Day 598 | Home Sweet Home

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As sad as we were to say goodbye to Wisconsin and our lovely vacation, there's really nothing better than being home again, is there? I feel crazy lucky to feel that way.

The flight went perfectly. I even read a few pages while Robbe napped on me (a seriously unusual circumstance). The travel day could not have gone better. 

Thank you, family and friends, for the best holiday trip yet. So many things to be thankful for as we inch toward 2016. 

Day 597 | Wrapping It Up

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We had a busy last day in WI: visit to the Children's Musuem, lunch at a new spot, quality time with the sister in-law, a evening visit to the farm, a pizza party with the whole fam, and reading time with Chase and the girls. Oh, and packing, lots of packing.

Whew. Tomorrow's travel day will feel like a relaxing break. Just kidding, of course, here's hoping it's just as uneventful as possible. Happy thoughts, please!

Day 594 | Girl Talk

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Sometimes, although not frequently, something blog-worthy happens after I've completed my post for the day. Hard to believe, I know.

Last night, my favorite pre-teen/teenage nieces and I enjoyed each others' company while playing a board game (Girl Talk), watching a movie (Home...it was cute), and playing cards (Kent...a middle school favorite of mine). Grandma Mary even got in on the action. It was the kind of evening that made me more convinced than ever of our need to move back to Wisconsin. I want to be a bigger part of their lives during this super-important, super-influence-able time for them. I miss these girls.

Oh, and the little cards we're holding in the photo are from the Girl Talk game. We all passed out cards that we think best describes each person and then each of us picked our favorite card we received. The selected cards?

Isabelle: Giggles a lot
Ann: Incredibly caring
Sara: Can be trusted with a secret
Grandma Mary: A good listener
Lane: Very confident

Day 593 | Trains!

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We found trains in Wisconsin! Whew. We were starting to go through withdrawals.

There was a nice little holiday exhibit of model trains at the Chippewa Valley Museum. And, to top it off, there was a whole room dedicated to a toy train track that Chase, in particular, loved. Robbe seemed more interested in exploring the nooks and crannies of the rest of the museum. He found a fishing pond, a downtown bus, and a cow...to name some of the highlights. 

That, in addition to Mancino's for lunch = a pretty fantastic morning. And thanks, Grandma and Uncle Matt for going along on the adventure. 

Day 591 | Happy Christmas Eve

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For the fourth time ever, we celebrated Christmas Eve with my dad's whole family tonight. It was madness and totally wonderful at the same time. I'm not sure how it's possible to feed 55+ people in a smallish house all at the same time but my Grandma and aunts managed just that. And flawlessly. I'm beyond thankful to call this group of people my family.

Oh, and Santa even stopped by during his gift-giving tour. Can you believe it? Chase was enamored, Robbe was terrified. At least they're consistent!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Day 588 | Meeting Santa

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Whew. We can finally cross meeting Santa off the list. December 20th is a little too close for comfort. Thank goodness Grandma M saved the day and found the big man today. Both Santa letters were successfully delivered but both boys did not successfully sit on his lap. Poor Robbe was shaking at the thought of being handed off to the stranger's lap. We'll settle for a photo of the boys (and me) with Santa this year.

Oh, but don't worry! Chase gave the jolly elf Robbe's wish list, too. Hopefully that means both boys will be rewarded on Christmas morning. 

Day 587 | Family Time

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Another lovely day in central Wisconsin. We had a ton of quality time with the cousins...like a full day of quality time with the cousins. I don't think Chase has played that hard in his life. He spent almost every waking moment with a toy in his hand. Vacationing is serious business around here.

Oh, and we got to take Archer and Maria (pictured above) for our Christmas present outing! They love crafting at a sweet little pottery shop where you can paint your own project. We had a blast. Archer chose a lego bank, Maria selected a spunky Christmas tree, and I painted a fun and festive holiday bowl. Chris took on the role of assistant, his preferred crafting position. Yay for spending time together instead of just more money on a plain-old gift.

Day 583 | Yoga at Home

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No, the boys aren't "helping" me with my home practice. Chris keeps them happily entertained. They are just allowed to enter the "yoga room" when a photographer is needed. That's Robbe showing off his down dog, by the way. :)
As much as getting out for a yoga class is about the best thing ever, I've resigned myself to start a more active home practice. I just can't seem to carve out the 2+ hours needed to get to a studio class (including transit, parking, and practicing time). Sad, but true.

So, my new goal has been to squeeze in two 30 minute home practices per week right after Chris gets home from work. I can't say that I meet that goal every week, but I'm trying. And it's amazing how much better my back feels on a daily basis if I can just stick with it. Yoga=good. 

If you're interested in a yoga-at-home resource, check out YogaGlo. There are tons (and tons!) of classes of all levels, yoga styles, focuses, and duration. It's free for the first month then $18 after that (the cost of just one class here)...such a steal! My favorite teacher is Stephanie Snyder at the moment and I highly recommend the vinyasa style of yoga (it's a more active form of yoga that focuses on moving with the breath). Give it a try. Your body and mind will thank you. 

Namaste. 

Day 582 | American History Kids Area

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The photo is from yesterday, but we got all four kids to look so it had to be shared!
There's a brand new kids attraction in the District! The American History Museum just added a super-fun children's area called the Wegman's Wonderplace. As much as we love this museum, it has been missing an area for the kiddos to run free...problem solved!

There's a market (with an egg drop, Chase's favorite), a kitchen, a climbing structure (Robbe's favorite), lots of building blocks, and a guarded baby area. My only complaint is that it could be a bit bigger, but I'll take it.

The new area is for kids from 0-6 and is open every day but Tuesdays (I'm including this information here in the hope I internalize it).

Day 580 | Visitors: Round 3

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Look who showed up at our door last night? Our favorite Ouagadougans (not sure if that's the real word for people living in Ouagadougou or not, but it sounds right). Even with trying to manage some jet lag, we had a really nice day catching up with Chris's brother and his family. Chase is smitten with Elizabeth, again, (the older cousin) and Robbe was delighted to be reunited with his twin (he and Robin were born about a month apart).

For the record, our house *may* be a bit small for four kids. It's been a little chaotic but very enjoyable. 

Day 579 | Fishing Craft

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I've made it a tradition to make a homemade present for the boys the last couple of years. Two years ago, I made Chase this cowl and last year I made both boys favorite things tees.

This year, I recruited a little help from my loving husband (yay, Chris!) and we went all in for a homemade toy: a fishing set with fishing rods that actually reel and magnetic fish. Adorable, right? The boys are really loving it and I think it'll be a hit for a long, long time (they haven't been able to figure out the reel yet...so that's something to look forward to!).

In case you're interested in attempting the same project, here's the step-by-step tutorial we used. This website went above and beyond explaining how to create everything with almost too many photos (is that possible?).

The breakdown of the project at our house? Chris made the fishing rods (he's so handy!) and I sewed the fish and little worms to slip on the end of the string. I think I got away with the easier project this time around. No complaints here!

In case it's not obvious, we're both pretty proud of the finished product. And no one in the whole world has another fishing set just like it. That's just icing on the cake.