Weekly Diary – December 28 2013

Here the last photos from this year:

We cleaned up the board game closet this week so the boys played all the games.

then we drove around the neighborhood for some Christmas spirit and lights. This one was a favorite.

then it was Christmas eve, so the boys got to open one present as it’s our tradition. This year, I’d preselected the one they got to open. (That’s why it has different wrapping paper pattern.)

the reason i picked it was because they each got rainbows for their room, which only worked at night so it was a perfect Christmas eve present.

i was worried they wouldn’t work, but they were quite neat.

Christmas day the boys were awake at 6am so I set the table and made some cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip waffles. some fruit, marshmallows, chocolate chips and hot chocolate completed the breakfast.

and, of course, the tulips. i get tulips each year.

we took a photo but there was literally no light at all. it was still dark outside.

then it was time to open the stockings.

and, finally, the presents.

Nathaniel got to go first.

then David.

he kept trying to guess what it was.

and here’s his “thank you so much” face.

he was just as interested in Nathaniel’s presents, of course.

Nathaniel made us some awesome cards at school and here he is presenting his gift.

playing with all the toys is the best part of Christmas.

reading the lego book.

Nathaniel “reading.”

David finally got a microscope after asking for it for years. He was quite thrilled.

then we took some family photos.

the kids just wanted to play, of course, so they are looking at their presents instead of the camera.

and then we screamed Merry Christmas!

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too. here’s to a lovely 2014!


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

Weekly Diary – December 21 2013

Here are some photos from this week:

Nathaniel entertaining himself while David is at school.

we took our yearly holiday train at Niles. I know this is not a great photo but I just can’t believe how old David looks.

the light was really tough but I wanted to capture my boys anyway.

the train had Santa, too.

and one more quick shot on the way back home. I love this train.

the next night was the Google holiday party.

a little rare moment where the boys are playing without fighting.

nathaniel looking at me so i can snap a shot.

but only for a moment.

I love the look in his face in this shot.

my two boys.

look how he’s looking up to his big brother.

Nathaniel’s fashion style is unparalleled.

we visited his classroom this week to do “cooking” which was really more like English muffins and decorating with fruits and veggies.

then we went to David’s class where he read the myth he made up. His was about how the black widow got its red mark and it was creative and well-written. I loved it.

then it was the holiday show for 3-5th graders. David’s class sang in hebrew and spanish and english and they played the recorder. It was wonderful.

after we got home, our doorbell rang and when I opened it, I found this on the ground. It was from David’s best friend and they left and dashed. It was delicious cookies.

and then it was photo time.

with tons of tickling, of course.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too. Happy December!


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

Weekly Diary – December 14 2013

Here are some photos from this week:

Breakfast with Santa.

a yearly tradition for us.

the chipmunk is new, tho.

the kids love doing the crafts.

and i love watching them focus.

my swimmer boy.

David’s first-ever basketball game.

waiting for flu shots.

volunteering in Nathaniel’s class.

pajama party joy!.

Jake read Z goes Home.

daddy and nathaniel building.

Nathaniel’s portrait sculpture.

signing his name.

Pajama night is finally here.

dinner waiting for him as he listens to a story.

and the time to eat.

then they performed a song.

and one more. Can you see how happy he is?

trying to snap his fingers and be silly.

he was just so so happy the whole time.

family photo took a few tries this week.

but was captured.

with jokes and much laughter.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too. Happy December!


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

December Daily 2013 – Day Eight

Today is Jake and I going to Nathaniel’s school to be Mystery Reader.

Jake read both Z Goes Home and Let’s Count Goats. Nathaniel was overjoyed.

there we go. That’s day eight. See you tomorrow.

Weekly Diary – December 7 2013

Here are some photos from this week:

my sweet, older boy.

and the little one.

playing on the computer.

they opened their advent calendars. David got Star Wars Lego and Nathaniel Lego City.

I love how Nathaniel can do it all by himself now.

my boys, so sweet.

David still loves the Star Wars one more than anything else.

Nathaniel is supposed to write his name when he gets to school every morning:

and here’s his self-portrait.

We went to Nathaniel’s school this week as the Mystery Reader.

Jake read Z goes Home.

and Let’s Count Goats.

then Nathaniel and I went out to lunch together.

and at night we went to see the tree lighting in our neighborhood.

our family photos didn’t come out so great this week. But I still love this one.

and this one.

and, of course, all the laughter.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too. Happy December!


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

Weekly Diary – November 30 2013

Here are some photos from this week:

Early this week, we got to see a bird show.

The birds rode bikes and skates and pushed shopping carts, it was super fun!

then Nathaniel decided he needed a crown.

sometimes he gets very specific and purposeful. He knows exactly what he wants and just gets it done. That’s what he did with this crown.

on Thanksgiving Day, we decided to put up our tree before our meal.

the boys really helped out this time. it was so much fun doing it together.

they did a great job balancing the tree.

they each had their own buckets and they didn’t get bored one time. They just kept at it until we were done.

and here it is. not a fan of that lens but alas.

then the boys went to play football out front.

some good teaching moments.

and then it was time for dinner. not the best photo but still….

my crazy boys.

nathaniel wasn’t up for smiling this week.

he wouldn’t even join in on the “we love” statements.

until we picked his, of course.

and then it was tickle time!

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too. Happy Thanksgiving!


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

Weekly Diary – November 23 2013

Here are some photos from this week. Another week very low on photos. I am finally a bit better and now David has strep. It has been a challenging few weeks here. But, alas, that’s how it goes sometimes.:

Nathaniel making cards for his friend Emerson. I love watching how focused he is.

I can’t remember what we loved this week!

and a brief tickle time before the boys were too strong for us.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too.


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

Weekly Diary – November 16 2013

Here are some photos from this week. I’ve been sick for two weeks so this week is very light on photos and the light here was too low all week so our family photos are quite terrible to boot. But, alas, that’s how it goes sometimes.:

Nathaniel was being Nathaniel this week. Jake loved how close his little eyes are in these glasses.

this week, we loved Seven Nation Army.

And Green Day.

and tickle time.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too.


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

Weekly Diary – November 9 2013

Here are some photos from this week. Not too many this time around:

The night before Halloween, we were invited to a party where the boys wore their alternate costumes and I snapped some photos.

they loved posing.

except when i told them to sit still.

and then on actual Halloween, I snapped some with the real costumes.

they made sure to be silly there, too.

gangnam style of course.

and then the candy-collecting began.

the next day we began what I wanted our November project to be, which was inspired by Andrea Scher. Our little wish tree. The boys made the sign.

each made one side of it.

and here’s our tree with wishes hanging from it.

one of david’s: i wish we would have world peace.

one of mine: i wish my sister was my neighbor.

david: i wish i could be a scientist.

one of our neighbors’ daughter added her own drawing to the tree.

for this week’s photos David was feeling quite ill. This is the only photo where he’s laughing.

we took them anyway. this project is not about perfect photos. it’s about regular photos. which means they capture real life.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too.


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

Weekly Diary – November 2 2013

Here are some photos from this week. Not too many this time around:

This week is more about cardboard boxes.

he loves having his photo taken.

and poses for me.

which makes my heart sing.

stil making collages at school.

the boys also played mailman and delivered me (and jake and each other) lots of letters.

and wrote on their boxes.

and posed for me.

writing all the letters in the alphabet.

they even snuggled up when david was on the computer. I love watching them snuggle up.

and it was family photo time.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too.


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

Weekly Diary – October 27 2013

Here are some photos from this week. Not too many this time around:

This week has been all about cardboard boxes.

One time machines as they’re called in our house.

Nathaniel’s been creating collages at school.

funny faces during photos.

Nathaniel always gets super-excited.

and makes us laugh out loud.

and some tickling.

extra love for daddy who’s leaving town for work.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too.


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.

Weekly Diary – October 19 2013

Here are some photos from this week. Not too many this time around:

Jake’s cousin came to visit us with her daughter and we took the opportunity to snap some shots.

One more of us.

then it was family photo time.

i love that even if I take no photos all week, I still have these I can count on.

I love looking at them and seeing how much the kids have grown over the three years we’ve been doing this.

we love plants vs zombies number two!

and some tickling.

and here we go. so grateful for my life. i hope your week was lovely, too.


Weekly Diary is a project for 2013. You can read more about it here.