Multi-Purpose Equipment

Last Friday we got about 7 inches of snow and Julia wanted to help use the snow blower (looks like a lawn mower to me!).  Too bad our lawn mower doesn't do the same thing (since we finally invested in a snow blower and are wondering why we didn't do it sooner!)!  Just a few short days later the snow is pretty much gone and it looks like a big, wet, muddy mess :(

The Serious Business of Stickers...

Stickers are such serious business that Jack said, "I'm too busy to get my picture taken!"

Finally he was willing to cooperate!  Nice outfit Jack (we didn't leave the house so he dressed himself!)...

The easel has been getting good workout (this is from last week)...

I love Julia in her paint smock and all of her stripes!

 I am not sure how Jack gets paint in his hair every time he paints and Julia with her first braid!

SNOW!

Yesterday we had our first snow of the season!  We headed out this morning for a little adventure and I am pleased to say that we played outside longer than it took us to get all of the winter gear on.  I did learn that Jack needs new snow pants (I thought we could get one more winter out of them, but I was wrong - poor little guy could hardly bend over and they were a little too short, but he still loved playing in the snow)!

I love the little red cheeks from playing outside!

I was having flashbacks when I was getting Julia dressed...here's Jack in February 2010 in the same winter gear...

The same morning after playing with the same cute red cheeks...

January?

It's so hard to believe that it's January!  It was another beautiful sunny day in the 50's, but that's all going to change tomorrow...up to 8 inches of SNOW!

Adler Planetarium - Chicago

We made another trip to Chicago this morning and headed to Adler Planetarium!  We saw a  great show One World, One Sky - Big Bird's Adventure.  It was even more fun to watch Jack's face...he was really into it and Julia almost jumped out of my lap when we landed on the moon ;)

Julia was into pushing any button she could get her little hands on and this particular one she didn't want to leave!

Daddy and Julia sitting on the sun!

This children's area was the best spot in the museum for younger kids and they had a great time playing with gears, driving a rocket ship and hanging out with astronauts (aka robots at our house)...

Jack driving a rocket ship...

Museum of Science and Industry - Chicago

We went into "the city" today to visit the Museum of Science and Industry!  It was one of the last few days that all of the Christmas "prettys" (that's what Jack likes to call them) were on display.  It was a spectacular sight!  We must have spent about four hours at the museum and both kids really enjoyed it!

They were both fascinated with the model cities with the moving trains (I think they could have spent an entire afternoon watching the trains!)...

Another favorite area was "I Spy"...they both love I Spy books and love to hunt for things (we even play  while driving in the car!)...

I found it!!!

No, I found it!!!

They are both into robots and they thought the astronaut was a robot so they had to have their picture taken in the "robot"!

The funniest was on the way home when we had a discussion of our favorite things that we saw at the museum and Jack quickly said that it was the Ferris wheel (a display in the gift shop!) and Julia's was the sandwich she had at lunch (it was a jam sandwich, just like she has almost every day and doesn't eat - she's not a big fan of bread...but for some reason it tasted much better at the museum ;)

54 and Sunshine!

You have to love 54 degrees and sunshine in January!  

Artists in Action

This is what they have been doing all afternoon and I can't help but laugh when I hear them discussing which color to use next!

I just hope that Jack doesn't get naked at school the next time they paint!