A^2 Multiply: January 2017

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Snow Man

Our first snow of the year wasn't quite right for a real snowman but this guy had lots of fun!

Monday, January 30, 2017

...throws himself fully into life... hates to stop what he is doing... loves technology; especially the iPad but also the computer... is obsessed with Minecraft, Minecraft videos, Legos, and Pokemon (probably in that order)... is teaching himself to read... could play board games all day long... adores his older sister and wants to do everything that she does (except swim in freezing cold pools - he draws the line there.)... could eat sweets all day long (especially anything chocolate) but also loves fruit (mango, strawberries, pineapple are favorites)... would choose french fries as a meal if he could... likes to be treated like and have the privileges of the older kids but still wants Mom and Dad to take care of certain things (helping him get dressed, finding shoes, vacuuming up the oceans of goldfish that end up on the floor)... has very strong opinions and reactions to almost everything... loves to read and snuggle before bedtime every night... is still very much attached to Mom and Dad... knows how to push all of Dad's buttons (and most of Mom's)... adores being read to... knows ridiculous facts about all kinds of animals and environments (thanks to Wild Kratts)... needs to move move move all day long... makes me laugh constantly... is his own special, wonderful self.

All About Ben - According to Ben

What is your favorite color? white
What is your favorite toy? Lego / ipad
What is your favorite fruit? strawberries
What is your favorite tv show? Wild Kratts
What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Part of Daddy’s sandwich (roast beef, cheese and spicy pickles on a roll)
What is your favorite outfit? pajamas
What is your favorite game? Scooby Doo
What is your favorite snack? Ranch dip and kettle cooked salt and vinegar chips
What is your favorite song? Bedtime song to stuffed animals (a song Andrew & I made up)
What is your favorite book? Owly by Andy Runton
Who is your best friend? Sarah
What is your favorite cereal? granola (chocolate)
What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play in the fairy garden
What is your favorite drink? Root beer with sprite and lemonade mixed
What is your favorite holiday? My birthday
What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Specials (his blankie)
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? granola
What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Peanut butter, chocolate, and jelly sandwich
What do you want to be when you grow up? I don’t know
What makes you happy? Julia
What is your favorite thing to eat? Ice cream
What is your least favorite thing to eat? Brussel sprouts
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with Julia
What are you really good at? golf
What is your favorite movie? Wild Kratts Christmas
What do you and your Mom do together? Get donuts
What do you and your Dad do together? Go to Dunkin Donuts
What is your favorite sport? golf
What is your favorite place to go? To get donuts

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Seaglass by Julia

Julia's first solo public presentation. She chose to speak to her friends about seaglass.

Saturday, January 28, 2017

He's 5!!! The Celebrations!

I gotta be honest here. While I am absolutely amazed that Benjamin was born 5 years ago his age isn't all the surprising. I've mistakenly told people he was 5 for months now. Of course, he would correct me every single time. He is our precocious child and has a vocabulary and mannerisms that do not match to his young age!

We had a weeklong celebration for him starting with his actual birthday when he got to choose what we did for the day. This was his plan:

6:00 get up and open presents
6:30 have the ipads and play Minecraft / watch Minecraft videos on Youtube
7:00 have pancakes and bacon for breakfast
8:00 have "free time" (translation: play more Minecraft)
12:00 have sandwiches for lunch
1:00 play games
3:00 more "free" time / watch the final episodes of the new season of Just Add Magic
6:00 have hamburgers, fries and milkshakes for dinner
6:30 have cake!

Here's what happened in reality:

5:45 wake up and get up everyone else
6:00 open presents / play with presents
7:00 pancakes and bacon for breakfast
7:30 put together Legos
10:00 trip to Target to purchase new Sun & Moon Pokemon deck
11:00 Pokemon tournament with Julia
12:00 sandwiches and chips with ranch dip for lunch
12:30 play games
1:30 free time to play on iPads
3:00 Cake!!! for snack
4:30 start watching Just Add Magic
5:30 burgers, fries and shakes for dinner while finishing Just Add Magic
7:00 bedtime!

annual gift from Dad - bucket-o-cheese balls!

It was a Pokemon / Minecraft / Lego birthday

Pika Pika CHU... it talks!

delighted and a little nervous about the sparkler candles

but the cake was approved!

That was Sunday. On Monday we headed to Great Wolf Lodge to spend 3 days playing at the indoor water park to celebrate both kids birthdays. We took advantage of a rate through our homeschool group so we had lots friends there as well!

Julia and her friends loved having free rein in the waterpark and made the trip up to waterslides many times. Benj was blissed out by the hot tub and spent quite a few hours just chill-axing! The most amazing experience was the first day when we arrived, and were in the outdoor hot tub while it was snowing - so much fun!

We got back home Wednesday afternoon and then Friday had one last celebration of Benjamin with our close friends during their monthly Minecraft club! We had cake and the kids recreated their Great Wolf Lodge experience in Minecraft, water slides and all. very impressive.

Friday, January 27, 2017

Poetry: First Snow

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Chef Benjamin

Benjamin received a cooking set for Christmas and has been treating us to a series of meals, snacks, and treats!

prepping chicken drumsticks for lunch

strawberries for a yogurt split

chocolate cherry granola with yogurt... delicious!

Monday, January 23, 2017

Holiday Tea

Poetry Teatime is one of our favorite activities this year. We try for once a week but realistically it happens more like once a month. We pull out the tea set, make some hot chocolate and citrus tea, pile up some poetry books and read to each other. Before all the Christmas and holiday decorations were cleared away we snuck one more celebration in!

in case the previous photo gives the impression of a fancy, sedate affair!

Ben extending his pinky... as he insisted was the proper way to drink tea (as seen on youtube!)

and Julia's proper tea drinking pose!

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Plunging into 2017

Andrew lost his mind this year and joined in for our (becoming) traditional New Year's Day Plunge into the ocean!

appropriately dressed.

ummm... maybe not so appropriate?

the sisters that plunge together...

post-swim selfies!

Welcome 2017!

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Ringing in 2017

We counted down to 2017 with a day of fun. Making chocolate mousse, exploring our back woods, playing balloon ping-pong, learning about wild animals with a new Youtube channel (Breaking Trail); it was a busy, family centered day!

Crossing our river

explorer

sticking your tongue out really helps!

service, Benjamin

scheming on how to beat mom

Flutist #1

Flutist #2

This year: I want to play word games, keep my room clean, be better at golf, and learn to write in cursive ~ Benjamin

This year I want to: move up in swim, go to Sea Glass beach (in CA), be better at swimming, learn to cook spaghetti without help ~ Julia

this year I want to: go on a big family vacation, get more exercise at recess, be better at being more patient and playing the violin, learn how to do a back flick in fencing ~Andrew

This year I want to: go on a family vacation, do yoga regularly, spend less time on Facebook, be better at playing more games, getting outside more often, and learn how to crochet ~ Lyss

Friday, January 20, 2017

Sibling Love

For all their squabbles, Julia and Benjamin are incredibly close. For Christmas, Benjamin knew weeks ahead of time what he wanted to get for Julia. Here is the big reveal... finally!