life without the internet

We are in our new house!

And we love it!

But we are not yet connected to the internet.
So hang in there friends! We will be connected in 2010.
Eventually we will send out Christmas cards... well after Christmas.

Until then, here is a quick update on us:

Alli loves our new house. She and Ruby still share a room for now. Alli has been reading Junie B. Jones books by herself. She told me that she really loves Barbara Parks' writing. Alli loves to ride her scooter around the basement.

Ruby is so excited for Christmas. Everyday she says, "I know it's Christmas today!" We just unpacked our Christmas countdown calendar... we will count down the last few days. Ruby is delighted to have all of the toys out of storage.

June can now stand up without the assistance of furniture! She can take steps too. Currently she can do 4 or 5 at a time.

Andy is getting his woodshop all set up. He is going to build shelves for his office and a built-in-toy-storage-thingy for the family room.

I have been busy unpacking and organizing our stuff. There are boxes everywhere! It is good work though.

We are well.
Merry Christmas to all!

Happy Birthday Aunt Marissa!

A special treat for a special aunt...

going once, going twice...

We are back in Ohio. We are staying with my parents until our house is done. It is getting close. We have a walk-through later this week.
We can't wait to move into our new house!
But in the mean time, we are having fun with family, decorating for Christmas, baking, feeding the ducks... Andy and I went to two auctions last Saturday. Our first auction was a tool auction. Everyone there was dressed in their Carhart gear... we stuck out a bit. They all knew the value of the tools, so there weren't great deals on the things we wanted. The second auction was at the county fairgrounds. There was a lot of junk, but lots of treasures too. I got 12 matching, gorgeous dinner plates for $5! This is the pattern. Oh I just LOVE it!The auction was so much fun! We also got some artwork, an upholstered chair, a table, a vintage tool box, books, a vase, a platter, a 12 complete servings of China, two little rocking chairs, a tiny willow-pattern teacup and saucer... and we spent less than $50!

adventures... and now we are in Utah

We have been busy... wandering like gyspies.
We left Chicago on a lovely Sunday afternoon, after church where we said too many goodbyes to so many wonderful friends.
We had spent the day packing and moving the last of our stuff into storage.
The ride out of town was bittersweet. We were excited to see our new house and my family, yet so sad to leave our friends and the place we have called home for five years.
We stopped by our house Monday morning. The workers were sanding the sub-floors in preparation for the carpet and hardwood to be installed. The drywall was in. Windows too. We met our next-door neighbors. Alli saw the bus go by.
We spent a few days with my parents. We hiked in the woods and browsed the local antique mall.
And then we flew to Seattle to visit Andy's aunts and grandma. We took a duck tour of Seattle, we had lunch at Pike Place Market, we visited our friends, we walked along Alki beach collecting pebbles and treasures... the best part (of course) was playing with Anne and Barb and their pig Olivia.
Olivia is a toy pig... but Ruby had breakfast with her and dressed her up.
Great-grandma Janet enjoyed snuggling with June.
And then we flew to Utah. Alli and Ruby have been busy with cousins, toys, and grandparents. Andy has started a project in the woodshop.
We are looking forward to our house being done in a few weeks... but we are having fun in this transition. Life is good.

The picture uploader function of Blogger isn't cooperating, but there are picture of our adventures... hopefully coming soon.

day off #1

Andy is done working (for now)! His last day was Tuesday. Alli and Ruby didn't have school Wednesday, so we planned a full day of fun.
The best way to start a fun day: immunizations! Alli, Ruby, and June got their H1N1 vaccines. June also got the second flu shot. She is one tough cookie, she didn't make a peep and she got two shots! After immunizations, we went to my favorite restaurant for lunch. Simply It serves the most delicious, fresh Vietnamese food. The owner is so sweet. He always brings smoothies for the girls... the watermelon smoothies are fantastic! I should have taken the picture before the food was nearly gone. Everything I have ever tried there is delicious. I recommend it all!
After lunch, we headed to the zoo. We used up the carousel coupons I have been holding onto.
In the evening, we headed out to Rosemont for the main event of the day...
The Greatest Show on Earth!
It was a brisk evening, and we were so excited to get into the arena for the pre-show party.
The first performance was daddy-holding-two-girls-up-to-see-everything.
This is the real circus strong man.
Alli and Ruby got to try on real circus costumes.
We looked at the props up close.
The show was so fun. The performers and animals were great.
We were all entertained...
and exhausted by the end of the show. Alli and Ruby talked about their favorite parts of the show on the way home, but by the time we pulled in, we had three happy, sleeping girls.

and then it struck me...

Last night June pulled herself up to standing in her pack-n-play... yes, June sleeps in a PNP... in our room. (Another reason to be excited for our new house!)

This morning as I laid in bed, not quite awake, not quite asleep, the floor lamp near my side of the bed came crashing down on me. I didn't get hurt and nothing was broken.

But my heart went from resting (approx. 45 bpm) to fight-or-flight mode in .00241 seconds.

I looked over at June, standing in her PNP. Smiling.

I know, we should never have had a lamp within two feet of the PNP.

I guess it is time to take baby-proofing to the next level.

daddy's eyes

No doubt about it, this little one has daddy's eyes.

Student of the Month

I used to think people were crazy for putting "My kid is Student of the Month" bumper stickers on their cars. Gag.
But maybe the blog is the modern bumper sticker... and I am just as obnoxious.

Alli received this high honor for her exemplary behavior at school. Maybe because she is brilliant too.
Andy and I attended the award breakfast at her school. We applauded all of the star students... two from each class, grades K-6.
Alli grinned ear to ear as she accepted the certificate.

"The 'A' in my name looks like the Eiffel Tower," she noted.

(We did not get a bumper sticker, but if they had given us one, we might have actually put it on our car... that's how crazy-proud we were!)

pigtails in action

Pigtails!
June finally has enough hair to make two pixie pigtails on top of her head!

I know, I know... sort of a Hallmark milestone.

June still loves the jumper. Recently she has started to crawl the traditional way (instead of the worm crawl), though she seems more interested in vertical movement... she is pulling herself up on everything. June loves to stand, and she is so proud of herself.
June is a chatterbox. She babbles and giggles all day long.

CANDY OVERLOAD!

Last night was trick-or-treating in our neighborhood.
We met up with some friends for pizza and then we went up and down the street trick-or-treating. Chicago goes all out for Halloween, and the homes on this street were decorated festively... glowing lights, spider webs, carved pumpkins, monsters and skeletons... such a fun atmosphere.Because the homes are close together, it didn't take long and we didn't have to go far to fill our bags.
June enjoyed all the action from her perch in the stroller. Alli and Ruby walked, dragging their loaded treat bags behind them.
Of course the best part is coming home and laying out all the loot... surveying the sugar... sorting it and trading it. Alli made neat piles of each type of candy. Snickers won... again.
June couldn't believe her eyes! She was surrounded by colorful crinkly stuff! Awesome!
Ruby lined her candy up one by one.
June found a stray Rolo and popped it into her mouth... wrapper and all. By the time I found the candy, she had a chocolate mustache and beard and she was holding a little lump of sticky foil in her hand.
Today, I woke up to, "Can I have a piece of candy?" And yesterday morning too.
Now we have to figure out how to distribute the ton of candy that the kids collected. All at once? Stretch it out?

spooky stuff

I am tired. I was up late last night putting the finishing touches on a witch skirt and a rainbow-heart-fairy-princess costume. And then June wanted to party all night... or fuss... I'can't remember.
All that exhaustion paid off. Aren't they cute?
June rocked her pumpkin dress at the school party... her pumpkin costume was too hot in the boiling classroom.
Ruby's shirt used to be plain pink. The rainbow was one of my late-night projects. She was delighted with it. I bet you've never seen a sweeter rainbow-heart-fairy-princess!
Andy sported his mullet wig for the picture. Creepy. He forgot to take it to work. Don't worry, you can see him in it tonight at the church party!

I am dressing up too.

We have a full schedule of Halloween fun... school, church, pumpkin patch, trick-or-treating! I am getting a sugar-rush just thinking of it all!

Let the Halloween celebrations begin!

the latest on the three girls

Alli was having a difficult time going to bed a few nights ago, and I asked her what was wrong. Through her sobs she said, "It must be the changing weather!" Sometimes it is hard not to laugh at things like that.
Alli has recently learned about the concept of tattling. This morning on our way to school Ruby and Alli were chattering away and I was tuning them out until Alli said, "Mo-om, Ruby is tattling on me!" That's a two-way street, dear.
Ruby had an ear infection this week. She never complains until the infection is raging... poor thing. She missed one day of school. After her doctor appointment, she changed into this awesome outfit...


And we went to the park. It was easy to keep track of her.

Ruby and her friend found "treasures" at the park: sunglasses with only one lens and a fairy wand.June recently had her 9 month check-up. She is growing like a weed. She is not quite 17 lbs... and nearly 27 inches. (For those of you who like percentiles, that's between the 10th and 25th.) Maybe she's a little weed, but she's growing.
I can't get enough of her jack-o-lantern smile!

news

You may have heard a rumor...
We bought a house! (But it is not in or near Chicago.)
We are moving to Columbus, Ohio!
We are thrilled to have family nearby. We are so excited to have an attached garage and a yard (though we may not have grass until spring).
We will miss our friends in Chicago, but we are looking forward to many new adventures in Ohio.
The house will be done in December... so stay tuned...

camera conspiracy

It is always a treat to find bonus pictures when I download the card from our camera.
A certain budding photographer loves to take pictures. Sometimes she asks, but not always... and the proof is always left on the camera.
Ruby likes to be in front of the camera... posing... working it... with a seriously mischievous smile!
These pictures were all taken within the last two weeks. These pictures were all surprises. Notice all the different outfits, lighting, etc... they must do this pretty often.
Alli likes to try different angles. Sometimes she gets pretty artistic. Sometimes she helps her model make the right face.

There... perfect! *Click*
And the little one might be in on it too.

happy October

June is going to be a pumpkin for Halloween. Her costume is cozy, so she has been wearing it on chilly days... everyday in October so far. She makes a darling little pumpkin. She draws lots of smiles on our walks.
Alli made this happy pumpkin. It is hanging on our window now. The girls have made lots of decorations for our windows.
June has a silly pumpkin face.Classic cute pumpkin.

mirror, mirror on the carseat...

This little bear mirror is a new addition to our mini van. And the great thing about it is the singing June does now as we drive around.

Conference Catch up!

Every six months our church holds a General Conference that is broadcast worldwide. The leaders of our church speak in five two-hour sessions over two days. Here is how we spent our Conference weekend.
We watchedConference on the laptop. During the first session, Andy and I did a sewing project. We made an Amish puzzle ball. Here we are sewing...
We went downtown for the second session. Andy cleaned his office and we listened to Conference in a conference room at his work.Alli wrote out a recipe, made a list of our family members, drew pictures...
Ruby and Alli drew lots of pictures.
June enjoyed the fabulous view.
We had donuts.

We spent Sunday at home watching Conference on the computer. Afterward we went to a Jewish Sukkah party at our neighbor's house.

We had a great weekend with our family while we were enriched and inspired.

Good Hair

There is documentary by Chris Rock opening soon called Good Hair. I am actually pretty interested in seeing this film.

I think my brothers should see it too.

Last weekend, my brothers Dave and Dan ran the Akron Marathon. This was Dan's 3rd marathon. And Dave's millionth (approximately). Not only did they rock the race, they rocked it in style! They sported some new hairdos for the race. (Photo by my dad.) Click here for more on their race... and more hair pictures.

As teens, when it came to hairstyles, my mom let us be creative. She always said that if a hairstyle was the worst thing we did, then she could live with that. Hair always grows out. I chose to be creative in other ways, but these guys sported all kinds of 'dos.

Apparently, it wasn't just a phase. Dave runs many, many races, and he is known for having some easy-to-spot-in-a-crowd hairstyles. Dan has taken hairstyles to a whole n'other level... he has fused his mustache, beard and hair into some sort of head-gear-thingy. If only his eyebrow hairs could reach into his hairline!

I guess you have to have goals for next year.

And my goal for next year is 26.2 miles.