We've been sick lately, which means that we've spent more time than usual wearing only cowboy boots and underpants and staying indoors.

It snowed a tiny bit and Scott was sent home from work at noon.

So we ate cookies for lunch and enjoyed his company.

Joseph threw his on the floor, and Scott threatened a timeout. Joseph, having never experienced a timeout before but having witnessed many, many of Ian's timeouts, burst into tears.

Ian disappears frequently these days. He has reattached himself to binkies, and will sneak off to "eat" one. Here, he set up shop with his "friends" in our bathtub.

Joseph loves to climb in this chair and read to himself. He loves cats, and has a specific little laugh he uses when he opens to a page with a cat picture on it.

We set up our tree and the boys went nuts during their rare time in the "grown-up room". And now they are mesmerized each day when the automatic timer turns the tree lights on at 3:30 pm.They stand with their toes just hanging over the edge of the forbidden carpet and stare.