at home

I'm turning in to a total hermit this winter. The girls and I hardly go anywhere. It's cold, windy and packing up three children takes so much coordinating and time. Well, actually, it's the finding shoes and socks part that takes so much time, I think.

Anyway, you'd think we'd be going crazy staying home all the time, but I've actually found that my children get in to this groove of play when it's not interrupted by errand-running. My house may be a mess as a result, but man oh man, my girls are getting some hard-core playing on. Good stuff.

This afternoon while (I thought) everyone else was napping, Emma and I decided to try Cassi's icicle craft. Of course the minute we got really into it, Elizabeth woke up and Mary wandered out of her room. They were messy, but fun and beautiful. And you're getting zero glitter-factor in these pictures, but they really catch the light coming through our window. They are looking pretty beautiful from where I'm sitting right now.

We've also been watching these awesome Preschool Power, Montessori videos that I checked out of the library. If you don't mind some great 80s background music and coordinated gym suits, then these videos are great for your little ones. They show preschoolers doing things like folding laundry, arranging flowers in florist foam, dusting, making orange juice, signing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". We don't really watch TV anymore, but this video is too fun to pass up. And I sit in the background making appropriate comments like, "I can't believe that little boy is old enough to fold his own laundry!" and "Oh my goodness! He puts it away, too!!" or "Do you see how that little girl can set the table so neatly?!" They're totally falling for it.

And you'd think with all this staying home, my laundry would be finished? I just heard a thud in the hallway. It was Emma, tripping over the laundry pile.