Clever Idea of the Day from Rachel...

You see Noah has a natural tendency to give really tight hugs, so Rachel excitedly told me of the name she came up with to describe her little brother...Here it comes...Wait for it...

"NOAH CONSTRICTOR"


I love it!

Hugs to y'all!

Snow and Ice(ing)

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Noahism of the Day






There is a tradition at the kids' elementary school to create Dicken's inspired snow villages. Rachel made a beautiful inn she called "The Out Inn" when she was in 5th grade:


While sitting at the table Noah lamented that he couldn't use this box design that he created on Sunday for his snow village:
Noah said, "I guess they wouldn't want a Fusion Reactor Core Generator at School."



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Haley's 13th birthday

Rachel was invited to Haley's birthday party held at an awesome place in Senoia called Cutie Pies and Cakery;


The girls decorating their cake boxes. Each girl iced and decorated their own cakes:





Rachel loves to design with circles and the color blue:














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These are photos from the day before Thanksgiving when the girls baked and decorated cupcakes:









Here is a mash up of two of my favorite pics of the cousins:


Off in a little bit to take photos of this year's snow village.

A Pinch of This and That:

The tree lot has been set up since the day after Thanksgiving. The proceeds go to pay for a portion of the boys' camp costs. Pippi has garnered a lot of attention on her trips around town, so Michael had her hang out at the tree lot to help get some attention for the tree lot.

Aaron next to a load of trees:


Eve helped unload trees because she loves to help with stuff like that (cleaning her room is a big NO, but she is eager to carry trees):


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Zoo Atlanta with my sister, Tracy, nieces, Jessica and Haley, and with the Taylor kids:







Noah wanted to be helpful by reading the map:

The birds were very skittish. After 10 minutes, Jessica was the only one who could get a budgie to eat from the seed stick we bought:


Eve loves to hang out with her big girl cousins:



Rachel and Haley...Beautiful:


Komodo Dragon:


Komodo Dragon and a boy that probably tastes like chicken:


Dead mice...nom...nom...nom:



Jessica gets a close up:


Eve gets to pet a hedgehog:



The second time around the budgies are a little less skittish:

Rachel worries that mom is not around to get the photo. (Oh ye of little faith):


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Baking Braided Christmas Bread:

Sister Weiler pouring salt. (I love how the salt granules are suspended in the air)


Rachel was an enthusiastic participant:










This song kept going through my mind as the girls worked the bread:



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Music education

Rachel was busy switching channels when I heard this amazing voice throw out a few words and made her go back. I love the voice of Lou Rawls and this song makes me remember listening to the radio as a kid, so I offer this great youtube video (it also uses the word "need", so I see a running theme in my own twisted way):