Happy Easter

Dyeing Easter eggs was quite the adventure this year.  

We laughed.

We cried.

We shrieked.

We splashed.

We turned our bodies green.

In the end, we deemed most of our eggs inedible due to being smashed on the deck, cracked open and licked by the dog, and just generally looking unappetizing.

We had lots of fun & can't wait to do it all again next year.

In case you are interested in replicating this egg dyeing method, our technique involved the following steps.

Toss or throw eggs into cups of dye.

Squeal as you toss each one. 

Insert the dipper into the cup and stir very vigorously.

Then stir some more, splashing half of the dye everywhere.

Pull the egg out of the cup with your hand and exclaim, "Egg!"

Throw the egg into a different cup and repeat the process above.

Smash the egg in your hand.

Then smash it on the deck for good measure.

Toss it back into the cup if you can find one that hasn't had all its dye splashed out.

Periodically, look down & notice that you're not wearing a shirt.

Shout "nay nay" (naked) in alarm, make a horrified expression, & ask for your shirt.

Pour any remaining dye into a big bowl and then toss all the eggs in there.

Peel some shell off and try to take a bite out of an egg until your mom stops you.

Repeat until all eggs are thoroughly smashed and your body is dyed green.

Here Asher decided to read the directions for coloring eggs.

He promptly decided to ignore the directions.

Christmas Catch Up

Christmas 2011

We celebrated by

singing Christmas carols with a light saber conductor

drinking Chris' Austria-inspired mulled wine

tripling the size of our toy truck collection

watching Asher eat cupcakes with a spoon, clapping for himself after every bite

and spending lots of fun time with our favorite people!

A Boy, Some Bears, and a Wolf

Asher has a new favorite book -

The Berenstein Bears' Christmas Tree. 

It's his dad's favorite too! 

A definite must-read before bedtime every night now. 

He's showing off his favorite page here. 
The page with the fierce looking wolf! 
We turn to this page repeatedly during the story.  I do mean over and over! 
At this very moment Chris is taping that page for the second night in a row due to excessive page turning. 
I mean some nights this is the only page of the book you get to read. 
Asher always gets so excited to scary wolf and points right to the mouth & sharp teeth.
He's working on perfecting his wolf howl too.

I guess that's what having a boy is all about! 

Love it! 

Santa Baby

This morning we went off to the mall for Asher to meet Santa!  After reading lots of books about Santa and making a big fuss over all the santa decorations around the house, we decided he was finally ready.  I did have to hide the dancing Santa in the closet the other day though because Asher was terrified to even be in the same room as it, even if it wasn't turned on...

Here's how it all went down at the mall.

We arrived about five minutes before Santa's arrival and were behind about eight families in line.  Asher was very content waiting in line and enjoyed pointing out all the Christmas trees on display.  Two of his friends from daycare were also in line, so he was happy and surprised to see them there.  When Santa walked up, Asher gave him a big smile and waved to him!  

He was looking a little wary by the time we reached the front of the line. 

I think we were all a little surprised when Asher waves at Santa and even gives him a smile when they meet.
Maybe he was just glad that Santa didn't call him a girl, like he did last year! 

The mood quickly changes though. 
He is surprised and not at all pleased that I set him down in Santa's lap!

Uh oh!  Full on meltdown occurs!
The elf lady is busily waving a teddy bear at him as if that is going to make him smile.
I almost recommended to her that she buy an Elmo or a truck to make her job a little easier, but we didn't have much time to chit chat. 
By the way, this is what our photo from the mall looks like. 
Great for posterity!    

Everything immediately gets better when I come over to join them.

I didn't mean to sit down for a photo, but the elf lady told me to.

Probably all the other parents in line thought I was crazy.  

We even get a smile for the camera!  It took mere seconds to go from the meltdown to the smile. 

I think he really did like Santa!

Maybe I can photoshop my self out of the picture!

Or photoshop Chris into the picture, so we have the whole family! 

The Elusive Christmas Card Worthy Photo

I've been busy trying to create a Christmas card as cute as last year's card. 

It's a little more challenging this year considering

• Asher's failure to appreciate a good elf hat
• no Santa suit scored at the consignment sale this year
• toddler's ability to run away from the photographer

So here are a few more blooper shots from the last few days. 

Light in his mouth, probably not the safest thing!

About to sneeze?

Refusing to smile.

Handstand attempt? 

Fleeing the scene.

Meltdown rapidly approaching.

Electronics are much more interesting than posing for pictures. 

Gave up on Asher for awhile and got a few self portraits instead.

At last, we put away the camera, and Asher had a chance to focus on what he really wanted to do all along.

Sesame Street Christmas book!

 

Here's the picture we may use.  I just wish he was flashing his baby blues at the camera, but I don't think either one of us wants to try for a better shot! 

You better not pout...

I don't think Asher particularly enjoyed my attempts to get a cute picture for a Christmas card. 

This is one sad looking little elf.