Keeping Busy in the Cold

It has been pretty cold in St. Louis so we've been trying to keep busy with indoor activities lately.  We recently met some friends at a coffee shop.  There was a kids' section with a train table.  Jack and Patrick had fun playing with the two trains they had, but next time we will bring some of our own.

We also got to visit one of our favorite indoor places, the Magic House.

Patrick loved turning on and off the lights.

Jack got to climb up the beanstalk.  How appropriate!

Patrick loved this little slide.

The boys had a blast watching the trains.

Jack does not like getting his picture taken these days.  I usually have to bribe him.  Without a bribe, this is what I generally get:

So, I told Jack and his friend, Nick, that they could jump off the couch and I would take their picture.  Great idea, I know.

"Really?"

They put the pillows from both couches and the living room chairs on the living room couch so they could hide from the camera.

Last Tuesday, we got a bit of snow and Jack's preschool was cancelled.  While Patrick napped, Jack and I went outside and shovelled and played in the snow.

Then I pulled him around on our sled.  Our front yard is not hilly, so this wasn't the greatest.

The next day, I asked my cousin Rachel, who was still on break from college in sunny CA, if she would take Jack sledding (I didn't want to take both Jack and Patrick sledding).  She eagerly said yes.  It was super-cold that day, but they went sledding and Jack had a blast! 

He got to use an inner tube sled that he said was really fast.

Afterwards his cheek were pretty rosy, but he was so happy!

Later that week, we met some friends at an indoor playground at a mall.  Maybe that's where Patrick picked up the cold he had last weekend.

Last weekend, Jack practiced playing his new "string guitar" from Uncle David and Aunt Melanie.

A father-son duet.

Well, today is another snow day so I will hopefully have more snow pictures to post soon.  Jack and I will go out to play when Patrick goes down for his morning nap.  Enjoy the snow today (if you have it)!

Happy New Year!

We had many celebrations to welcome 2011.  First, we went to a "Countdown to Noon" party.  The kids had a blast and didn't have to stay up late to celebrate!

There were a lot of kids, so you can imagine the chaos!

Jack spent a little time looking out the window at the big storm outside.  It was the same storm that produced tornadoes not far from where we were and knocked down buildings!

After that party, Jim and Jack went to a friend's house to watch Notre Dame win the Sun Bowl and I took Patrick home for a nap.  Later in the night, we went to our friends Carrie and Mike's house for a pajama NYE party!

"How do I put this hat on?"

"Hmmmm..."

"Would you please put the camera down, Mom, and help me with this hat?"

"Forget about the hat!  Look at that cutie!"

Here's a picture of all but one of the kids in their pajamas.

The mommas:

The moms with their kiddos:

 Happy 2011 from the Kellys!

Playdate and Warmer Weather

We had some friends over for a playdate on Thursday.  Almost 11-month old Eden came,

as did 8-month old Lucy.

This is about as much as the kids played "together."

We were happy to have some little girls in the house!

After they left, I set the timer on the camera and took some pictures with my two boys!

Then, since it was an unusually warm December day, we went for a walk/bike ride.  I was happy to be shooting outside again, where the light is so much better!

The boys were happy to be outside, too!

After a trip around the block, we went to the neighborhood elementary school to play on their playground.

I am usually very against climbing up the slides, but Patrick was having a lot of fun and no one else was at the playground.  He could only climb a foot or so before he slid back down.

I have been playing around with photoshop.  Fun!

Jack was taking food orders here.

Daddy called us on our way home.  We told him where we were and he came to meet us.