Day 16

We had another 2 hour delay. Unbelievable. It's the end of the quarter today, so we took the kids that could participate to the movie theatre. The students were able to choose between Marley and Me and Bedtime Stories. It was crazy fun. Some of us (teachers) helped back behind the concessions and I enjoyed that. I watched Marley and Me. It was very sad at the end. I was a little uncomfortable being with my students at the movie (hard to believe it was rated PG), but we all survived.

A new game the boys play - running up and down the stairs and all over, trying to escape the monster. Poor Nolan, always trying to keep up. He doesn't quit...

We made pizzas tonight.
Jacob and Nolan found a new place to play.

Baby, it's cold outside!

It was freezing out today. School was cancelled and wouldn't you know on the message it said, "school will be closed today.....for students"....meaning...hint hint, teachers get your butts into school! I think we are one of the ONLY districts that have their teachers report. Oh well, it was nice trying to get caught up. Wow, two snow days in a week. This has to be a record. Maybe tomorrow too....? I was able to pick the boys up earlier than normal.

Nolan is keeping himself busy.
These are Nolan's obsession lately (besides Elmo). He brings one of these favorites to us throughout the day and we have to read one or two before we go to bed.

We pulled into the driveway today and Connor said, "Mom, you just go take the boys (I love it when he calls Connor and Jacob "the boys") inside and you guys get nice and warm, I'll go get the garbage can". It was too sweet. However, as we got closer to supper he got a little crabby and before I put the food on the table we listened to some music. This is Connor covering his ears because he didn't want to hear the song that was on again. What a look huh? I definitely caught him by surprise. Two minutes later he was telling me how much he loved me. What a Jekyll and Hyde night.

Nolan feeding Jacob some of his yogurt.

Jacob is getting really good at counting (if you recall him telling me that there were two naughty boys in the tub). Tonight he pointed out to me that there were three Lightning McQueens in his bed; 1. his pillowcase 2. his book we were reading 3. his pj's. Then he counted how many pages of his book we read.

I am really enjoying taking pictures and writing about our little every day occurrences (and sometimes not so every day!). It has allowed me to focus on the boys individually, as brothers, and what we are as a family. I rarely make it through the day with taking only one picture, I take more.

Seriously, isn't it already cold enough?

We are under a wind chill warning for tomorrow. The news says it's in effect until noon on Friday. Wind chills will be around -25 to -40 overnight tonight through tomorrow morning. Seriously....

This is not a very good picture, but it was the only one that turned out decent. We had a very silly night tonight, and at supper Matt was singing songs like, "Only Jacob.....can eat the cheesy rice. Only Jacob...." (to the tune of Only You). The boys were giggling away! Here he is getting his groove on....he's one hot daddy!
Jacob has been getting banged up by a girl at daycare....... (not that he's innocent all of the time....).

Love this picture of Teddy...

Blankey to keep us warm in this freezing, cold weather!

Matt took these this morning of Jacob sharing his blanket with Nolan while watching cartoons before leaving for daycare. Jacob always asks if we want to "cover up my blankey".

The last remains of our Christmas presents pile. With three boys you can imagine the piles we have of presents. Everyone is always TOO generous. We try to gradually go through every toy/item and play with it, then find a "place" for it. We had to do some reorganizing and had to add some of our old things to our garage sale pile, but we're finding places for everything. This is all that is left....feeling pretty good about it and really have to ambition to hurry and put it away!

Nolan's bad habit lately, actually for awhile now. Or it's probably our bad habit for not buckling him in all of the time.

Snow Day!...well sort of

School was let out at 10:40 today! (the kids at least - we had to stay until our normal time. It was nice getting some work done) This is some of the view from my classroom. It's the best in the school I think! ;) I get to watch some beautiful sunrises in the mornings waiting for the kids to come. No, it's not a blurry picture, that's snow blowing.

I picked the boys up from daycare and we worked on shoveling the driveway. Connor was the first one out of the car and grabbed our only little shovel. They lasted about 5 minutes, but I was happy they tried and were so willing to help.

Connor the eager helper. He shoveled most of our steps and walk way.Jacob realizing there is only one little shovel and he doesn't get it.

Jacob after getting the little shovel.How many Nolan's with a sand shovel would it take to shovel the whole driveway?

Nolan wanted a backpack like Jacob so we found another one for him. Well, it took Jacob only a few minutes to realize that the one Nolan had was stronger and larger. In a manipulating polite voice he asked Nolan, "I have that backpack Noley?".

In return came Nolan's famous and ever so common, "Uh huh!", and both boys were instantly smiling.

So we exchanged backpacks.

Jacob excited about his upgrade.

Busy day

Connor got a "Happy Birthday Jesus!" puzzle from Sunday School (he missed class two weeks ago) and when we got home from church and breakfast he tried to put it together. After finishing it in about 10 seconds, he looks at me and says, "My teacher was wrong, she said that this puzzle was perfect for us, but it's way too easy for me. I'm going to give it to Jacob. Can I give it to him as a present and go get a bag for it?"
"Of course! That's nice of you!"
A couple minutes later he comes up with his stuff and puts it all together. He had a birthday bag, spider man tissue paper, and a Christmas gift tag. Perfect combination! Jacob loved his present!
Connor also drew some super hero pictures to mail to his cousin Carter. The superman head made me think of the man on the movie Beetlejuice with the small head! (did I seriously just reference the movie Beetlejuice??) I thought they turned out great! He was pretty proud of them.

Matt stayed home with Nolan while he napped and Connor, Jacob, and I went to Connor's school to play on the HUMONGOUS snow hills they've made. I didn't bring my camera with because it was so cold and darn slippery. However, I wish I would have because we had a blast sliding down the hills, making little caves, and making tunnels. It's so fun to play like a kid.

We went to the High school Orchestra Lullaby concert tonight. We were able to wear our pajamas and the boys brought their blankets and favorite stuffed animal. Connor was OK with going the whole time, but I guess during the middle of it he leaned over to my mom and said, "Grandma, this is a lot better than I thought it was going to be!"

Notice that Nolan is in only the first picture. That's about how long he lasted sitting down. Otherwise he was walking up and down the stairs the whole time and Jacob constantly let us know that "Nolan was a naughty naughty boy!"

We listened to music and stories, the students performed skits, and we sang songs. It was super!

This is an attempt to take a picture of the full moon last night. It was beautiful on the way home from the concert. I definitely need to read up on how to take better pictures at night and of landscape. Oh well, you get the point.

Swimming Lessons

Day 9 of Project 365

The picture part of this is going to be easier than I thought. I already have a ton of ideas, though some may be random. I can't wait to be able to look back at this in a few, or 10 years and see what a year in the life of the Ginskey's was like.

Tonight we ate at the Pizza Ranch (where Connor says has the BEST pizza ever!) with my parents and Matt, Kristin, and Kelsey. Afterwards, everyone but myself and the two munchkins went to the Varsity Huskies game.

Jacob and Nolan were in the bath and they started tossing the toys out of the tub. One starts something and the other doesn't miss a beat in chiming in. So I start putting the toys back in and say, "No, we're not going to throw the toys out of the tub, that's being naughty boys."

Jacob looks at me and says, "Yep, two naughty boys!".
Our counting lesson for the night I guess.

Connor is in to making his own bed lately! I don't even have to ask.....yet.....I'm sure the excitement of pleasing mom will evaporate quickly. I'll take what I can get.

The recent contents of Jacob's obsession, his backpack.

Our mornings, Train Basketball, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and Singing Toothbrushes

One by one they crawl into our bed and we turn on the cartoons. This gives mommy and daddy time to get ready..... normally we're under the covers but the bed was made early this morning! ;)
Our two little munchkins (or thing 1 and thing 2 as we joke about) created a new bath time game tonight. Thomas the Train basketball. Why not?!

I don't know about anyone else out there, but my boys could live off of peanut butter and jelly, especially Connor. In fact, because of Matt's one time doing, we now have to make Connor a bread, peanut butter, jelly, bread, jelly, peanut butter, bread (double decker) sandwich everytime. Nolan and Jacob however take their sandwich a part and eat each slice of bread. Whatever gets them to eat it I guess!

Santa gave the boys these great singing toothbrushes. Brushing our teeth has never been so fun or so easy to get them to do!!! We get to listen to The Bare Necessities, Hakuna Matata, and If You're Happy and You Know it Brush Your Teeth! Lovely.