2010 in Facebook updates

January

is somewhat surprised that there doesn't seem to be a Facebook page for Ferdinand Feghoot.

Kate is asking me how to spell things like "Leave it alone!" and "Don't get too close!" and "Back off!" I keep telling her Andy can't read.

introduced Kate to Shel Silverstein. "I'm being eaten by a boa constrictor" is a big hit.

asked Kate if she knew what Hawaii was, and she said, "It's like Ohio in Chinese."

is finishing up a loooong project.

The Birthday Kids!

When I tell people that my kids have the same birthday their response is often something along the lines of, "That's nice, you can get it over with all at once!"  I suppose this is true, though right after Christmas isn't the best time for a birthday party, anyway.  This year, with Christmas being on Saturday and the birthday on Monday, I didn't really have any prep time in between, so it was kind of low-key.  Kate enjoyed having her friend Molly over, and we had a nice little party at home.





After watching Kate blow out her candles, Andy had a pretty good idea of what to do.  He did get a little help from his big sister.



Can you believe this girl is six already?  She's looking so grown up.



Panettone and ice cream!  Yum!



Next--present time!  Doug thought Kate could use some more Sculpey.




Another book for the Calvin and Hobbes collection.



I found these two drawing books that I thought Kate might like: How to Drawand How to Draw Wizards, Dragons and Other Magical Creatures(it has dragons! Yes!)




Kate was pretty excited about this present of Andy's.  We all love Laurie Berkner!



Andy got this Fisher-Price Doodle Profrom my parents. (We keep calling it the "Magna-Doodle," but I guess that's a different brand.) He likes to play with my graphics tablet, so I thought this would be kind of similar.




After all the presents were unwrapped, Kate and Molly played with the new Sculpey.




A snowman...



...and a snail!



Molly's snowman and snail.  (I love the snail's mouth.)



Playing Gobblet Gobblers.This is one of the games that we got for Christmas. It's like tic-tac-toe with a twist.





It's a cute game.  At first we were thinking that whoever went first was pretty much guaranteed to win, but I figured out that if I can get Kate to use her large pieces first I can usually beat her. 



Kate got this art setfrom my parents. Lots of cool stuff to create with! She and Molly tried it out together.







 Kate tried out her drawing book with the Doodle Pro.  Cute spider!

A good time was had by all.  We sent Molly home with her Sculpey creations (still warm from the oven), and put the rainbow painting  up to dry.  (It's still there--I need to arrange a time to deliver it!)

Kate was so excited about Christmas and her birthday this year.  I think she's more aware of that sort of thing since starting school.  It was fun to share her enthusiasm.

These photos were a real pain to edit because of the mixed lighting--the sunlight coming in the windows combined with the incandescent lights inside.  The two kinds of light are different colors, which makes for tricky color-correcting.

Christmas Day

Christmas Eve was lovely. I got the living room all cleaned up (and even put Andy's high chair in the kitchen, so we'd have more room). We went to Chevy's for dinner and then came home and sang some Christmas songs, read Luke 2 and acted it out (and had Doug be the donkey, like my dad always used to do when we were little). It was just so nice, sitting the living room together, not surrounded by everyday detritus, with the Christmas tree glowing.

We made the mistake of bringing the presents out a little early, when we thought Kate was asleep but it turned out she wasn't. She came out and saw the presents under the tree and just went nuts. She was so excited she just couldn't go to sleep, until she finally conked out on the floor by the Christmas tree at about 11:30.

In the morning we got everyone to eat at least a little breakfast, and then opened presents.



Snake!



My mom sent Andy this LeapFrog Text and Learn.He loves letters and loves pushing buttons, so we figured something like this would be just right.   Kate has been calling it a Kindle.  (Ha!)





Calvin and Hobbes, Elephant and Piggie!  (We Are in a Book! It's very cute.  Kind of reminds me of The Monster at the End of this Book,without the mess.)



Penguin pajamas!



Kate's present for Dad was a book of pictures she drew. 



This is our family (and Toothless the dragon) in front of the Christmas tree. I love it.




Kate had been asking for some Fuzzoodles,so we got her a couple sets. She had fun putting them together but did need some help.



Kate made this paper mache candy dish for us at school. Isn't it cute?



Kate helps Andy with some unwrapping.  We got him this set of Duplo blocks.He and Kate have both been enjoying them a lot. I think I may have to add to the collection.



Doug's new rapier (made by James the Just). It has a 43" blade and doesn't fit in his fencing bag. He's been making a scabbard for it.



We hope you all had a great Christmas!