Skip to content

Toadfrogs & Elephants

The Burch family Photo Blog
  • Archive
  • Books
  • LittleToadfrogs
    • Alex
    • Teague
    • Kaitlyn
    • Ben

Month: November 2015

30 Nov

November 30, 2015

nov3015

The best new thing at our house – spirograph!
(Wade and I both fondly remember them from childhood too.)

30 Nov

Decorating

Kaitlyn has discovered stickers – which her brothers love to leave out all over the house. (She will also steal them off of papers and boxes.) One of her favorite place to put them is on Madison – who patiently sits and waits for the decorating to end. The funny part is I don’t always realize this is happening and will go to pet Madison after everyone is in bed and find the random sticker in her fur…
stickers
For this particular picture, I watched Kaitlyn peel every single sticker Alex had used to decorate an Amazon box (about twenty) and put them on Madison while I finished the last few pages in my book. Thankfully stickers that have been previously used fall off of Madison in due time.

30 Nov

November 30, 2015

nov3015k

Notice anything? Look closely (at her hands).
Kaitlyn is wearing mittens and not screaming!!
I’ll admit there were tears initially, but when she realized she couldn’t get them off she quickly forgot about them and then didn’t get unhappy because her hands were cold.
Major thanks to these awesome mittens – not only do they keep snow out but prove impossible for Kaitlyn to get off herself.

29 Nov

Oh Granny!

This year Granny altered one of Emily’s old Christmas dresses for Kailtyn and then made Kaitlyn’s doll a dress to match. How did we get so lucky?!?

dress1dress2dress
29 Nov

November 29, 2015

nov2915

We had a little theme going today.

29 Nov

November 29, 2015

nov2915k

Someone tried really hard to tickle our toes and make taking the next picture almost impossible.

28 Nov

November 28, 2015

nov2815a


Big cousin movie.

28 Nov

November 28, 2015

nov2815t

Teague always wants a hug before Kaitlyn takes her nap.

28 Nov

November 28, 2015

nov2815k

Tree decorator (and hopefully not a destroyer).

28 Nov

Saturday At Gram’s

We did a lot of lounging, playing, tree decorating, and even snuck in a movie. What a wonderful holiday it’s been.

sat1sat2

sat3sat4

sat5sat6sat7
27 Nov

Thanksgiving – Round Two

Thanksgiving is all about family and turkey and why not having an extra helping of both? We just moved the party to my Dad’s house for the day and had a big meal there. The cousins enjoyed the extra time together and the chance to run wild in a different house!

b1b2

b5b6

b4b3

b7b8

b9b10

b14b11

b12b13

27 Nov

November 27, 2015

nov2715a

Harper thought it was pretty cool that Alex could read. Alex grew tired of showing off pretty quick.

27 Nov

November 27, 2015

nov2715t


General chaos.

27 Nov

November 27, 2015

nov2715k

Waiting patiently for her dinner – scrambled eggs.

26 Nov

Thanksgiving

It’s always a little crazy at Gram’s house on Thanksgiving morning. There’s a parade on TV, cooking in the kitchen, and this year there were new toys for the kids (some of Gram’s friends were cleaning out before Christmas). Kaitlyn was convinced the huge space rover was a ride-on toy for her. The boys were willing to let her ride for awhile and just played around her.

Then Melissa and her crew showed up and the real fun began.

Then we had the Upshaws come by for a visit. If Melissa’s kids hadn’t been so near bedtime it would have been the first time all the toad frogs and elephtans (and their kids) and been together in years and years. Maybe next time.

26 Nov

November 26, 2015

nov2615

Cousins on Thanksgiving.

25 Nov

Found

When I brought the kids to Paducah over the summer, Gram surprised the boys with gift cards Toys R Us. Sometime between going to bed and coming out of their room the next morning, Teague managed to loose his (in the bedroom/playroom). The boys, Gram, and I spent quite a bit of time searching for the card, but we never found it. Alex went ahead and spent his card. Teague wasn’t too upset and never mentioned it again. We’ve since made three trips to Gram’s house and never found the card. We got in to Gram’s tonight and Gram was putting the boys to bed. Suddenly Teague comes running down the stairs so excited. He had found the missing gift card – in a toy that obviously doesn’t get played with very often.
card

25 Nov

November 25, 2015

nov2515a


Gram is always ready to read a book.

25 Nov

November 25, 2015

nov2515t

It turns out glasses wearers have their own unique issues when napping in the car.

25 Nov

November 25, 2015

nov2515k

This probably would have happened much more smoothly and sooner if we had realized she emptied her entire bottle of water into her carseat instead of drinking it.

24 Nov

Girly Girl

Several times I have caught Kaitlyn walking around with my purse. I was cleaning up the house and had two purses on the stairs to go up to my room. I caught her trying to carry both of them around the house.

purse1purse2purse3
24 Nov

November 24, 2015

nov2415

It suddenly occurred to me we were going out of town tomorrow and nobody had had a shower in days…

24 Nov

November 24, 2015

nov2415k

Teamwork.

23 Nov

Sledding – Again

The boys (and our neighbors) couldn’t wait to do some sledding after school. We sledded till it was too dark to see and then came inside for some hot chocolate. (On a side note, some day I vow I will have a mud room.)

shoes1after
23 Nov

November 23, 2015

nov2315

Morning bus stop.

23 Nov

November 23, 2015

nov2315k

So far I have Kaitlyn wearing a hat and a scarf. Occasionally boots go on without an issue. Mittens are still a huge fight.

22 Nov

Snow Day – Round Two

Kaitlyn and I were up quite early and the backyard was gorgeous!

back2IMG_3996
We were snowed in and the boys begged for another round of sledding. Wade and I were happy to oblige – and Leah quickly joined us too.

sled1sled2

sled3sled4sled5

sled6sled7

sled8sled9

sled11sled12
cocoa
22 Nov

November 22, 2015

nov2215a

Sledding down the front yard might even be better than yesterday down the driveway.

22 Nov

November 22, 2015

nov2215t


Snow days are perfect for neighbor play dates.

22 Nov

November 22, 2015

nov2215k

Loving her baby.

21 Nov

Snowday

My first thought when we knew we were moving back north was – SNOW. I love snow. Last night’s snowfall didn’t disappoint. We got almost a foot and perfect snow for sledding! Thankfully it was a weekend so Wade was home to enjoy the day with us.
Before anyone was allowed to play in the snow I demanded showers and a family picture – hopefully for Christmas cards. (Funny story – Alex’s glasses were super glued together just for this picture. We put them on for the twenty seconds we took pictures and they fell apart as he was taking them off.)

pic1pic2

pic4pic3
As soon as we finished, the boys ran to get snow clothes on and I was given strict instructions to text our neighbor. She came running and we spent the next few hours sledding and playing. We love the snow – and then we love to come inside for hot cocoa, popcorn, and naps.

snow1snow2

snow3snow4

snow6snow5

snow7snow8snow9

snow11snow10
snuggle
21 Nov

November 21, 2015

nov2115a

We have once again picked a house with a wonderful driveway for sledding. Wade essentially built a luge and the kids loved it! (Mom and Dad did too!)

21 Nov

November 21, 2015

nov2115t

Teague was much more interested in shoveling than sledding.

21 Nov

November 21, 2015

nov2115k

The happiest picture of Kaitlyn in the snow – taken in the first 20 seconds.

20 Nov

Halfway Playdate

Amber and I arranged a playdate for Grant and Teague halfway between Milwaukee and Barrington – in Kenosha. From searching the internet, Kenosha has lots of wonderful outdoor activities, but limited indoor entertainment. We finally decided to see how everyone did with bowling.

bowl1bowl2

bowl3bowl4
bowl5
20 Nov

November 20, 2015

nov2015


Some days you just don’t feel like a picture.
(Or that’s how 2/3 feel.)

19 Nov

November 19, 2015

reading


Alex and I have started reading the chapter book “How To Train Your Dragon.” He tries to squeeze in reading whenever possible – even the few minutes between breakfast and getting dressed.
(Teague loves to listen too!)

19 Nov

November 19, 2015

nov1915k

Sometimes that bow just doesn’t do it’s job.

18 Nov

November 18, 2015

nov1815

The boys had a rough morning (although this picture was taken before bedtime).
Alex broke his glasses – two days before new lenses were due to be installed. The worst news is these frames have been discontinued.
Teague woke up with a coldsore and his upper lip extremely swollen.

18 Nov

November 18, 2015

nov1815k

She wanted to wear Alex’s coat, and why not?

18 Nov

Goodnight Hugs

Kaitlyn and Teague have the sweetest relationship. He has been requesting a hug every time she takes a nap or goes to bed for months and months. We have noticed lately that if he doesn’t ask for one she will turn and run back to make sure he gets his goodnight hug.

hug1hug2
17 Nov

November 17, 2015

nov1715

These two have a hard time focusing on getting dressed in the mornings. I hear a lot of giggles and yelling of “Goochy Wear” (No idea…)
Today I found them in the hallway sliding under each other’s legs instead of putting on clothes.

17 Nov

November 17, 2015

nov1715k

Girl on a mission.

17 Nov

Disguising The Turkey

Obviously the “in” new craft this year was Disguising The Turkey. Both my kids had to do this at different schools. It was a great activity and fun to see where there imagination led them. Teague was a little stuck but finally landed on Ninja Turtles. We worked with what we had (and a traveling Dad who is normally our creative family member). Thankfully this was sent home as a family project. I did the cloth strips, Alex colored the shell, and Teague did the coloring and main cutting.

turkey1turkey2
16 Nov

November 16, 2015

nov1615a

Chaos – the good kind.

16 Nov

November 16, 2015

nov1615t

We updated Teague’s market sign for the first time in almost a year.

16 Nov

November 16, 2015

nov1615k

Post nap.

16 Nov

Down Low

Kaitlyn still has problems with sitting in her high chair. When we aren’t all sitting at the table or everyone else is done, I often find myself putting her food on the footrest and letting her eat from there. It gets it enough off the floor for Madison to know it’s not hers and let’s Kaitlyn be independent. Problem solved.
snack

15 Nov

November 15, 2015

nov1515a


We had an awesome warm fall day and our neighbors ended it with s’mores.

15 Nov

November 15, 2015

nov1515t

Today’s outside adventures included “Power Rangers.”

Posts navigation

1 2 3
  • Alex
  • Archive
  • Ben
  • Books
  • Kaitlyn
  • Little Toadfrogs
  • Teague