Plan B: Catch Him With Our Bare Hands

Because our leprechaun traps failed us once again, we decided to take matters into our own hands- literally. We've decided to start training to catch the leprechaun with our bare hands. And what better place to train than the YMCA?!

First we worked out our quads on the bounce house. 

Then we marched down the hall...

To the ropes course...

Where we worked on our balance and agility....

Also our feats of strength and courage...

(seriously scary all the way up there!)

Just in case the leprechaun is amphibious, we also got in and swam laps.

And if all of our training fails us, we're pulling out our secret weapon...

Luck of the Irish!

We're not quitters.
Sure, we've never caught a leprechaun.
Sure, he's taken us for fools.
Sure, we've never gotten to cash in our wishes.
BUT- he always leaves us good loot!

But if we had caught him, Superkid would have a Wolf ship, Abizella would have a real Harry Potter wand, Tadpole would have a real Pokemon, LC would have a real live pet peeve and Jaws would have flowers on his head.

As I was tucking in LC and Tad, Tadpole astutely observed, 

"Mom, we know you are not the leprechaun because you are too big to fit in the traps and you don't have any god coins." 

This one would make a fine detective.

This kid hasn't taken his hat and glasses off all weekend!

I wonder if he could fit in a leprechaun trap?

The Week of Pi

My favorite friend from China, Shana, and her two sons came for a visit. Nic is going to college at Boston College and his mom and his brother Ben came to visit him before Ben leaves on his mission. It was so fun to get to know Shana's sons and re-live the glory days of China. I am so grateful to Shana for making China the adventure of a lifetime. I wouldn't eat beetles with anyone else!

Shana and Nic were hoping to catch a flight out of Boston on the actual Pi day, but we got slammed with a Nor'Easter. 

And nobody goes anywhere during a Nor'Easter.

So they stayed and played and played and played games with us while the snow fell and the winds blew and the rains cemented everything down.

Pops and Superkid are the heroes who dug us out. 

They are the same heroes who made us a delicious dinner of lasagna, garlic bread and salad.

Abizella made a triple batch of chocolate chip circles for us to munch upon.

It was the best Pi Day ever. 

It also happens to be the only day of the week that we actually didn't eat pie.

Pi R Squared

I'm loving the run of holidays that pull us through the winter. Especially the holiday that gives me an excuse to make as many pies as my heart desires...

This year I introduced the turtle brownie pie to my adoring throngs of pie eaters.

This year we made: berry pie, raspberry cheesecake pie, banana cream pie, coconut cream pie, mint baked Alaskan, cookies and cream baked Alaskan and brownie pie.

Our guests brought lemon chiffon pie, 2 apple pies, and cream cheese mango hand pies and square chocolate chili pies (pi r squared).

We stuffed ourselves silly!

It's a Swivel Chair Life

We still had a few little touches we wanted to add to the boy's room. 

Pops and I braved Ikea on a Saturday night. 

Then Pops and the kids spent that night and the next day assembling an office space for each of the boys.

Everyone is very pleased to have a place to accomplish the great tasks of their day.

LC declared, "It's a swivel chair life! I'm never standing up again!"

Okay, just a few more pictures because I'm not sure it will ever look this good again.

The Monday after the office spaces were assembled the boys dutifully marched straight upstairs after school and started their homework. 

Pops sent me these pictures. 

It is my vision fulfilled.

Winter Orchestra Concert

Abizella's winter concert was tonight. She is our favorite celloist. It is thrilling to hear how quickly this orchestra is improving.

This is the other half of the fan section. Everyone else is at church activities.

Not only does she sound good, she looks good.

Better buy this girl some ice cream!

Busted.

Caught, peanutbutter-handed!