We used both sides of the easel tonight for Ben and Mollie to paint.
After about 10 days of building in the living room, Ben's blocks got banished back to his room because Ben kept melting down when Mollie placed a block in the wrong place (she didn't even knock it down). Once he got over being mad about building in his room, he built this super cool house. The rag in the house is the carpeting. He has since added people.
John and Ben took an evening bike ride. Mollie and I followed along with me pushing her in the Cozy Coupe.
For Christmas PawPaw Mac bought Ben a BB gun. This afternoon John took him out in the backyard to shoot it for the first time. First John demonstrated how to shoot.
John showed Ben how to put the gun against his shoulder.
Explaining how to look down the sight.
Loading the BBs.
Going to check out the target.
Looking at the hole where John shot.
Ben's turn.
This is actually a picture of Ben's second shot. Mollie was throwing a fit wanting to get off the porch and I missed the first shot.
Ben was super excited about shooting. Afterwards we called PawPaw so that Ben could tell him all about it. He told PawPaw, "We didn't get anything" meaning he didn't kill a deer.
This is the target John made for them. I put a yellow sheet of contruction paper behind it so that you can see Ben's shots. He had a lot of help.
On Friday, we met Katrina at the park for a picnic lunch. Ben thought he was very big pushing Mollie in the swing.
Mollie saying "cheese."
Ben thought he was really funny with his mouth wide open while I was trying to take a picture.
Thursday was our monthly Zoo Tots class at the local zoo. Ben is diligently coloring his elephant mask while Mollie plays with the crayons.
Mollie's favorite part is snack time.
She also loved petting Sampson the snake. I couldn't take her picture since she was in my lap. From the time the zoo educator took it out of the cage until it finally got to us, Mollie screamed and reached trying to get to the snake. She couldn't wait to touch it.
Ben showing off his finished elephant mask.
The bearded dragon lizard Dundee.
Ben took this picture of me wearing his elephant mask while we were waiting to pet the guinea pig, King Henry. My picture of Ben and King Henry turned out blurry.
The zoo was actually closed on Thursday (they have limited hours during the winter months), so after class we played at the park with Burn and Harris. I only took this one picture.
After nap yesterday, I asked Ben what he wanted to do. He said, "undecorate the tree." I hadn't planned to take the Christmas decorations down yesterday, but since Ben was motivated I decided to get motivated, too. By the time we finished, I had decided to become one of those people that don't put up a Christmas tree because they think it's to a worship a pagan god. I'll probably get over it by next December. 
Trying to put "Belbo" back on the tree.
Mollie needed a stool, too.
Notice all the papers hanging around the bottom. Those are ornaments that Ben made throughout December. We packed them away for next year, too.
Ben, Mollie, and I had a New Year's Eve party. We made a banner that said, "Happy New Year."
We made cupcakes.
We sang "We wish you a merry Christmas" because it was the only song we knew that said anything about New Years and each blew out a candle.
Mollie didn't understand blowing out the candle. After she had smushed her cupcake really well she kept blowing on it.
Happy 2012! We rang in the new year by watching the fireworks in Australia on You Tube.
