Snow Day!

I know I posted a couple of weeks ago about what I hoped was the end of winter weather but we had a huge snowstorm this weekend and I really did enjoy it.  The cold temperatures and lack of warmish days and walks has been really getting to me.  But a snowstorm kind of made this seemingly endless winter seem fun.

Sunday afternoon it started snowing at about 2:00 and it continued to snow until sometime in the middle of the night.  When all was said and done we got about 13 inches of snow.  It was really beautiful and it was enough that you didn't have to and shouldn't go anywhere.

I took the kids outside to play in it and as always Grace had fun and Caleb just cried and ground his teeth.  Needless to say he didn't last long.  I'm really hoping he likes snow by next year!  Then after dragging Grace inside because she had been outside for at least if not more than an hour we made snow ice cream.  My friend Amy called me and said we had to try it so we did.  Grace loved it and Caleb was completely stressed by it:)  All in all it was a fun wintery day!

Now I'm really hoping it gets warm soon!

Happy to be going outside.  Caleb hadn't yet realized he was
going to play in the snow.  Also, do you love his pink boots?  

I sat Caleb on the slide to take a picture and he just cried

Grace sitting on the snow couch and all smiles

Eating snow ice cream.  Caleb looks interested but this is as close as he got to it.  

Caleb - 2 Year Old Update

I did want to post a little update containing info about what Caleb has been up to lately.  However, I am a little overwhelmed because it's hard to remember everything.  I think I'll just go with the bulleted list and hope I remember enough that when I look back at this post I remember this time.

• Loves to eat EVERYTHING we give him (favorite foods are berries, marshmallows, sausage, and bananas)
• Sleeps from 7pm-7am every night
• Takes a nap from 12:30-3 or 3:30ish everyday (still in a crib)
• Sleeps with a blanket, baby (glowworm doll), and Gus Gus stuffed toy from Cinderella 
• Sucks his thumb to sooth to sleep but I've never seen him do it outside of the crib
• Loves puzzles
• Loves to sing (favorites are ABC's, Row Row Row Your Boat, Go Tell it on the Mountain, Jesus Loves Me)
• Loves Diego, Dora, and Veggie Tales
• If we ask him what he wants to wear 9 times out of 10 he says Packer shirt (oh dear!)
• Starting to identify colors
• Can count to 20
• Asks to listen to music a lot and seems to really be taking it in
• Thinks going out somewhere is about the best thing on earth so he easily is coerced into getting ready and putting shoes and a coat on
• Loves people and is really good about identifying those he knows by name
• Talks in complete sentences
• Actually likes to clean up and likes things to be in order
• HATES snow and will melt down anytime we ask if he wants to play in it
• Loves to be called Be-Bop-A-Do and will even tell us to call him that
• Walks up and downstairs with only the help of a railing
• Still loves jumping and the higher the surface to jump off of the better
• Still loves all things ball and will always want to play basketball, catch, etc...
• He's really gotten into the things Grace is into so he loves princesses and Lalaloopsy dolls (the beauty of having and older sister)
• He absolutely adores his big sister!  He follows her around and always wants to do what she is doing.  Fortunately she handles that really well (for now at least)!

Caleb is such an amazing kid and we are so thankful he is ours.  I can't even begin to list all the things we love about him.  He has such a fun and outgoing personality and he is fiercely loyal to who and what he knows.  He is generally very happy and content just being wherever he is or doing whatever he is doing.  He is curious and inquisitive and loves to learn new things.  He's fantastic!

2 Year Old Celebrations

This past Sunday we were blessed to celebrate Caleb turning 2! Happy 2nd Birthday to Caleb!!!  I love my kids' birthdays.  I actually think I get more excited about them than I do my own birthday.  It's just so fun to celebrate with them and reflect on the past year.

Since his birthday was on a Sunday we started the day by attending church where he got lots of attention and happy birthday wishes.  I dressed Caleb in a shirt that says, "I am 2" and a St. Patrick's Day hat.  My parents also came to spend the day with us and were able to attend our church.

After church my parents took us out for lunch at Monical's and then my mom and I went to the grocery story to buy a cake mix.  Since Caleb kept saying he wanted a cake for his birthday I figured we really needed to get one for him.  I went with funfetti cake and chocolate frosting.  We also got Caleb a Birthday Boy and Diego balloon.  Since he loves balloons those were a huge hit!  By the time my mom and I got back Caleb was taking a nap so we made the cake and got ready to celebrate after his nap. After his nap Caleb opened presents (we got him a t-ball wiffle set and sunglasses) and we had his cake after dinner.

To finish the birthday celebrations on Wednesday we had 2 of his 2 year old friends, Grant and Pierson, over for a playdate and pizza lunch.  They are both kids we see at least once a week so it was fun to have them both over at the same time.  Caleb LOVED it because he loves when people come over.  I think it was special for him to be able to do this for his birthday.

I always vow to get better but I am such and epic failure at taking pictures.  So below are my only 2 pictures from Caleb's birthday week.

At church on his birthday

The cake!

Drawing and Kiwi Crate

I've had a couple of things I've wanted to post about Grace's recent interest in art.  The most recent thing is she wants to draw non-stop!  She had always been good about coloring and enjoyed it but this week some sort of switch has flipped.  I am not kidding you she drew for 3 hours straight (minus a short lunch break) one day.  She loves drawing with crayons, markers, pencils, and a new favorite window markers.  She draws people, animals, pets, monsters, etc...Because of this new phase I've started saving everything paper for her to draw on before it goes in the recycling bin.  I think the favorite is boxes!  And Caleb will even sit in his chair coloring next to her for a lot longer than I would expect from a rambunctious almost 2 year old.

Drawing with window markers

For a couple of months now Grace has had a subscription to something called Kiwi Crate.  The gist of it is a crate gets shipped to our door once a month and is stocked with 2-3 art projects and everything (glue, tapes, markers, so yes everything) you need for the project.  The first month we made a couple of games.  This month we made pom-pom pets and a swing set. Despite the cost (more than going to the dollar store and buying cheap craft stuff) I have found this to be a great resource.  I'm trying to be better about exposing Grace to cheaper craft activities but this is a wonderful guaranteed go to every month.

Grace and her most recent Kiwi Crate project

Foster Paperwork Done (Mostly)

Yesterday we had another meeting with our foster care licensing agent and I was able to turn in 99% of our paperwork.  I (and Matt a little) have been plugging away slowly at it over the last several weeks and had a goal of having as much done as possible by this meeting.  The only thing left to do is get my physical and have one for the kids.  Those are scheduled for April so they will be done soon.  Our agent gave me one more easy piece of paperwork to fill out so I'll have no problem getting that done.

I didn't find the paperwork to be horrible and it seems like we got it done faster that might be normal.  Our agent was impressed/pleased.  I just want to move the process along and get the paperwork off of my mind!

It seems like now we just wait for it all to be processed.  Because there's more work to do than people to do the work it could take a couple of months.  Our agent indicated and I'm hoping it will be done and we will be licensed by the beginning of the summer.  So I might not have any updates on that process for a couple of months.

We are working on some house reorganization to make room for another child so as we get that moving along I will post some pictures and progress updates.

Winter Weather

I think that yesterday could be the last bought of winter weather we have until next year.  I'm not going to lie that I really hope it is.  While we didn't get tons of big snowfalls this year we've gotten enough that Grace has wanted to go outside and play in it several times.  Caleb on the other hand thinks snow is absolutely horrible.  So, he just stays inside.  Since Caleb won't go outside and Grace is old enough to play by herself I haven't actually gone out to play with her in the snow.  Matt will go or she just wanders around and plays out there until I make her come in.

Today I told her she could go play after Caleb went down for his nap and I decided to go play with her.    So while she wandered around the yard making snow angels I built her two snowmen.  Two because the ball I made for the middle of the first one was too big and heavy for me to lift.  So, we had two bases:)

When I finished (an determined I could skip the workout I had planned during naptime) I thought that it was kind of silly that I went outside to play with Grace and she didn't even play with me.  But upon coming back in Grace exclaimed, "We played in the snow for so long AND you played with me!" Totally worth it!

Lunchdates With Jenna

Ever since my friend Jenna moved back to the state she returns to my town for frequent weekend visits since her family lives here.  One fun thing about that is Grace and I often go out to lunch with her after church.  Grace is usually pretty good about just coloring so Jenna and I get quality girl time and Grace loves the treat of going out.  Our restaurant of choice has become Biaggi's and the kids meal of mac'n'cheese with ice cream for dessert is a huge highlight for Grace.  I figure I should document these lunchdates on the blog since they are a special time for us.  Here's a picture of Grace and Jenna at our recent date to Biaggi's.

Laundry Trick

Do you see what is happening below?

I hate it when my laundry detergent lid is all sticky from the detergent that didn't quite drain into the washing machine.  Anyone else out there feel the same way?  I was complaining about this to my sister and she told me to just throw the lid in the washer with the laundry.  GENIUS!  No more sticky lid.  Every. Time.