Happy Valentine's Day

We had a fun V-day at our house this week.  It actually snowed a couple of inches overnight so Grace and I got to go outside and play in it while Caleb napped.  It was perfect packing snow so we put together a snowman.  Grace loved it, named it Puppy and checked on it all day.  To bad he melted already:(

I made a yummy comfort food dinner for us and Matt and I watched several episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" on Netflix.  I really wanted to have Grace help me decorate the kitchen all Valentiney but we played outside for so long we never got around to it.  O well.  Maybe next year.

A Few Random Things

I wrote this last night but didn't hit post until today...Enjoy?

I'm sitting at a local Barnes & Nobel blogging.  I don't know if I've ever taken my computer out in public and blogged before but I needed to get out of the house today.  I can't believe I'm going to admit this but I haven't left the house since last week Tuesday night.  That means I spent 8 solid days and nights in my house.  I'm glad I like my house that's for sure but I was really read to get out!

I would usually at least leave the house for church on Sunday but Caleb had a bad cold and I was getting over a cold so we stayed home.  Then it slowly dawned on my that I hadn't left the house.  It just didn't work out to leave until tonight (silly kids, I either have to take them with me or go out when Matt is home.  And sometimes I just want to hang out with Matt when he's home).  But tonight, I needed to leave!  So here I sit enjoying the small table and uncomfortable chair at the bookstore feeling a little guilty that I don't want to buy anything from the cafe.

So here are my random thoughts (many of which could turn into their own blog post someday)..

• I might have found the perfect bag/purse (thanks Teresa).  
• I have read some really good books this month.
• I still think I like Kindle better than the Nook.  Sorry sales guys who just talked to me for 10 minutes.
• I've been making homemade pizza every Sunday this year and I'm getting better every time.  Tonight I bought a cheap pizza stone (although there is an expensive one on Amazon I am admiring).
• I can't believe Caleb is going to be 1 in a month.
• I like the game Dominion.
• I just saw my sister's photography in print in a magazine in Barnes & Noble (granted she paid for it because it's an add but it's still awesome and she's a good photographer).

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for...

416. My good health
417. Grace and Ava Rae playing together
418. Matt helping me clean the house after Super Bowl
419. Stress free delicious dinner at the Hays
420. Grout cleaned and sealed in kitchen (looks so much brighter since it was gray turned black)
421. Things I've been watching on Amazon going on big sale and Christmas $ to spend

The Learning Tower

So happy to be standing at counter level.

Not so sure about the face but you can
see it from the other side.  Yes, it's big!

Have you heard of The Learning Tower?  Click on the link so see what it is all about and how awesome it looks.  Ever since I heard of one of these I've been intrigued but never planned on buying one for two reason.  The first reason is it's $200.  I just have other things I'd rather spend $200 on.  The second reason is it looks huge and some people in this family aren't fans of huge things sitting around.

But as you're probably figured out based on the pictures there is more to this story.  For some reason that I can't even remember I was looking at them again and just thinking how cool they would be.  Then it dawned on me that maybe someone, namely my dad, could build one.  So, I found some plans online and sent him the link.  Long story short one was built for us and I decided I wanted it to be orange.

Grace loves it!  She can stand at the counter and cook with me without me worrying she's going to fall off.  It's big enough so when Caleb is bigger he can stand with her.  There are so many fun ideas for other things to do with it too (puppet show theater, art easel, etc...).

I'm glad we didn't have to spend $200 on it but I can see why people do.  It's such a neat thing to have that really has already facilitated some learning in our kitchen.

Dealing with the Mess

The playroom after a day of hard play. 

The sound of plates hitting the tile is Caleb's favorite sound.

 Kids sure know how to make a mess and I'm trying to learn how to deal with it.  And for me that means not following them around picking up.  I'm really good at that part.  I'm trying to deal with just letting it be.  I want my kids to learn to pick up after themselves but I don't need them to learn to be obsessive.

Walks in January

We have had a fabulous winter as far as weather goes.  Today is Groundhogs Day and I honestly don't care if the ground hog sees his shadow or not.  Because if we have 6 more weeks of this so called winter so be it.  I'll continue to take my kids on walks, visit the park and run errands without our coats on.  It sure makes getting out the door much easier.  And if it decides to get all cold and snowy on us I can see spring around the corner.

I'm not kidding when I say we actually have lost track of how many times we've played outside in January.  This week on a 60 degree day Grace and I decided to take our babies for a walk.  So, Eliza (Grace's baby doll) and Caleb took their seats in the strollers and we headed out on a very long walk.  Because the 2 year old slowed down the pace considerably I had time to pull out my phone and take a few pictures.

This kid is getting to the point where he knows to smile for the camera.

After attempting to climb the tree herself
Grace decided to have Eliza try it.

The only reason Grace is wearing mittens is
because she insisted on it not because
it is cold outside.

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for...

410. Grace getting to experience a college basketball game and the amazing stories she's been telling about it.
411. The kids who spent the whole church service happily in nursery (mine and some specific others)
412. Grace's custom built learning tower (blog post coming soon on this topic)
413. Surviving afternoon's out and about after the kids get up
414. 2 walks and trips to the park.
415. White whole wheat flour and oatmeal and all the baking I'm going to be doing with them (another blog post coming on this topic)