King of Xmas

Adler showing off his new Elvis glasses while celebrating Christmas at Grandma and Papa's house.

Happy Holidays!

We decided to go green this year with our Christmas / Holiday card this year by sending it electronically.  Or maybe we just never got around to the printing, the stuffing envelops, the stamp licking, the addressing, etc. Believe whichever story you want. I know which one I believe. Anyway, here is our family's 2011 virtual holiday card. Bowen didn't make the card this year. He was probably sleeping when we took the pictures.



We wish you the very best this holiday season (and always)!

work it for the camera

Today LT asked me to take his picture and have it printed. I think he has some kind of xmas gift art project in mind that he wants to use it for but I'm not sure and I didn't ask too many questions. Anyway, I set up some gear and took some shots of him in front of the Christmas tree. In all of them he had either a serious face or a forced face smile and I couldn't get him to lighten up and be natural. When I had him review the pictures with me so he could chose the one he wanted, he was really disappointed and told me, "but I wanted one where I look happy." I told him we could take some more and that he should just act natural and have fun. Apparently he took that advice to heart as you can see from the results of our second photo shot of the day.   

Peace Night 2011

LT's "big school" celebrated its winter festival, called Peace Night, this week and his preschool class sang a couple of songs.

LT, much like me, isn't exactly a natural performer.  And he only goes part time to his big school so didn't get as much rehearsal as the other kids.  

So he's a little out of his element when on stage.  

 

But, to his credit, this year he got into the singing, dancing an bell ringing a little more that he did last year (and more than I was expecting).

late with halloweeen

I forgot I had some Halloween photos to post from a great family friendly party at my office.  Above is an actual photo off all four of us together.  And below are some photos of the boys at the party (a bunch of other shots from the party can be found here).

Swingin in the Snow

Last Friday, I got to go play in LTs big school class for the morning. We played some board games together, practiced songs for his holiday performance and enjoyed the fresh snow in semi warm air.

First performance of the season

LTs big school does a fundraiser each fall at Barnes and Noble. Each grade level performs a few songs and a percentage of anything bought is given to the school. The boys and I spent the afternoon sipping hot chocolate from the Starbucks inside the Barnes and Noble, singing and buying a few books. I saw LT move his lips a few times, a huge improvement from his performance last year!

Candy!

LT, Adler and I made our annual trip to the Hammonds Candy Factory earlier this week. This was the first year Adler really understood why we were there. He embraced the candy idea fully.
December is a busy month for the candy factory and often the tours are booked. This was the case when we arrived Tuesday, the 10 AM tour was full and we were going to have to wait an extra half hour. However, soon after our arrival, we were informed that the school group scheduled had cancelled and we would get an almost private tour! They usually give out broken pieces of candy that they can't sell to the tours, but because our group was so small, a factory worker came out with full sized candy canes for each of us!
Adler can just barely reach this year!
LT has been reading a lot of Curious George books. Recently he got one called "Curious George and the Chocolate Factory". It was fun to hear him compare the book to the candy factory tour.
My love bugs.

a Thanksgiving date at the kids' table

LT insisted on sitting at the big table with the grownups so Adler got a some time alone at the kids' table with his little girlfriend to enjoy the fruit salad.

first little ski day

LT has been skiing once before at a park near our house but today was his first day skiing at a real mountain (Copper) and, as often is the case, his little brother got dragged along for the adventure.

Getting everyone and all their gear to the slopes was a bit of an ordeal to say the least. And we had to stop and get our passes on the way which made it even more of an adventure. But we did finally make it and the boys did laps each on the magic carpet. Kari helped Adler and I went with LT. They both did pretty well considering that they are just little guys and this was their first time. LT even put on the skis again that afternoon at Grandpa's house and worked on his new skills some more.

Halloween party at LTs big school

Adler and I were able to attend LTs big school Halloween party. We paraded around the entire school (K-12th grades) and then came back to the classroom for some Halloween art and spooky snacks.
My astronaut and fireman.
LT eyeing the yummy food with his bud, Tino.
Such cute kids all dressed up.

W R T

Yes, I am a teacher, no I don't know everything. Part of the reason I didn't enjoy teaching kids (besides preschoolers) younger than 3rd grade is because I was terrified of teaching kids the beginning stages of reading and writing. How do you teach them such an abstract topic? Well, here I am, with a kid of my own who is very interested in learning to write and I am still terrified. I am lucky for three reasons. First, he's in an amazing school that fosters kids interests and helps them learn to write if they are interested. Second, I was able to observe the Kindergarten teacher teaching the kids to write, so I have some tiny clue as to what to do. Three, LT is so self motivated that he is basically teaching himself. We may never make it past this stage, but for now I am completely impressed.
This is his play plan from about a month ago. I had no idea he could or would write anything. On my snack day I went in and was blown away when he sat down and wrote this by himself and then read it to his teacher to help fill in the blanks. A few days later I observed the Kindergarten teacher. The kids were doing their papers titled "Over the weekend I...". They were to draw a picture and write the words. She modeled and the kids helped her. Hers went something like this, "over the weekend, I rd m bk" "over the weekend I rode my bike". She wrote down (and left the copy on the board) exactly what the kids had heard and told her to write. In my head I thought writing had to be perfect spelling from the beginning, but I am now realizing that just hearing and writing the consonant sounds is an important first step. I was ready to tackle this the next time LT wanted to write. Instead, he beat me to it, alone. Below is what I found him doing one morning.
"LT, wow, can you read me what you are writing?" He said, "sure, Elephants name is Kite, he flies a kite". After he read it, he realized that he had forgotten the "is" and asked me to add it. Later that afternoon, I was upstairs putting Adler to sleep and came down to him with a pencil and little notebook. I asked what he was doing. He said, "just practicing my letters". He had basically made a pattern with several letters and was copying it over and over again. I am in no hurry for him to learn to read or write, but I am happy that he is enjoying it rather than struggling with it at such a young age.

Skis!

Brian and I decided this was a good year (for no good reason) to teach the boys to ski. We all have passes, to three mountains, we got the boys skis, boots, helmets, goggles, snowpants, mittens. I am really glad we waited to take LT because there's no way he would have enjoyed it last year, but this year he is really excited! We tried everything on one night and I couldn't get him to take them off. He's still cautious, but at least curious and interested. At Colorado Ski and Golf (where we got the boys skis), Adler took it upon himself to (in ski boots) jump off a bench. I think he's ready too. I am crossing my fingers for no injuries, lots of hot chocolate and at least a few runs down the magic carpet.

Drivin'

Hot Dog!

Adler and I have Thursday mornings together. We do lots of fun things, but sometimes we have to just run errands. Last week, we stopped at Whole Foods to get some food. Adler was hungry and so we sat down at their tables and had a snack. Brian was traveling. After a few minutes and several yogurts, Adler looked at me and said, "mommy, call daddy!" I said, "why Adler, do you have something to tell him?" He said, "YES! Tell daddy Adler really loves hot dogs!" The funniest part about this whole thing is that Adler has never had a hot dog. Brian and I don't eat hot dogs, but we have tried on several occasions at birthday parties to get the boys to try them, neither kid will touch them. I have no idea where this came from, but it was one of funniest moments.
After eating and chatting, we went out to the "pumpkin patch", which I think he liked more than the actual pumpkin patch we visited earlier this month. Go figure.

Magic

One of LTs friends from his little school invited us to the local puppet theater. The Denver Puppet Theater has been around for years and I drive by it several times a week, but I had no idea what we were missing. Wow, its pure magic for the little ones. Inside the theater is a full coffee shop run by the kindest couple and offering amazing eats (including ice cream!) As you wander through the puppet theater, there are hundreds of puppets and several little puppet theaters the kids can play in and with, creating their own stories with friends. Probably the most magical part of the whole place though is the yard behind the whole theater. Its filled with little kid tables, a large fountain and wandering brick paths through enchanted forests.
After eating their ice cream, the kids played in this patio area for a few hours, happily.

aLT, Bella and Nora chatting and eating ice cream.
And Adler... oh Adler. It was a warm afternoon, but not that warm. Adler nearly dunked himself in the fountain and then insisted on stripping down to only his green shoes and diaper. Such a goof. We have been back several times with various friends. Its such a wonderful place to have so close by!

trouble

Adler dancing up on the seats at a Halloween party.

Astronaut, fireman and gorilla book

Kari just sent me this picture of the boys together in their costumes from the Halloween party at LT's "big school."

Adler says LT is an "ass-not."

randoms

Just some random photos from the last few months.

LT using the computer at Tenn Street Coffe to "go to dot com slash kids."

Papa and Grandma gave us a pair of tickets to a Rockies game.  It was an afternoon game so LT and I went downtown together for the game while Kari stayed home and Alder napped. The conversation when we got home went something like this,

Kari: "did you like watching the baseball game, LT?"
LT: "No."
Me: "but did you like just going to the game and hanging out with dad?"
LT: "Yeah, and I liked getting a treat."

Years down the road it'll be hanging out with friends and getting a beer but, for the most part, he's got baseball figured out already.

Kari and I went to a wedding in Chicago a few weeks ago. It was our first time leaving town without the boys. They quite happily stayed with Kari's parents and apparently playing piano together was one of the activities they enjoyed.

Kari was brave enough to leave the boys and I alone for most of a weekend recently. They wanted to go to the train museum and insisted on wearing their matching "Ruff Night" dog jammies with the sun glasses and purses (man bags?) they got from the dentist.  Very stylish.

My mom took LT hit a few golf balls while we were up in the mountains visiting.

A family trip to Costco.