Turning Three

The kids had an amazing birthday week (plus) between their schools celebrating the holidays, their birthdays, and then we spent a long weekend in the city.  They are really just getting so big.  It seems like a long three (four, six) years, but when you think about it...  They are already a sixth of the way to college and though I will likely return to work, already halfway to not being ours full time.



Making organic sugar snowflake cookies

(thanks Honest Company for the mix and cutter!)

Preschool party #17

Celebrating at home the night before THREE!

Balloon Love!

 

Not everyone gets their b-day gifts under the tree, but we do!

 

 Celebrating the third anni of their arrival (at 5:06 and 5:07pm) at The Rainforest Café.

My goofy girl...

We took the kids to the pedi for their now annual check-up while we were in the city.  Everything is A-OK and they've added the requisite couple inches (pushing 40!) and pounds (now 30+, finally!) since we were there last. 

They've been in 4T clothes for months, so it didn't surprise me that they are actually climbing in the height percentiles (now 91% for A and 87% for M).  Their weights are also on a pretty consistent curve at 45% for him and 44% for her (that's up slightly for her, now if we could just pork him up a bit).  Their BMIs are both at 14 (which is 2% for him and 5% for her).  They are totally my little clones...  Happy Birthday kiddos!! :)

A Few of My Favorite Apps

I admit to being slightly tech challenged (I haven't yet taken the time to figure out how to watch the new Downton Abbey season online before January, since its debut in the UK in Sept.  If you know, let me know!), but I'm trying to work on this and thought I'd share some of my favorite apps right now.

I treated myself to a new iPhone (the 6) for my birthday in September (which I promptly broke, but that's another story) partly because of their new ApplePay.  It's not accepted many places yet, but more are coming, and I'm getting the hang of it.  It is super slick.  It is supposed to be much more secure than swiping credit cards (which we use for everything and pay off monthly) because it is encrypted using a one time code, so there is nothing meaningful for a hacker to steal.

I signed up for Target's Cartwheel app over a year ago, but then didn't use it for months.  When I finally got into it last summer, it became a bit of an addiction.  One that has now saved me nearly $350...  If you haven't tried it yet, it is really great, and yes highly addictive (you've been warned).

Amazon Price Check is a great little app that will scan the bar code (you can also type, snap or say the product) and search for any item and give you the best price in their system.  Really helpful when you find something (in a store, on a deal site, etc.) and wonder if you might be able to find it elsewhere for less or what is the best price.

I'm still a paper planner (and white board calendar) girl, but I've started using the Cozi family organizing app and find it helpful in keeping our four calendars coordinated.  It also gives you the option of automatic updates on family movie openings, house maintenance scheduling, and life tips.

I'm a big fan of Consumer Reports and they have a great app for when you are out shopping and want to check if something you're looking at is rated and how it fared in their tests. (Subscription required to access, worth every penny BTW)

Do you have apps that you couldn't live without?  Please share! :)

Lots of Firsts and Holiday Fun

I took the kids to the movies recently, since I figured it was time (at nearly three) to brave the theater for the first time.  And they did great!  We went to the premiere of Penguins of Madagascar, and totally lucked out that the earliest nearest showing was at a theater (I'd never been to before) with reserved recliner seating.  I'd booked us three seats (obviously), but since two were together and the other next to them, we just popped up the armrest and called the two a love seat.  I think it helped them that we could all sit cozy together.  We're definitely going back there for future movie outings.

 

Watching previews and having their morning snack

We had a fun weekend at my parents' in northern Wisconsin, and have made the revelation that instead of going straight up and back, shortening the extended family portion and spending the second half of the long weekend as a nuclear family getaway is pure brilliance and will be part of our repertoire moving forward.  Much more relaxing...

We went to my mom's for Thanksgiving.  I may be one of the only people my age who has never hosted a proper Turkey Day as she is old school and does everything herself.  This will likely never change in her lifetime.  The kids had a blast with their cousins...



Here playing with the girls...

At my dad's farm, we went out to the barn and pasture to visit the animals and the kids made their first snowman! (maybe ever? at least of this year, since we have no snow yet)

We spent a night in Madison and ended up on State Street as the WI/MN football game let out...

We went on to the Grand Geneva from there, our first time there during the holidays.  They have lots of great activities (we're headed back to ski later) and fancy light and gingerbread displays that the kids loved.

Marielle wasn't having any of this sleigh...

 

The kids loved the Thomas show.  It was relatively short and interactive (their first live show) and gave me some serious showchoir flashbacks.  I wonder how much these performers have to take before each show... ;)

Dancing!

Snow!

 

The huge lobby tree

We just missed sitting with Santa there, but we did get to go to the waterpark (their first trip!) 

Next up Santa visit and (their first) tree cutting!

35 months old

We are rounding the final month to three, which is crazy...  Even though it has felt like winter for weeks, it's been a busy fall around here. 

Playing in the leaves at the rose garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden

It was 30 degrees (with 50 mph winds) and snowing, but the twins went trick or treating to a few of our neighbors for the first time this year.  They had three Halloween parties in one week, so of course we all came down with some sort of plague, that took a good two weeks to get everyone over and done with. 

We kind of glossed over Halloween prep last year (one of several fall slights due to our India trip prep), so this year we started planning early.  When I asked them over the summer what they wanted to be, they both answered, "ELSA!".  So yeah, that didn't happen (mean mommy), but we settled on Anna and Olaf (after some searching) instead.  But then Halloween week came and Alistair didn't want anything to do with his (admittedly cumbersome) costume.  So I went back to Party City the Tuesday before Halloween and exchanged it for Thomas.  Crisis almost averted...

As the doors to the preschool party open...

Somehow there were no other Frozen characters at any of our parties.  Yay for non-conformity!

Since the kids started school in January, they missed out on school pictures last fall.  Well, now they are in two preschools, so they had two sets of pictures done.  One was decidedly better (and correspondingly more expensive) than the other, but I'm just amazed they were able to get them to cooperate. 

Just a proof, but this pic is like seeing a unicorn...

 Yes, they look like an ad for Old Navy

At least one is smiling...

On that note, we had our very first parent/teacher conference recently and of course (as is typical) they are a dream at school.  Great at listening, helping, sharing...(ha ha!)  Still trying to figure out how to make that the norm at home...  It was interesting to see them interact at their one preschool Halloween party that was mom led/run.  They don't really interact with each other that much at school, which the teacher confirmed is kind of their norm.  They are all over each other at home, so I guess another of the many benefits of school is it gives them a well earned break from each other.

Somehow Thanksgiving is next week, so we're headed north to spend a few days with the family and another few lounging (and seeing Thomas) at the Grand Geneva.  DH is turning 39 (for the first time), and I'd hoped to squeeze in a birthday/Christmas beach trip this year, but right now we're just staying over in Chicago for a few nights and trying to plan something for spring. 

I'm trying to get our kitchen done by the end of the year (new buffet and FR built-ins are nearly done, kitchen is part way there).  When I couldn't find a new house I liked, I figured we might as well keep making this one what we want.  Happy Thanksgiving!

New Sarah Jane Be/Virtue Prints and Enjoying Fall

Remember the adorable be/virtue prints I got for the Twins' nursery way back in the day (almost exactly three yrs ago)?  Well Sarah Jane has added two more to the line (be patient and be friendly) and they are so sweet!  You can see/buy them here. (She also has amazing new wallpaper.)

I know I've been scarce around these parts.  With the kids in school four mornings/12 hrs a week, I've been busy doing everything but blogging.

We are enjoying fall so much this year, the kids are getting big.  Last weekend was ponies and pumpkins et al at Goebberts.

Early last month, we went back up to Harvard for apple picking (train rides, animals, etc.)

In the barn

On the train

Back home, watching the apple crisp baking

And the week before that, we went back to school, which they are rocking

Happy Fall! :)

Cape Cod/Nantucket 2014

We've been back for a few weeks, but then we've been away most of August.  Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and then back to back trips to Wisconsin and Iowa (and not a single new state for the kids among them).

You know you are doing better than you think (and it often feels) when the only big issue on a cross country vacation with two very busy toddlers, one (working on Indian time) husband, one mom/gamma, two sisters and an honorary BIL is something you definitely can't control.  Namely the weather.  I should have known that we'd have rain (over half of our days), since it's been such a rainy summer at home, but boo.  You can't help that you have to book months in advance.  So for those who were wondering what happens after the polar vortex...  It rains, a lot, like monsoons.

But we still had fun, and eeked out just enough good weather to enjoy the Cape and Nantucket.  I hope we can stay longer next time.  I'd love to count it in months instead of weeks.  Someday...

Hyannis

Hyannis Light

 

A and the big boat heading to ACK 

Shell hunters

Beach time!

Chatham

Osterville

 

M showed us she's going to put even my shopping skills to shame

Nantucket...love the Children's Beach

It was so hot on Nantucket, melting...

These two start school again this week (4 days!), they are getting so so big and ridiculously chatty.

So we just missed the President, who was vacationing on the Vineyard, but since I am a political junkie of course there was a Kennedy wedding while we were there (RFK Jr. and actress Cheryl Hines wed in a rainstorm in HP), and former Rep. Patrick Kennedy of RI and his new family shared our fast ferry to Nantucket.

Our rented van ended up being a Chrysler Town and Country.  Not necessary something I'd buy, but it worked out well.  Kind of funny because I learned to drive an automatic on a Chrysler minivan (my parents had a series of them over 20 years), but I hadn't driven one since then.  We got such an amazing deal through Costco.com, it basically paid for itself in gas (30MPG!) and tolls vs. taking two SUVs.

The house we rented also worked out really well.  We filled up all five of the bedrooms, but it thankfully didn't feel crowded.  It had an amazing deck and views of the harbor, though it would be even more fun in better weather.

Waiting for the rain to go away, again

 

Many of these pics are courtesy of my sister, official trip photog, Jen Brinley

If we had another baby...

Which is so not happening...  But if it were, there are some new beauties out there.

It's hard to believe it has been three (or maybe thirteen, but who's counting?  ;)) years since I was buying baby stuff.  I think I would wait to find out (could I deal?  highly questionable...) and just go neutral.  When you already have a boy and girl, all pressure would be off, so why not just wait?

The new Gonatt convertible crib from IKEA...  Love the grey color, the drawers, and would definitely go convertible again.

If I was feeling extra spendy, the Honest Company Collective/Babyletto cribs are cute too.  Now in white as well as grey.  And when you buy one, they give one to charity, which is cool.


Not new, but I've always loved the Dylan line of bedding from Serena and Lily.  Sadly, the prettiest part is the bumper, and who even buys these anymore?  They are actually illegal to sell in Chicago, which seems a little extreme.

In that same vein, I just love the French Stripe line from Skip Hop.  So simple (preppy) and pretty.

I found myself using bags I already had more than not with the twins, so I'd likely skip the Duo special edition bag and just go for the Soho clutch.

Also love the special Duo bag in Aztek, super cute.

Do you have favorites? (whether you are actually in the market or not...)