Every night, the very last thing we do before we go to bed is go up and kiss the kids. I adjust their blankets & stuffed animals, sit and stare at them for a minute, tuck in all their parts until they are warm & snuggly---then give them a final kiss.

This is what that looks like with Colin each night.



And this is what all of that looks like across the hall in Sydney's room each night.

Took Sydney for her FIRST ice skating experience today! She did really well. In fact, the ONLY time she really fell was not when she was actually skating--it was when she realized she could use the blade to shave off "snow piles", and managed to fall over from a dead standstill. Sporty, that one.


The start of great things:



There was a man who offered to take a picture of both of us together. How nice--so I took him up on it. When he offered, though, he was still ON THE GROUND after just having wiped out again. Should've known we'd have some focus issues. Too bad--it would've been a cute one if he'd been able to snap it BEFORE he started falling backward again!



And this is Sydney in the penalty box. Where she will also most likely spend much of the years 2017-2021, I'm guessing.



They had these great walker deals to help the new skaters with their footing. In true Sydney style, she put a spin on it and decided to shoot the thing 15 feet ahead of her and then skate to it. Well, that's one way to do it. I'm gonna assume that I am, however, the only mother out there who used the actual words "you don't wanna kill any other kids"?

Sydney Skating! from Jennifer Farris on Vimeo.

Good afternoon. Good times. Colin goes next Sunday.

Congratulations, Massachusetts. I didn't think you had it in ya.

WOOHOO and phew...

It's so hard to post again after that last one of Colin busting it out in the shower, but I guess it's time to move on.

....................sigh................

Let me introduce you to our chore chart! It's in the kitchen, and it is my favorite thing in this house. Well, right behind the package of Oreos---also in the kitchen.

Those kids went NUTS today to get these 100 points. I am so proud of how hard they worked, how well they worked together, the lack of complaining, and even the initiative they showed with their willingness to find & complete tasks that weren't even on the list!

All of this work was performed to earn a trip to go see Alvin & the Chipmunks tomorrow...really? All that work? You'd truly have thought there were a couple of his & hers BMW's on the other side today, but nope. The vote is in, and it's the movies. Simple pleasures. Dig it.

And for those of you who can't help but wonder---no, the "extra credit" points are NOT for bringing me food & rubbing my feet as I watch The Bachelor. But I've considered it.

Taylor Swift shower! from Jennifer Farris on Vimeo.

Caught my friend Colin in the middle of a "shower concert" last night. I don't know what my favorite part of this little video is.

The fact that it's a Taylor Swift song?
His expression when he realizes he's been caught?
The botched lyrics?
The key change halfway through?
Him asking if I'd like a nice butt shot?

Nope--I think the best part comes right at the end...when he thanks his fans. In a southern accent, no less.

Colin & I have a little Sunday morning tradition where he laughs hysterically while reading the comics, and I cut coupons out of the Sunday paper. We were sitting together doing that yesterday when he started asking what the coupons were all about. I get STOKED about a bargain, so was more than happy to entertain any and all questions. He got to the one for some new fantastic Olay face cream ($5 off--woohoo!!)...

Colin: "What do you need that for?"

Mommy: "Because I am VERY old, and putting this cream on my face will make me look NOT as very old."

Colin: "Because you want to look like Cindy Crawford??"

Mommy: Laughing out loud--- "ummm, yeah, I guess...but don't you think that I'm already prettier than Cindy Crawford?"

LOOOOOONG PAUSE...

Colin: "ummmmm...I'm not sure."

So--until further notice (like when he tells me I'm prettier than Cindy Crawford!), Colin will not be allowed to watch that stupid infomercial for her stupid face cream which is sold solely on the merits of her stupidly beautiful face.

Geesh.