here. that's about all of an update i've got. i'll leave you with some of our a-mazing family pictures that our good friend sydney took a few weeks ago. enjoy!

to see allllll of them, go here.