Four!

We escaped the long, long winter and went to Florida. Oh, yes! Here we have some home pedicures going on, pre-trip. 

We hit the beach when we arrived in the early evening. It was windy and a storm was brewing, but the beach was blissfully free of snow and ice. 

Our first full day in Florida was St. Patrick's Day. It was also Creston and Ivy's birthday! Four! Hard to believe. There were amazing storms all day long, so we went to the aquarium and checked out manatees and dolphins and the like. A pretty great birthday, topped off by dinner on the town. 

And the weather cleared up. 

Traveling with 4 year olds is so easy compared with the last time we flew when they were 2.5. 

Airports are brilliant to have these play spaces to run around in. 

And Jet Blue is genius to have little tv's. 

It was a smooth trip! And Spring will

be here eventually. Right ?

February

February is the shortest month, but in New Hampshire it can feel like the longest. Still, we have been having some fun despite polar temperatures and ear infections. We met up with cousins at Grandma Carola's. Here are Cora and Uncle Creston sledding on an amazing hill at dusk. 

On the trip home, C and I zonked out. I can't remember the last time they both slept in the car. They don't do that. 

Ivy is sleeping with a fruit stick snack in her hands. 

Back in action at the great local children's museum. Hood and hat, "just like Pop."

Look how tall and lanky Ivy has gotten! Kind of wild. Our bathroom is under construction, ignore all that mess. 

Another girl on the way, due 8/4/14. Yahoo!

Drums

There's been a preoccupation with drumming around here lately. Here's Creston building a drum set for Ivy. 

So imagine our delight when we went to Boston to stay with a friend, and we found an actual factual drum set in "our" bedroom. 

It was very, very loud. And exciting. Eminem watched over us all. 

Inside and Out

Snowy NH

Pre-snow work getting done. No one likes getting "work" done like these two. Here they are assisting Chris in repairing the bird feeder. The top had rotted off, resulting in a pigeon falling in and getting stuck. It wasn't pretty. That won't happen anymore. 

With the single digit cold weather comes trying to figure out how to occupy our time indoors. We discovered a children's museum 15 minutes away. It's in an old school and is very homegrown. Here's the "store" which is cool- lots of old cereal, pop tart and pasta boxes taped up and shelved. Cute cashier aprons, shopping bags, baskets and carts. And sunglasses because, you know, sometimes the paparazzi is too much. 

Ivy has waited all year to eat snow. She's in luck. 

Santa came to town. There's Creston, waiting with his hand up. He kept it up through 3 or 4 children's turns. He wanted to make sure he was noticed. 

Then he was nervous. 

Then he wouldn't stop talking about all of the hockey gear he wants for Christmas. 

Ivy was close by decorating gingerbread cookies. She had zero interest in sitting on Santa's lap. Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving!

What a lovely Thanksgiving it was this year. Family came to our place. Here are two grandmas and a slew of cousinly cousins. 

Creston taught Arthur some Irish Stepdancing. At one point I heard him say, "Come on, Arthur! Move those legs!"

Now it's just us and our leftovers. I wouldn't say it's quiet, just quieter. We really loved having everyone. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Halloween

Creston was a Dirtbiker. Ivy was our dog, Sammy. But her name was Betsy. 

With little Sawyer, smiley ladybug. 

At the end of the evening, cream cheese mixing with face paint. 

Also, turkey basters in the bathtub.