Biddy Siddy

This wee pup is a-growing.
I think he may have doubled in size.I no longer see the little fuzzy puppy he was a month ago...
he now looks like a mini-version of the big dog he will become.

One thing that has not changed is his sweet, sad face.
 No matter how fast that tail is wagging, he always looks so forlorn.
But I finally managed to catch one of him running and I think if he could do it-
this would be his happy face. Happy 12 weeks Biddy Siddy! 

january 23rd, 2012

January 23rd, 2012.We are in the middle of winter...There should be ice, snow, more snow and cold.But today it was 54 degrees outside.With sunshine!

 

Oldman winter must have known my soul needed a little sunshine because I hauled the kids outside to enjoy a few extra minutes.(and hopefully tucker them out enough to go to bed early- a re-occuring past-time of mine) Even though it was really wet from the snow we had..like yesterday, it was such a nice break from the roller coaster of a winter we have had. It has been abnormally mild.Usually, I would just smile and enjoy it but somehow I think there is going to be a "catch".No, Murphy is following me (that Law is always following me), which means we will probably end up with a blizzard and 2 feet of snow during Easter. But right now, I am enjoying this break of beautiful tempuratures...and I think it may even be worth the spring blizzard trade-off. 

We got snow!

Well...sort of.
But any trace of anything remotely "not green" on the ground is close enough for my kids.

Yep...the were "Snowmen"...or "Snowforms" as I like to call them.
I am not too sure where the inspiration came from, but I have to admit that I am impressed they managed to make them with the lack of snow.
(and please note that the one on the right does not have a face.)


They even had to try some snow angels.
Which I think may be an art using just an inch of snow.
(and yes- they are still wearing their pjs).


I finally had to stop them when they pulled the lids off the garbage cans and tried to slide down the front yard slope.
(think Clark Griswold in Christmas vacation)
True story.

Snow has been scarce this winter. (but I'm not complaining)
My kids enjoy playing in the snow and coming in afterwards for hot chocolate, but they did not inherhit that gene from me...oh no!
I will take my flip flops anyday. I suspect my mild weather luck will run out soon and we will end up with a blizzard on Easter.

But, despite my open dislike of all things winter, I do enjoy the Goofy Hat Gang, rosey cheeks
and fresh, winter air that makes them tired and ready for bed early.

Do you Pinterest?

I do!
What the hay you say?
It's an uber cool website that you can "bookmark" pictures, crafts and ideas from other websites and save them visually on boards.
Check out PINTEREST HERE
but don't say I didn't warn you...
It's like opening a big can of crafty worms.
(and I may or may not have spent hours there...maybe even days)

There are endless ideas from so many many people.
I am always inspired.
But I also find it can be a little daunting.
I mean seriously, how many "Stay-at-home-homeschooling-moms-who-also-cook-from-scratch-only-things-from-their-own-garden-and-take-amazing-pictures-of-it" are out there?

I always fancied myself a little crafty, but so many, many of these blogs that I have discovered on Pinterest, put me to shame.
Crafting shame.
or at least the pictures make me tend to believe that it's all rainbows and sunshine for them.

But, it's not that way at the Bennett househould...far from it.
And just for fun- we tried a little baking project from Pinterest.

What you won't find are dozens are beautifully edited photos-
or even any photos as I spent the whole time making sure Eric didn't throw any flour (again)
and Ava didn't whap her brother over the head with a spatula,
and Bryn didn't eat too many ingredients...
But I think deep, deep down,
there was fun had somewhere.

And I did find a rare moment of zen when they were all spreading jam on the pastry sheet.
(almost looks like a Pinterest moment huh?)


However, our Raspberry Pastry straws didn't seem to look quite as nice as the originals...

Exhibit A: The Original Jam Straws


Exhibit B: The Bennett Kids Jam Straws


I do have to give the kids some credit
(afterall they are only 7, 5 and 2)
And I let them do most of the work.
The Straws tasted good enough that I will probably try to make these again...
once the kiddos are in bed.

Our new addition.

It was a banner year at Casa Bennett as Santa surprised us with a puppy!
Luckily, I was let in on the secret a couple days early, so I could help prepare for his adorable arrival.

Meet Sidney.
Sweet, sweet Sidney.
He is a Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as the French Mastiff (you know, like the one from the old movie- Turner and Hooch!)
He is uber adorable today, but will soon be a big ol slobbery lug.


Tom and I fell in love with this breed after meeting a few of them. They were all so mellow and calm and don't require a great deal of exercise.
We knew this was the breed for us.

I wish I caught the girls reaction on video, but that would have required actual thinking ahead on my part.
I did manage to get one of Bryn's shock. It was priceless.



Sid will obviously make a great guard dog one day...
(he is so wary of strangers)


And he already has mastered the dogue art of being a floor ornament...



And a bedtime heater-


Yep- so many uses for one talented dogue.
Lucky we are to have our sweet Sidney!
(soon to be slobbery Sidney)


(I think Bryn has one more week of being able to carry him around- he is growing faster than any weed!)

New Year, old stuff

I am so glad I didn't make any New Year's resolutions this year because I would've already broken at least 3 of them- one being to blog more.
I find I don't have the same holiday let-down feeling this year.
Instead I find it peaceful.
I find myself looking forward at what we can do this year.
What we can try.
How we can improve.

In order to start off the new year, I needed to look back at 2011. It brought many changes for us.
A new city.
New friends.
New opportunites.
And also the "coming home" feeling I have longed for since we first left Ohio years ago.

2011 was a notable year for the Bennett clan. One of notable change and growth. I can only hope it continues in 2012.
(this is for you Alia- because I know you will be checking in!)