28 February

This moment.

27 February

Right now....

He has so many different smiles, all with one eye squinting just a little more than the other and all with that hanging front tooth ready to pop out any day now.

He is the champion photo-bomber and can push everyone's buttons like no other.

Usually has a picture in his mind and makes a decision about how something is going to be before he tries it.  And we're working on it, learning to be flexible will be it for him.

He doesn't stop until he can do something.....his new favorites are ice skating and roller blading.

He reminds me daily how important playing is....and cuddling, and how important it is to be joyful....about simple things like your friend making you a bracelet at school.

His favorite food is hot dogs.....least favorite is shepherds pie.

His Favorite books are magic Tree house.
He loves playing Battle Beach and Hay Day

He is afraid of bugs, and the dark and being alone.  He takes the dog lots of places with him in the house to feel safe.

He almost always eats Mandarin Oranges every day after school for a snack. or nut mix.....and he loves Bagels with cream cheese.  Bagel and Yogurt everyday for lunch.  and Chocolate...loves chocolate.

It's hard to believe he's almost 7.  its funny how at seven, Trevor seemed so big and at seven L still seems so little.  First kid third kid thing I guess.

He is sweet and intense and messy and real.  His heart is Huge.  Everything he does is all the way.  He made sure to tell me that B and T were of course always invited to his birthday party.

Love you sweet boy, I can't wait to celebrate your seventh birthday soon!

26 February

Right now.....

He says he would love it if we just went from Winter to summer to fall, cause he hates spring and he likes all the rest.  (I don't blame him, Spring is not the best around these parts)
He is getting ready for two big swim meets, the last chance qualifier and the Junior Olympic state meet.
He's doing algebra in Math (Oh, my!)
Favorite food is ice cream (mine too!)
His Least favorite food is shepherds pie, and cucumbers.
Is loving going ice skating and playing a little hockey at the rink after school.
Is excited for Lacrosse season which starts indoors next Friday.
Gets annoyed with and worried about what's fair especially concerning his younger brother.
Takes care of the dog.
He eats oatmeal for snack almost every day after school
He needs to say goodnight ("Goodnight, Love you, See you in the morning")   like 20 times before he goes to bed (usually I am in bed before him these days....10 PM).
He Is responsible about his homework and chores and practicing, but gets worried about forgetting.
He Is sweet and kind and sensitive.
He Loves the game Clash of Clans.
He Loves the Star Wars movies, the Hunger games, and just finished the Divergent Series.
He Loves reading (and reads daily) Calvin and Hobbes.
11 going on 12...oh my!

25 February

Right now.....

OMG, the things she says.....(she doesn't stop!)
"REALLY (insert, Mom Dad Lucas or Trevor)"?!?!
"It's not fair!"
"Are you kidding me?"

Stuffed cat is one of her best friends and he is nine.
Is loving trashing the barrettes to experiment with some more grown up hairstyles (help?!?)
Is done with wearing earrings. :(
Is doing awesome skiing especially when she can turn and follow someone.
HAS TO check the hot lunch choice for the next day as soon as we sit down for dinner. (and she remembered that she missed chicken nuggets last Friday when it was a snow day....seriously.)
HAS TO help pack all the lunches every night (she's an awesome helper)
Wants to do everything Lucas does, seriously Everything.
Loves acting out little scenes with her animals and VIDEOTAPING.
did I mention Videotaping? with her iPod?
Loves anything to do with Girl time (and calls it "girl day")
Has to check the weather every night..
still loves her cheese sticks
Always asks to "cuddle" at night before she goes to sleep.
Ate all her valentine's party chocolate on the bus on the way home yesterday, ugh.
Loves everyone and everything unconditionally with her whole self all the time.....no exceptions.
Love this girl.

24 February

The Anatomy of a late winter (and still so cold outside) family game night (next to the fire of course)...

The past few weeks, I have been using my iphone for photos way, way too much.  The best camera is the one you have with you, yes, but....I love my SLR.....the photos just don't compare.  Starting around Christmas time I started playing around with the interval timer, and I love the results.  You just set it, set your camera down,  and go about your merry way.  So awesome to capture real life, with the whole family in the photo, PJs, no make up and all.  :)\

PS...the game is Skip-Bo....one of my all time favs.  

Love this.

23 February

The winter break through the lens (of an iPhone)....

It snowed a lot.....these kids haven't been to school in  forever.

We hung around at home some and read some and got on each others nerves some...

We skied twice with friends.......it's always more fun with Friends.

It was warm and sunny and we were shedding Jackets and mittens like it was our job.

The second day we headed up to the top...it was the most real  skiing I've done since I was a teenager....(my legs!!!!)

To top it off we had a really fun sleepover (not much sleeping) with a campfire, and giant sledding hill.

We relaxed some, watched the Olympics, did chores, played the wii and watched some movies (Star Wars and Robots)

They were mad when it "warmed up" (seriously they are winter kids), so after a bit of complaining when they couldn't ice skate they found a happy medium....biking and roller blading in the mud.  The weather inspired me to order all my seeds, plants and trees for the garden this spring. All In all, it was the just right vacation...the right amount of work, hanging at home and getting out and doing...here's to great winter vacations :)  

21 February

This moment....

16 February

The weekend lens.... (Winter Break edition)

Saturday.......L finally got the "Special Day" out with Mom that I promised him for getting over his fear of going to school/eating in the lunchroom and taking the bus again.  He choose to invite his big brother...awwww.  The day started out with ice skating....(their new fav), followed by lunch, the library and the Lego Movie....We loved the movie :) He said it was his best day ever. The Girl and Dad stayed home to work on building her Derby Car for Girl Scouts.  Then in the Evening, J had a very fun and late guys night out with some friends...The kids and I watched curling and played flappy bird.

We've been in a snowy pattern, it's been snowing every other day.  Luckily this time of year it melts from the roads pretty quickly.

Sunday.... after Church, We tried a sledding hill in Portland.  We hadn't been there in YEARS, it was fun, but a little treacherous as kids flew down the hill and kept hitting the kids (and adults!) that were walking up.....Then off for more ice skating, on the way home.

Then home to some hot chocolate, relaxing by the fire and more Olympics.  

then Bedtime Shenanigans....

And Big Brother reading to little brother after Mom banished them to their rooms for too many shenanigans..... And the break is only just beginning!

15 February (Inspiring Links)

Last week.....
The kids had a late start Monday and Wednesday, early release on Thursday and no school Friday....AND vacation next week!  Here are the inspiring links for the week.....Happy weekend to you!

20 things every Parent Should Hear

A letter to working Mother from stay at home Mother and Vice Versa

Square Pegs in Round Holes

5 Hard Truths About Parenting

Parents Resource Guide to Social and Emotional learning

Downhill skiing Go Pro Video

The Only Six Words Parents Need to Say to Their Kids About Sports—Or Any Performance

Good Things

And THIS!!.......

14 February

This Moment.....

12 February

Every Day After school this week we have been going to the ice rink......who knew.....it's FREE, there is a great indoor space for putting on skates, AND social  fun stuff and exercise happen when we get out of the house.   Apparently,  the whole town knew about this little gem but us and now that we have discovered this awesome after school activity, we're going to make it a regular.  L was very apprehensive at first, but wanted to try.  By the end of the second Day T had taught him how to skate some and he was falling all over without a worry of getting hurt.  They love it and ask to go back every day.  Now all we need are skates for the girl a few more pucks and hockey sticks and we've found another really fun way to cure the cabin fever :)

11 February

The better late than Never Weekend Lens....

We took a long overdue road trip to Gammie and Grampa's house.  Grampa built a big sledding hill out back complete with iced down jump.  The kids were out there for hours...all weekend.... and there were only a few injuries.  We drank hot chocolate, we sat by the warm fire (filled up with wood from the CAGE!) and watched the Olympics ALL weekend.    Ok, so about the CAGE......we used to have to fill it up in the garage when we were kids with wood from the wood shed.  It was called "bringing in wood"  If we were sort of good that day we got to use the wheelbarrow.....if we were "bad" we had to use sleds, or our arms, in the dark and freezing cold....oh those were some of the best memories weren't they? (take note kids...no trip to Disney World Required for happy family "togetherness" memories)...Wow that was a ramble.   Back to the weekend.....The kids had a total blast with their cousins, inside and out, snowshoeing, and playing with dogs...lots of dogs.   We played music and cooked yummy meals, laughed and played Skip-Bo.  Such an awesome winter family weekend.

This.

7 February

This moment.

5 February

This week......

We've got a snow day smack in the middle.  Honestly I was praying for an extra sleep in day this week and i got it...Yay! I loved how the kids called it "braving the arctic tundra" every time they went out.  I have a huge pile of snow clothes and boots in front of the fire to prove it...

I went with a group of friends from work to Soakology last night .....and indulged in a little foot soak, drank tea, ate chocolate and got a shoulder massage.  It was amazingly fun and I can't wait to go back.

I love how they all make lists of what they want to do in a day....even if their day is wide open.  Yes kids,
I find this grounding too.....Like mother like children.

Running a snowy 5 K today in honor of Tina and Brian.   I was only going to do two miles cause the snow was so in my eyes, but I kept going, I figured it was nothing compared to undergoing (or watching your loved one undergo) a kidney transplant .  Tina is one of my closest friends and I seriously thought about them and prayed about them every minute today......Their story is here.  

3 February

The weekend Lens......Saturday morning was filled with errands....which meant a a swim clinic and Dance Class for J, B and T and a trip to Wal -Mart and Grocery Shopping for L and I.  Divide and Conquer...right?  Oh, and this boy reads every chance he gets.....

Once we all got home, had lunch and regrouped, we headed over to a skating and sledding party at the neighbors....so Fun!

L finished his homework....

He Hung out in his room, listened to music and studied for his health test.  I love how they make you memorize the definition of "acting responsible"

Oh...and this dragon will be permanently displayed until further notice.  L was so proud of  how he had worked so hard on it and was a part of the parade on Friday.  There are no words to describe the happiness that loving school again brings me.

Then we had dinner and Saturday nights are our once a week dessert night.  Melty hot fudge sundaes...my fav.

Then it was getting ready for bed and movie night (Despicable Me 2).  Talking Tom likes to watch her brush her teeth.

Sunday....T had the Tuffin Up meet.  Tuffin up meaning long events.  It was over 7 hours that we were there and it was kind of like swimming two meets in one day.  AND because I had written down the wrong warm up time, we totally missed the warm up and got there just as T's first event was starting.  It was all good though and he did Personal Bests in all his events including the 500 free which he says he now "likes" .

Also, Sunday Morning, J ran the frozen ten miler and left B and L at home with an awesome new teenage sitter who just moved to our neighborhood.  L won the game of LIFE with 1.5 million dollars (He wanted me to mention)......

T and I came home to these two "cleaning the house" they had two rags each, wet and dry and were cleaning everything......then they took a little Wii break (Did I mention that I love that they are best friends).

And last but not least, we were too pooped out and got home too late to attend any superbowl parties....so we threw on our jammies, cooked up some salty cheesy stuff and spent the rest of the night right here.... the game, commercials and night were just as uneventful as they come.  A Perfect evening if I don't say so myself.  Good stuff :)