Wanting a little winter

It had been so warm, all through December and January. We loved being able to be outside all the time, but it didn't feel like winter...

We felt very lucky when we got snowed in a few weeks ago. It gave the kids huge piles of snow to play on and the grown ups an excuse to stay in their jammies for two days straight. Or maybe that was just ME.

Now if the warm weather would like to return, that would be just fine by us. We just needed a little winter.

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What we're up to....

 Daddy Daughter Date Night is a new tradition for us. The community parks and rec program puts it on each year and they have such fun. Hubs is a great dancer and Bee just raves about what a great date he is. It's a dinner and dance night and a great excuse to get all dressed up!

 The weather stayed so nice for so long this year. We had Marigold, the kindergarten traveling pet, a few Mondays ago. Buddy took Marigold for a bike ride and they played Legos. Never thought we'd be riding bikes in February!

Both kids had big school projects. Bee had to make a planet project (she chose a mobile) and Buddy had to make something for the 100th day. He chose 100 marshmallows and wanted an ELEPHANT. We did our best and it turned out okay. His teacher was surprised because their sound that week was for the letter E and we had written 'E is for Elephant' at the top. It worked out perfectly!

Basketball, piano lessons, family time...it has been a crazy couple of months.

I'm looking forward to spring (gardening! sunshine! being outdoors!) and of course, summer break. It will be here before I know it!

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48 months ago...

Four years ago, they were lining up animals and making a meal for them.

This morning, they are dressed as pirates, playing in the junkyard (toy room) with the animals all lined up, being fed.

Feels so good that everything doesn't have to change all at once.

Because honestly, so much has.

That same month, we took the front rail off of Buddy's crib.

He was nearing age two and kept climbing out. He would only have that binkie for two more months.

Tonight I'll tuck him under that same dino blankie. The same one he has slept with since he was in that crib.

Thank goodness it doesn't have to change all at once.

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Growing

Today I saw a young couple in church passing their baby girl between them. They were bouncing her, snuggling her, keeping her happy the way that you do with a seven-month old in church.

Could I remember my baby girl that way? Hmmmm...

At two months?

How about two years?!

It's silly, but I just felt so strange in that moment. Oh my gosh! Could I forget? Forget what it felt like to hold that baby?

She woke every night to nurse, until she was seven months old. I remember feeling surprised by how much I didn't mind. I enjoyed that dark, quiet time together. She was all mine and I was the only one in the world who could give her what she needed in that moment. Egotistic for sure. But it sure was great. Rocking her in the dark, making sure she knew I was always there.

Tonight we started reading a BOOK. After several moody mood swings this weekend and me telling her that we are sure to be in for more of the same over the next few (let's face it, TEN) years...I decided to get out the book. We'll read it together, or not, if she changes her mind. We just started tonight. It will tell her about hygiene and puberty, in ways that I may not be able to do. It said that girls experience these changes from age 8-13, I was shocked that she's in the age range. I thought I was so ahead of the game. Turns out, we're just in time.

I'm glad to be able to go through this time with her. But I know that a lot of it she'll do on her own. I'm not all she needs any more. I haven't been for a long time.

It's fine. Really.
I just had forgotten that it was different once.

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Have you been here yet?

I do a lot of wandering around the internet when I've got ten minutes (or hours) to kill.

Have you seen They Draw & Cook?

I'd like to start a notebook of just recipes from this site, they are so pretty! I think it would be fun to frame a couple to hang in the kitchen too.

It's a little hard to explain, so just check it out for yourself. One of my favorite features is Dial-a-Dinner. No, I've never actually used the recipes that come up, but it's good fun to play around with. Some time, I think I'll gamble and just commit to making whatever pops up. Sort of like meal roulette.

Have fun!

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This IS the year

I did it!

I said in my resolutions post yesterday that I wanted to make a framed reminder like Swistle's, so I did.
Perfection is out the window, just as she suggested. So there's a smudge on the first word. So my numbering is crooked. I got it done and now just need to figure out where to place it (which is why it was photographed on the steps...).

I don't want to keep it by the computer, I've got this third grader who would be very happy to check in on these and I want to keep these personal. As personal as it gets, posting them here!

So I'm going to tackle them one by one, and hopefully will be able to see by this time next year that I set a few goals and followed through.

Wouldn't that be a nice change?!

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Seriously...

Do you look at National Geographic's Photo of the Day yet?!

Some of my favorite posts are the photos on this blog. I see one each day in my Google Reader and the stuff that comes up there is so great.

This is today's.

First of all, I want to go there. Be there. Now.

Secondly, wow! That's a great photo.

Good stuff.

Funny aside: I just asked the Buddy if he'd like to go there with me some day. He asked where it is. I replied Scotland. And he said, "Yeah. But put me in a wagon. Do they speak a different language?" No clue where he's going with all of this, but I sure love a five-year old's train of thought. Even if I'm completely confused by it.

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