Il neige

We were thinking about taking the kids out this afternoon or early this evening to look at the First Night ice sculptures. They seem like the kind of thing Joshua would really enjoy seeing.

But given today's weather, maybe not. This is the scene outside my front door 5 minutes ago:




The snow has gotten significantly heavier in the time it's taken to upload the video. We're expecting 8 to 12 inches by the time it's all over. Samantha, at least, is thrilled.

Sufganiyot

We did make sufganiyot this morning. Samantha stirred things and measured and stuffed the dough with jelly. Once I started frying, all children were banished from the kitchen. I used a recipe from a children's book that listed lemon zest for an ingredient. They are delicious. I don't know frying from beans, but I figured out the right temperature about a third of the way through, leaving many doughnuts still edible. Sam was amazed that people can make doughnuts besides buying them at Dunkin Donuts. The modern world isn't as much fun as making them ourselves.

Sam is loving the Boxcar Children series. I think it satisfies a deep need in her to live without parental supervision. She is sure she could do a better job. Maybe she could.

Cliff gave Joshua 6 little rubber cars. THey are very cute. I keep finding them on the floor in odd places, all 6 lined up in a perfect row. It must be Joshua setting them up like this, but I never get to see him actually doing it. He loves the little cars. He sleeps with his basketball, his computer and his vacuum, though. Good thing he will let me put some if those on the floor and not actually on his bed. He is content as long as they are in his room and he can see them.

The Eighth Night of Chanukkah

A quick glimpse of the final night of Chanukkah:

eighth night of hanukkah

Joshua has definitely gotten the hang of presents, and loves opening them. He opened some this morning, although to his credit, they actually were his presents. He tried to open several tonight, all of them Samantha's. She did not take to that very well, so some chaos erupted for a bit. I feel sad seeing my kids fighting over presents. THey have so much, and yet they still feel like there are limited resources. I guess it really is human nature to squabble.

Anyway, Joshua is sitting in his bed typing on his computer. He carries it everywhere now. He sat down in his lawn chair next to Daddy and insisted that he get a pillow to put his computer on, just like Daddy. There is something inexpressibly sweet to see my little pint sized fellow striving so hard to be just like his big daddy. Joshua will be a great man if he succeeds.

Samantha went shopping with Daddy today while I napped with Josh. She picked out some very nice earrings. Hamlet told Matt to get something for my hair so he could clean my neck without my long hair, but Hamlet refused to wrap it. That is beneath cats. The dogs were sweet and gave me my favorite piece of chocolate with not a single nibble taken out. Matt gave me a lovely pearly necklace. I feel like a queen tonight, bejeweled for the ball. Samantha wore her tiara and her new gold gown with sequins all over it. We watched 'Sabrina' today with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. Samantha has been talking about full length ball gowns ever since. We should be so lucky that she grows up with Audrey's sense of style. We did take a video of Samantha and Joshua lighting candles and saying the blessing. I know Matt wants to put it on here or youtube when he can.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas or Hanukkah and are planning a safe and joyous New Year.

Crib gone

I just wanted to post that Joshua is officially a toddler boy now. Matt took the crib out today and put it in the basement. We are going to put his train table in his room so he can play with it better than in the play room. Joshua is sleeping in a toddler bed in Sam's special sleeping bag. If Sam had it, he wants it.


He hates putting on coats and screams his head off if it is his warm winter coat with a bulldozer on it. But, offer him Samantha's silky blue Cinderella coat and he can't get it on fast enough. The really funny thing is, everyone still can tell he is a boy. He has on car rain boots, a bulldozer t-shirt and the silky blue princess coat. What a guy! I would rather he wear the coat he wants and not fight about it than worry about what he looks like. Anything that is Sam's is prey to his drive to be like Sissy.

Hanukkah Day 6, 2008

We went swimming at the YMCA this afternoon. Sam is missing her friends, I think. She asked me to find Elliot to come swim with us. Joshua was pretty tired and didn't last long at the pool, although he made sure he stayed awake to open presents. It's like the present bulb went off and he started ripping open all the presents he could get his hands on. We gave him the fire truck that Aunt Cedalle got for him tonight. I was saving it for the eighth night, but I was pretty sure Aunt Cedalle wouldn't mind. It has a water reservoir and a little hose to shoot water at things. I wanted to see how it worked, and Sam figured out where it stores water, so I filled it up. I didn't think any more of it. He was shooting water down the stairs t the basement and once in a while hitting the calendar on the wall. I mopped up what was there, but I thought it must be almost out of water so I went upstairs. Matt went downstairs a few minutes later and I hear a yell, "What are you doing with all that water? Where did you get that hose!" Okay, I laughed a bit. There must have been alot of water left, because Matt says there was a waterfall flowing down the basement stairs, the wall was soaked and he was heading for the dining room. Well, after getting yelled at, Joshua hoisted that firetruck, that is as long as he is tall, up the stairs and started hosing things on the sunporch. Matt asked me what I had been thinking, to put water in the truck? I well, I just wanted it to work fully, and I wanted to see what happened. I guess I am as bad as Joshua?

Samantha loves her hat, and we will cook the brownies tomorrow. They look yummy!

You know you are having dinner with children when there are stunning conversational tidbits like this:
"No, I don't want the pasta that went up your nose."
"No, you can't eat the pasta that went up your nose either, not even if it was your own nose."
"I don't think you should put your finger up your nose, especially that far!"

Hanukkah day 4 2008

We lit candles again tonight. I made latkes for breakfast this morning. I followed Matt's instructions, the most important being to throw out all attempts at eating lightly and fry them, fry them deep. They were much improved. Sam and Josh don't like them, so I don't plan on making them again. I bet they'll eat sufganiyots, though. Who wouldn't?

Sam and Josh played at the Kids playground this morning with Marie while Matt and I did a whole series of errands. People are so cranky on the roads today. I am glad to be back home.

Sam loved getting her Tale of Desperaux book. She was thrilled by the hairbands and the horse calendar too. The real winner tonight, though, was the gift from Marie. Our nanny gave Sam a Barbie horse and rider, stable and dog set. Sam is in love. I want to strangle Marie, though. Do you have any idea how many miniscule pieces there are to this set? Sam has memorized how many of each piece and what type they are, and is quite upset if even one tiny sugar cube goes missing. Yes, they put in sugar cubes and four leaf clovers, each smaller than a pencil eraser.

She set it all up herself and is not happy when Joshua wants to touch it. Which is of course what he wants to do. If Sissy has it, he wants it. Joshua got a playdough set with lots of cookie cutters and design ideas. He also got a Thomas the Tank Engine book that he really loves to have me read to him all the time. All the time. Josh would be happy if I read to him every second of the day. He played with the little rubber cars for quite a bit and completely forgot about the other presents as he drove them under and over the couch.

Matt liked his instant read thermometer. He was going to buy one today while we were out, but I convinced him that we didn't have time for that. He gave me a funny look but went along. He laughed when he saw what I gave him tonight.

The menorahs are getting quite bright, with five candles lit now, especially the big African one. That lights up the whole room. Peace to all of you this evening. And Happy Anniversary to Mom and Dad, married 52 years today.

Snowstorm, Day 3, Hanukkah, Day One

Samantha and I went snowshoeing today. We used a Chirstmas Card as an excuse to go visit Becky. She looked at me and told me I was crazy. I said yup, stir crazy. I think Samantha dove into every available snowbank in the way. She loved it. I would have liked it more if my legs weren't freezing. I only had on a pair of jeans. It was warmer today, about 25 degrees instead of 8. Better.

We lit the candles tonight. Samantha was teaching Joshua about the candles, naming the Shamash and telling him it was the helper candle. He wasn't listening, unfortunately. She makes me so proud. She had her cookie for dessert tonight, a gift from a friend. I asked her to share it before I realized she had already broken it in half. She was sharing it wth Joshua without me even asking. I have to go get Josh. He is yelling for Matt who is still shoveling after three hours outside. I hope he doesn't get frostbite.

Snowstorm, Day 2

We are about 24 hours into the snowstorm and it is still snowing. I had snow tires put on three days ago. Good timing, do you think? Matt left this morning to attend the funeral of his friend’s father. Matt left at 8:30 this morning. We visited our favorite neighbor, Edith and Bob, down the street to deliver muffins and check that they are okay. Edith is 92 and still walks around the block every day (except today). They were fine, thank goodness, so we went to the next house and stopped to say hi to a former classmate, Sean, to give him his Christmas card and muffins. Matt and I made cranberry, orange pecan muffins made with spelt flour. They were so yummy! Joshua did not like being out in the cold today at all. He doesn’t make a good snow bunny. This is a beach boy all the way! His cheeks got so red; I was worried he’d get frostbite. (It was 10 degrees Fahrenheit outside) He decided we were going to Becky’s house and screamed his head off to go there. He must miss her very much.

After we got home and had some recovery time from the screaming, I decided to test our new snow tires and go out for hot chocolate. We went to an uber fancy chocolate bar at the Langham Hotel in Downtown Boston. Samantha and I tasted many delights. Joshua ate blueberries, M&M’s and Hershey Kisses. Their hot chocolate was heavenly, and I also loved the chocolate crepe filled with bananas and flambéed in grand marnier wth some crème Anglaise on top. Ooh. Double yum. Joshua had more M&M’s. I showed Samantha how to dip strawberries in the chocolate fountain. She was pretty happy too. I only got embarrassed when Samantha took the cotton candy, licked it and stuck it on her upper lip for a mustache and on her chin for a beard. It was one of those ‘trying to look stern while laughing hysterically’ moments. I gave up and laughed and then asked for the check, soon, please! Did I mention Joshua ate some M&Ms?

We went to the Aquarium after chocolate. Joshua was tired but on a sugar high, so we kept going. He was fascinated with the frog tank near the animal hospital. We stamped every stamp in the turtle passbook, which tells you we went everywhere. Every time Josh saw the diver, he’d scream, “Diver, Diver! Mommy! Diver!” We watched her feed the ravenous rays for about ten minutes. They were gentle and very persistent. She would toss out the shrimp, and the rays would pin the shrimp to the glass, then vacuum the shrimp up into their mouths. They seemed pretty smart for fish.

We just got home. Matt is here, but he’s fast asleep. Driving was pretty bad today getting back from Providence. Not slippery, really, just slow, he said.

All of us are home safe and sound and looking forward to a nice dinner and cozy fire. Ella is especially looking forward to the fire.

First Snow

For those friends and family who are currently shoveling and slipping around on our first snow, I just want to share some of the delight that Samantha showed when she saw the snow. I checked on her at 6:30 am, since her light was on. She gives me a great hug, then yells (I wince a bit) "come look Mom! You have to see it!" I say, ayuh, it is snowing. She hugs me again and says "isn't it great! Do you mind if I go out and play in it?" Nope, as long as you stay in the backyard. By the time I checked on her about 20 minutes later, she already had the base of the snowman built and had plans set up for how to make his face. I found some coal and twigs for her to use for arms and face. She helped Daddy shovel the driveway, and Daddy walked her to school today so she could play in it on the way. She is so happy it has finally snowed. She put a paper snowflake in every window hoping it would bring the snow. It worked. :-) Joshua started out wanting to do what sissy was doing, but after he stood at the door for a bit, he said cold, too cold, and refused all dressing attempts. He is most definitely not a snow bunny.

I hope I have made it so you can share some of Sam's happiness in this winter wonderland and see the fun in the snow, not just the work. Of course, as I write this at the computer, nice and warm, Matt is outside finishing the driveway.