No Dinos

Curious George continues to be a staple of entertainment in our house... except on Tuesdays or Thursdays {in which case we can't watch the animated Curious George on TV, but we can read one or three or ten of his stories - or listen to a CD with three George stories on repeat!}

One animated episode "Signs Up" has been viewed numerous times... George steals signs from around the park and zoo and starts a collection in his room until he realizes that people rely on the signs for information even though they just have pictures/no words.  At the end, he returns the signs and gets to make a special one for his room with Professor Wiseman (a minor supporting character that Alekzander knows by name!).  George makes a sign that looks much like these...

George better watch out because Alekzander and I are pros at cranking these signs out in minutes.  Already five have been created and distributed to two Charlotte homes.  {Three signs reside in our house though - on each of our doors upstairs - just to be sure that we are safe from dinosaurs.}

 All three doors have to remain closed at all times 

to make sure that the dinosaurs get the picture 

and don't enter any of our rooms.

These dinos, however, may not be able to read,

but they look pretty nice to me.

Money Laundering

Some days are crazier than others.  Sometimes, I feel just plain crazy.  I'm afraid others may agree. 

I was getting ready to send an important email but had just made an equally important mug of hot cocoa for a special snack for myself and Alekzander who woke up on the wrong side of the bed and had been crying for 15 solid minutes since waking up from a too-short nap.  In reaching for my computer to send the email that I had neglected to send for several days, the cord caught my mug which dumped all over the couch, my legs, and the corner of his blanket.  Immediately his crying stopped.  Mine started - only on the inside.  Surprisingly, I kept calm and started removing all the chocolate covered fabric ... including couch cushions.  We found buried treasure among the crumbs crammed between the couch cracks .... tons of pennies and other shiny coins.  I knew Alekzander would want to "feed" his piggy bank, but I didn't want Cheerio and cracker crumbs to take residence in his piggy bank, so I let him collect the coins in a bowl and then helped him rinse them off, and finally dumped them out on a towel to dry.  I ran upstairs for 3 minutes and came back to a scene that wanted to make me cry again - but instead I laughed. Out loud.

I guess Alekzander didn't think I did a sufficient job cleaning the coins the first time, so he took it upon himself to  do a more thorough job.  He made a mixture of water and left-over laundry detergent {from the cup I left on the counter from cleaning my new wool cardigan that suffered from the cocoa splatter} then dumped it onto the coins and the towel on which the coins were drying.  A steam roller helped press the soap onto the coins to ensure that they were "clean as a whistle".  {Thank you Alekzander, Mr. Tonka steam roller, and Curious George ... for the simile.}

The result:  a soggy towel, clean coins, and a wet floor.  And a self-incriminating text to our nanny... 

me:  "Thanks for not questioning our craziness... ie: the bowl of coins in the bathroom."

M:    "I forgot to ask. Dirty coins?"

me:  {after a shorter version of the above} "It was Alekzander's way of laundering money!"

As if that weren't enough for the afternoon :: I sprayed the couch with OxyClean and left it on the table while I ran to answer the phone.  I was giving Andrew my grocery list on the phone when I heard the distinct sound of a spray bottle spraying.  While I was just 5 feet away, Alekzander took the OxyClean and decided to clean my still-open lap top {ready to send an email}.  He soaked the key board.  Fried it.  But at least it was clean as a whistle, right??

Tabula Rasa

 

Tabula rasa ::  the belief that individuals are born without built-in mental concept 

and that their knowledge comes from experience and perception. 

If Alekzander's 'slate' was clean when he was born, it is truly filling up... 

day by day, moment by moment.

I love his inquisitive nature... 

especially when his curiosity leads to sneakiness 

that leads to mostly innocent naughtiness!

Even when he appears not to be listening,  

he is soaking in everything around him.

I can't help but love {more and more} the little guy that he is becoming.

Big Rex

Surprised and thrilled that Alekzander liked "Big Rex" 

AKA Sir Purr

Part of the appeal :: Alekzander recognized him immediately 

as being part of "his" black and blue team.

Go Panthers ...

 guess we'll have to buy some Panthers' gear next year for this little fan!

NYE :: Train-ing

 

Heading to the train after Charlotte's "First Night" Celebration 

A quick stop for dinner with sweet friends at Pike's

 ... and a little sugar packet sorting.

Trying to stay warm while waiting for the train

{Love}

 0/5 or 0/10 re: eye contact with the camera

 A little better!

{Colin, Alekzander, Izzy, Kate, Carter}

 ...and done!

{Look at Carter hiding.}

Playing Polar Express with Mr. Blake & Kate

Sweet sleeping boy

After a fun afternoon uptown, riding the train, and eating dinner with friends, 

Alekzander stayed up until 9, and then he had a mini-sleepover 

in the Williams' bonus room while Mommy & Daddy stayed up 

to ring in 2013 with Blake & Lauryn.

Over the Highway & Thru the Woods

 Around 8:30 on Christmas morning

 when we were done with our family Christmas in Charlotte, 

I got a text from Tessa saying,
"Good morning.  'Twas the day!!!  

We have been up since 5:30 waiting for you.  

Come on, come on.  

Over the highway and through the woods."

To West Jefferson we go.

Handsome boy couldn't contain his smile!

 The fam tram will officially be bigger next year 

 after Tessa and Ryan's wedding in October!

Mia and Gruffalo and the favorite daughter.

Holding a treasured cookbook of family recipes!

Entranced by Shawn the Sheep.

Obsession further fueled by Tessa & Ryan.

 Somehow our 3 year old knew how to "make it rain" with money.

He plans to use it all for blueberries.

{Another obsession!}

It was a whirlwind of gifts and food in West Jefferson - 

and fun with family...

Aside from spending an hour playing McGyver at dusk in the cold.

As seen on Andrew's FB wall :: Remember that Christmas 

when I locked both sets of keys in the car 

and you had to pretend to be McGyver? 

Yeah, me neither. ♥

Oops.

We will laugh about it next year.

Promise.

Birthday "Cacon" for Jesus

While neither the most nutritional nor traditional Christmas breakfast, 

we enjoyed birthday cake and bacon ...

newly coined "cacon" by Alekzander and Andrew 

in celebration of Jesus' birthday.

In honoring Jesus, we unintentionally didn't honor his Jewish dietary rules

since he himself would not have been able to eat the bacon ...

But it was both disgusting and delicious at the same time.

Happy Birthday, Jesus.