Christmas Day

We got all bundled up to take a walk on Christmas day. Ezra reached all new levels of adorableness in this little blue marshmallow suit. I will be taking this snowsuit back with us to Portland. It would have been handy for the arctic blast we've been experiencing out west.

Here's the brave walking crew. I think it was around 0 degrees for our jaunt. We passed Ezra around, sharing the load. Something I miss when family is not around for sure. It has been sooo wonderful to have so many extra hands around to play with Ezra and give him love. He is having a ball playing with his auntie, uncle, gramma and grandpa.

We also had a major milestone on Christmas day: Bunsy crawled! Batton down the hatches, rearrange the furniture, he is mobile folks! He is so so so happy to be able to crawl. He has been watching Usiah scoot around for a long time, wishing he could do it. Here's a video I shot of his first crawl session.

Here's a little bonus video of Ezra and Usiah playing at Kate's house. Usiah wears his newest bear suit. This one is modeled after Balou, the bear in the Jungle Book. The hips made Usiah's balance a little off, but at least it's very warm!

I hope you all have a happy holiday!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Winter weather alert! Holy crapola it's just like the blizzard of '04 around here. We've gotten at least 6 inches of snow in the past two days! I know dear, sweet Minnesotan readers, that's nothing, but here it is a major catastrophe. There are no snow plows. I'm sure my high school had more snow plows than the entire metropolitan area!

So we spent the weekend marooned at Kate's house. Which was a lot of fun. Ezra and Usiah played hide and seek this morning for the first time and were very giggly about it. Ezra made some progress towards crawling, he can scoot on his belly on the smooth, tile or wood floor. When he reaches carpet or a rug, however, he quickly finds himself beached. BUT last night he was up on his knees and hands, in proper crawl position! He kinda scooted, wiggling his butt side to side. It's adorable. Surprise, surprise.

We spent the whole day on Saturday making holiday treats. Kate made some Spoon Cookies (that's the first time I've ever used a link in my blog!) and I made some Grasshopper Squares (second time!). The spoon cookies are supposedly best 3 days after they're made, so although they were tasty, you'll have to wait until Tuesday to hear if they are truly 'transcendent' as advertised. My squares however are amazing. So rich. In order to procure the needed creme de menthe liquor for the mint ganache I ventured out into the snow to a neighborhood bar and ordered a shot. Once the bartendress turned the corner I poured it into a jar in my purse. Check please! She looked at me like I was insane. I think it really made the difference to my squares. That and a crap ton of chocolate.

We watched some movies, including Repo Man which I highly recommend, and A Christmas Story which I'm sure you've all seen. I had never seen it all the way through. Very enjoyable.

Today we made our way home and are glad to be with our belongings again. I have a lot of knitting to do! Not to mention my multi talented house mates made a delicious wonton soup for dinner. They've got some family in town so it was a full house. Just warming up for a full house of my own family, that's coming this Wednesday. Supposedly Bunsy and I are flying to MN. I say supposedly only because the weather has been so unpredictable here that I don't know if we'll still be snowed in. I hope not, I do want to see the mother father sister brother. Although if we can't make it what do you all say to meeting in Hawaii in February to celebrate?

I hope you are staying warm where ever you are, and I hope that you enjoyed my links!

Photos of Us in Our New House

By the lovely bay window, peaking out at the swirling snow. Glad to be inside and nudey butt.

Watching the snow out the front window, with extreme photographer Megan going outside into the elements to capture this sweet shot.

Cuddling on the couch. We didn't leave the house not once today. Both of us show signs of cabin fever setting in (already).

A Photo Tour of Our New Room

Hard Wind

We have been hearing of this depression and are just now starting to feel the effects personally. Well, potentially personally. We still have a nice house, warm bed, and the smell of Christmas so really right now doesn't feel so affected. Just yet.

Today at the toy store where I work my boss informed me that come January I will no longer be on the schedule. I have only been working one day a week so it wasn't a huge paycheck but it did mean the difference of a negative versus a positive as far as income/outcome goes. A little store up the street from mine just posted a closing sale sign. In order to keep the toy store afloat she's cutting back, and this time it means me.

I have seen cities and towns change from small, local businesses to big, uniform corporate stores and I hope this isn't happening here. I know that times are tough for everyone right now, but I just wanted to urge you all to shop from your locally owned shops, groceries, and restaurants.

The big name stores may be a little bit cheaper, but it's worth that to keep the livelihood of a community.

I'll still be on call, and have already heard of one gal that's going on vacation so I'll fill in for her and things will work out. I'm sure they will, it's just a little spooky in the distance.

But little sleeping Ezra sure has been so cuddly today. And he took a bath with Usiah and was splashing wildly the whole time. Yesterday he played peek a boo for the first time. He was sitting under the table and when he sat straight up he couldn't see me and when he bent over he could so he would sit up and then down, smiling at me and giggling. He did it at least 20 times. It was adorable.

I am SO thankful for the time I get to spend with my son! Now's a great time for the glad game.

Old Saint Nick!

Ezra met Santa! Isn't this the cutest picture? This Santa was sooo beautiful. He came to the toystore where I work. The owner, my boss, is an awesome gal and brought Santa in for a toy drive for Toys for Tots. It was packed! I am so glad I didn't have to go to the mall and wait in line and buy some crap photo package. Although there was a line at my toystore. We waited in it for about 10 minutes and then I got a wave up from my co-worker and just plopped Ezra down on Santa. The perks are nice. I got an adorable sailor shirt for Tumpky too. And a little red piano!


This was the second picture I took, Ezra was deciding he wasn't so sure about this big, bearded fellow. Look at that real beard!


Here's a shot of Ezra and Usiah in the bath tub. They like taking baths together. If you look closely you can see Ezra's little teeth on the bottom! He has since gotten teeth on top too, they're about a quarter way down and there's totally an adorable little gap! He's got the unibrow of Frida and the gap of Madonna. Such a doll face.

There's an African American Santa who calls himself "Chocolate" Santa that we will be visiting soon! Maybe I'll put him in the sailor shirt...