A Ryerson Boxing Day miracle

Someone figured out how to make the timer work and we're all in the picture together...with our eyes open.

Zoe meets Santa

Zoe met Santa today, and made sure to tell him to bring her sister, Eleni, a "white pull toy doggie not on a wagon with pink ears and a pink tail," since her sister was back at BopBop's with a bad cough. She also asked Santa for Zebra shoes. Thank goodness Santa didn't promise anything.

On a side note, I used to cringe at the thought of even going NEAR someone dressed up as Santa, so I was a little amazed that Zoe ran up and gave him a hug and a kiss.

On the ride back to BopBop's , I got the third degree about where his reindeer were and how he was going to get back to the North Pole in time for Christmas without them.

A sunny South Carolina Christmas

Seriously?

I mean, seriously?

And this is before we got the 8 inches and 20 mph winds.

Best Outtake

This year's best Christmas Card photo shoot outtake:

Gia

No kidding. The girls' cousin Gia really is this cute.

Happy Thankgiving

This year I'm thankful for hugs at the dinner table.

Autumn Mars Gazing

It's always a good, good thing when Thia Mars comes to visit, especially when we it results in bonus visits from Clare.


Meanwhile, Eleni got 10 stitches under her lower lip, bringing our 2010 ER visit count up to 5 for those of you playing along. I think the scar is cute.

Zoe is a dancing bee

That's pretty much what you need to know.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Alexandra

The girls wish a very happy birthday to their delicious cousin.

A is for Alice

A is for Alice who met an Alligator
swishing down the Alleyway on Apple Avenue
"Shoo!" said Alice, "I'm Allergic to Alligators."
"Achoo! Achoo!"
And off she flew.

Preschool Circus Trip

Note to self: If you can skip just one school trip next year, let it be the circus.

First of all, any venue that hosts an event starting at 10am and doesn't serve coffee is INSANE.

Second, it's a bit presumptuous to want to be both the greatest and the longest-seeming show on earth. Leave that to shows that better prepare their audiences...like maybe "Waiting for Godot." Zoe helped out by asking "Is this the end?" at least 25 times during the second half.

Third, I don't know how anyone who doesn't watch multiple security camera monitors for a living can be expected to deal with a three-ring circus without feeling like they're falling woefully behind in Cake Mania.



The girls' favorite part were the "pink ballerinas" who were in fact acrobats who I believe were impersonating mermaids. But in the air.


I had two favorite parts:

1. 7 motorcycles riding around a mesh metal ball. Cool.


2. The yellow foam cowboy hat that came free with the $10 cotton candy-in-a-bag (didn't there used to be a stick involved?). Eleni looked particularly cute in that hat.


3. Cute kids



Not my favorite part: The 1.5 hour bus ride home on a hot, hungry, cranky school bus.

Trick-or-Treat 2010

Hot off the presses, some shots from the Marousis girls' 2010 Trick-or-treating.









As we prepared for the excursion, The bumble bee, Princess Jasmine, the jaguar and Alice in Wonderland demonstrated energy to spare.
















They were undaunted by the cold weather, and fought back with parkas.




















We tromped through the leaves and waning sunshine from house to house, urging the dads to keep up.
















As the sun began to go down, however, the candy-inspired exercise took its toll and laziness prevailed.






At the end of the day, we unanimously announced a successful candy mission accomplished.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2010

Happy Halloween from our little fairies!

This photo is from practice Halloween...real Halloween pics to come.

Visits from Bop Bop and Holly

Poll results are unanimous. Visits from Bop Bop and Holly are a good thing.

Day at the Pumpkin Farm

In addition to upholding the time-honored tradition of muttering "It costs HOW much for you to sit on that 30-year-old tetanus trap and go in a circle three times?," the Marousis family engaged in a number of smile-inducing fall festival activities at the Didier Pumpkin Farm today.








Eleni & Zoe climbed up a tall slide with a thick piece of (pretty raggedy) felt and then rode down atop said felt.



















They particularly enjoyed this activity.











I'm considering putting one of these in the back yard if we ever move.















Of course, nothing says "Pumpkin Festival" like a good old fashioned camel ride.














There's just something fun about sticking your head in one of these.













I still don't get the joy in the fake pony ride, but it was definitely there.













Just as much fun as the the fake pony ride, but real.

Happy 4th Birthday, Eleni & Zoe!

EZ in Colorado

Eleni & Zoe pretty much agreed that Nana & JayJay's house in Greeley, CO is the perfect place for grandkids.

It might have been the backyard.

Or the dog.

Or the trip to Chuck E Cheese with Uncle Drew Drew.

But it was probably the hugs.

Not our plane

Jay, Andy, Troll, Zoe & Eleni in Greeley, CO, posing in front of a plane with which we have absolutely no connection.

That's just the kind of family we are.

Take a load off

Never let it be said that my children don't know how to relax.

Father's Day Grillapalooza

Father's Day weekend was a Marousis Grillapalooza -- steaks and sausage and zucchini and pork chops, oh my!

Z&E love to help their dad grill, which usually means heading back and forth between him and me for wet paper towels, meat thermometers, grill cocktails, etc.

The rule for helping at the grill is that you have to wear shoes (usually crocs) -- here, Eleni displays appropriate footwear before being allowed balcony access.

Happy Father's Day 2010!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

The new pose

If I ask Eleni to smile for the camera, there's a 50% chance that I'll get this pose.

Z&E attempt the Perry the Platypus noise

If you haven't seen Phineas & Ferb (do so immediately!), this won't make much sense, but this afternoon, Zoe & Eleni & I were doing our best to make the Perry the Platypus noise.

Here's us:
(The screen shot looks black but it will play if you double click on it)






Here's Perry the Platypus:


And here's a real platypus:


You be the judge.

Goodbye, elbow cast

In honor of Zoe getting her cast off today, we are documenting what I hope will be the last of our fiberglass bodywear for a good long while (aside from the below-elbow cast she gets today and has to wear for another two weeks.

On the plus side, waterproof! (who knew!?!?)

The reason for the cast

Larissa pointed out that I skipped over WHY Zoe has a cast on.

Essentially, she fell off the climbing wall at the playground WHILE MOMMY WAS SPOTTING HER. I turned my head for a split second when Eleni called and the next thing I knew she was on the ground crying and holding her arm.

Not one of my favorite mommy moments.

She broke the tip of both arm bones when she fell, but did not injure the growth plate (which is apparently quite important). If it were me, I'd have to get surgery and have a couple of metal plates installed, but since she's 3, her bones will heal themselves over the next few months.

How cool is nature?

Pure contentment

Going Gaga

Zoe, recently spotted at the club Lady Gaga.

No Tiaras at the Table

After a several-month respite, pre-dinner dress up time is back with a vengeance.

And, especially for Jen:

World Cup preparations in the Marousis household

Let the games begin!

(pearls optional)

Eleni's new nickname is Ronaldo, (and she has the multiple Dora-Bandaid-covered "wounds" to prove it).

My tummy is tumbling

Zoe has a acquired a large vocabulary when it comes to requesting treats.

Excerpt from a recent trip home from school, AFTER Eleni & Zoe have eaten their afterschool snack:

Zoe: Can I have another snack?

Mommy: Nope, we're going home to make dinner.

Zoe: But I'm HUNGRY!

Mommy: Oh good, then you'll eat all your dinner.

Zoe: No, no no NO!

Mommy: *silence*

Zoe: But I'm starving right NOW!

Mommy: You can have some cereal. *knows Zoe does not want cereal*

Zoe: I don't want cereal. I want a TREAT. I want a TREAT!

Mommy: Nope.

Zoe: But it's an emergency. It's a candy emergency.

Mommy: *stifling giggles* Nope

Zoe: But mommy, my tummy is tumbling, my tummy is tumbling. TUMBLING. I need a treat now!

Mommy: Oh dear, if you're tummy is tumbling you better not eat anything. We should probably go home and put you right to bed.

Zoe: Points to mouth in a "feed the birdy" manner making birdy noises.

*pause*

Zoe: I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! *stretches all limbs as far out as carseat will allow and then collapses back, overwhelmed with the unfairness of it all*

Story time

Just when we thought it was impossible to find any additional ways to delay bedtime, Zoe has instituded Story Time:

Scene: Lights off, lullabies sung, start turtle nightlight on.

Zoe: C'mon Eleni, it's story time. Come get in my nest (aka her toddler bed, which is already pretty full with Zoe & mommy in it).

Zoe: OK, do you want the sprinkle story, the honey story or the yogurt story.

Mommy & Eleni: Sprinkles!

Zoe: OK. Once upon a time the sprinkles went for a walk. There were mommies and daddies and uncles and aunts who hugged their little dears and dusted their pants (exerpt from "Chicka Chicka, Boom, Boom").
*Lowers voice*
Then there was something SCARY in the forest.

Eleni: I'm not scary. I'm not scary because I'm big. I'm brave. Is that right mommy? It's ok because I'm brave.

Mommy: Right.

Zoe: *ignoring Eleni* It was very SCARY.

Mommy: What was it?

Zoe: It was ghosts! But the sprinkles weren't scared and they went home. The end.

*Eleni and Mommy applaud loudly*

Day 3: Gardening 101

On Day 3 with Bop Bop & Holly, Bop Bop let the girls help him plant beans.





Note that Zoe is trying to plant beans without actually getting her hands dirty by using only her pointer finger to push each bean into the earth.

(She also tries to get her teachers to do for her any preschool projects that involve touching glue.

Seriously, who in their right preschool mind doesn't want to touch glue?!?!?)

They also got to feed the fishies.

And climb a big, big rock.

Goodbye, Bop Bop & Holly.

We'll miss you!