January 31, 2011...Mustache Silliness

Nathaniel has been wearing this mustache everywhere today.  He wore it while fighting a fire in his full fire gear earlier.  Posed for a photo with Daddy (also wearing a Mr. Potato Head mustache).  Even ate his breakfast and played play-doh all while donning his spiffy new 'stache.  He's so cool.  Oh, the blackmail photos I will have of you someday, Bug.  :)    

January 30, 2011...Yawn!

My sister was mad at me when I took this picture of my beautiful niece, Kensington (a.k.a. Kenny, Kensie, Froggy, etc.).  I told her it was real life.  Kids yawn.  Sure, it's a funny face, but she's gorgeous!!  I love it, so there!  Besides, this photo tells me that 48 hours with the boys is her fill, they've officially tuckered her out!  I love you, sweet pea!

January 29, 2011...Eclair Cake

My mom makes this fabulous dessert called Eclair Cake that is to die for.  So, when she and Dad came over for dinner tonight and she volunteered to bring it for dessert, I was SO happy!  She brings the components and then puts it together since it's easier than transporting it all done and doesn't sit around getting all soggy.  Yum, I love Mom's Eclair Cake.  If you ask nicely, perhaps I'll share the recipe :)

January 28, 2011...Cousins

My sister came over tonight to spend the weekend.  Nate and Alex love having their cousin, Kensington, over to play and I, of course, love having my sister here to be goofy with.  As we settled down for our first night together, Uncle Dave got some snuggle time with all the kids.  *sigh*

January 27, 2011...Moon Dough

Moon Dough.  I'd like to say this stuff is evil.  But I can't.  I want to.  But it just wouldn't be fair.  It's actually kinda cool.  And genius.  And even a little addictive.  I love that it doesn't dry out like Play-doh does, or get EVERYWHERE like Moon Sand does.  Sure, it frustrates me when it flakes apart and sticks to their clothes, but it's relatively easy to clean up...brush off, sweep up, and voila!  Sure, the stuff is 98% disposable at each use but it's cheap to replace so I'm okay with that.  Plus, 45 minutes or more of peace and quiet is TOTALLY worth it!  Thanks, Auntie Pam!

January 26, 2011...Missed

When we came home on Saturday, this is what was on the (new) counter that Dave had worked so hard on while we were gone.  Not only was his handiwork gorgeous, but his sentiment was so sweet.  I love that he missed us so much while we were gone.  

We missed you, too, honey!  We're glad to be home and together as a family!

January 25, 2011...Obviously Overtired

After a week away last week, we're settling back into our normal routine but I have a couple of overtired boys on my hands.  Not to mention a cough/cold that Alex has been kicking for almost a week now.  Poor thing.  Emotions are high around here lately...it's a small price to pay for the memories we make and experiences we share, I guess!  I only hope the boys see it that way someday!  :)

January 24, 2011...Sleeping Angels

Five out of 7 nights a week, Alex will ask if he can lay down with Nate at bedtime.  Usually Nate doesn't want his brother crowding him in his space but there are times when he answers with an excited "Yes, Mom!  Alex can lay down with me!  C'mom Alex!"  Alex goes to sleep so easily when his brother lets him sleep with him.  It's a small bed so I always move Alex back to his own room once he's asleep, but they looked so peaceful sleeping together tonight I had to take a photo first. 

January 23, 2011...Reward

On Sunday we laid low and settled back in at home.  Laundry was caught up.  Suitcases were unpacked.  And Nate got to play with the new FDNY firetruck set he earned while in NYC.  He picked it out at Toys 'R Us downtown on Monday and stared at it the rest of the week, practically drooling over the ladder truck, forestry truck, communication van, ambulance, and chief's car that proudly displayed the FDNY logo.  Official NYC fire fighter equipment.  He was so proud.  So, he worked all week on listening, being patient, sharing with Brie & Alex, and not being mouthy.  He had his challenges but when all was said and done, he earned this playset with his cooperation, his patience, and his helpfulness.  Job well-done, Bug!

January 22, 2011...Homeward Bound

After a long fun-filled week of adventure, these two were pooped and caught up on some zzz's during our 9-hour ride home.  They were troopers as always, barely raising a stink while they sat there patiently through hours of traffic, weather, and distance.  My travel buddies.  *sigh*

January 21, 2011...Hibatchi

For our last dinner with Tiffany and Brielle, we decided to venture out and try something different.  So we took the kids to Benihana, a Hibatchi place.  Alex just sat slack-jaw staring as the chef swung knives around and flipped the food.  Nate kept saying, "I can hardly BELIEVE it!"  The food was great and the entertainment factor was even better.  It was a great way to round out our trip to NYC.

January 20, 2011...Sick Boo Boo

Today was a laid back sort of day.  Alex woke up in the night with a fever and has been fighting that "every 4 hour when the Tylenol wears off" recurrence ever since.  We laid around a lot today watching movies and playing games.  The kids earned swimming privileges again today but poor Alex didn't even want to join the big kids so he sat cuddled up on my lap in the pool lounge chair.  Poor thing!

January 19, 2011...H2O

The kids love the pool at the hotel we're staying at!!  So much so that I am able to use swimming as a reward that the kids can earn each day with good behavior.  Today the kids had a fantastic day so we got to enjoy some pool time!  They were thrilled!  And so was I!  They sleep so well after getting to swim their wiggles out!

January 18, 2011..."Home" Schooling

Brielle was practicing her name during our "hotel-schooling" session today.  It gave me a whole new respect for teachers and home schoolers alike.  I don't know how they do it.  It takes a lot of patience, creativity, and tolerance to keep kids focused, engaged, and excited about learning.  

January 17, 2011...Happy Birthday, Tiff!

To celebrate Tiffany's birthday, we headed downtown by train to see the sights and do some shopping.  We made it back to Long Island just in time to make reservations at The Melting Pot - only the most fabulous fondue restaurant ever!  What a great day!  Happy Birthday, Tiff!

January 16, 2011...Family Ties

Our crew on the first day of our trip to NYC.  The boys were troopers on our 10 hour drive through bad weather and worse traffic.  They did very well on the drive down and after a quick swim, they crashed.   Today was spent hanging out, exploring the hotel, and relaxing.  It was a perfect lazy Sunday!

January 15, 2011...On The Road

We hit the road today for New York City!  We're traveling down to see Tiff and Brie and spend the week with some of our favorite people!

January 14, 2011...Haircuts and one tired boy

 Today I'm posting two photos because neither one of them is of great quality (cell phone photos) but both tell a story of our day with few words needed.

  We all (Nate, Alex & I) got our hair cut today...the boys were getting pretty shaggy and mine was well overdue for some shape and style.  I can only pass the ponytail off as an "updo" for so long!  So my boys are looking cleaned up and quite handsome, and I'm feeling a little more human with my cute new do.

Once we got home, it was practically bedtime so we ate quick, took baths, and got ready for bed.  Alex was apparently so tired that he brought his blankie in the bath with him.  He may have fallen asleep right there but for that whole drowning thing. 

January 13, 2011...(My) Honey

Alex enjoyed the honey I gave him to dip his chicken nuggets in SO much tonight that he thought he'd suck the container clean...he was a sticky mess just waiting to be dumped in the bath when dinner was over!  Alex sure loves honey and I sure do love MY honey bear!

January 12, 2011...Grumpy

Nate was not happy with whatever it was I told him he couldn't do.  So he was pouting.  And since I had my camera out to take photos of the fun they had been having, I captured this slice of real life, too.

January 11, 2011...Concentration

We were finally able to celebrate the holidays with the Ayers clan. During our gift exchange amongst the kids, I snapped photos, as usual.  I love this shot of Pam, trying diligently to figure out the toy we got for Brianna.  IWN, Pam!

January 10, 2011...10 on 10

Today is the tenth of the month so I'm participating in the Ten on Ten photo challenge wherein I take one photo every hour for ten hours on the 10th of the month.  This month I chose the theme travel in honor of the upcoming adventure the boys and I are taking down to NYC.  Seven hours in a car alone with two children ages 2 and 4 sounds like fun, no?  It'll actually be our second trip down there and before they were 18 months and 3 so it's got to be better than that and that went quite smoothly!  Regardless, the only photos I took today were for 10 on 10 which you can see here.  But I offer the 365 Project an outcast photo that didn't make the "cut" (I took too many actually and since it's not called 11 on 10, I'll share the extra one here...).

January 9, 2011...Love You Berry Much

Nate and Alex decided to eat their raspberries at lunch by placing one on each finger as is customary for olive eating around these parts.  I love watching their little brains work, explore, and live.

January 8, 2011...Club House

Alex found a little club house of his very own today.  He spent quite a bit of time hanging out in there...reading books, bringing toys in, playing around with glow bracelets in there, even resting with his pillow pet and blankies for quiet time.  He tried to invite me in but that wasn't happening.  He had such fun in that empty cabinet.  Who knew. 

January 7, 2011...Happy Birthday!

Today was Daddy's birthday - he was supposed to be working but wasn't feeling hot so we got to spend the night with him which is a little silver lining to his dark cloud.  Since we weren't expecting him home to celebrate, we had already done his present earlier in the day and had no cake for candles or celebrating.  We just couldn't have that though, so after dinner I whipped up a batch of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies just so we'd have SOMETHING to stick a candle in.  Nate helped by picking the candles and putting them in the cookies for me.  He insisted that Daddy have two candles and even got to help him blow them out.

**(Every day since Nate's been asking to give Daddy more candles to blow out but he only gets one chance just like everybody else!)

January 6, 2011...Snow Much Fun

The boys got out to play in the snow today and had so much fun!  I played around with my new zoom lens that I got for Christmas and got some great photos of the boys.  Fun was had all around!

January 5, 2011...End of the Holidays

The holidays are over.

The tree is down.

The lights and ornaments are packed away.

This year we live in an area where you can have a fire pit so my husband decided to burn our Christmas tree this year.  It didn't work well, but it gives him something to do in the cold!

January 4, 2011...Renewal

After a week or so of warm (40 degrees!) weather and melted snow, we finally started getting more snow the past couple days.  It's so nice when the old snow melts away and the new snow falls to freshen everything up.  I can't wait to get the kids out to play in the new snow!

January 3, 2011...24/7 Firefighter

Nate is all firefighter all the time.  When he's not playing firefighter, talking firefighting, or watching fire related shows, he's reading about it.  Every Friday he goes to the library in school and brings home a different fire fighter book.  He knows more about fighting fires than some actual firefighters! 

January 2, 2011...Four-Year-Old Brilliance

This photo will seem rather random, but there's a story behind it that makes me smile.  My four-year-old was playing nicely in his room today when he called me in to see what he had been up to.  I noticed he had taken his deer figurines and placed one on each of his cowboy horses, Little People animals, etc.  When I asked him what he was doing, he said "The cowboys have been out hunting and are bringing their deer home on their horses".  Sheer brilliance, if you ask me.  So clever!  It reminds me of the day I found deer antlers on the floor and grumbled about Avery chewing them off Nate's deer.  Nathaniel quickly corrected me and said "Avery didn't chew them, I pulled them off".  Confused, I asked, "Why would you rip the antlers off all your deer and moose?" and his response kills me:  "Because they're decorations!"  Judging by the deer antlers his father and grandfather have displayed, he's quite right.  

January 1, 2011...Brotherly Love

Nate and Alex decided they wanted to do a "sleepover" tonight (which means one sleeps with the other in their bedroom).  I obliged as a "last day of vacation" gesture (secretly knowing it helps BOTH of them go to sleep faster/easier if they sleep together!).   With minimal intervention, I was concerned when I heard silence after a very short period of time.  So, I went in to check on them and found this:

A true moment of peaceful slumber and brotherly love.  It makes my heart melt!  I tried to get all artsy in Photoshop with this photo but met more frustration than actual productivity so I gave up for tonight.  I figure it will give me some place to go up from here...practice makes perfect!  :)  

Launch of Project 365 for 2011

**Alternately titled - Remember me!?!?**

I had big plans for this blog last year but with a series of computer issues and data storage complications, it just became too much to keep up on and then I had fallen so far behind I was overwhelmed and, well, was just never quite able to get back in the saddle.

So with that pathetic story told, I am here today to announce that I'm taking another (slightly modified, tweaked, and collaborative) stab at this photo-a-day thing in the new year.  My fabulous friend, Heidi, my fellow photographer-in-crime, blogger extraordinaire and all things inspiration and motivation for me, dangled the idea of taking part in Project 365 this year.  She had read about it on one of her blogs and thought it would be a great way for us to focus some attentions on that which we love most - taking photos.  Usually of those that we love most - our friends and families.

I'm still learning the premise behind the concept and have not fully committed to executing it exactly as it was intended, but I like the framework and will use this as a spring board to get my photo-a-day journal back up and running.

What would a new year be without new starts and fresh beginnings?!?  So join me as I attempt to post my year's "story" one photo at a time.