Just January

Given that we are in the middle of the coldest winter we've experienced in a while, we've all been sick, the sun is not shining and Jason's been out of town (and will be again soon), this January has not been the best of times.  But the spurts of happiness in my days are the ones I want to remember.  Most of our days are quiet... not literally- quiet doesn't seem to be in our vocabulary- but figuratively.  We're enjoying slow days around here, which is exactly how newborn babies in winter like it.  Our prayers these days are filled with gratitude for a warm house and kids that are content to stay at home reading, crafting, playing endless games of make-believe, Legos, Play-Doh and snuggling up on the couch for family movie night.  Life is simple.  Life is good.

While Jason was in Puerto Rico I took the kids to IHOP for breakfast.  I cringe at eating breakfast out- pancakes and eggs are just not that hard to whip up at home- but the trip earned me Mom of the Year award.  We also went to the library and through the carwash- woo-hoo!  Again, these days make me so grateful for the simplicity of life.  I just can't imagine my kids getting nearly so excited about such things in another 10 years.  

Having Jason gone for a week was really hard toward the end.  While we have our own kind of fun when Daddy is gone, it's no fun being the parent that is left behind while the other one is on an 85 degree tropical island, enjoying full nights of sleep and eating out.  We go through this every year but I have yet to figure out how to make it through these trips without at least one meltdown (from myself and each of the kids) before he gets home.  Next year we are planning on leaving the kids with my parents and going together for a few days before the work starts.  That should help quite a bit.  Then I'll be in these pictures, too.

We put our bounce house away a few weeks ago and pulled it back out again today.  It was just as fun as ever!  Santa sure did bring us a great Christmas gift this year.

Adam was in charge of the lesson for Family Home Evening tonight and wanted to make scripture cookies.  I loved making these as a kid- you follow a recipe that uses scriptures to list the ingredients- Matthew 5:13 says 'Ye are the salt of the earth', Isaiah 10:14 says "...as one gathereth eggs that are left...", etc.  The process was fun and the results delicious!  It was a good reminder that we can truly find the answer to any of our problems- even how to make cookies!- in the scriptures.  Clearly the kids were mesmerized by the process... 

This is my new life three days a week- sitting in the car in the Target parking lot while Emma and Noah nap and Adam is at his new preschool.  I felt like his previous preschool was no longer a good fit for him so we switched him to a preschool at the local gymnastics center.  So far he loves it!  The only down side (for me) is that it's in the middle of the afternoon, so naptime usually takes place in the car.  But it's a small price to pay to see Adam so happy in his new school.

Leah has been dealing with mean girl drama at school, which breaks my heart.  She's only in first grade!  Unfortunately we have seen a bit of the bad attitudes she's surrounded by at school spilling over at home, resulting in things like this- "Adam's mean list".

Thankfully I've been asked to teach Leah's Primary class at church, so she and I get a little bit of "alone-ish" time together every week.  It's just me, her, Noah, and her 5 classmates.  It's an exciting year for Leah- she'll be turning 8 and getting baptized this year!

Emma Grace continues to be the cutest two-year-old in the world.  She has a hilarious vocabulary, a great imagination, and a shriek that is impossible to ignore.  She's straightening her hair with tongs here.

And Mr. Noah gets his own post.  Other than that... that's life!