Day 350 - Friday, December 16, 2011

Day 350 - Friday, December 16, 2011 – The Rochester lights are definitely a highlight of the holiday season.  We were having dinner at Gus O'Connor's when they came on.  Very cool to stand outside when they flipped the switch.

Day 348 - Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Day 348 - Wednesday, December 14, 2011 – Pouting and crying is how I dragged Owen through the door to the performing arts center for his second grade country Christmas concert.  It was an adorable concert, even if Owen was very evidently wishing he could be teleported to another planet the entire time. (center, in the red hat)

Day 345 - Sunday, December 11, 2011

Day 345 - Sunday, December 11, 2011 – Owen thought it would be fun to wrap his bed in colorful Christmas lights.  I have to agree with him .  Totally Fun.

Day 339 - Monday, December 5, 2011

Day 339 - Monday, December 5, 2011 – Owen takes a turn reading one of the advent books.

Day 334 - Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Day 334 - Wednesday, November 30, 2011 – Throwing snow at their mother, the photographer?  Not MY angels!

Day 330 - Saturday, November 26, 2011

Day 330 - Saturday, November 26, 2011 – Extended Hillary family cousins enjoyed playing with each other on the steps of Diamond Hall during the Hillary family Christmas party.

Day 321 - Thursday, November 17, 2011

Day 321 - Thursday, November 17, 2011 – Look, they DO like each other!  Photographic evidence.

Day 318 - Monday, November 14, 2011

Day 318 - Monday, November 14, 2011 – Owen is the ruler of math homework.

Day 317 - Sunday, November 13, 2011

Day 317 - Sunday, November 13, 2011 – Ash, as you take Wii lessons from your big brother, please note that hanging your tongue out ALWAYS improves your score.

Day 309 - Saturday, November 5, 2011

Day 309 - Saturday, November 5, 2011 – Owen still loves to grab my camera and take pictures of random things.  In this case, an episode of cupcake wars as he anticipated the upcoming show, Chopped, which he LOVES to watch, for some odd reason. 

Day 307 - Thursday, November 3, 2011

Day 307 - Thursday, November 3, 2011 – Owen's nasty injury on the plastic basketball hoop in the basement.  This happened from scraping his arm against the plastic on the inside of the rim.  It was painful.

Day 305 - Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Day 305 - Tuesday, November 1, 2011 – Owen practices Chinese homework and a stick figure family portrait.

Day 302 - Saturday, October 29, 2011

Day 302 - Saturday, October 29, 2011 – More evidence that an Owen lives in this house. Mini erasers serving as his audience.

Day 301 - Friday, October 28, 2011

Day 301 - Friday, October 28, 2011 – During parent/teacher conferences tonight, we went next door to Owen's classroom to his Chinese teacher's room, Ms. Liu. He was in there writing on her white board. When we came in the room, Ms. Liu spoke to Owen in Chinese, asking him questions like, "Who is this?" And he responded in Chinese, "This is my mom. This is my dad...." etc. She asked him a number of questions, and he was able to communicate with her. I was impressed, and Jordyn started to tear up because she was so touched by his ability to speak another language. It was just a super cool moment for all of us.

Day 296 - Sunday, October 23, 2011

Day 296 - Sunday, October 23, 2011 – We took the kids to Robinette's in Grand Rapids today. It's a lovely apple orchard and we enjoyed this hayride, pulled by a couple of horses instead of a tractor. Owen seems to be channeling me in this picture with this "skinny arms" pose. Ahem.

Day 291 - Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Day 291 - Tuesday, October 18, 2011 – Owen brought this Rockin' Reader certificate home from school today. He struggles with reading, so this was a very proud moment for him.

Day 284 - Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Day 284 - Tuesday, October 11, 2011 – You boys told me that you know how to play chess (on the wooden chess board dad brought back from Poland), but your constant bickering over the rules and what moves are allowed suggest otherwise.

Day 283 - Monday, October 10, 2011

Day 283 - Monday, October 10, 2011 – Lego guys perched upon the stones surrounding our fireplace with a paper sign that says "Help me!!!!!!" are evidence that an Owen lives in this house.

Day 278 - Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Day 278 - Wednesday, October 5, 2011 – Halloween sprinkles with organic yogurt. Juxtaposition, anyone?

Day 277 - Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Day 277 - Tuesday, October 4, 2011 – Bedtime story with the boys. Oh, I'm looking for my missing piece, I'm looking for my missing piece. So grease my knees and fleece my bees. I'm looking for my missing piece.