Splashin' in the tub

I turned the water on and walked away while it warmed up. This is what I returned to about 30 seconds later. (I took the picture about a minute after he got in because I didn't think of it right away--and Phoebe insisted on getting in too.)

Here is Phoebe and Brett reading If I Were You by Richard Hamilton.

This was recorded in early November 2009.

Apple Picking/Pie

Every year since Phoebe was a few months old, we have gone apple picking and I have made apple pie. That means this was our fifth year of apple picking, and this year, I finally made a real, homemade apple pie entirely from scratch. I always make the filling but use store-bought crusts (I really like Jewel's frozen deep dish crust) But I didn't have a frozen crust in my freezer and I was ready to make pie today. I was about to pack the kids in the car to make an unnecessary trip to the grocery store for one item when I remembered that I had all the ingredients and could actually make my own crust rather than bundling everyone up and heading out for one thing--so I did--and it was delicious (which is not obvious from the picture, but I think it looks appetizing)

recent randoms

Our family trip to the Midnight Circus

Phoebe Marx

Beckett's first two teeth--the top two are in as well, so he has four teeth total and he is getting two molars up on top (which seems bizarre that he would get molars before the rest of his front teeth)

Phoebe and a friend as we walked to the Museum of Science and Industry from her house. The umbrellas belonged to the other family, but Phoebe was so excited to use it.

join our pile!

Pumpkins!

Grandpa Shobe carved the cat (Phoebe's choice), and Phoebe carved the other pumkin mostly herself while visiting Aunt Jennifer and her cousins with Grandma Serene. She picked out the face and carved the eyes and mouth on her own and got help with the mouth. The squirrels got to the pumkins while we were out trick-or-treating.

More Halloween 09

Beckett was quite the participant. He was excited about doing whatever Phoebe did, and he really liked the candy! It looks kind of sunny and pleasant, even, but it was actually pretty cold.

Halloween 09

Phoebe was a witch doctor for school because she really wanted to be that since just after last Halloween. She listened to the eep opp ork ahah (or however it's spelled) and got the idea. But she wore the care bear outfit for trick or treating and for her second school party because it was perfect for the cold weather. Beckett was a spider--also a toasty costume. On Halloween, Phoebe wanted to go trick-or-treating, but we couldn't go right away because she really wanted to be home to pass out candy and see all the kids in their costumes. She sat patiently at the door with candy in her hands waiting to give it out. Unfortunately, we don't get many trick-or-treaters on our block. I'm not sure why, but I was hopeful there would be more this year because of how eager she was to hand out the candy. She had a few customers, but not many. Finally, I dragged her away to collect candy of her own.

Fall 09

click on the pictures for clearer images

Mommy are you mad?

This past weekend, after taking out Easter baskets, grass, plastic eggs (one still filled with forgotten candy--score!), and all Halloween party supplies for our upcoming playgroup party and leaving them all around the basement floor, Phoebe proceeded to empty the entire contents of her closet onto her bedroom floor instead of getting dressed, and topped off the morning by drawing on her (off-white) bedroom carpet with pink sidewalk chalk. She then asked, "Mommy, are you mad at me?" and innocently added, "Why can't I go with you?"

Meanwhile that same morning, Beckett, being momentarily ignored and left to his own devices was happily dumping the dog dishes onto the hardwood floor, splashing in the puddle and eating stray pieces of dog food as quickly as he could before I ran down to pick them up (which I hurried to do right as I was about to Resolve the pink chalk and heard the distinctive clink of the stainless steel bowls that reminded me I hadn't put them up before taking Beckett out of his crib).

All the while, Brett was ranting about how he could not get anything done and "can everyone just be quiet?!"--so that he could grade his papers.

Let the good times roll.

Daddy Mountain

Here is Phoebe reading The Daddy Mountain.

Rumpelstiltskin

Here is Phoebe and Brett reading Rumpelstiltskin.

Part 1
Part 2

Ain't Gonna Paint Audio by Phoebe

Phoebe's newest hobby has been recording audio books with Brett. Their first one was Rumpelstiltskin, which had more of Brett reading than Phoebe; but this last one was I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont and David Catrow which you can listen to by clicking on the title.

Phoebe's story

Be sure to click on picture so you can read the story.

Saint Louis Vacation

Beckett's first vacation and Phoebe's second! We didn't get very creative, since we took Phoebe to the same place last year, but it worked out well and it's so kid-friendly. We did not go to that sculpture garden last year--which was amazing. Though she might say otherwise, I think that was Phoebe's favorite place because she just ran and ran and was excited to see each new thing the whole time we were there. I'm not sure what Beckett enjoyed most--probably the hotel or the garden because he got to explore a new place on his hands and knees. Most other places he was confined to the stroller or the mei tai. He was more leary than thrilled the entire time we were at the zoo and Grant's Farm because he didn't know which animals were going to be rearing their heads in his general vicinity. Beckett got a little concerned when the animals seemed to be too close. He isn't so cautious when it comes to inanimate objects, but things that move give him pause, apparently.