Character day

Today was character day at school. The whole school dresses like their favorite character from a book.

Colin wanted to be gandolf again. And Joel insisted on being the green ninja. We don't have a book with the green ninja (the green ninja is a Lego cartoon) but Joel insisted and brought me the Lego CHARACTER encyclopedia. 

Joel will always find a way 

Snow!

 So we woke up to a surprise this morning.  It actually snowed!  We were supposed to just get rain but it didn't stop me from texting with a few friends about the snow dances we were doing hoping for snow.  But I was surprised along with the kids. The kids woke up and were dressed and out the door before breakfast. 

This picture makes me laugh.  Its almost as if they are each thinking "really mom? we came outside for this pitiful amount of snow?"  After last winter this was a pitiful amount but still fun to play in all morning. 

 Theres a little more enthusiasm....

 maybe!  ha!

 We did snow angels and then went down to the pool to go sledding.  We were the only ones there - probably because most everyone else was still sleeping. 

(they had to check on their fish)

I left my camera at home but its nice to have my cell phone.  We went up and down the small hill for over and hour and a half.  The kids went until there was no snow left on the hill. 

We came home and made breakfast and then watched the sun come out and melt all the snow away.

The kids did go outside and save snow for snowcones.

  The kids didn't get a real snow day. It was already a day off for a teacher workday.  But there is talk of more snow coming next week so we are hopeful (although I did see one model change the snow to rain already)  I'll take snow over the weeks of rain we've been having anyday. 

Tutu ballerina princess

She loves to accessorize. Until she tries to put a bracelet just so and it won't stay. Then she cries and the tears come because in her mind then she's "not a tutu ballerina princess!!!"

Every week on our way home from trader joes we pass a construction site where they are expanding the road. The boys would've loved all the trucks and I'm always pointing them out to Norah. She could care less about the trucks. One day I heard her squeal and looked around to see what made her so excited. It wasn't the huge crane lifting steel beams...the person next to us in the car had on a necklace and earrings. 

Our sweet girly princess 

Christmas Town

 Here are some pictures of christmas town that I finally got off the computer. 

 She loved this ride... until it started moving....

Basketball

 Colin's free throw

 Love how everyone is looking up at the ball to see if Colins ball went in.  It did! 

 We have another 5 or 6 weeks of games which makes Colin and Brent happy. 

Student of the month

 Last week we went to a ceremony honoring Joel as student of the month.  Joel, the same kid in September who had to have two kids sit on either side of him on the bus so he wouldn't get up and bolt at the next bus stop. And I'm so proud of how far Joel has come.  Its such an honor to be chosen and not every kid gets chosen.  Colin has gotten it each year but I'm not so sure he will get it this year. He's in a really great class with a lot of great kids.  Colin was in awe (and slightly jealous) that Joel got student of the month before him. 

 I was so worried going into this year about how Joel would do.  Hes my sweet sensitive, hard headed strong willed child and I had all these worries and fears about how it would go.  But I shouldn't have worried because Joel is thriving and loving it.  He rarely complains about homework or going to school now. He is excelling and its been really really good for him.  He's grown up so much this year and while he is still strong willed determined child he has mellowed a lot in good ways. (which also gives me hope for Norah! HA!)

 Its always great to go to these ceremonies because they call up each child and read a paragraph the teacher wrote about each kid and why they were chosen.  This months character trait was kindness and the teacher described Joel exactly.  Its always great when the teachers really get and know your kids.

 We are so proud of you Joel. 

Basketball

Basketball has started.  Brent is coaching Colin's team again and a lot of kids requested Brent as a coach again so half the team is back this year. Colin and Brent love it. It's fun to watch. 

This year they play full court. Their first game was today and while Colin was the teams highest scorer (they keep score for this age bracket) I was prouder when Colin was open but he passed the ball to another kid so that kid could have a chance to score. 

It's really fun to see Colin get a rebound then make a break for it and dribble down the court and score. But I love his heart for his teammates to also get a chance. A lot of professional players could learn a lot from my boy. 

Joel spent the second half taking selfies like this...clearly he was really into the game! Ha! 

Dirt and a little princess

This picture I think captures Norah perfectly. Dirt on her hands and grass stained knees because she's always playing with her boys outside. A tutu because a princess always wears a tutu. High healed shoes that clip clop. Socks because it was cold outside and mommy told her it was too cold to wear her princess shoes (so she outsmarted me) 

She likes to flop down on the ground and declare she's dead. It's always random times: sidewalk, kitchen floor, grocery store, playground. She will stay that way a few minutes and then get up and say she's all better. 

The tutus happen daily and the princess shoes come out to send her boys off on the school bus. 

Happy new year

Happy new year! I can't believe it's already 2015.  We just got back from eating grandmas black eyed peas and collard greens. Colin ate two huge helpings of collard greens. He wants a lot of wealth this year! He would put a forkful in his mouth and say the amount he was hoping it would be. "That's $400....$10...$100..."  Joel asked for a plate of collard greens and immediately ate a bite and said "that's one million dollars!"   Joel doesn't mess around!  

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

 We have had a wonderful Christmas. The kids are so fun to watch and their excitement leading up to Christmas is so much fun.

 This year Norah understood more and really got into the wrapping and taping each present. We went through many many many rolls of tape.

 We tried to get a family picture.  This was as good as we got. 

 And this one of Joel makes me laugh.

 Christmas Eve we made gingerbread houses. 

And ate all the candy

 Then since it was raining outside, Norah ran around in circles to come off the sugar high.

 Christmas morning Norah was up first and was making a lot of noise and then I heard Colin sit up in bed and yell "its Christmas" and then everyone was up. 

 My three favorite gifts right there

 The kids were so sweet giving their gifts.  Norah made Ant Ant a necklace and I caught her on the ipad trying to facetime Ant Ant at work that she had a surprise for Ant Ant under the tree and it was a dead die! 

 Norah at one point went over to the tree and said "what about this present," sat down and then quickly opened it and I wish I had video taped the excitement to having her open her blankies.  She had wrapped them up without us knowing and then it was THE BEST PRESENT EVER when she opened it.  Next year I'll just wrap up all her favorite toys! ha!

 We all got slippers so we will be nice and comfy this winter. 

Brent gave the boys a trip to DC to see the wizards play this winter.  He wrapped up tshirts and then had a note saying they were going away for the weekend for a game. Colin was so excited and I wish I had a picture of Joels face because he was NOT excited and slightly terrified he would have to go to a basketball game.  So we will see if he ends up going 

 Little princess was really fun to shop for this Christmas.  All things sparkly and glittery.

 Mary got Norah and I a ton of costume jewelry.  Norah has had a lot of fun with that already.  And so have I. 

 Our pretty peacock!  Or peacock Elsa as Norah calls herself. 

 Colin read the Hobbit last year and tonight will go see the final movie.  He also read Harry Potter with me this year and I gave him the movie set so he and I will be watching those this week as well.  So Ma-ma-maa and Grandpa gave him Lord of the Rings since he has to read the books before he watches the movies.  These will keep him busy for a long time this year. 

Matching Christmas sweaters. 

 The best gift was Mary surprising us.  She wasn't going to be able to come home for Christmas but she came down Christmas Eve and surprised us all.  We didn't know until we went over Christmas morning and her car was in the driveway.  Best present!  So glad she came home. 

A wonderful Christmas.  After dinner we brought the kids home so Joel could work on his lego creations. Joel had started begging to go home saying "I want to go home RIGHT now.  I want to build my lego set.  It's almost dark. I can't build it in the dark because they will make me go to bed.  Tomorrow IS TOO late. I want to go home. I want to go home now." 

SO we took him home and I drove back over to give mary her gifts (we hadn't brought them since we weren't going to see her until later) and to watch Christmas in Connecticut with my sisters and parents.  Best Christmas ever.  Next year we are planning on going to see our wandering hokies in Germany for Christmas so hoping it all works out since its been years since we've all been together at Christmas. 

On the way home I asked the boys what their favorite parts about Christmas was and Colin said watching me open up the book he got me and how exciting it was watching me open it.  Joel was in the back seat thinking and then replied "I still think getting gifts is way better than giving them!!!!"  Haha oh Joel