The Baker Blog: Tis the Season

As most of you know we got new windows this month, and what a wonderful gift to ourselves it was. This is Eliza looking out the upstairs window frame at the workers.

I left to get Evan from preschool and the upper windows were out.

Came home 20 min later and they were in. :)

It was a brisk day in the house with it being in the 20's most of the day, but the kids found ways to stay warm.

The boys staying warm while watching their shows.

What a wonderful improvement in our house. The upper picture is the before and the lower is the after.

This is my wonderful clean up crew at work. While the did lay plastic everywhere they walked there were areas that needed a bit of sweeping.

On a warm enough day I was able to dig out the carrots from the buckets. Not a bad hull for this year. The kids were eating them like candy when they came in from outside.

Eliza ran over our driveway indicator. I love her expression, like it got in her way not that she ran it over.

My goofy kids with butterfly nets on their heads.

So one down side to having new windows that are low, the kids can open them. Evan opened this window while I was getting Alex from the bus stop, and just left it open.

And Evan decided that the book needed to go in between the window and the screen to keep cool. I didn't see this until I went to go close the window he opened.

They still use and fit into the baby chairs. It's amazing how much use these chairs still get used.

Eliza doing some Christmas shopping in the American Doll catalog.

My bathroom entertainment.

I went to get my windshield crack fixed and the place was a glass place which had a bunch of shower doors on display. The kids had a bit too much fun hiding in ALL of them OVER AND OVER. They could fit in the 8" of space behind the doors.

Eliza getting ready for Thanksgiving by lining up all her chairs by Nana's chair.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal together.

The boys had their own little table to eat at.

Eliza loved both the pumpkin and french silk pie I made. She is a sweet lover.

Fun with tubes. This was a loud bit of time.

Eliza does NOT want to be in her car seat anymore. She very much wants to be able to move up to Alex's seat.... that's not going to happen until you are two little girl.

Eliza decided to move her chair over to daddy so they could sit together. :)

Tree is up

Tree is protected... mostly.

Everyone wants to smell the freshly baked cookies. Eliza is using her power toes to get up there.

There has been a Duplo explosion in our house. We found this behind the couch after putting the kids down for bed.

Everyone enjoying the Grinch.

Eating at Tony's, home of the side pound of bacon.

We visited Bronner's and got to see Santa. Eliza did not want to talk or sit or be near Santa.

While at Bronner's we did a bit of shopping and looked for our annual addition ornament.

They boys got to break the wishbone from the Thanksgiving turkey this year. Sadly the end piece flew off so neither one of them really got it, but Evan's piece was a bit longer than Alex's.

Alex wasn't feeling well for a day this month, so he's pictured here having a spot of tea. He loves his tea, more than hot cocoa.

The kids decorated gingerbread houses this month. They each got a apron and off they went.

Ta da!

Alex still wasn't feeling well so he spent have the time on the couch instead of working on his gingerbread house.

Eliza found her pockets in her PJ's.

Eliza wanted to make sure Alex was feeling better so she decided to give him a check up. Evan was not that helpful as a nurse.

Evan finally decided to be helpful and made sure Eliza was feeling well.

Alex stayed home from school and went shopping with me. He felt fine, but he had to stay home until 24 hours had passed since his fever. He and Eliza enjoyed a ride on Sandy.

The kids were enjoying looking at the tree one morning before school.

Eliza is always smearing things in her hair. On this day it was salami and cheese. So she got a bit of a new hair style with her wipe down.

I love this kid! : D

Evan showing off his tower skills.

Evan and Eliza taking turns swinging around onto the trampoline.

Teeth brushing before bath.

Evan has been doing great at tracing his letters.

And numbers. They've even noticed at preschool how his letters have improved and how he is very enthusiastic about writing peoples names.

Mike decided he wanted to move his desk down to the library this month. So the library just got a bit smaller.

My attempt at fall hydrangeas on cupcakes.

Eliza was helping me make 7 layer salad for our Ernst Thanksgiving. She noticed all the animals on the side of the bowl, and had to point them all out and make their noises.

The car was packed to the brim with stuff for Thanksgiving and baby stuff for my cousins.

Eliza enjoying church and looking pretty.

Evan enjoying church as well. Oh what a grin.

Eliza has the softest coats for church. You just want to hold her the whole time.

Daddy enjoying some cuddle time with the kids while watching a movie.

Eliza enjoying her free Meijer cookie while I get meat from the deli.

The before picture of the crystal tree.

And the after. It's hard to keep the kids from poking at it.

Mike and his mother had another birthday this month. We all enjoyed a nice dinner together, and captured it appropriately.

The kids get lazy walking back from the bus stop in the morning, and Evan was "cold". So Evan got in and then I put Eliza on top of his as a 'blanket'.

Eliza has started asking to sit on the potty.... however she hasn't done anything on the potty yet. But it's a step in the right direction.

Evan after swim class.

Evan and Eliza enjoying some McDonald's after suffering through Target and Michael's with me.

Eliza trying out Alex's glasses.

Daddy and Eliza doing some cuddling with kitty.

Now I know where Eliza gets her deep frown.

Eliza LOVES books. She carries them all over the place in the house. Today I even saw her crawl up onto the couch and cover herself up and read a book to herself. :)