Irrefutable Proof

I wasn't going to blog this story, but I've been waiting for Jeremy to upload new pictures so I could blog something and still waiting, so . . . here's a story without pictures.
A few weeks ago we were all riding in the car, not going anywhere far. I think we were headed to Target or home from some other errands. Suddenly Ernie yells "Le-NORA!"
"What?!" she says.
"Mom, Lenora farted, and it's really bad!"
We have to do this a lot. It's my job to take care of it if someone else farts.
"Lenora," I say kindly, "please say 'excuse me'."
"I didn't part, Momma!" said the innocent little girl. She mispronounced "fart" as "part." It's really cute.
"Lenny, you just have to say excuse me. Do you have to go to the bathroom?" I'm trying to be really nice but also trying to see how much time we have before we need to be home.
"But I didn't part, Momma. It was Ernie." she insists.
That's plausible. "Ernie, do you need to say 'excuse me?'" I ask.
"NO! It's really stinky and I DIDN'T DO IT!" he yells.
Well, that's a lot of rage and insistence for someone who is innocent. But I have to agree with him, this sucker is stinky. Whoever did this needs a restroom soon. So I do what many parents do in such situations to sniff out a lie. I create one myself and see if it scares them enough to come clean.
"You know what happens if you lie about farting? Your hair starts to fall out. Lenny, you love to wear pony tails, right? If you keep lying about farts you won't have enough hair for pony tails. And Ernie, boys who blame their sisters for their own farts also loose their hair." Innocent enough. Everyone looses lots of hair everyday and everyone also lies about farting, or fails to report at  least. How do I know those two are not connected?
Suddenly, Ernie realizes who is to blame for all of our victimization: "DADDY DID IT! Daddy has the least hair of anybody and the stinkiest farts and he NEVER tells the truth about it!"
Sure enough, Jeremy finally starts laughing. Once he's laughing about a fart that smelly, he's past the denial stage. And now we have proof that my theory is true.
Never, ever, lie about farting or you will go bald.

The Hall Family Musicians

This is a band called The Eagles. They play drums and ukelele to The Cars music.

Wilderness Park Hike

Spring was starting to peek in, and Mom got the crazy idea we should take advantage of weather above 30 degrees and go for a hike. In the rain. And mud as thick as pea soup. I may never get to wear those boots again, but we were OUTSIDE at least!

Investigating a crevice (heh heh) fore wildlife.

See how not-miserable we look here? Don't worry, this is only one mile in to a four mile hike.

Playing grown-up

Ernie got some fun Christmas gifts that have allowed him to play artist, scientist, and "boss." He really REALLY likes being both around the house lately.

Pirate ship!

Exploding volcano!

He really loved this from Aunt Heather. But a few days later when we asked him to do his chores he said "If I'm the Boss WHAT am I the boss of that I still have to clean my room?!?!" Great question, dude.

New Fortunes

We recently took the kids out for Chinese food, because we never go out to eat and we knew if we did they'd notice something was maybe, "special." And Ernie wore his tie and Len a dress, so I think they felt like we intended. At the end of the meal we snuck some special fortunes into their cookies. They said "You are going to be a big brother again/big sister because your mommy has a baby in her tummy."
Yup.
And they were surprised.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u3z1kXt_Mw

And excited.



And so are we.

For the memory books, Ern asked if the Chinese restaurant people had put the baby in my tummy, since somehow the fortunes magically knew. I said no, that Daddy put the baby in my tummy. His reply? "Again!??!"

Ceremonial Tree Recycling Ritual

I think only once since we moved into our house have we NOT had snow to sled our tree to the recycling spot in Woods Park. This year we thought the kids were old enough to add a sledding trip that followed the tree's ride. It's a small slope, but for them it was high adventure!

Making the trek.

Don't they look like they're helping? It's ok, Dad's the only one who did any real work and he didn't even make it into the picture.

Even Chester looks helpful!

Holiday Happenings

This year we got our usual holiday at home, then to the Mohr's for Christmas with the grandparents and Aunt Laura, and the Halls returned from a trip to share some gifts and a meal at our house just after the holiday.

Gathering up the new stockings!

Ern and Dad putting together his new box robot's wiring.

Len and Mom working on her Lego Friends beauty parlor.

We built them a fort with the new fort builder and watched White Christmas. We started to notice soon enough that all the gifts we gave them were pretty "build-heavy." Ern's showing off a new tie from his stocking and Len's wearing a new dress.

Len freaking out about her EIGHT new Disney Princess Barbies from the G-rents Hall.

Ern at the Mohr's with his new remote-controlled tractor and Len with her Terri Lee doll.

First Snow

Even Snuggle Puppy and Judy Bear got all bundled up to enjoy it.

Mohr Wedding

We had a lot of fun at Michelle Mohr's wedding recently. We got to stay in a hotel with Aunt Laura and the g-rents. The kids went swimming and then took a warm bath and watched a movie on the hotel bed, and the we put on our party gear! Len wouldn't have stopped dancing if she'd had her way.