COSI

My nephew spent the night with us Friday night. Dane was thrilled, he loves Kelvin! Saturday morning we decided we'd head to COSI. We had been wanting to go for awhile now and it just never seemed to work out. COSI has been named the #1 Science Center in the country by Parents Magazine and it's changed ALOT since I'd been there last (which was probably 10+ years ago!) We had a great time.

The Gadgets section, air blows Dane's ball in the air.

The Little Kidspace where Kelvin, Dane and Brad played with water-guns.


Again in the Little Kidspace Dane digs for "fossils" He loved this part, we couldn't get him to leave it!

Oh No! We've been abducted!!!

Just plain tuckered out, Kelvin and Dane past out in the back seat almost instantly!

Hercules Hercules

There was alot of testosterone flowing through the house last night. Here's the boys after dinner flexing their muscles. It was cracking me up as I sat between them at dinner, they were both wearing white undershirts and mimicking each other's movements. They look so much alike, it was as if I looked to my left it was the past and to my right was the future. So funny.

Dane plays

Dane plays with blocks.

Not sure what this face was about, he looks so sad :(

Zoey

Zoey is our 8 year old mixed breed, part German Shepherd, part something else. Her left ear never did stand up all the way. We got her at the humane society when she was around 12 weeks old. She has been a great dog and she's been so good with Dane. I'll never forget when we brought Dane home for the first time and set his carrier down on the floor so Zoey could meet him. I've never seen her so excited! The following 6 months she proceeded to follow me around, getting up with me in the middle of the night and sitting beside me as I nursed Dane. It was as if she thought he was hers. If he cried, she was there or she was looking for me and letting me know he needed something. It was adorable.

She is still remarkably tolerant of him as he chases her, pulls on her, attempts to ride her and just plain tortures her. They love each other.

Art Time

An art session at the dining room table.

Dane loves, loves, loves his scissors! I did most of the coloring, Dane just cut the paper.

The picture is totally out of focus but I adore his little hands, how the pinkie finger is all curled up and the look of intent and concentration in his eyes

Cats & Friends

My friend Ellen and her husband Kirk were back in town for a few days and luckily we were able to squeeze in a few hours to visit. Brad, Dane and I went over to her parents house on Monday night. It was sooooo good to see her again and Dane just adores her. There is something kinda nice in watching your longest childhood friend interacting with your child. I think Ellen and Kirk will make great parents someday and it would be so cool to see our kids play together! :)

Ellen's mom Mari has 2 cats, "Pablo" the largest cat I've ever seen and "Bob" a 5 month old playful kitten. Dane had a great time playing (torturing) them! Here Dane was instructed to look at Brad and smile but he just can't stop staring at Bob.

Dane, Bob, Mari and Ellen playing a game

Mari, Pablo and Dane.

This is the 2nd time we've seen Ellen & Kirk in last last 3 months, it's always so good to get together with them. I wish we lived closer and could do that more often. I'm thinking it would be nice to visit them in New York next time. We'll have to figure out a time that works for both of us and get something planned. I haven't traveled that far with Dane yet or gone on a trip alone with him at all, that could prove to be interesting.

Rescue Me

After a conversation with a friend on our love for Chai Tea and my overwhelming winter blues I went home and made this with the hopes that it rescues me.........

1pkg Splenda

1C Coffee

1/4C Milk

1 Tazo Organic Chai teabag

It was amazing. Had another cup this morning and feel like having another now. Especially as I look out the window at another snow storm. Please mother nature, I don't think I can handle anymore. I think I need a good book. Something I can disappear into. Any suggestions?

Birthday's

We post-poned this birthday party last weekend due to the road conditions. It worked better this weekend anyway cause we had some family fly up from Florida and we got to enjoy their company as well. The birthday girls were my great aunt Eva, my niece Mariana and my sister in-law Stacey. Happy Birthday Ladies :) Also, My cousin's boy Paxton's (from Florida) birthday was today, so that worked out well.

Mariana turns 11!

Obsessed with horses, Mari picked these cupcakes out of the "Hello Cupcake" book. Randi and Stacey worked on them together, soooooo cute!

Elise enjoying her cupcake.

Claire

After lunch we headed out for more sledding. Here I am pushing Randi and Dane down the hill.

After about an hour or so, here's Randi exhausted after her trip down with Elise.

Brad & Dane

We sent Dane down by himself in a super-slick plastic inner-tube, he hit the ramp and flew down that hill! He was so light and that tube was so fast that he slammed into the house and got pinned between the inner-tube, flower bed and house. I heard him cry out as I ran down the hill to rescue him and when I got there he wasn't crying but he kept repeating " I'm ok'd, I'm ok'd!"

Thank god he was ok. I was so worried he'd hit his head or something! It didn't scare him though, we went right back up the hill for more!

Museum Center

Here'a a couple pics of the Cincinnati Museum Center. If you haven't been there, it's great. It holds all the museums under one roof plus the IMAX theatre which we wanted to do with Dane but the show was on mummy's this time and that have been to scary.

Here's the ceiling. I needed to lay on the floor to get a better shot, but it was dirty so I didn't want to.

Great murals border the ceiling.

So pretty.

Winter Wonderland?

Snow. Snow Snow. We got dumped with snow last Friday, approx 15-18 inches. I dealt with it ok, really it's been a pretty mild winter so far so I hated to complain. Today, the snow started again. Allegedly another 5-8 inches by the end of tomorrow and I'm OVER IT. Enough is enough. Is it April yet?! I do acknowledge the beauty of it on occasion, when it's fresh fallen and untracked or when the sun shines and it just glistens like a million diamonds. However when I have to drive in it I get so stressed out. I Can't wait till spring.

We went over to my sister's house on Sunday after they finally lifted the Level 3 snow emergency for some sledding. I decided to just watch and take pictures from the sliding glass doors. I thought it was so cute to see Cat and Mari helping little Claire walk up the hill.

Brad and Dane waiting at the top of the hill, getting ready to slide down.

This pic was from tonight. We went out for a few to shovel out the walks, porches, etc. After I had gone inside Brad and Dane shoveled out a tunnel. Dane loved it. We have the most gigantic snow drifts in our yard, great for building forts and tunnels. We're suppose to get even more high winds tomorrow which I'm sure will create more drifting and HIGH stress on my drive to work tomorrow. Grrrrrrrr

Salsa Love

We love salsa in this house, real salsa not that crap in a jar. In the summer months I'll make it fresh with our garden produce but in the winter months I'll buy the fresh salsa that's in our grocery produce section. It is SO GOOD. This particular brand is sold in Kroger, but Walmart also has a good one. We usually stick with a mild variety cause Dane loves salsa too. Actually, he ate most of this tub. He likes to use the chip as more of a spoon and shovel the salsa into his mouth. So, skip the Pace, and try this next time.

Roast Chicken Adventure

We've never cooked a whole chicken before. Seems odd since I like to cook, but I guess whole animal just scared me a little. I've never cooked a turkey either. Found a good recipe on The Food Network website. I realize we were suppose to tie the legs together, but we didn't have any string. Turns out, it didn't really matter, the chicken was really tender and juicy. We seasoned it with salt and pepper and than gave it a rub down inside and out with a butter, EVOO, parsley and garlic concoction.

We roasted potatoes and onions too. Really yummy.

We had alot of chicken leftover, We're thinking we'll use it today in another recipe. So many choices, unsure which to use it in. Maybe just some shredded chicken sandwiches or maybe I'll make some enchilada's. Mmmmmmmm.......

We'll definitely do this again. On a funny note, Dane kept calling the chicken a "piggy"

Dane goes to the Dentist

Dane had his 1st dental appointment this morning. He's only 2 so it's alittle early to bring him in for a cleaning but I thought he was ready and I'm a total freak about his teeth so I thought it necessary. He's also a thumbsucker and I wanted to talk to Dr. Himler about the front teeth protruding and ways to get him to quit.

Dane did a great job. He didn't really want to sit still, but he's 2, so I expected that. I just worked quickly. I wasn't sure how'd he act when Dr. Himler came in to check, but he acted like it was no big deal. I've had Dane in the office since he was just one week old. He comes in with my mom and watches her get her teeth cleaned and he knows everyone there by now so he's really comfortable there. Hopefully he continues to like it and develops good oral hygiene even as a stinky teenage boy. Ha!

Dane and Me.

http://www.marysvilledentistry.com/

Handyman Dane

Dane fixes his bike (No, it's not really broken)