Brothers

The tablets kids got for birthdays and Christmas have been a big hit.  How sweet is it to see Reid with his arm around Cole?  It is super sweet considering he is often trying to figure out the limits of rough play with his big bro.

This kid has two super wiggly top front teeth.  He refuses to pull at them and does not want help.  I'm pretty certain they will just fall out into some food this week!  Also note Cole's reddish eyes.  The school nurse called on Wednesday because he needed to be picked up.  Her guess was pink eye and she was correct.  Thankfully after a lot of fussing I managed to get the eye drops into Cole's eyes (Andy was skiing) and he hasn't put up much of a fuss since.  We have our fingers crossed that everyone else stays pink eye free.  The doctor did seem amazed that we had managed to avoid it for 7 years :)

2016 Blizzard

It snowed and snowed and snowed and before we knew it we had about 31 inches of snow!  We enjoyed a weekend of playing in the snow, drinking hot chocolate, sipping sparkling cider and snuggling up for lots of book reading.

Boys checking out the view after the first wave of snow ended.

 All ready to play in the first snow of the season!  Reid lasted about an hour. Big kids were outside for at least 2 hours.

 Snow piled up against our slider

 Inside view of snow on slider.  I have done many double takes thinking someone is standing at the door.

 Big kids toasting to the first snow of the season!  They were thrilled to drink out of glass champagne flouts.

Reid trying to climb through the snow.  Check out how the compost bin is almost completely covered.

Manicures!

Tonight Gwen and I went out on a little date to get manicures.  I think she was overwhelmed when it came time to choose a nail polish color but she managed to pick a pretty teal color.  She also wanted a coat of silver sparkles. 

Weekend Adventures

 Gwen's second top front tooth fell out on 1/16.  She wiggled that little one super hard to get it out.


On Sunday, 1/17, we went to The Inside Scoop to celebrate Mommy's birthday.  It has become a tradition to go for ice cream for birthdays and The Inside Scoop seems to be the the biggest hit.  Each time we go the kids ask to try the volcano which consists of like 14 scoops of ice cream and multiple toppings.  Thankfully they always settle for a single scoop of ice cream.

 They didn't have mint chocolate chip so Cole tried oreo mint.  andy said he looked like he had been making out with a Leprechaun.

 A rare photo of Reid.

 Check out that tooth gap!

 Quakertown playgound in the snow.  What could be better?

Still sliding after an hour in the snow and wind!

Wildlands Program 1/16/16

On Saturday we braved the cold and wind and went on a short hike with the Wildlands naturalist.  First we got to pet the skunk and opossum and then we looked for animal tracks.

 
 Reid loves the skunk

While the Naturalist explained tracking Reid was content with a stick and old tree stump.  He was amused that each time he hit the stick on the stump parts of the bark came off.

Warming up with hot chocolate.

Post hike hot chocolate

Over the hump

Once everyone was over the virus they were ready to play.  

Cole rediscovered these magnetic sticks/marbles of Daddy's and designed a cat.  For some reason he refused to give it a "normal" tail.

Cole was excited to finally sleep in the top bunk.  The excitement lasted a few nights until he announced that his room was quieter and he started sleeping back in his full size bed.

Reid enjoys checking out Domino's new water fountain.  Both of them have been camping out on the kitchen floor.

New Years Eve Celebration

This was the year that the kids announced that they wanted to stay up to watch the ball drop so we went with it.  We bought all of the supplies including light up glasses, noisemakers and chocolate fondue.  Well...before we even set up the chocolate fondue and sparkling cider the kids started dropping like flies.  Reid asked to go up early.  Cole decided to watch the movie another time.  Gwen lost her first top tooth and the adrenaline kept her up until about 11:15 pm but at that point her little eyes were closing and she decided to call it a night.  A few hours after these pictures were taken we figured out that the boys had a nasty virus.  They had fevers,chills and were miserable for days.  Gwen dodged it at first but came down with it the following week.  What a way to welcome in 2016!

 Poor guy only made it to 6:42 pm

 Sporting the light up sunglasses!

 Down for the count at 8:58 pm

Check out that tooth gap!