what did i do?

I cannot believe I did this! On Sunday night we were giving the kids a bath and as I was combing out Cameron's long, tangly hair afterward I realized she was strangely still and interested in the q-tips on the counter. I called out to Darren to bring the scissors and the camera because this was my moment-- I was going to cut her hair! I had known for some time that I would have to be the one to do this because she doesn't let just anybody touch her (good girl!) and somehow I would have to be quick because she wouldn't give me much time. My friend had told me her only advice was "be quick!" because that's how she was able to cut her daughter's hair. Why is it so scary to make the first cut? It's just hair, it will grow back! Anyway, I think it's pretty cute, and it's not so tangly anymore!

valentine's day

We had quite a long Valentine's Day at the Rusco house. I think this is one of my favorite holidays because Darren likes to surprise us with a treasure hunt every year. This year was even more exciting for Jason because he could read the clues himself. In the morning the kids opened some takeout boxes that I had filed with handmade felt fortune cookies. They had messages and candy inside. We rushed off to school where Jason experienced the onslaught of Valentines and candy. Cameron went to library story-time where the librarian was kind enough to give each child a sucker. It was a nice gesture, but for Cameron it was too much sugar. She ate the whole thing and preceded to make us miserable afterward with her behavior. We picked Jason up from school and went home to start the treasure hunt. Darren had hidden clues around the house and in the car. Since Jason could read them all himself he took off without me and my camera because we were tied up in Cameron's outbursts. His last clue at home directed him to go to church to continue the hunt. That transition was great because at church Cameron was able to pull it together and compose herself while Jason finished his hunt. In the end the kids found Guido and Luigi and a tractor from the Cars movie. We got lunch and headed home for a NAP! Aubrey Bear enjoyed a lovely afternoon with Jason while he read books to her and his other stuffed animals, I think he called it storytime at the zoo. We had dinner at home and did our best to keep the kids from eating too much candy. The best solution for our kids is to put it away in the cupboard- out of sight, out of mind.

aubrey bear

Say hello to Aubrey Bear! Aubrey is the kindergarten class bear and she gets to visit the home of one kindergartener every week. This week Aubrey is in the Rusco house for a few days of fun. Today Aubrey has played Legos, taken a nap and changed clothes several times. Aubrey is trying to avoid Cameron, who loves a little too much! It's getting very Valentine-y around here, so I'm sure Aubrey will have a fun holiday... stay tuned for more!

snow day

We survived! The day was long and cold, but the kids had a blast. We drove up to Shaver Lake with our friends, the Hedlunds and the Keys. The kids (and adults) had fun riding sleds and tubes down the slopes of a snow park just off the highway. What's the deal with kids and gloves? You spend so much time putting gear on these kids, especially gloves and the first thing they do when they step outside is take off their gloves to scoop up a handful of snow and eat it. When you put their freezing wet hands back into the gloves they are basically ruined because the freezing wet hands have now made the gloves wet inside. I think the kids are genuinely shocked that snow can be so cold. Cameron did not like the hills covered in snow, nor did she like riding a sled with me. I think her favorite part of the day was walking around the flat, scraped parking lot. Jason surprised us with his bravery and sledded without one whimper of fear. It definitely helps to have all his friends around. Enjoy the pictures!

projects

Hey everybody! I just wanted to post a few of my latest projects. First up are these fabric pinwheels. I saw the idea on Chickpea Sewing Studio. She made these for a baby mobile but I adapted them to make giant magnets for my fridge. Next I made another felt banner (see giving thanks post) for Valentine's Day. I figured I could crank out the 6 letters of "be mine" faster than "happy Valentine's Day" and actually have it up for a few weeks. Today I trying out Martha's coffee cake (although my favorite recipe is from The Center for Sour Cream Coffee Cake in Portland. I'll let you know how Martha stacks up. We're getting ready for a snow day tomorrow. We're loading up the motorhome with gear and food for one day in the snow ... so you know what that means.... I'm packing more than we'll ever need. I'll post pics from tomorrow by the end of the week... if we survive....