Christmas Trees

Of the miniature variety. 

Nonna got all of the kids mini trees and their own box of decorations (including tinsel...why oh why did it include tinsel MOTHER?). The kids LOVED decorating them and I think they've been repositioned around the house about fifty times already. Leave it to Martha Stewart Jr. To come up with the best crafts. 

Erector Set

Stolen from sophia

Ethan's birthday dinner on Wednesday night 

The sentiment of these wacky kids this morning

Maddie's sculpture. Which was promptly kicked over. 

Buh-bye!

So so so cute. 

Ethan is ONE!

We braved the cold and went outside to take pictures of Ethan who turned ONE yesterday.  Where did this year go??

As I flipped through all of the images my heart fluttered looking at Maddie-she looks SO grown up.  She loves holding Ethan, playing with him, and is the best at getting him to smile for the camera.  Allie also loves Ethan but is also going through a phase where she does not want to have her picture taken.  It takes a lot of cajoling or just trying to snap pictures while she's not paying attention. 

Also, Ethan was totally left unattended on this ledge while I took this.  Fortunately for me he didn't fling himself off. I would have blamed Nonna.

Childhood classic

They're pretending to roar. 

Allie's first foray into sports

I wouldn't go so far as to say she's a natural but I'm so happy to see her so happy. 

Dangerous?

Halloween

Halloween 2014.  Allie was exhausted and took a two hour nap. Then decided she did NOT like the costume she had picked out (water Ariel) so we had to do a last minute change (Human Ariel).  Both girls, and I, consumed way too much candy. We started with family dinner at Nonna's and then headed to Capitol Hill and experienced trick-or-treating like I've never seen.  17th Street DOES IT UP.  I have never seen houses so decorated or that many people, literally THOUSANDS.  It was completely overwhelming, and awesome.