We visited our neighbor who keeps chickens this afternoon. Robert, Esther and CC got to feed and pet them. I love it when the kids get to have a hands-on experience like this. And I love to hear them clucking from their yard. :)
Esther and chicken feed. 
You can pet this one!
My dining room transformation is complete. Mom and Dad came to mount the brackets and rods today. Then they hung the curtains (that mom had made). I am absolutely beside myself at how the room has been rethought and redone! I have to send a humongous SMOOCH out to Brad Russell, the designer who guided me to the right colors, furniture, and draperies. Now I think I will sleep in the dining room.
This pair should have a show on HGTV. Thanks Mom and Dad!!!
One of my Christmas presents this year was a sewing weekend at my parents' place. I made the 2 blouses below for the spring and summer. They involved a little more detail than I normally tolerate in a pattern. But they have a little more sass than my usual sewing project results. :)
Detail:
detail:
At the stadium.
Inside the stadium, at the game.
At the Jumping place they went to on Monday, MLK day. Is it me or do the kids look like they are 15 and 12 here?
Or play with the camera (this photo by Esther)
CC has found her favorite book. We read 'Things that Go' 100x a day.
She also knows her way around the kitchen.
But I never knew that she would one day begin to impersonate him. Pretty Edgy huh?(pun fully intended.) Here's to you David!
But it was too cold for us.
So we spent a lot of time snuggled up inside.
Playing with blocks.
Robert even played his first Monopoly game: Thanks Tante Jen and Uncle Hank! 
Snowmen were the theme of our crafty playdate on Monday. We made these creations with old lids!
Esther's:
and CC's:
This is how I got them to stay together. Use a glue gun if you wanna try it yourself. School glue wasn't quite strong enough to hold everything together.
Erin, Baikal and Rybolt joined us and made their own snowpeople. I didn't get a photo of theirs, but here's a great video of a game Erin played with everybody. :)
One morning we took the kids to "downtown" Delray Beach. It is a beautiful and elegant area teeming with people, shops and decorations!
Love this juxtaposition!!
100' Christmas tree on the town square.
Inside, looking up.
Christmas displays are inside!
A mini train station inside the tree!
Here is the entrance to GG Tina's condo building. Look at the sun on that Florida flora!
GG Tina took us to dinner on two different evening. Robert took great pride in walking down to "pick her up" and escorting her to dinner. Poppy Paul would be proud!!
At Duffy's, a local sports bar, they had a balloon artist!
wow.
Thank you GG Tina for a fun time eating, playing, talking and loving. We love you!
On the last day of 2009 we departed from Delray Beach and said farewell to GG Tina. I am very very glad we got to visit her this year! The kids made great memories with her. They are quite blessed to really know their great-grandmother! Thank you to my parents for lending us their van for the trip and very special thanks to GG Tina's friend and neighbor, Martha Corso, who let our entire family stay in her beautiful apartment. Most importantly, thanks to GG Tina for welcoming us to Florida for the trip. We love you!
We cut the trip home in half by stopping in Amelia Island to spend the night. The whole family feasted on fried fish and french fries for New Year's Eve.
CC liked the sink.
The view outside our room. . .
Happy New Year everyone!
