{Applause inserted here.}

She can play without a companion for about 20-30 minutes. Mid-afternoon has become a time for dolls, littlest pet shop, and other rainbow-colored shenanigans.

I am often right next to her as she plays. For real, I could play next to her for hours but somehow I grew up. Dinner and responsibilities cut in and I can only give her short bursts of playtime. Which is good, I guess, but I’d rather play than just about anything. Except snacking and napping. Am I a kid or what?

Molly playing with my dolls from childhood

Molly aka Rainbow Brite

Molly feeding her doll

Love,

Jess

The news called it Snow-ma-gedon! I called it a Blizzard. Molly called it a “Lizzard”!

We made a gingerbread village.

Peter taught Ryan a new computer game.

Peter made a huge fort with Molly and Ryan. The white glow from the living room windows was from all the blowing snow!

I made a pie.

What do you do when you are home-bound with your family? I hope you find something fun!

Love,

Jess

Proverbs 31:21

²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

Hats, boots, mittens, snowpants….check

This Proverbs 31 “studying” is becoming very fun!

Love,

Jess

Last week, I battled Bronchitis and morning sickness. Neat Pete took off a day of work to watch the children.

I, in turn, spent my day watching TV and eating candy taking turns trying to sleep and/or breathe.

Here are some of his iPhone pics he captured from playtime at the park.

Just for Memories Sake:

Pete convinced Ryan that there was a naughty boy named Hooligan that came to the park at night and covered the slide with rocks.

Molly can climb up the chain ladder by herself at 22 months (the sign on the equipment says 5-12 years old).

• Note: I’ll spare you the real before photo of our pre-attic closet disaster,  and go straight for the cute photos of how to make room for the play room. I know, it hurts my before-and-after loving gene, not to have documentation of my over burdened and buried craft table, and general dumping ground for stray belongings, but I will move on; mostly because I did this “transformation” on such a whim I forgot to take a photo. Most of you have already skipped to the rest of the blog post by now anyway.

1. Pile. Is it just my house or are your toys fertile and multiply? (kids’ room)

2. Sort. Plastic bins, plastic bins, plastic bins…oh sorry, I was busy rehearsing my organizing mantra. Isn’t my little helper so cute? Give, keep, sell…give, keep, sell…give, keep, sell…oops, there I go again!

3. Claim. This room is one 4 year old lying down by one 1 1/2 year old lying down. Nice square footage. I’ll take it; have my people talk to your people.

4. Gather. Move stuff around, aka fluff your nest, it is so much fun!

5. Conceal. Hi there attic! Wanna play hide-n-seek? Okay, you hide first. Good.

6. Learn. Making room for the play room includes making room for learning. The vintage ABC and 123 quilt was hung in my nursery when I was a wee one. Are the 70′s considered vintage yet? None-the-less, the vintage quilt, aka attic concealer, is a great tool for learning and general cheeriness.

7. Sit. {whimper, sigh!} Why did I let this a.dor.a.ble step bench be cluttered in old taxes and fall decor for waaaay too long? Well, no guilt, just pleasure now. I love the littleness of this space! Place a few books around to promote reading.

8. Add a family photo board in the playroom. It provides friendly faces to look at when Mommy  puts the baby-gate up outside her own room and instructs everyone it is now “Play Time” just so she can blog. er…I mean, because when kids look at the familiar faces, it encourages family connectivity, creativity and community.  Yeah, that’s it!

9. Relax and enjoy your hard work! Play!

The kids are playing with warmer clothes too yet they always seem to get sweaty so fast from running, falling, jumping and chasing around the house and yard.

Molly can wear the pink Oshkosh bibs that I bought at a garage sale for my South Carolina gal pal Heather when she had her first baby over 5 years ago (pre- McWilliams babies). They cycled through her girls and now they can fit my daughter.

One blink! I swear it was just one blink and the bibs of a yesteryear garage sale purchased only to appease my baby fix are walking around my house, on my kid!