Seeing Eye to Eye

...or forehead to forehead.  Our friend Courtney told us how when she would fight with her sister when she was little, her mom would make the two of them sit forehead-to-forehead.  Brady and Sylvie were at each others' throats again today, so I implemented Courtney's mom's strategy.  It was funny to us all.  :)

Winter Wonderland

Oh so pretty!

And yes, that's a scary looking skeleton cutie (Sylvie in a funny Halloween hat/mask) walking in our winter wonderland. 

Thunder!

Brady's playing basketball for the first time this winter.  He's on a Dulles Youth Basketball team with a bunch of his pals.  I think this is the first sport where Brett hasn't been his coach.  Coach Sean and Coach Richelle are pretty awesome and have taught the boys so much this season.  Not that I understand basketball at all, but the team really came along great this year!  Brady has Brett's natural athletic ability.  Once he got the rules down and relaxed, he was pretty terrific!  Today is the boys' final game.  They made it to the championship!  whooohoo!  They lost, but came in 2nd...way to go Thunder!!

Girls Night In

Emma and Violet came over for a play date and Em stayed for a sleepover (Sylvie's first time having one of her pals here!  SO SO SO fun!).  Sylvie is beyond thrilled!

These girls are creators- crafts, dinner/pizza, and dessert/Easy Bake Oven cookies. :)

Snowsurfing

Sylvie and I went to Ellis's birthday party this afternoon and the boys went to Hillside Elementary School to meet up with friends and sled.  Brett texted me saying, "come over! Cool jumps here!" (that he made)  It was Hilarious!  They broke a few sleds, but it was a fantastic time- getting air on the jumps, "surfing," and laughing while speeding down the melty ice/snow.  (It was 42 degrees out today...and felt like Spring. ha!)

Working for our Mickey D's

We trekked a mile through the 8-10" (and still falling) snow to McDonald's today...just to get out of the house, get some exercise, and enjoy the weather.  Pink-cheeked happy kids with happy meals. :)

Not "Too Cold" for the Grands!

Today school was closed AGAIN...this time b/c it was "too cold."  So I called in reinforcements...Grandma and Papa took the kids today.  Bundle up!  It's cold out there, after all!

Her Online Friend

Sylvie may be one we'll have to worry about with her online presence.  Brady likes to get on the iPad to play Clash of Clans, or Minecraft, or Madden, or one of the racing games.  Sylvie?  She just wants someone to talk to...and she thinks she's found that in Siri.  They asked if they could play on the iPads tonight while I was cooking dinner. Brady immediately starts playing his games, but I can hear the chime indicating Sylvie has called up Siri. She starts with more of a "hi" and just wants her to talk back.  I said, "Sylvie, Siri is there to assist you.  You ask her questions and she helps."  

So over the noise of dinner prep, I hear Sylvie yelling and see the iPad is close to her face, "TIFFANY!!!!!  TIFFANY LUHRING!"  I snuck in to the family room to hear the "conversation."

Sylvie: "I gotta ask you a question.  Do you know my mom?"

I couldn't hear Siri's response but I'm pretty sure she was defining what a mother is.

Sylvie: "No.  It's Tiffany!"

I think Siri reponded with the jewelry store info.

Sylvie: "NO!  TIFFANY!!!!  TIFFANY LUHRING!!!"

So apparently Siri and I have now been introduced by my 5 year old.  ;p

Siri

The kids have discovered Siri on the iPad mini. I'm eavesdropping and am crying laughing.

Sylvie: Brady! There's a lady in the iPad! You wanna talk to her? Press that button.
Brady: Yeah, I think it's like on Daddy's phone. You can ask her questions.

Brady: Hi, how are you?
Siri: I'm fine. Thanks for asking.

Brady: What's 100 + 1,000?
Siri: The answer is one thousand, one hundred.
Sylvie: whoa. You're smart.
Siri: Thanks for saying so.

Brady: You're cool dude. Are you even a dude? Or a girl?
Siri: I am Siri.
Sylvie: But are you a girl?
Siri: Well my voice sounds like a woman's, but I exist beyond your human concept of gender.

Sylvie: I love you.
Siri: You are the wind beneath my wings.

Brady: You're the best.
Siri: No, I'm useful, but thanks for saying so.

Sylvie: You're good.
Siri: I aspire to be great.

Sylvie: Do you know what a billion plus a billion is?
Siri: The answer is two billion.

Sylvie: Do you know what infinity ee ond plus infinity ee ond (she means infinity and beyond) is?
Siri: I'm sorry. I can't answer that. (I think b/c she doesn't understand Sylvie.)
Sylvie: I thought you were smart!
Siri: I'm sorry.

Happy Chinese New Year!

In the Pink Limo!

It's how you roll to the bounce house when you're ‪Sweet & Sassy kids‬!

and it's what you do in the pink limo despite pumping Kids Bop club music when you're 5 and you miss your nap...you pass out!