February Life

I wrote a very long, wordy post last night, amid beautiful pictures of a trip to the zoo, but I wrote like I had a fire lit under me and decided to save it until morning so I could CALM THYSELF. Turns out I felt very impassioned about encouraging mothers while burning the midnight oil. We're gonna dial all the emotions down a little and try again on that one soon!

Instead, how about a pictures heavy post of the fun times we've had over the past two weeks or so!

Cousin's spend the night party and trip to the dollar movie to see 'Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day', which was really cute! I had forgotten how much I love going to the movies! So fun! (However, Lu's attention span isn't quite long enough for the movies which honestly annoys the snot out of me. She's THE BEST but aren't we old enough to sit through a movie by now?! Sit and hush, child!)

Pretending to play at the arcade because ain't no body dropping hard earned quarters in an arcade game, right?? They didn't seem to mind the looping preview screens at all! 

Also, my favorite declaration as of late is that Caden wants to be an American Ninja Warrior when he grows up. I fully support him in this decision and will forever be on Team Caden Ninja Warrior. He delights me.  

Our tradition of post movie dance party continues! Good times! 

I've covered this on the blog before, but for the past few years, when winter seems relentless, I get the blues. I'm not sure if it's the cold or the lack of fresh air and sunshine, but this shadow moves in and wreaks havoc on my usual chipper demeanor. I've purposefully been taking pictures of things that make me happy so I can keep record of how good things are. It keeps me from throwing pity parties about how the winter won't. let. up. 

We don't have a garage anymore, so the car is covered in ice most mornings when I come out for work. Every day we sit in the car and marvel over how beautiful it is. The sun is rising and it paints the coolest pictures through either the ice or, lately, enormous snowflakes that have frozen to the glass during the night. We sit amazed, looking at how every single snow flake is entirely different from the others. Aren't snowflakes one of the most remarkable things on earth? God..... YOU CREATIVE GENIUS.  

Again- taking inventory of things that make me happy... this laugh. Holy cow. "Spin me, momma!" 

{Video- you'll need to come visit the blog to see it!}

This sweet child. I try to speak lots of loving words over Lu Lu so that she will turn around and speak loving words to the people she's around every day. I was putting her to bed a few nights ago and she curled up into me and said, "I love all the words you said to me today."  And I just about died. Lordy, I love her.

Also, whenever she sees the north star in the sky she says, "I just saw the star of wonder star of light star of royal beauty bright!" I have no idea how one star got such a long name in her head but she BELIEVES that is the north star's name. She says it so factually and it slays me every time! 

Related: They sang 'We Three Kings of Orient Are' in her school Christmas play and these are the lyrics according to London: 

Star of wonder, star of night

Star of royal beauty bright

Questward leading still croceeding

Guide us to thy perfect light."

Man. I have so many more London-isms but I'll wait and post them as follow ups! Kids are so funny! 

The wicked cold finally let up one day so we went straight to the park after school. I was chatting with Jill and Lu borrowed my phone to go take pictures. She took these of her BFF's and I thought they were great! Look at bottom left. Just a great shot. Little lady has an eye for this photography stuff!

Playing around with my new camera one night. London's room looks like a carnival of lights at night between her night light, glow bracelets, and pillow that shoots color lights on the ceiling. I've got to admit, I love laying in there with her and watching all the lights change color. It's very tranquil!

Another one of my new favorite things: Jill and I have both been swamped at work so at the end of each day were dying to see each other and just GAB. It's been too cold to stay outside for long so she's started putting the kids in the back of the van and driving really slow donuts around the school parking lot. It gives us time to talk and the kids are in the way back sloshing all around and howling laughing! It's hilarious! 

After one of these donut days, London asked if she could drive. So, here was our post work driver's ed course. We might need to keep practicing! 

{Video}

Last week we met the Thomas' for dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. London looked up from dinner and said "Look! The ice skating golf race is on!"

I still can't stop laughing about it. So funny. 

Look who's losing all of her teeth!! Doesn't she look adorable as a snaggle tooth?! I love it so much!

The Thomas' invited us over for game night and we played 'headbands'. It was so adorable! On the way home London said, 'That was a fun family night, momma.' :) You've got that right, little lady!

Science is fun! Lu Lu with a major case of static electricity! 

Knox is running in his first track meet soon so we met up with the fam for track fun with Coach Kurt! 

(Pouting but beautiful still.)

Bonk.

JUMP!

LEAP!

His shirt says 'too much awesome' and I couldn't agree more!

Someone has been working REALLY hard to meet a goal I had set for her. She made it so we ventured to the fancy part of town and went to a candy shop.  London had saved up reward money for a few weeks and when we went to pay, she pushed all her pennies across the counter and said, 'here is ALL my money.' She was so proud of herself and it was a delightful time treating this pearl of a girl!

We even bought candy that reminded us of Andaddy because he can fix bones. This one LOVES her grandaddy. 

And why not finish off the weekend with a little tennis? This session involved lots of leaping, so we didn't make a lot of contact, but she sure did look adorable! :)