January recap

Luke walking to Grammie's house in the snow, a path well-worn!

Good Morning Friends, (the few of you that still check in around here)!  What a nice "break" of sorts from blogging.  

 We finally had some snow around here the other week.  Here's to MORE, MORE, MORE of that before all the buds start sprouting up!  Looks like I'll be throwing the windows open today and Wednesday, (suppose to hit 60*)!!  And then, back down to the 30's by Sunday!  What the heck?  There's your little weather update from around here!  The kids love playing in the snow.  Paisley stepped out the door and immediately laid down to make a snow angel!  She grabs life! 

My snow bunnies....

We had a hot chocolate station for our New Year's party, and I never took it down!  The kids love it and it's cozy to look at!  Luke especially loves to be warmed up.  He helps to make his own hot chocolate and smells it deeply, proclaiming his love of the chocolate smell, (he also loves the smell of gas, the smell from an extinguished match and my "night time" lotion).  He's our smeller!  

 

 Grammie's house all lit up at night.  It's such a wonderful feeling looking out there at night, knowing she is warm and cozy, loved, valued and safe. I have meant to post some more pics of her home, but at this rate I'll probably wait until the upstairs is completed as well!  Our other computer is shut down right now, (which has all the renovation pictures on it), so I have to take a day to get all the pictures organized.  I need a day for our closets as well, and while we're at it, I'll take a day for deep cleaning, one for organizing the attic and one more to redo our bedroom into "vintage-glam."  :)

Paisley found my heels the other night, (which have since been retired to the back of my closet with all my other non-pregnancy shoes)! 

It's flats for us from here on out baby......

Potty training this girl was so easy!  It had absolutely nothing to do with us or our "formula".  She was just ready I guess.  We started on a Sunday night and she had a few "spills" that night and Monday, by Tuesday she was telling us when she had to go.  I was brave crazy enough to take her out for lunch and some errands with no pull-up and she did GREAT!  I couldn't believe it, (and I'm sure the ladies who heard me hooping-and hollerin' from the bathroom may have wondered at my great joy)!  She still has a pull-up at night, (but that's just because I don't want any extra laundry right now).  She would probably be fine, but I'm not ready!  She wants to go all by herself now and will close the door and do her thing, emerging so proud with her dress all jacked up.  She's quite independent. Here she is on her first "training", Sunday night, being entertained 21st century style!

My beautiful sister turned 50, but she didn't want a huge party.  Instead she wanted several intimate gatherings with those closest to her.  What a wonderful idea.  Truly enjoying those most important to her in a small, relaxed settings.  We had a sisters tea here one day.  It could have continued all day as far as I was concerned, but we had to get back to "reality" after four hours.  The love, safety, inspiration, challenge, wisdom and acceptance we experience together is truly a touch from heaven. 

You can kid the world.

But not your sister.

 ~Charlotte Gray~

Fresh flowers in the middle of Winter,
there's nothing quite like it.

Tyler loves school.  Everyday I ask him how school went today?  "GREAT!" is his answer just about everytime. I wonder if that's really true or not, or if it's simply his optimistic outlook. He got his first report card today.  He's doing wonderfully and as his teacher commented, "Tyler is making great progress in all areas!  He brings a positive attitude to class each day, and takes pride in his work.  He is a joy to have in class!"  I LOVE going to his class to help so I can watch him interact with those around him.  He is genuinely kind to everyone.  We are so grateful for the way he is learning and growing and enjoying the world around him. 

 We've decided to send Luke to Kindergarten this Fall.  He's showing such signs of readiness and seems very interested in going. He loves to do "homework" here at home.  He has a strong interest in numbers and most mornings I will wake up to him counting to 100, (his favorite number).  Everywhere we drive he talks about the numbers he sees.  And asks me several times a day what this number plus another number is.  I try to hide my hand when I have use my fingers to count, like I'm still in 3rd grade!   

It will feel quite different around here with two school-goers.  And we think that having them one year apart throughout school will be nice. 

Here is a drawing Tyler made over Thanksgiving. The students were asked to draw and write out something they were thankful for.  The bulletin board was filled with pictures of "I'm thankful for my family" and "I'm thankful for my house" and such.  Apparently Tyler is very thankful for his "vtbols", (vegetables)!  I laughed so hard when I saw this and immediately sent a picture to Jake!  Kinda reminded me of when he told the Dr. his favorite food was lettuce!  

Finally took our Christmas tree down.  I was hoping to enjoy the sparking lights with a ginormous blizzard, but alas February is almost here and we usually try to get our decorations down by Spring!  Having fun decorating for Valentine's Day now.  I have entirely too many decor items for each holiday, (thus our annual garage sale)!  Jake says he never knows what to expect when he comes home! 

"Where thou art,

that is home."

~Emily Dickinson~