Nutcracker Ballet

Today, my sister came up from Frankfort to go to the Nutcracker Ballet with me and Maya.

Maya and my sis

Checking out the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra before the ballet started

In front of the cool ceiling lights at the Aronoff Center

Zombie Walk

Heading out for a winter walk in our neighborhood to "search for zombies." We found lots of evidence of the zombie apocalypse sprawled all over the ground in neighbors' yards -- crumpled up Homer & Bart Simpson, crumpled santas, a crumpled snowman, crumpled penguins, and even a crumpled Grinch.

Maya's altered stuff

"Hey-b, Fabt Albert" -- Maya's stretched out hat that she made into a ski mask

Maya's altered dolls

HOMESCHOOL OPEN SWIM DAY!

Win-Win

We had an interesting game of Monopoly Jr unfold yesterday. As per the rules, we all started with the same amount of cash in hand at the beginning of the game. We all used the same strategy -- buy any & every property you land on so you can rake in the rent payments. The only variable was the roll of the dice.

After the first couple of passes around the board, I had happened to land on the majority of properties and was sitting back collecting money way quicker than I was spending it. Seth was in the middle and his trips around the board were hit or miss -- sometimes coming out a bit ahead, sometimes behind but fairly close to even. Riley was not so lucky. The first couple of trips around the board he seemed to land on everything except property to buy. After Seth and I had most of the property, most of Riley's turns ended up costing him rent to one or the other of us, and his money dwindled quickly.

When Riley got down to his last dollar and landed on my property, which rented for $3, Seth piped up and said, "I don't want to play this as a win-lose game." I asked him what he suggested we do. He said he had plenty of extra money, and just gave Riley some. "You have even more, ya know, Mom." So I gave him a handful. Then Seth decided to sell Riley one of his properties and I sold him a couple, and everyone was able to stay in the game as we continued to play.

Ewww -- pay no attention to the messy kitchen in the background. We had better things to do than housework, apparently. (See foreground)

Christmas treats

mmmm, Muddy Buddies

Maya's clay snowmen

It's Starting To Look and Feel Like Christmas Here

Cold, grey, & dark outside, warm and twinkly in the house.
I'm thinking it's about time to add the smell of cookies baking.

Steamboat at Cincy History Museum

Maya & Seth on the train at Holiday Junction at the Museum Center

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Maya & her friend Denisa with cookies they decorated at our library today