Buby Original: Luggage Tag

Buby painted an uber cool luggage tag for Grandma DJ, who flies for a living. This way she'll never lose her suitcase.

Bleu Original: Glitter Cross

Our little pen pal Ana Maria is the only one who received a true Bleu Original this holiday season. Bleu just isn't as into crafts as Buby was at her age, so the day she climbed into the big dining chair and asked me to paint this cross was the exception.

One Man's Tire Tracks

Is another man's rainbow.

Horseshoe Necklace

Buby made this necklace for himself during a class trip to the horse racing museum. The highlight of the day for him was riding in a one horse open sleigh. Right before Christmas. I imagine that felt pretty cool.

Going On A Bus Ride

To a horse racing museum with his school. All last year I drove him to field trips myself. This year there's a new rule: If you drive your child, you must stay to chaperon. No more hand-offs. And if you stay to chaperon, obviously you must arrange childcare for any/all other children.


So. It's bus or bust. I just about cried as I got into my car and watched the bus take off. My baby on board. How'd he get so big?

Frosty Fixup

It seems Frosty had a big night out on the town, so we fixed him up a bit.

The Ballet

We took the kids to their first ballet on our Christmas Eve, which was Saturday, December 19. The performance started at 2pm and ran about 2 hours.


I wasn't sure how Bleu would deal without a nap, but she did great. At the very end she bumped her head on my chair and cried, so we snuck out. But other than that, she was enamored with the whole live performance thing. She kept pointing and clapping, and both wee ones paid full attention. I think we will make this an annual outing. So worth it!


Oh, and for days afterward Buby commented, "I like those girls in the pretty dresses, Mama." He liked the girls and their fantastical dresses.

Bleu's Kitchen

Isn't this prairie kitchen tres jolie? I snapped a pic in our playroom right before going on vacation. Buby and Bleu have been on a nonstop cooking frenzy since we returned home. Thanks again to Grandpa J. for the wonderful gift.


Coincidentally, Bleu girl received some completely awesome and much-needed kitchen accessories from family during the holidays. Grandpa surprised with the matching KidKraft smoothie set. {Our kids love smoothies, real or make believe!} Aunt Melissa crafted 10 felt counting cookies from scratch. {I know she worked very hard on this.} My parents gifted a fabric tea and dessert set from Lillian Vernon. Maureen snagged the Melissa & Doug wooden Cutting Food Box. Uncle Billy the deluxe pots + pans set. Grandma DJ another set of lovely handmade {by an airline friend} aprons.


We're in business! Oodles of fun for both of our mini gourmands.

You Are Loved

My Sweets and I agreed not to buy for each other this year, but we each snuck a lil' something under the tree. We're mischievous like that. My something for Tom was a "You Are Loved" jar. It came to me in the glass + vase section at Michael's.


I filled the jar with itty bitty love notes from me. I handwrote them on yellow, blue, orange and pink construction paper, trimmed for pretty edges, and folded in half. Then I interviewed Buby on all the things he LOVES about his Daddy. The exercise was entertaining and proved quite fruitful. Then I threw in a few adorations on Bleu's behalf. She can add to it as time goes on.


Using Castellar font, I printed labels on the same construction paper and adhered to the jar with double-stick tape. I screwed the lid back on without the top plate so that My Sweets can dip in anytime he needs a quick pick-me-up at work.


The jar is simple and sweet and jam-packed with heartfelt goodness. I realized we should all have a million reminders of why we ROCK, so I went out and bought three more identical mason jars. Eventually... Tom, Buby and I will do one for Bleu. And then Tom, Bleu and I will do one for Buby. And so forth.

Back In Town

What a week! I trust you all had a spiffy holiday. We've been back home for 8 busy hours. It feels good to relax for a moment before bed. The house is quiet. My baby girl is sound asleep in her own room, under her cozy pink quilt. My Sweets drifted off while reading books in Buby's big bed. {I'll have slip in there and gently tap his leg... since it's back to work for Daddy tomorrow.}


My parents are downstairs snoozing on our mile high playroom pull-out. It's my mom's 55th birthday today, and I'm so happy to have celebrated with her. They are here for just one night. I'm wearing thermals and flannels and hiding under something like 5 blankets.


You see, the furnace blew out sometime last week while we were away, so we came home to 43 degrees. INSIDE THE HOUSE. Burr. Happy Birthday, Mom! It's working now, and coincidentally a crew is coming tomorrow morning to replace our furnace completely.


This week in Family Land was pretty spectac. I love that all of our peeps are from the same area. We travel to one place and see everyone. All together we had 2 road tripping days, 2 "free days" {which filled up fast with play dates and pie making, cookie frosting, lunches, and nights out}, and then 5 holiday parties in 4 consecutive days.


Buby and Bleu devoured so many fresh blueberries this week I thought they'd have blue skin by now. We were in a car accident on Christmas Eve. {Minor... nobody was hurt.} Buby started saying "Saweeet" out of nowhere. Bleu became utterly smitten with her Uncle Billy and her "Bapa!" {That's Grandpa.} I gave my brother Mark a big fat hug. I remembered how funny my brother-in-law Mike can be. {He + Tom had me in stitches Wednesday night.}


But for me, Christmas week is all about watching the cousins interact. There is Spencer (10), Jamie (10), Jessica (10), Ryan (8), Grace (8), Buby (4), Reagan (4), Billy Jr. (3), Parker (3), Sidney (2), Lily (2), Bleu (1.5), Ronan (1), Mason (6 months), and Baby S. (due in 4 weeks). Plus Drew (5), Kenyon (3), and Toby (2) on my mom's side. Ronan didn't make it in from MD this year, but everyone else had their party hats on.


So my camera says I took 626 photos. Oops. It's all those consecutive timer shots. How about I upload tomorrow night, when my eyes don't burn from exhaustion, and post my top 10 before 2010?


P.S. Photo ornament from my super duper thoughtful friend Maria.

Update: The furnace broke again overnight, and by morning our questionably insulated 1867 abode felt like 17 degrees below zero. INSIDE THE HOUSE. The crew has been here for 7 1/2 hours, and the kids and I are purple. It's too cold to leave the house, and it's too cold to function inside it. Wish us luck that we defrost by dinnertime.

Old Photo Friday

Buby on 12.5.05.

'Twas the Night Before

On our Christmas Eve here at home we make fresh cookies and cocoa for Santa and sparkly oatmeal food for his reindeer. {Essentially just scooping Quaker oatmeal into baggies and mixing in our favorite shades of glitter}. We do this so that the food will glisten in the moonlight and Santa's reindeer will know to stop at our house first. You know how Buby loves to be first.


By the way, our four year old is beginning to understand that we celebrate Christmas a few days early. He's wised up to the calendar. Though we love being out of town and with our extended families the week of Christmas, My Sweets and I very much want our children to grow up with Christmas Day traditions and memories at home, too. Basically we want it both ways. So we decided that regardless of what date is on the calendar, we celebrate our Christmas Eve two days before we travel. Whenever that happens to be. Family calls to wish us a wonderful day. We totally live it up.


Celebrating under our own tree with just our family of four... that is sacred to us. This year we did Christmas Eve on Saturday, December 19th and Christmas Day on the 20th. Monday morning the 21st we hit the road. Once in Family Land, where both My Sweets and I grew up, we pack five big parties into four little days. Bleu thinks Christmas is a week-long affair. It's happy and awesome and chaotic and exhausting. I don't think we would change a thing.


As far as Buby knows, Santa makes a list of families who travel for the holidays and bumps them to the top of his delivery schedule. Any presents from Santa come to our house. On our Christmas morning there are gifts from us {books and clothes} and gifts from Santa {more toyish assortment} wrapped in unique paper with different labels and everything. Any gifts the wee ones receive while in Family Land come from family.


Our Christmas Eve this year was full of fun. We had just returned home from The Nutcracker and eating out. It was blistery cold, and Bleu girl didn't want to head back out to spread the reindeer food. Buby and I did the honors.


Tom and I tucked the kids into bed and then stayed up until 3:45 a.m. assembling things. He put together the play kitchen and drum set from Grandpa J. and then tackled the Dino World monstrosity from Santa. {We unfortunately don't have a basement or off-limits room to assemble early and hide these things in.}

Buby Original: Treasure Box + Jewels

Buby's gift to his galpal Grace was his most labor intensive this season, but the steps were easy enough for a preschooler and completely fun.


His point of inspiration was a small wooden rainbow he spotted at the craft store. Grace loves rainbows and chocolate, and Buby knows this. He decided he would make her a rainbow treasure box and fill it with M&Ms. Cool.


A few days later I brought home a little package of raw wooden beads and asked Buby if he'd like to try making a necklace for someone this year. He was ecstatic. {My nephew Spencer made me one many moons ago, and I feel like a rock star every time I wear it!}


Buby told me that Grace likes to wear pretty things and would want a rainbow necklace for her treasure box. So now we had multiple projects going for Grace. Buby painted probably three layers of bubblegum pink on the treasure box. He was thorough, as usual. Every night it seemed he was adding another layer. Then he experimented with silver glitter glue, which neither of us loved, and so the box got a fourth layer of pink.


Once the outside of the box was dry, Buby glued the rainbow on, drizzled Elmer's all around it and sprinkled on red, green and gold glitter. He repeated this process at least half a dozen times.


Inside the box Buby spelled out Grace's name in self-adhesive felt stickers and signed it with tiny individual letter stampers. Actually the angle was super tight, so I assisted with the stamping. We lined the bottom of the box with felt and placed a heart in the center. Heart equals love.


Meanwhile, Buby painted 29 wooden beads for the rainbow necklace. His hands were covered in paint, which made me proud. Each bead got two coats. I added a final clear coat to prevent chipping. Buby strung the beads onto leather before My Sweets helped us secure the clasps. We couldn't find any small M&M bags at the pharmacy, so we filled the box with Hershey kisses instead. Because, seriously, who doesn't love those?

Buby Original: Button Snowflakes

Each year Buby makes an ornament to give family. This year we decided on these lovely button snowflakes, loosely adapted from a project Buby did in preschool for 3s last winter.


I thought it would be a good multi-step craft that Buby could do himself. And it was. I love the results and wish I could keep every one for our own tree.


Step 1: Paint both sides of 33 crafting sticks blue, green, red, or purple.
Step 2: Glue sticks into an 'X' shape and then add one more across.
Step 3: Glue assorted holiday buttons onto 11 ornaments.
Step 4: Paint silver glitter glue onto about half of them. Just for fun.
Step 5: Glue green raffia ribbon onto the sticks.
Step 6: Stamp Buby's name and the year onto the back of each.


Note: I tied the ribbon and labeled the ornaments for him.

Friend Gifts

We kept Buby's schoolmate gifts very simple this year. We baked peanut butter cookies together and then inserted three mini kisses into the top of each one.

Teacher Gifts

Mini gingerbread cakes. I found these small bread pans for $1 each at Michael's, and Buby used a special ceramic marker to decorate them. Once the dish goes in the oven, the drawings become permanent. Even dishwasher safe. Sweet!


I used my old stash of Martha Stewart holiday paper to make gift tags this year. The front of each is decked out in fun designs. The backs are solid green and red.

Growth Spurt

After almost a year at the same size, suddenly his pants are shorty short short. It seems Buby grew several inches overnight. And while most of his friends are still in 4T Buby is now a big boy size 6.

Under the Tree, Part II

12.20.09

Buby's Christmas Memory

P.S. I love how he's holding the tree like it's a giant helium balloon.

Little Drummer Boy

Thank you, Grandpa J. for the constant jam sessions. This was the coolest gift. Buby is adoring his grownup drum set {and so are we}, and Bleu is walking around the house with her hands over her ears.

Dino World

Early in November I tossed our little dude a Toys R Us catalog that came in the mail to get it off my desk. I'm not sure why. It was full of the type of toys we don't buy. And Buby doesn't ask for. Big, scary, plastic, trendy, breakable. We'd hoped Santa would bring a wooden cascade tower from The Wooden Wagon, some crayon rocks, a vintage topper, Colorforms, and a handful of Scholastic books. I suppose I should have known what was coming.


Buby casually flipped through until he happened upon Dino World. A big, scary, plastic, trendy, breakable piece of something that sold for 200xs more than it was worth. His heart was still. His mind made up. Buby never asked me for it. He never asked his Daddy for it. But from that day forward he would ask Santa for it. Three times he sat on Santa's red velvet lap and three times he asked for nothing else. Dino World it was.


He took it upon himself to rip out the page in the catalog and tuck it under his pillow at bedtime. When Tom and I first discovered it there while changing his sheets, Buby explained to us that if he was a really good boy Santa would come, take it from under his pillow {a la the Tooth Fairy} and leave his present under the tree.


I found the whole obsession adorable but secretly hoped Buby would have a change of heart. I figured something else would catch his eye or he'd move on to smaller and better {made} things over the course of November and December. I mean, he's four. Four year olds change their minds constantly, right? Not Buby.


I give him credit for knowing what he wants and not wavering. He doesn't ask for much, but this he wanted in the worst way. He believes in Santa. He had faith that Santa would come through.


Yesterday around 2 a.m. Santa made his early deliveries, and a few hours later My Sweets and I celebrated Christmas at home with our two babes. As we all made our way downstairs for breakfast I ran ahead to turn on the tree and catch the look on Buby's face.


There was Dino World all assembled in front of the tree. An awkward silence filled the room. Followed by a high-pitch screech. My Sweets and I looked at each other and that huge conglomeration of plastic raceway and dinosaur skeletons taking over our living room and just laughed. It was everything I dislike in a Christmas toy. And it was perfect.




Note to self: No more catalogs on the playroom floor.

Brace Yourselves

I have about 72 photo updates from our crazy/busy/awesome week in my 'drafts' folder and two uninterrupted hours in the car. If I don't get car sick first, I'll post them all. I'm serious.


Even my midnight hours ~ when I usually find a few quiet minutes to blog ~ have been filled to the brim with wrapping, packing, assembling, and celebrating. And wiping runny noses. It's been a whirlwind of a holiday so far, and now we're on route to Family Land for four more Christmases.


Oh, and today is my birthday. Hurray for 33! When we lived in the city everyone guessed I'd be hit by a taxi cab by the age of 28. {I had a bad habit of darting across 57th Street & 8th Ave. without looking.}. So I look at these last 5 years as sprinkles on top of the icing on top of the cake. It continues to be a good ride, and I'm grateful for every minute.

For the Love of Aprons

Thank you Debbie! Usually when mail arrives addressed to the kids shortly before Christmas, we slide it under the tree and wait to open. I'm so glad Buby tore through your envelope.


Your timing couldn't have been better ~ it's baking week ~ and both wee ones are totally smitten with the colors and patterns you chose.

Crafting Photo #4

12.15.09

Under the Tree, Part I

A sweet + sparkly card transcribed by Buby's teacher and attached to a secret something that he crafted in school for the family. It seems our boy is better about keeping secrets this year, and his mom about not peeking.

The Mask

Bleu's wooden footstool came out from under her this morning while we were all in the kitchen mixing up a batch of gingerbread cake. I know. Nothing like a black eye before breakfast. It was less of a fall and more of an awkward twist and turn as she lost balance and hit the cabinet knob on her way down. No more foot stools!


I phoned our pediatrician right away, since she started swelling around her right eye. A minute later I called My Sweets, and already Bleu looked like she had been in a bar brawl. Luckily the footstool is low to the ground and her actual eye seems to have been spared. The ped. said to watch her at home.


Our beloved Boo Boo Buddy has been gone for weeks, and there's a new one tucked inside Bleu's stocking. That girl is prone to boo boos and wouldn't let anyone come within 10 feet of her with an ice pack, frozen veggies, or the like. Today I had The Mask in the fridge ready to go. I've used it for migraines in the past and realized it is the AWESOMEST remedy for facial/eye swelling. The back strap is Velcro and totally adjustable for kids. She loved wearing it.


Next time you're at the pharmacy, pick one up for a couple of bucks. It's in the home spa section.

Just Saying

12.16.09

He is thoughtful and precise in his actions. The opposite of careless. He deters easily. It takes very little to make him happy and very little to hurt his feelings.


She has beautiful espresso bean eyes and the most mischievous chuckle. My Sweets calls her Cocoa sometimes. Nothing deters her. She hardly ever cries. When she does, it's because her big brother took his Baby Doll back. And it is piercing.

Afterschool Special

12.16.09





Building bear traps with his friend Grace. Again, in case the bears are not his friends. Or so he says. They used to call their piles campfires, but it switched over to bear traps a few weeks ago.

i heart

When they see eye to eye. It's heartfelt and almost makes up for the dueling.



P.S. The children are big into hide-and-seek as of late. Both of them. I was in the kitchen loading the dishwasher when they pulled blankets from the chest and huddled together waiting for me to discover them.

Crafting Photo #3

12.12.09

Stringing his handpainted beads. Or as Buby would say, "stringing beatles."

Inside the Advent Bags

I made these basic goodie bags last year to count down the days of December with the kids. It's my version of an advent calendar. I used plain white sacks from the craft store and Martha Stewart's holiday paper collection.


We have the perfect walls, separating our foyer and living areas, from which to hang them. The spacing is just right for 13 bags across, so My Sweets had the genius idea of doubling up. For example, bag #1 is also bag #13 {on the back side}, and bag #12 is also bag #24. It works out, since the peppermint-colored rope can only handle so much weight anyway. After day 12 I simply turn each bag over on its clothespin. Takes two seconds, and it's OH SO MUCH FUN for the wee ones.


Every night before bed I drop in one treat for Buby and one for Bleu. Or sometimes I fill three or four bags at once. It's the first thing the kids want to do when they come downstairs in the morning. That and the holiday book basket.


Several of you have asked what I put in these advent bags. Sometimes it's a physical gift and other times it's a handmade coupon for a good time, a walk to the coffee shop, a clue to finding an even bigger 'get'. I don't like small junk in the house, but I do make a few exceptions for things I KNOW for sure that the kids will absolutely love... and USE. There are a handful of necessities that I'd buy anyway, like colorful bandages, that they go hog wild over. Here's my list of tiny advent treats:

• Mini play-doh container in child's favorite color {at supermarket}
• Glitter-filled bouncy balls {at craft store checkout counter}
• Holiday stickers {buy one get two free from the local Just-A-Buck}
• Ticket for one free cookie from the bakery
• Love note from me
• 100-piece puzzle from Target's $1 bin {Buby spends a lot of time on these}
• Snowmen and gingerbread stampers from the $1 bin at Michael's
• Individual boxes of goldfish crackers {a treat, for sure}
• Invitation to a snowball fight
• Lip balm {both kids have their own brands}
• Dinosaur flossers
• Pooh bandages by Nexcare
  
• Ornaments to paint for others
  
• Wallet-size photo of someone they love
• Travel-size tissue {Bleu's fave}
• Movie voucher {anything from our DVD drawer}
  
• Fancy marker {I'll buy a five pack and just give one at a time}
• Granola bars
• Fruit chews
• Box of raisins
• Cool hole punch {Buby is into these in the MS line at Michael's}
• Clue to finding a holiday coloring book in the glove basket

Photo Gallery: Winter Concert

12.10.09

Oh yeah. Buby had a great night last Thursday. He sang his heart out in front of his entire school community. Five whole songs, including "Something's Missing," "It's Hanukkah Time," "Reindeer Pokey," "Santa's Elves," and "Hear Those [school] Bells."


His favorite song, the one he rehearsed around the clock, is "Something's Missing." It seems to have cemented his obsession with snowmen. I go to bed at night chanting "Once there was a snowman... he looked rather sad...." It's a catchy tune.


Between this year {so far} and last, Buby has performed/appeared in six shows at his school. There's a class play, a Halloween parade on stage, a winter concert, and a spring recital. As a parent, these nights are pretty awesome. Like bring-me-to-tears awesome. Last year we could hardly see Buby's mouth move. His hands were locked at his side. He was up on stage, but not quite comfortable. Not yet. Understandably. I'd be a wreck up there. This year it's a whole other story. He's confident and loud and really relishes the moment. Though I must note that his stage face is still quite serious. All business.


Watching his classmates perform was equally gratifying. Buby's friend Kathryn kept shouting, "Mommy, did you like the concert?" IN THE MIDDLE OF the concert. Can you say CUTE? His bestie Jon was the most animated performer I've ever seen. Alexa kept waving to her mom + dad, who sat right behind us. All of the kids did an amazing job, made us laugh, made us cheer.


Thank you to My Sweets for showing up early and snagging us front-row-center. Bleu had her own seat, and that alone kept her happy the entire time. She love music.


After the concert we took Buby to his favorite place on earth... Barnes + Noble. The children's section there is ginormous and the shelves filled with every book on his have/want lists. He shared a piece of carrot cake with My Sweets, indulged in a Starbucks hot cocoa with whipped cream {a post-concert tradition now}, and then perused to his heart's content. My Sweets read him a handful of books, and then we headed home. We didn't buy anything, and I love that he doesn't ask. He's just content to be there, surrounded by literature, for as long as we'll allow.