Christmas Card Outtakes 2011 - Part 1

Yes, it's that time of year again! The time where I attempt to wrangle multiple children into a semi-presentable picture that I can send to far-flung relatives and friends in our annual Christmas card.

It's gotten to a point where I think my kids can inherently sense that I'm attempting to catch them with their cuteness in sync.  So they take turns doing things like this:

Quick!  Everyone glower! And look down!

Yeah, no.

Or there's this:

EAT IT!  EAT IT!

Or, sometimes, they smile fantastically!

In the wrong direction.

But alas!  I sense I'm coming closer to capturing my goal. Or at least, losing the last vestige of my sanity. Because at that point?  I'll be too crazy to care!

We're a Pile of Nuts... and Sloths?

Yesterday, Shaun and I were attempting to discuss the day's plans but kept being drowned out by the din of 3 children expressing their opinions on what to do for the day.  Generally, it's fine for the kids to tell us what they want to do... the first time. And maybe the second. But after the 56th time I heard that my oldest really, REALLY wanted to get this year's tree ornaments and 87 times about how my middle HAD to go to jumping place, I thought my brain might explode. So Shaun lightly asked them to go into the living room for a few minutes so we could talk.

"Why Daddy?"  Someone asked. I don't know who because that question is asked 9345 times a day by each verbal child. (I swear that will be Zoen's first real word).

He teasingly said,

"Because we need to make a decision without hearing from the peanut gallery."

Then he tickled Sayer and said, "Go ahead in the other room, you peanut!"

Sayer looked very serious and said, "I am NOT a peanut!"

Of course, we had to know what he was if not a peanut... so Shaun asked.

Sayer was quick to respond, "I'm a DONUT!"

Definitely my favorite kind of nut, right there.

Oh, and not to be outdone as the catalyst to our laughter, Lex piped up, "AND I'M A FLAPJACK!"

Yes, she's as random as her mother... and anyway, who says FLAPJACK?!

She's the same kid who felt the need to act out the habits of her current animal obsession a few weeks ago at the park. 

She hung from the diagonal bar and stayed very still.

Like... a sloth.

So then I told her it was time to leave and she needed to come up to the steps towards the car.

She listened right away.  Except, instead of walking, she was crawling to me. Ve-r-r-r-r-ry slowly. When questioned, she matter-of-factly stated, "I'm a sloth. We are very slow."

And then, she would periodically drop to the ground to catch a nap. 

Oh, that kid.

They keep me busy... but they keep me laughing, that's a constant.

Falling Into Fall

I love a good cliche. 

I also love a deliciously warm fall afternoon.

The kids were inclined to agree

(She's just sassy. Like her Mama).

He had remarkably good aim.

But the girls didn't seem to mind at all.

I let the kids bury themselves in leaves and I stayed with Z, (who I don't think would have appreciated getting a pile of leaves in the face quite as much as his older siblings seemed to).

Today the weather is 32 degrees and breezy... which kind of makes me feel like this:

Good day.  One that we're anxious to repeat if the weather cooperates.

Germs

You know what I hate more than the scuzzies that get into the drain catch in the sink?

Germs.

The cold and flu season has barely started and we've been through a wicked bout of croup, a couple of colds, a stomach virus, and now, a nasty double ear infection for S.

EW.

Anyway, we've wiped down the house from ceiling to floor and we're hopefully on the mend. 

So, share with me... best cold and flu prevention tips. AND! Best home remedies for when you or your little people are under the weather. 

We're currently taking vitamins, (multi, vitamin D, acidophilus and DHA), eating tons of fresh fruit and veggies, washing hands when we can, playing outside often as my kids will let me push them out the door, and staying away from sugar as much as possible. 

As for when we've gotten sick, we've found that humidifiers are golden, the shower is a lovely anti-croup chamber, (though mildew can flare up, so vent well when done), and honey makes a decent cough calmer.

What'cha got, people?  I'm all about upping my arsenal against the wiley, beastly germs.

Halloween Fun

Halloween has been a low-key holiday in the past. But this year, my kids were all about actually doing some sort of trick-or-treating.

After a considerable amount of debate, (and lots of "NO, I do NOT want to be a ladybug/fairy/princess/lion/monster/robot/chicken!"), the kids decided to be:

A barista! (Lexi - 5) She was enticed by being able to match me, (that's what I was too).

She donned the costume, tipped the cup in my direction, and asked if I'd like a pumpkin latte. She's hired.

Caly (3), decided to be a chef. This was an odd pick, namely because the child has professed the desire to be a ladybug since April.  Then, randomly, she wanted to be a fairy.  But she landed on this outfit after I pulled it out of the dress-up box. Score for no money spent!  Also, she was insanely cute, despite blatant refusal to smile for me.

At one point, she got a pack of skittles and grabbed them out of her bag and walked to Shaun, "Daddy! These are for you!"  Cute, right?  Then she walked right back up to the lady handing out the candy and got herself another one, muttering, "And this one's for me!"  The lady didn't notice.  The guy handing out full sized chocolate bars did.  But she smiled disarmingly and said, "I gave the other one to my Mommy! They're her favorite."  I made a (half-hearted) motion (they were peanut butter cups!) to put mine back but he waved us on with a smile. 

She's a stinker. But she scored me some chocolate. Win!

Sayer (2), was a firefighter.  I had intended to put him into the chicken costume his sisters had worn before him, but apparently, with the age of 2 comes an opinion.  Thankfully, he was swayed by the firefighter suit from our dress-up bin and rocked it, even without the helmet after awhile.

He was enthralled by this strange practice and kept saying, "OH!" and showing me EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE of candy he received.  It was cute. Slow-going, but cute.  Today, he's insisted on sleeping with his candy bucket and he snuck it into the car with him earlier.  Thankfully, he still thinks he needs Momma to open them so I don't worry too much about leaving him alone with his stash.

His 3 year old sister is a different story.  (Remember this?)

Zoen was a chicken. Partially because I already had the costume, partially because it's an unbearably cute get-up, and partially because it was toasty warm beneath his furry feathers.  He was charming. Of course.

Here's a group shot!  (Which I'm remarkably a part of!)  The light started to get low, but this picture makes me happy whenever I see it, so here it is :)

It was indeed a happy, happy Halloween!