Kuba's Happy Hearted Pig

This Winter

We've had some funky weather this winter. And by funky, I mean unusual. Practically no snow. Lots of little sprinkles of snow, but I don't think we've had anything more than two inches yet. We've had lots of rain. We've had lots of ice. We've had lots of mixed rain and ice.

So, playing out in the snow hasn't been "traditional." No snowmen, snow forts, snow shoveling. In fact, I think there really hasn't even been any snow shoveling at all....and January is almost over. So we've gone ice skating. We found a nice natural skating pond nearby and took the boys. They are learning how to skate. Kuba seemed to like to mostly sit on a nice branch and wave a big stick around, and Anders was content to lie on the ice and try to bat away hockey pucks...goalie style. But, we also practiced moving....along the ice, vertically, slowly and wobbly. And they also got to push one another around on milk crates. Our friends Hazel and Junie got into counting the number of times they fell, the grand total being something over one hundred falls!!! But just being outside, on the ice, in a beautiful setting, feeling the cold air, is enough. Who cares if the kids spent a lot of time on the ground? Who cares if there were not any snowmen around witnessing the fun?

What I Need

Sometimes in our house, we need to bring out the art supplies-and motivating ones.

This is because my kids can get addicted to a morning show on TV and never, ever want to turn it off. Or it could be because we are all feeling cabin fever and need something else to focus on besides the number of times one of the kids says poop, or pee, or penis. Or the chaos of rough housing and wrestling gets a little too loud. You get the picture.

Luckily we have lots of supplies at our finger tips and mostly the boys need a just a little invitation to begin.

The right side of the brain is so much kinder and more mellow than the left. It's the feel good, I love everything and everyone, side of the brain.

And sometimes this is exactly what I need.

Kuba-isms

Kuba made up a new word today....ear nug. It's his term for an ear lobe. I like ear nug much better thank you.

Today, as he was sitting on the toilet, he turned to Anna and said..."I wonder what it feels like to be a wall?"

And later he said. " I think I would like to be a poodle.....no, maybe I just want to be a puddle". He then proceeded to laugh really hard at this.

This boy is FUNNY!

New Zebra Backpack

Kuba got a new backpack that looks just like a zebra. He is smitten with it. For days now he has fallen asleep with it on. Adorable attachment, but I can't imagine it is comfortable. We have been removing it once he is down for the count. (But not before we documented his four year old desire to remain connected to this animal pack.)

Warm Cider

The boys and I went sledding today and it was really fun. The hill was just steep enough, the temperature freezing, but manageable, and the boys loved it. Afterwards we went to a small bakery and got some warm cider. I just happened to snap this of Anders as he sipped his cider, the sun streaming in the window, and his eyes peering at me from above his white mug.
Beautiful moment.

These boys of mine....

are so darn cute!