Shaving cream is not just for shaving

It's for washing too. And for blasting off the shower walls using a water gun filled with colored water. 

"Take a picture, Momma."

Hair cut day!

Oh yes. New hair cut!!

Before:

During:

After:

First Lego vehicle

Tonight Ryan built his very own Lego car. No help. No instructions. Just pure determination and full imagination. 

He was a little embarrassed to have his picture taken. That red one is the one he made. 

Ski champion

Ryan went on his very first ski trip today. We headed up to Shawnee Peak bright and early and spent the day on the mountain. He's a natural and is almost better than me already. 

Enamored with his equipment

In line for his first run

Magic carpet ride

First run

Can we do it again, Daddy?

Who needs the kiddie run? On to the big stuff!

Chair lift pro 

There they go!

Survived the big hill and wanted more

What a great day!!!

Inspired

Yesterday I was looking for inspiration for a post. I got it in the form of an awesome lesson about cardinals while looking out the window at lunch. 

Behind again--catch up post for 16th and 17th

So I owe a Thursday the 16th and a Friday the 17th at least. I'll hold off on today's in hopes of feeling inspired by something going on here. It's snowing again, so that's sure to be fun. 

Thursday: 

This was all before we left for school. He had some very important things to do.  

This is our indoor sandbox filled with rice and dried beans. Lots of digging going on in here. The cats are also enjoying chasing stray beans around the floor. Everyone wins! Except mommy who has to sweep up the digging disasters. 

Bath time is story time

I'm not sure how it happened, but bath time has become a time for telling stories to each other. Ryan wants to hear about when Nik and I were kids. Everyone takes turns. On Ryan's turn, he tells elaborate stories about going on walks with the cats in the woodland meeting up with bears and wolves and monsters. As you might imagine, there is also an occasional fire truck. And the occasional refusal to get out of the tub, because he will get too cold.

Oh you know, just professoring...

I don't know who knows this, BUT I am teaching an online course this semester. I am a real, live college professor...something I've wanted to do FOREVER. It feels amazing. I love these students. Ask me if I still do when the 28 of them turn in their papers in a few weeks and expect me to respond immediately. 

Here comes the sun

Finally we were able to get outside without falling on our faces. Ryan ran and ran and ran. It was a great afternoon of soaking up some gorgeous sunshine. 

A muffin as big as your head

We found a cute little pottery cafe wih muffins literally as big as Ryan's head. He ate half of it while sitting here and the other half as a snack after his rest. 

Lightning fast

He has new pjs and "cozy shoes". He is super fast and wants to race around the house. Look out 'Queen. Ryan's coming for you!  

January 10- I wish there was light

For two weeks now we've has no light in the dining room. This is an ongoing problem. The landlord has already been out to fix this before. Two weeks ago I was vacuuming up needles from the worst Christmas tree in history when the vacuum stopped and the light quit working. We've been eating by lantern ever since. Not quite as romantic as candle light. And now the lantern batteries are dead. 

Evidence of terrible tree: 

January 9-sleepy

Sometimes he's already sleepy even before we finish our stories for the night. He always wants at least two stories (Heaven help us if he picks two Dr. Seuss books). Then he likes to have one more Norman Price story (from Fireman Sam) once the lights are out. We always have to sing too: the theme from Fireman Sam and "the sleepy song" - that song from Mary Poppins about staying awake. 

January 8 - Legos.

We are just discovering the hours of joy Legos can bring. Hours. And hours. 

He's a very good "finder" and can locate any piece you're looking to use. Daddy handles building elaborate vehicles. Momma sticks to architecture. I see a lot of Legos in our future. 

January 7 - brokenness

Broken food is still pretty tough. He insists on opening things all by himself, but you should always be prepared with another option if his breaks. It's not pretty. 

January 4 and 5

Four days in and I'm already behind. Yesterday was brought to you by the great digging out which resulted in Nik launching himself into the pile from the roof of my car. I also went to see Catching Fire with Kim and Kristin. I find myself way too emotionally involved in there movies. 

Today we went sledding on the awesome hill at Payson Park. We saw Ms Kimme and her family and had a great time!

January 6th - a pirate's life for firemans

Nik, Ryan and I went back to work and school today after an extended break thanks to all the snow and sub-Arctic temperatures we got last week. After an exhausting day, we are enjoying some play time before dinner. What? You've never seen a fireman ride a pirate ship before?

Look out! It's taco night!

Super Ryan

Cabin Fever has officially set in. It reality, it set in before we got stuck at home. We are doing anything and everything to stay busy and blow off steam. A lot of that is running around. Sometimes pretending we are monsters, crocodiles, Captain Hook, etc. Sometimes pretending we are in trouble and need rescuing. Good thing Super Ryan is here to save the day. 

January 2nd- snowy snow snow

Blizzard Warning today. We've gotten 6.5 inches of snow so far and they expect another 6 or so. Wind chill is -25. Ryan and I had a snow day today but Nik had to work. He won't be home until after midnight. 

2014 -tada!

This is our year! I challenge myself to post a photo a day that depicts the the elf that day. Ryan's little pose here is the perfect start!