winter blues

My mom and sister are on tropical vacations right now. 

So we've been a little bored (and cold) this week.  

We've had a few playdates. Elise saw Stella's art table and made a beeline. 

We've watched too many movies.  

We also have Pacey this week.  He's kind of a bum.  

We went to Target.  And split a little pizza for lunch.  

Elise always asks is where Grandma is.  

She will ask me to paint every single day.  So we paint every single day.  

Pacey picks the weirdest places to nap. 

Today we both slept til 8:45 and were in our pajamas until lunchtime. 

Sometimes you just need a cozy morning. 

We found the movie Frozen online this week.  Nick connected his laptop to our TV so we could watch it.  She didn't move for the entire movie until the last song was playing -  she felt the need to dance a little.   She's just got the cutest little buns I ever saw.  

There's news that another polar vortex is descending on us this weekend.  

Why do we live here again?

not much of anything

We've just been trying to stay warm around here.  

Last week when the polar vortex froze everything we didn't leave the house for a couple days. 

Elise snuggled in our bed and watched the ipad.  With 8 blankets.

This is just the start of it.  Eventually it was taller than the mailbox.  And then the plow knocked our mailbox off.  Nick has repaired it with things like super glue and zip ties.  We may need a new one in the spring...

Little honey.

My mom got Elise another 6 month subscription of Kiwi Crate for Christmas. 

It's this awesome little box you get in the mail once a month and it has two really cute little crafts in it - usually with some sort of educational focus.  This time it has a balancing craft and something with beakers.  Her science loving daddy will love that.  She totally flipped when she saw it in the mailbox today. 

When it's cold and snowy we watch a lot of movies.  She usually has a fluffy friend or two she needs to snuggle with. 

We went out to Grand Rapids Brewing company last weekend.  We asked for a little ice cream sundae for Elise and the waiter had the chef make something special for her.  It was delish.

Girlfriend loves her dress up box.  And I think everything out of her mouth is hilarious.

And check it out -- we are so impressed with our big girl.  

She drew this all by herself with no help - even her name.  

She says it's a snowman with buttons and hair and a hat.  

I'm keeping this one. 

So there you have it, Lauren.  You're welcome.  ;)

little scientist

As Elise is playing with her new Christmas sticker book I had a childhood flashback of a sticker book where you had to LICK the stickers to get them to stick to the page.  Anyone else remember these?? These kids have it so easy these days with their pre-sticky stickers.  I can still taste it I think...

She and her daddy had fun today with another one of her Christmas presents - her kids lab kit.  It comes with kid experiments and everything.  She loves it.  

Tonight we made snow ice cream. 

 Snow + sweetened condensed milk + vanilla = snow ice cream.  

I thought she would scarf it.  I made her try a bite and she gagged.  

Weirdo.  Nick didn't care for it much either.  

I cried a little as I put it down the drain...

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.  They are basically the same person.

 

happy new year

2013 was pretty great. 

I think 2014 might be too.  

Happy New Year, everyone. 

christmas at the lake

The first few days at the lake we were running on the generator.
A mega huge ice storm shut off the power for a few days for a lot of people in the area. 
It was even too icy for Auntie Gracie to drive up from Missouri. 
(We're still sad about that.)

Annual Christmas picture.  And this year there's a new member.   Hi Tyler!
(Well two -- if you count Lambie ;)

Elise's favorite present is her Doc McStuffin's Doctor kit. 
We saw it at Costco and told Lauren to get it for her.  She LOVES it. 

She spent the rest of the day giving people check-ups. 
She of course remembered Grandma's owie foot.  

Carl - thank you for taking these pictures.  Otherwise I wouldn't be in any. 

Caught this precious moment coloring with Aubrey and Tyler.  Also you can see some of the contents of Elise's stocking - her favorite was the "white gum" and "my very own little ball chapstick!"

Little weirdo.

We all ventured outside and turned the pond into a skating rink. 
It was SO fun.  I kept my boots on though - I'm really bad at skating.

Elise was super excited to try skating.  My mom even made her a special skating-helper-thingy.  Do these have a real name??

Lauren's not that giant.  She's wearing skates.

The skating crew.  Elise's face looked like this in every picture.

The ice storm made everything really pretty. 
Although I'd rather have power than pretty branches.

Grandpa took this lucky girl swimming in the hot tub. 
She has so much fun. 

We all have matching Christmas jammies, but we didn't get a group picture this year. 
Lauren and Carl got Nick & Tyler keychain breathalyzers.  Trust me when I say they all tried their hardest to blow the highest number.  Not everyone felt perky the next morning...but I can tell you I haven't laughed that hard in a really long time. 

Such a wonderful Christmas.