January 2017

This year, I have decided to blog once a month. I turn all my blogs into books for our family library, and I am really, really behind. So, I've decided to cut back and just post once a month in hopes of freeing up more time to complete my books. We will see how that goes... ;)

So, this post is dedicated to January. The biggest news of the month - Addison's 3rd Birthday! But first, January 1st. :(  The past couple years, I've taken on the tradition of deep cleaning on 1/1. I'm talking - washing pillows and every blanket in the house, wiping down walls and cabinets and vacuuming every nook and cranny. Unfortunately, this year... I woke up on 1/1 SICK. Fever, chills, aches. Full blown, blah flu. So, I spent 1/1 on the couch with my diffuser, practicing some self care. Luckily, it did not last long and by the following weekend, I was cleaning again. But, what a way to start the year!

The rest of January is pretty much all about Addison. It's her birthday month and I cannot believe she is 3 already!! She is still so much "my baby" and since she's still Mommy's girl, she's pretty much by my side ALL THE TIME. Bathroom privacy is out the window and she climbs into my bed EVERY night. Andrew went through this phase too but since his baby sister came along, his phase was short lived. And there's something about knowing we won't be having any more babies that makes me much more lenient with Addison's routines. Yes, I realize I'm probably creating a monster... but I didn't do anything "easy" with Andrew and he isn't perfect either, so I figured I'd try something new with her! ;)

Addison is:
- funny
- bright
- sweet
- loving
- sassy
- girly
- tough

She is also:
- stubborn
- testing
- sensitive
- moody

She knows her alphabet and can count to 20. She knows her shapes and colors. We are working on letter and number recognition, but she picks things up quickly. She is amazing at puzzles and loves playing games and reading books with Mommy. She adores her big brother and is really, really good at pestering him, but also really really good at forgiving him. She tries her best to keep up, but also knows her limitations... and hates them. Ha.

Addison and her dolly (named Holly) dressed in their tutus for dance class.

The many faces of a proud potty pooper!! She was a late bloomer in the potty training department, but she FINALLY earned her Elsa dress after a month of trying!

 

 

She loves getting pedicures (by Mommy) and especially loves mixing and matching the nail polish colors!

The Big Day: We did not have a party this year, but she did get spoiled with lots of presents, including a new bike (which she can ride, but she still chooses her tricycle... its faster and steers better).

 

 

 

My favorite gift she got was from Aunt Amanda - a huge coloring pad and about 80 washable markers.
This gift has entertained BOTH children for HOURS already. Best gift ever. Who cares if your hands get a little pink?

My Little Light <3

 

Above: Practicing her scooter technique... we need to keep practicing. 

Below: As I was cleaning the other morning, I heard a little voice say, "Mommy, your tea is ready!!" And I walked in to this. 

My heart tripled in size and then I had the best imaginary tea that was ever made.

 

And a little bit about Andrew this month too... Below is a "letter" he wrote to Gram and Pop for homework. Yes, my 5 year old is writing letters for homework. Don't get me started. So anyways, he "clipped up" which means he was caught doing well in class and he was able to move his clothespin up a color chart (red is bad, purple is the best). He has only been on purple a handful of times all year, so blue days are definitely something to be proud of!! :)

His teacher always does these clever things - this was for his 100th day of school! Oh which, I am compelled to mention that I volunteered that day... and I am 100% certain I can never go back to teaching. Well, at least not Kindergarten. Man, was THAT an exhausting day! I am also 100% certain that Andrew is exactly in the middle of the class. There are definitely smarter kids (I mean, he is the youngest in the class), but there are definitely um, shall I say... kids who need more help. If he could just SIT for 45 minutes like he's supposed to (which why any 5 year old is supposed to do that is beyond me), he would be one of the brightest, for sure. But I'll save that for another post. Wow, this was one long picture caption.

A VERY foggy morning walk to school. We have had a TON of rain and are ready for some sunshine!

December 2016 - DONE!

Whew! We made it! 2016 is over, Christmas has come and gone. The future is unknown... but the Fosters are going to rock this 2017 thing. I just know it! Maybe a move is in order this year? 

Since December is filled with so many activities, this post will be (again) heavy on the pics, light on the words. Hope your season was filled with love and laughter and that 2017 brings you much of the same.

Buddy's (our Elf on the Shelf) Shenanigans

He brought each of the kids a tree for their room!

 

Buddy "found" a lot of Mommy's Usborne books and gave them to the kids!

Snowball Fight!

Trying to see Santa with Andrew's friend Nadia... unfortunately, the wait was over an hour and it was COLD! So, we saw him from afar on this visit. The kids did not care at all... they had hot chocolate and candy canes!

With their babysitter, Tessa, watching the 1st ever Mountain House  Holiday"Parade" (it was literally 5 minutes long)
 and then the tree lighting ceremony in Central Park

Down the street at Misti and Jason's for Jason's 50th Birthday Party

Green "Christmas" Play Sand (above) mixed with peppermint salt (below)?
Not the point of the project, but she played with her concoction for over 30 minutes straight.

Another SAHM thing... she was working on learning how to spell her name!

At Nadia's (Inga and Craig's) house for dinner, the kids tried to do their school holiday concert for us...
sad thing is, after playing together this night, they both got sick and missed the concert at school the following week!

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party at the Pickerings! We won the prizes for best sweater (Mike) and best Tacky ornament (Hairy Christmas, Trump - had a lock of hair from Mike's Halloween wig in it).

We were Kissed! This is similar to the Halloween "Boo-ed" tradition.
And I won't be participating next year. Ha.

Addison is potty training... and not doing so well with #2.
Here's Andrew "reading" to her, trying to teach her that it's totally normal!

My Christmas leggings from my favorite LuLaRoe consultant!!

Polar Express and doughnuts at school for Andrew. T
he one and only day he made it to school the week before Christmas due to his NASTY cough.

Here, Addison is keeping her eye on "Santa". When he came in the cafeteria, Addison looked at me all nervous and said, "Who is that?!" I told her, "Santa!" and she said, "No, he's not... he's people!"  Yeah... the guy was Asian and wearing dark rimmed glasses... definitely not like any Santa I had seen before either.

Hoping these two get married someday.

Andrew's class

Tuckered out.

On our way to her dance rehearsal!

And if this video works... this is how it went. NOT WELL. I was so disappointed and beyond annoyed with the studio. They made her wait over an hour to practice. She had been excited at first, but was over it by this time. However, we got home that night and she told me she wanted to try again the next night, so....

But here we are in the audience the next night... waiting to see if she'll appear on stage.

She DID IT! And she was so cute and so wonderful and I loved every second. I couldn't have been more proud! (She's the first girl out.)

She could not have been more proud, either!

Annual visit with Santa!! They both did great!!

Play Date at a friends to decorate Gingerbread Houses and cookies.

Addison came too! Here, with her friend Aubrey.

Mike's birthday cheesecake. It was delicious, if I do say so myself!
(My first time making one... and without a spring form pan!)

And for dinner, a beef and beer pot pie type thing with Mike's homemade Oatmeal Stout!

Patiently awaiting dinner.

YUMMO (even if it ain't pretty!)

Making cookies!!

 

Christmas Eve Day - we did "Christmas" via FaceTime with the Elston side, had an early dinner at our neighbors, then went to our next door neighbor's (Raj) for an Indian dinner after! 

(Mike was the only one who ate two dinners.)

 

He came!!

Christmas Morning - stockings first!

Trying out his new bike!

She got the doll house she asked for!

And her pink scooter!

Opening their iPad Mini's from Grammy!

Addison reading one of her new books to her new dolly.

The week after Christmas, we went to Walnut Creek one day to go ice skating, get TSA Pre-checked, have dinner and to get my bridesmaid dress for Amanda's wedding! 

Don't let his smile fool you... he did NOT think this was fun.

Addison was miserable... even holding both Mommy and Daddy's hands.
Andrew suffered through a couple times around the rink, and then declared he was DONE.
So, Mike enjoyed some actual skating on his own to the delight of some teenage girls (below).

My 37th Birthday!

Coloring with my baby!

And drinking expensive wine that I opened all by myself with my new wine opener! 

New Year's Eve at the Schum's! Complete with my birthday cake, food catering by Wente and a cannon firing and scaring the crap out of the kids every hour or so.

Tried to do Addison's hair... but this lasted maybe 30 minutes.

 

Addison did NOT like all the NYE noise. Happy New Years baby girl!