Fingerpainting Fun

Today we had lots of fun fingerpainting while it snowed outside! Special painting smocks and lots of newspaper on the floor prevented me from getting too worried about the messiness of it all. One look at the two of them painting away with huge grins on their faces made the mess TOTALLY worth it.

Let the fingerpainting begin!

Joe making a masterpiece

Look at me! I love being this messy!

Hmm, I think I will smear the paint all over my face and then try to eat it!

Kisses for Mommy!

Ski Trip 2010

We finally had a weekend where Ken was not working and we weren't traveling somewhere, so what did we do?? Go on a ski trip to Appalachia Ski Mountain in Western North Carolina. It was a little under 2 hours so not a bad drive. We rented skiis for Joe and a helmet (he insisted on it..."Daddy, helmet? Daddy, helmet?") and then Ken and Joe went to the bunny hill to give it a try. This was Joe's first time skiing and he did great! Ken had put skiis on him while we were in Cumberland over Christmas and pulled him around the yard but never at a real ski resort! Thomas and I bundled up and went outside to watch but then headed back in as there was nowhere really to play and the wind was pretty fierce. After a few runs, the boys came in for hot chocolate and then back outside to go at it a few more times. They even went up a chair lift at Joe's insistence and came down a blue run (with lots of help from Daddy!) At the end of the day, we had two exhausted but happy little boys. Next year will be even more fun since Thomas will be able to join in the fun too!

Joe and Daddy are all suited up and ready to go!

Coming down the beginner slope

Look Mommy--I am skiing by myself!!

Tom is ready to hit the slopes too. . .not yet little Thomas! Next year!

Thomas was all ready to go with Daddy down the hill in the backpack but then he lost a glove and started crying. Maybe next time!

Happy 1st Birthday Thomas!

It is hard to believe, but our little man turned one on January 29! We were in Olney, MD at Mamama and Pop's house since Ken had a conference to attend in Washington, DC. We had a fun couple of days seeing Mamama, Pop, Tata, and Uncle Rubi. We also made a quick stop to see Joe's old teachers at Children in the Shoe. They all missed Joe and Thomas (who was sleeping so he stayed in the car with Mamama!) and were excited to see us. On Saturday, we had scheduled a birthday party for Thomas and everyone was planning to come but a snowstorm kept the guests to a minimum. Nonni, PapPap and Ellena trekked down from Cumberland to see the birthday boy and we all had fun nonetheless.

Our birthday boy was not feeling well so he was a bit cranky but he still managed to enjoy the homemade chocolate cake that Mommy made for him!

The crew chows down their dinner.

Look at my yummy Winnie the Pooh cake!

I LOVE chocolate cake!

The hit of the day was the "Cars" sofa, a gift from Mamama and Pop

Happy HooHooHooHoolloween!

When we started talking about costumes, Joe decided he wanted to be Tigger this Halloween and Thomas would be Pooh Bear. A stroke of luck at a consignment sale got us the Pooh bear costume for Thomas (in perfect condition believe it or not!) and ebay snagged Joe's. The real question then was, what would Mommy and Daddy dress up to be. Joe then made costume assignments and dictated, "Mommy - Eeyore, Daddy - Piglet!" and that was it. There was no convincing him otherwise so after a VERY hectic month which I may or may not back track to document, on Halloween morning, the whole family set out to get the materials to make the rest of the costumes. We had the gray sweatsuit for the Eeyore and pink pants for Piglet but we needed everything else. A quick trip to the party store got us a pair of donkey ears but no piggie accessories were to be found. Onwards to the fabric store where we purchased pink fleece and pink thread. Finally, we headed to Target where we found a pink shirt in the women's department that would suffice, some pink markers and a black headband. Armed with our supplies we headed home where the boys took their naps and we furiously put together the costumes. A tail for Eeyore, pig nose, pig ears, pig tail and striped pink shirt and we were good to go! We got dressed up for the neighborhood party, loaded up the stroller and headed off! As we neared the party, we noticed that interestingly, we were the only adults dressed up. Hmmmmmm, maybe this was a CHILDREN's dress up party. No matter, we charged on ahead ready to meet the neighbors. One of our friendly neighbors introduced us to people and we got lots of compliments on how great it was that we dressed up, but I have a feeling they were thinking "Wow, these new Yankee neighbors sure are strange!" Good thing we are only here for a year! My favorite comment was from one of the few other adults who dressed up (he was a Wheaties box). Ken told him "great outfit" and the guy said, "Yours is too. You are much braver than I am." Well, I guess not many men are secure enough to wear pink but that is one of the great things about my husband. He will dress up as piglet because our 2 year old son asked him to and do it all with a smile and shake of a piggie tail! Happy Halloween!

Pooh bear bumblebee and Tigger show off their pumpkins

Pooh and friends in front of our house

We're ready to go to the party!

Shake it, Piglet!

Joe had to try on Daddy's costume and ran around the house with this for quite a while!

Sigma Alpha Eta Mu Sorority

Ok, so I am sure all of you are wondering what in the world is she talking about? What is Sigma Alpha Eta Mu and why am I talking about sororities when I am a long way from college? Well, it seems that I have stumbled upon a perhaps little known fact that being a Stay at Home Mom (or SAHM) is an elite club that you have to petition to join. Just the fact that you do it does not get you in automatically. You must be invited to join this club by other mothers if you are deemed worthy.

Almost every day, I take Joe and Thomas to a park nearby and of course there are hordes of other little kids and their moms there as well. Occasionally, a kid will play near Joe and another mother and I have reason to speak. It is always a brief exchange, no matter what is said on my part to try to initiate conversation, and then she goes back to her playgroup buddies. Talk about circling the wagons. Sometimes I feel like I am back in college, or worse high school. I find myself wondering if maybe I shouldn't be coming to the park in running shorts and a sweaty tank top as I watch these moms in their designer clothes, seemingly oblivious to the blazing heat. And of course, huge designer sunglasses. I actually own a pair of fantastic Ralph Lauren sunglasses (birthday gift courtesy of Ken) but I usually leave them in the car. Didn't I learn anything during sorority rush at Maryland? No sweaty clothes to the park even if you walked 1.5 miles to get there! Maybe I should bring a change of clothes? I must also mention that the offspring of these sorority girls are also dressed in the most inappropriate clothing for the park. Ralph Lauren polos, seersucker outfits and white frilly dresses do not seem like play clothes to me, but then again, who can say?

Far be it for me to be overly critical, I will say that on the rare occasion that the sorority girls do speak to me they were very polite and nice. This happened once after I ran into a woman I met via Helen, my MIL, and she introduced me to some of the other women. Of course after the hello, it was back to the same old routine. On a positive note, I went to the Parent's Council coffee meeting today and met two really nice women. I actually had a pleasant adult conversation with someone other than Ken or my family! They even invited me to join their online forum and playgroup! I just may receive a bid card for this sorority yet! I'll keep you posted.

First Day of School

Joe started preschool today at Covenant Presbyterian Church. He was excited when we were at home saying "Joe school?" but not quite so happy once we arrived. Only half of the class was there and they had a shortened day so the kids could get used to school before adding an additional hour. Joe is a school pro with all the daycare he has gone to but after two solid months of being with Mommy all day, he was not a happy camper. He was all smiles though when Thomas and I picked him up! It seems crazy that he is already in preschool!!

Joe and his lunch box outside our house before we head off to school

Standing in front of the entrance

There he goes!

Labor Day with Nonni and Pap Pap

After a few days of down time, another set of doting grandparents descended upon us to the elation of Joe and Thomas. Nonni and Pap Pap drove down Wednesday night so on Thursday morning, the boys had a big surprise waiting for them! While Ken was at work, they spent time with the boys and later on, Helen, the boys and I met a friend of hers from Cumberland for lunch. She was visiting her daughter who lives in Charlotte as well, and they brought their neighbor who has a son a little younger than Joe. The rest of the weekend went by in a flash and was spent going to our favorite park, exploring a new one with the GPs and Aunt Ann, and just hanging around the house having fun. Well, I should say SWINGING around since Ken and Pap Pap hung up a swing for the boys in the enormous tree we have out front. I also convinced Nonni to help me make her famous Eggplant Parmesan so that I could learn her tricks and make it for the boys sometime. It tasted really yummy!!! Too soon, Nonni and Pap had to go but we will see them again in October!

Playing in the sandbox with Pap Pap

Thomas and Nonni take a break in the shade

Tom loves to get his hands on Joe whenever he can!