And it's March...

Whoops - doing a TERRIBLE job at blogging. I've been a little busy. Michigan decided to recognize WINTER - just as winter was leaving...so we've had some snow days and that's always interesting.

Baseball season is underway. We dusted off the Tigers gear and we are ready to see what Detroit can do this season.

We've had some lazy days spent watching movies on the couch. Cooper isn't complaining. Such an old man.

Snow arrived - then left - then dumped on us - then left again...and, wait for it... CAME BACK last night.

Our faces say "we like it" but our hearts say "STAY AWAY SNOW!"

For the record - there is nothing cuter than a baby in a snow suit.

Nolan discovered legos. He likes them and he does a decent job using them correctly. Third child - leave them alone and they find ways to entertain themselves appropriately.

Josephine is channeling her inner "Florida retiree" with this get-up. We are heading to Naples/Sebring for Spring Break, so she's just getting a head start.

Aside from Legos - Nolan is also OBSESSED with reading books. Obviously, this is 100% fine with me. 

Jack is doing well in Kindergarten and is really enjoying making art. He's meticulous and detailed in his drawings...and he's a perfectionist. I have no idea where he got that trait...

So that's the update for half a month - that I failed to blog about. I'll be better.

Seeing Green

 Last Monday was St. Patrick's Day and having just returned from our vacation - I wasn't really interested in going out & about. So we did a few 'at home' activities to celebrate. I pulled a mental file from my Kindergarten career and we made green pepper print clovers.

Josie didn't quite grasp the "stamping" concept and just used the peppers to paint. Needless to say, we had plenty of green paint on many surfaces. Fortunately, it's washable.

After painting, we decided to make some green cupcakes - which was the highlight of Jack's day/week. He thought the cupcakes tasted better than normal because they were green. Must be a Ninja Turtle thing...

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Jack Photographs Christmas

 Tyson, Allison, & Ryan

 Kady & Josie, Nancy, & Kim

 Devin, Kristin, & Denny

Tom (aka: Red Shirt, as Jack called him), Sally, & Blake

Jack took it upon himself to take some portraits of everyone at the Netherland/Swihart Christmas on the 27th. He actually did a pretty good job. Luckily Santa brought him his own camera. So you can all look forward to more Photos by Jack in the near future. And as soon as he learns to read & write I may just let him take over the blog...

Hope everyone had a great New Year celebration! Ours consisted of THIS chili, early bedtimes for the kids, me falling asleep on the couch at 10pm, and Tyson staying up by himself to ring in 2014. Who says you can't have fun after you have kids?!?!

Jack Photographs Bloomington

As promised - here are Jack's skilled photographs from our trip to Bloomington.

 "Mom on her phone."

 "White Express Bus"

"Josie the iPad Dentist"

In this picture - he captures Josie and me by Sample Gates...then continues snapping pictures as I thank a nice college kid (who felt bad for me, because I was making my toddler take my picture).

And finally, the Yellow Ginkgo tree on campus...

If you are wondering...yes, I have let Santa know that Jack needs a camera of his own.

Window Markers

The other day - while shopping at Target - I stumbled upon some Crayola window markers. And I had to have them! I mean, my kids HAD to have them! We bought them and tried them out...and loved them!

I think Jack liked them because he felt like he was doing something he shouldn't be doing...yet he wasn't getting in trouble. It was a perfect solution to a 3 year old rebel.

As you can see, Tucker admired the artwork from the outside. He was impressed. It was pretty easy to clean up too! I just used Windex...but it took a couple cleans to get it streak-free. All in all - I think these will come in especially handy during the long winter months.

{Crayola - I know you don't pay me to review your products, but I happily would...if you needed me.}

Finally, if you are searching for a TV series - look no further. The Blacklist is on NBC and it's pretty much amazing. You can catch up on all of the episodes you've missed on NBC.com or on the NBC app. Amazing, I tell you...

Jack the Photog

Earlier this week during nap time - Jack, who was yet again, refusing to nap - decided to try his hand at photography. I usually wouldn't let him use my camera, but I'm trying to convince Tyson I need a new one...so putting it in the hands of a 3 year old seemed like a risk I was willing to take.

He took some picture of me and the bedroom...then he heard Josie crying and ran in to take her picture, as well.

He recently submitted some of his work:

But the WINNER is:

{I already know that High School Josie does not approve of this picture}

Pre School Prep

We have been talking about Pre School a lot lately. I want Jack to love school from the beginning. He's SO excited to meet new friends. It's all he talks about when we discuss "school." {Future Beta Social Chair?}

Yes, I may be a teacher, but I up until now I have let him decide when he wants to focus on his "academics". He knows the typical toddler info: shapes, colors, numbers, & ABCs. I know what school will hold, soon enough...Plus, he's way more interested in Baseball, firetrucks, and Spiderman. School will happen - for the next 19+ years...

So Friday morning he woke up at 7:10am (which for me was like someone waking up at 4:10am). I turned on PBS and tried to get a little more sleep (stellar parenting). After about 25 minutes Jack disappeared downstairs. When he came back he had crayons, paper, and toddler scissors.

When I got up to check on him I stepped over a pile of cut up paper and found him in the hallway "working,"

He wrote his name, all by himself...which was both shocking and exciting. Note the uppercase letter and then the lowercase letters...Kindergarten Teacher Heart Melt.

And then he drew "a person." I'm sure you recognize that person, right? It's Grandpa Denny.

Today is the first day of Pre School. It's an hour-long class and I get to tag along! Will have an update on Day 1 soon...

Ja-casso

Tongue out - channeling his inner Michael Jordan.

"Volcano and Hot Lava"

Anyone who knows Jack - knows that he is go, go, go. All.The.Time. I swear, even while watching TV, the kid continues to move! So I attempted to "calm him" yesterday with some painting. He was pretty excited about it and even MORE excited that I was painting, too! It held his attention for about 20 minutes (that's a WIN!) and his masterpiece was complete. He called it, "Volcano and Hot Lava" (two things he is currently obsessed with for no apparent reason).

Ironically, he insisted on taking my picture holding my masterpiece called, "Ant Flies a Kite." But this is how it turned out:

Perhaps we should enroll him in a photography class.

Toddler Art - Couch Edition

I mentioned the other day - Jack's affinity for "ink." Well, he decided to make some "art" on our couch a few weekends ago. I was NOT a happy mommy. Thankfully, the internet AND my Aunt Suzie came to the rescue. Both said that rubbing alcohol would take ink off micro-fiber. 

Jack's "tool" of choice was a ball-point pen - but my Aunt Suzie recently had her couch vandalized decorated by my cousin's son, Elliott (aka: an older version of Jack), with a SHARPIE! And she said rubbing alcohol took it out perfectly.

So - if you have a toddler, know a toddler, or think a toddler may try to "spruce up" your couch someday - go ahead and invest (a whole dollar) in some rubbing alcohol! I'm telling you… IT'S MAGIC!

Picasso

Storytime at the Library on Monday was a "Leaf" theme.  As you can see, Jack takes his art VERY seriously...or maybe not...

I present - Exhibit A.

Sunday, during our "day of rest," Jack acted interested in coloring or as he calls it, "Yellow." {because the act of coloring and every crayon he sees is called 'ye-whoa'}  I take my "ye-whoa-ing" {coloring} very seriously.  My mom will attest - I was coloring IN THE LINES when I was two. You can imagine how I feel about the above piece of work.  Jack is not only a messy colorer (yes, I realize he is 22 months) - he is also an ACTIVE colorer. He moved around more than I thought was humanly possible while coloring in a coloring book.  Up & down, up & down, throwing his body on the floor...he wore me out and I was lying down the whole time.

So, I'm going to go out on a limb and say he's probably not a future Picasso. And that's okay.