Happy New Year!

The kids are off to grandma's and we are going to dinner and a movie!

I can't wait to see Sherlock Holmes!!

May the coming year be filled with love, love and more love!

Stay safe!

Goose, Binky, Lisa and Freddie

xo

solstice in the woods

...on our way to the redwoods, it was clear and beautiful

the rangers were leading everyone in song as it started to rain

the candlelit path into the forest, just beautiful...

a bonfire to remember the light and warm our hearts

and wreaths to celebrate the solstice!

It was a beautiful way to celebrate the longest night. We go to Muir Woods all the time but have never been to the solstice celebration. I definitely recommend it to anyone in the Bay Area!

I hope your night is just as beautiful!!

stopping by woods on a snowy evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village, though,

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep of easy wind

and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

by Robert Frost

Happy Solstice!!!!!!!

cookie day

Yesterday was our annual cookie-making day at Grandma's house.

We came home with enough cookies for the whole neighborhood!

Daddy has already eaten quite a few! He's the cookie monster of the family! I box up a variety of cookies and give them to our neighbors and our mail carrier for the holidays.

That way we, really I, don't eat them all!

Today Goose and I are headed to a Nutcracker performance with a friend as a gingerbread cookie. After that, Goose and Binky are headed to Grandma's for the night.

Daddy and I have no plans other than time together.

A quiet night at home sounds great to me!

Happy Holidays!

my holidays

This is Scratch's favorite place, next to the shower!! I thought he might curl up and take a nap in the sink! This cat LOVES water! Look at that face!

And, to keep Scratch from knocking the tree over, we got a small one this year. He still jumped all over it and in it. I do love the tree at night all lit up!!

Goose and I made this wreath today with pompoms. And of course Scratch grabbed the entire bag of pompoms for himself during dinner.

Daddy and Goose's masterpiece! Immediately after this picture was taken Daddy took a huge bite out of the roof!

And, just in case you needed some holiday cheer, Goose taught Binky to play this the other day!

Enjoy!!!

Ornament Swap

These are the 5 ornaments we sent out today for The Crafty Crow Ornament Swap!

Pretty, aren't they? This is our second year doing this and it is so much fun getting ornaments in the mail from all over the country!

These are the 4 we've received so far:

This one is very regal!

A beautiful wax sun!

And the prettiest wand!

And a royal crown!

There is still one more ornament on the way.

Today was pretty mellow around here. Some math and reading, hershey kiss eating, visits with friends and martial arts class. Tonight we will light some candles on this fourth night of Hanukkah and snuggle up for some holiday stories.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Hankkah!

Goose and Binky spent the afternoon with Grandma at the symphony to hear "Peter and the Wolf." The narrator was Linda Ronstadt! Of course they have no idea who she is. Binky didn't love it. But he sat through it, at least!

Happy Hanukkah!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

Winter memories...

holiday fun

Our countdown to Christmas!

Binky and Frosty the Snowman

my tree-hugging boy



we just can't decide!


more tree-hugging

tinker toy flyer by Binky

holiday reading

Goose and Daddy's painted ornaments

hanukkah decor inspired by this very creative mama

decorations by Goose

We have been really enjoying the season. Today we decorated the tree and the house. And we still have cookies to bake! Goose is going to see "The Velveteen Rabbit" this weekend. This is a great production for young children. It is still one of Binky's favorite stories.

I hope your days are filled with joy!

what have we been up to?

Goose is still studying colonial america. She made her own hornbook.

They have discovered the joys of Monopoly.

As part of her colonial america study,

Goose made an Algonquin(New England tribe) drum, drumstick and headband.

They turned out great, don't you think?

Goose is teaching Binky to play "Jingle Bells!"

Scratch and Cody are always playing together.

Goose is trying to master card shuffling. Binky is watching a movie and Daddy is napping. This is how I left them one afternoon and they hadn't moved an inch when I returned!

We have officialy begun our cookie-making season!

I started this a little late but love it! Goose helped cut out the felt leaves and Daddy helped cut the cardboard. Even Binky did some gluing.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving with lots of food and family. I hope yours was just as nice! The weather here has been incredible! LOTS of sun with crisp nights.

Perfect for fires and cocoa!

I can't wait to see what everyone else has been up to!

blue stripe test

Goose and Binky tested last night for their first blue stripe!

They were a little nervous and very excited!

Here's Binky in the air doing a round house jump kick!

Goose doing a perfect pinan 1.

Sensei Terri said all their hard work really showed in this test!

I know it's hard to see but they both recieved their stripes! One more stripe and then a blue belt. They have both been working really hard in Cuong Nhu. I am so impressed by their desire to succeed and learn new things. I am so proud of them!