Birthday party

Today was Molly's friend birthday party (actual birthday is Monday). She's been so tired from late nights that we decided to skip ballet this morning. She was happy to stay home and get ready for the party instead.

Pink cupcakes. Again.

This time we frosted with whipped chocolate ganache. Molly chose chocolate bars with a hint of orange. YUM!

Birthday girl gets to lick the spoon!

We made Molly keep her invite list short, just cousins and her neighborhood/school bus friends. What a nice group of little kids they were!

They even indulged Molly's cherished idea of dumping a basket of candy on the floor. All the drama of a pinata without the fun, right? Surprisingly nobody cried.

There was some dress-up, some balloon play, some t-shirt signing and of course the cupcakes.

Happy birthday, dear 6-year-old Molly!!!

Sinterklaas

Hay and carrots ready by the door...

And in the morning...

 

Thanksgiving weekend

New Black Friday tradition ... crafts!!!

And another special Thanksgiving treat... visitors!!!

Silly kids

What can Santa possibly bring little Kate? Her favorite toy is a pair of Jim's old white socks stuffed with rice and tied in a knot. She calls them her babies and carries them around.

A week or two ago she discovered a new favorite craft project. Rip a page out of a catalog. Put glue on it. Stick ripped up pieces of catalog pages to the glue. 

Meanwhile Molly has been experimenting with snow angel technique. Mommy look! Face down!

This is what we did on my birthday. On our quick mini-trip to Boston I dragged everybody to Gloucester.

We also got to play with baby Norah. The girls were great travelers. Happy birthday to me!!!

Girls dancing in pretty outfits

I was at ballet class and at the end Mommy took a picture of us.

Once Kate and me dressed up fancy and pretended we were fairy princesses.

(post by Molly, typing by Mommy)

Halloween

Kate and I just got back from the costume parade at Molly's school.

Molly's teacher leads her class around the bus circle.

Ladybug Girl!

Kate made last-minute decision to dress up for the  parade, even though she's a spectator.

It's purely coincidence that she was sweeping the floors. But maybe it's a Cinderella thing. Who knows.

Guess who had the most fun carving pumpkins last night.

Ready for Halloween night!

Falling leaves

Our trees have barely started dropping their leaves but one big tree at the little grassy park near our house dropped early. Last week a bunch of kindergarten-ish neighborhood kids spontaneously gathered there after school several days in a row to make a pile and play in it.

Molly wanted pigtails for school picture day. I wonder if this is how her formal photo will look.

We celebrated our anniversary with a date night. Molly made us these cards.

"Happy anniversary Daddy." If you look up close there appears to be a tear in my eye, of happiness, I presume.

"Happy anniversary Mommy." Lovin' Daddy's expression here.

Molly just finished up a 4-day weekend from school. Jim took the day off Friday and we went to the zoo. Sunday we met the cousins for a hike and a historical village.

Lucy reads to the others on the story trail.

How to 2-year-olds know instinctively how cute it is when they hold hands?

One-room school house, writing on slates.

Look, a stage!