Bubbles

When we go to library reading time, the librarians always end it with a song and bubbles.  Cole LOVES the bubbles and goes from sitting still to crazy/psychotic running around the room chasing them.  The bubbles are made by Gymboree and the ingredients don't make the floor sticky when they pop making them ideal for indoor use.  Due to our weather-induced house arrest, we decided to purchase some of those bubbles to use at home (fairly inexpensive and I'd highly recommend)!  However when the sun came out the other day (you know, that big hot bright thing in the sky that's been hiding behind clouds lately), we busted out the big outdoor bubble wand.  Oh, and Dada had to use it because evidently Mama doesn't make bubbles right.

 Yeah for bubbles and sunshine!

 Chasing after bubbles

 Not quite sure about that bubble...

Stopping for the camera:)

Finger paints

I wouldn't make it up north where cold, wet weather lasts more than a few days as me, the kid, and the dog are going a little stir crazy during the day.  We've made tents, played in the garage, and I decided to brave the mess of finger paints the other day.  Cole got some for Christmas but I bought the wrong kind because they weren't really finger paints for toddlers and was more for older kids that don't try to eat everything that isn't food (if someone can explain to me why a leaf/piece of grass/dirt off the floor is more intriguing than yummy food on a plate, I'd love to know).  A quick search on google and I found a recipe that would be safe to eat but not very tasty (corn starch and sugar, anyone?!).  The "paint" didn't dry for a keepsake piece of artwork but was definitely a boredom buster!

First some blue...I love his facial expression in this one:)

Then some green...no more smiles, all focus

Add in a little red and a paintbrush...

And you have a messy masterpiece!

Cousin's birthday

Cousin turned 2 last week and we enjoyed having a small, monkey-themed family celebration!  Here are some pictures to narrate the evening:

Quick photo lesson and reason why I should suck it up and use the rest of my Christmas money on a new lens....Cake 1: no flash

Cake 2: with flash

Blowing out the candle but blowing up and not forward:)

Tasting/playing with cousin's new toys.  Happy Birthday Cousin!

The bread

A few months ago, I posted about my lack of bread making skills, mainly "specialty" bread, like cinnamon raisin which is my favorite.  In case you forgot, here is a picture to jog your memory about what happens when you add the raisins at the end of the fruit/nut cycle of a breadmaker...very tasty if you like your raisins stuck to the outside and burnt:

Last week, I decided to try again thinking third time is a charm (first time I added raisins at the beginning and they were kneaded to pieces) but made the mistake this time of rushing through the recipe before Cole's nap and found out that 2 tbs of salt (vs. 2 tsp) results in an environment that is not beneficial for yeast growth....ended up with a very dense, salty loaf of bread.  Yuck!  After being poked fun at by my loving family, I was even more determined to make this elusive bread (I have made plain white bread that turned out great).  Two days later, I tried again and....

Success!!!

Whole raisins inside the bread and not salty!  Now my next attempt at specialty bread is jalapeno cheese bread.  Russell is thinking it will take me 8 times to get it right since cinnamon raisin took 4 times....I will keep you posted:)

Books

It was nice over Christmas break to have Russell home for many reasons but especially to go with me and Cole on fun outings that we normally do by ourselves.  One day we went to the library and used our new library book bag from Nana.  We also checked out the "Dogs" book I'm holding which we will probably need to purchase as some of the movable parts have been removed...

Me and my toys

Here are a few pictures of Cole with some of his new toys...

Christmas Day and beyond....

I don't have many pictures of Christmas morning just some video I need to clip to post so bear with my descriptions...Santa brought Cole some farm animals in his stocking (which it was really cute trying to watch him hold all the animals he had gotten and still try to pull the next one out of the stocking!) and a sand table (like a box, but on legs).  After stockings, we ate breakfast at Nana and Pop's house, came home for a nap and then had Christmas with Aunt Maxine (Cole is helping her open presents below!).

Family pic from Christmas afternoon

The next morning, we went to church with all of my family and then had Christmas and lunch afterwards.  Even though it is insanity having so many events, we are so blessed to have our extended families and the ability to visit with them this time of year! 

Cole with Nana and Pop

Family picture that I need to crop...

Hanging out in our tent with Uncle Ryan

Playing with Aunt Meme (his attempt at Emily!)