Finn hearts Casella

Casella is our garbage hauler service, and they do a terrific job (they show up and don't leave anything behind, don't require us to sort out recyclables and even accept those oddly shaped blue wine bottles, etc.) Finn is really impressed by them and earlier today drew this picture to display his admiration. We're hoping for a free month.

first tee golf

Finn started the spring session for Golf today and was super excited. He did great and is especially strong on the long put (he made a "hole in one" today). As usual Finn was the youngest by a significant margin but he really holds his own (with the exception of the drive in which he tends to hit ground a couple inches short of the ball). . 

Instructor: "How many people here today are seven?"
Nine or ten hands go up
Instructor: "How many people here today are six?"
about three hands go up
Instructor: "How many people here today are five?"
No hands
Instructor: "How many people here today are four?"
Finn raises his hands
Instructor: "OK -does anybody have any questions?"
Finn raises his hands
Finn "When do we get to learn how to drive the carts?

mechanic

Eavesdropping on a conversation:

Finn -What seems to be the problem?
Tess -My Car is broken.
Finn -Well, you've come to the right place.
Tess -Its an electric car.
Finn -(pauses, puts hand in face for a moment then looks back up) Oh wow...this is going to be expensive.

Look Who's Three!

Tess had a big kid bike waiting for her at breakfast. She is so excited!

Snooze

You know the feeling when you were a little kid and you've been out playing all day and it's just ... too ... hard to stay awake at the restaurant that your family has decided to go to at 6:00 ... And this happens. Finn sleeping across my lap, sweet little guy.

wheels

Finn is equal parts thrilled and terrified about the new bicycle we bought for him (impulse buy at L.L. Bean this weekend ... it was so cute, we couldn't resist.) He is super excited about the water bottle and also the NINE reflectors on the bike. As long as he doesn't take it apart with an allen wrench before he  learns to ride it, we'll be all set for long rides around the park this summer!

Best Friends

Tess and her friend Caroline were born 19 days apart. Caroline's birthday is today and we were happy to celebrate with her!! Three years have gone by awfully quickly.

Carousel

We went to the mall in Rochester yesterday and rode the carousel. As usual Tess went straight for the horse and Finn chose a less-intimidating bench. As my friend Pam said, what an adrenaline junkie!!

In his defense, when they rode it again on our way out, Andrew coerced both of them onto horses and it was a big hit :)

easter funnies

Sorry we've been a little short on photos lately ... it's getting old taking photos of the kids in their winter coats, hats and mittens but stay tuned ... in the meantime, here are a couple of conversations from yesterday.

Finn: The Easter Bunny is just a person dressed up in an outfit, right?
Me: Um ... yeah. Yeah. It is.
Finn: See, Tess? The Easter Bunny isn't real. That's what I thought.
Me: But the Easter Bunny can be a feeling, you know, like how we love each other?
Finn: I'd like a Go-go-squeez.

Tess: Can I say grace?
Me: Sure.
Tess: Thank you for the food we eat! Thank you for the water we drink! AND WE DON'T DRINK SODA! AMEN!

Grocery Shopping

Me: Maybe we'll go to Wegmans after church.
Finn: We could go to Tops in Waverly.
Me: But Wegmans is right here.
F: I like Tops.
Tess: I like Talbots.

SPD

This was taken last Sunday and many of you probably saw this on Facebook but for those who didn't, here are our leprechaun explorers.

Wynwood Art Walk

Our last day in Miami ... We are seeing some amazing art on the walls of the Wynwood art district while Katy gets her hair done!

Tropicalia

We went to the Fairchild tropical garden in coral gables to see beautiful plants and butterflies. Having a great trip with Katy and Dario and their cousins!

Countdown to the Beach!

We are leaving for Miami the day after tomorrow! Bring on the sun and sand! Playtime with cousins! Yeah!

Mimi brought an adorable new swimsuit for Tess and she had to try it on immediately. Finn took this photo of her dancing around the kitchen.

who said it?

Guess which child said which quote (all said within the past hour and a half.) Answers at the bottom!

1. "Maybe you should try some exercise."
2. "You're not old, Mommy. You're young."
3. "It's the biggest poop in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!"
4. "Did E.B. White use an iPad?"

1-F, 2-T, 3-T, 4-F.

Not Ready for Naptime!

Once there was a lady who used to see lots of live music back in the day, but since having kids hadn't had the chance to see many shows. Lo and behold, she noticed that a really great kids' musician was playing in Ithaca, so she conspired to take her two kids. At first they resisted, but after listening to two songs on YouTube, including one called "Obsessed by Trucks" ... well, they were also obsessed.

So after church, the lady piled the kids into the car and up they drove to the show, which was as fun and lively as they had hoped. (There are truly few things that make one more happy than watching one's kids dance together and sing and jump up and down and spin in circles.)

After the show, they wanted to buy some CDs from the singer, who remarked how much he enjoyed watching F&T--especially T, as F was a bit tired--dance. He said she looked like a little version of Annie (as in the Broadway play.) He signed the CDs and they said thank you and drove home and talked about how much fun they had. The End.

PS. If you have kids, take them to see Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players!

Not a normal Sunday

This is how poor Finny has been all weekend. This is his second nap of the day! I sure miss my little firecracker. Even though having lethargic kids has allowed me to cook all day, it hasn't been as much fun without them. Hoping his ears feel better tomorrow so that he can go to school, he is looking forward to seeing his peeps.

sick house

So this is what a nebulizer is.

Such a sad photo of a sniffly little girl! At least she managed to keep her Tinkerbell sticker intact, and notice how it matches her kelly green sweater so nicely.

The kids have been sick on and off for what seems like weeks. No, it has been weeks. Today I took them both to the pediatrician and Finn to the chiropractor and the verdict is, bronchialitis for T and double ear infection for F. And the snow is falling, we will probably get 8" overnight and I'm hoping for not much more. We will be inside tomorrow doing breathing treatments and making valentines (and maybe I will have a glass or two of wine in order to maintain my sanity.)

Chillin'

Where do we like to play? ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR?

How do we like it? COLD AND ONLY KINDA CLEAN!

Half birthday

Finn "turns" 4 1/2 on Thursday so it's appropriate, I suppose, that he was talking about his birthday cake this morning. Aunt Heather, are you listening?

Finn: When I turn five, can I have a cake with bad guys on it?
Me: What kind of bad guys?
F: The kind from World War II.
M: You're not going to have Nazis on your cake.
F: Well, the good guys are shooting at the bad guys.
M: You're still not having a cake with Nazis on it.
F: How about a frosted tarantula driving a dump truck.
M: (mom look)
F: Ok, how about a combine.