Right Now on the 31st

I don't think I have EVER blogged 31 times in a single month.  I don't know what got into me this January.  Life is strange.  In the interest of random strangeness, a list of random "right now" bits to mark this strange milestone in January in my blogging world ...

• Listening - Right now I hear Lasa over the monitor in her swing.
• Eating - Not gonna lie, I just ate some EL Fudge cookies and milk.
• Wearing - Wearing my favorite comfy gray pants from Target and my favorite blue sweatshirt from the school I taught at once upon a time.
• Feeling - So relieved because I just got done with a photo book for Tania I have been putting off for forever.
• Weather - It is crazy warm here today.  I went out and did a little overdue pruning of our monkey grass in it.  Spooky warm.  And windy.  There's chatter about damaging wings coming Tuesday.
• Reading - The Vinegar Boy.  And Galations.  And The BFG with the kids.
• Planning - I plan to start walking almost daily in February.  Cindy and Cathy will join me when they can.
• Wanting - I want a new bedspread.  It is my plan that in lieu of Valentine's Day gifts, Josh and I will go shop for a new bedspread instead.  It is lonnnnnnng overdue.
• Needing - Cereal.  We are dangerously low on cereal.
• Thinking - Been doing a lot of thinking about Lasa's mom. Who is being a real jerkface lately.  Makes me struggle to like her.  Makes me angry. I told the Lord I needed a word from Him about how to proceed in my heart toward her.  He provided it so perfectly today at church.  In several ways!
• Enjoying - While I am beyond annoyed at Lasa's mom for cancelling her visit with Lasa today, I have also really enjoyed having the whole uninterrupted day to take care of business here at home and to chillax.

Bowlers

Just another day brightener, getting to hang out with my faves last night sans kiddos. We bowled, we ate, we shopped, we desserted. And we laughed our way through the night at a relaxingly slow pace.  Love these ladies!

And who knew?  Kimmie can throw a heavy ball in a mostly straight line more often than not!  I brought home 105 points in the first game!  I am SU on the score page. :}

The second game I got tired pretty fast and bowled so poorly and we didn't even finish that game because time ran out.  So in lieu of those scores I will share a pic of the birthday girl for whom we were gathering in honor of in the first place. 

Happy birthday, Cindy!  Thanks for sharing it with us another year. :)

Skaters

I took my young'uns to the skating rink on the last of our county's five snow days earlier this week.  Me.  By myself. Outnumbered 3 to 1. Two of which were on wheels, inviting all manner of collision and injury and wailing potential.  Actually, technically, all three were on wheels;  Lasa was in the stroller.

No one broke their face or anything, so Phew!  Winning! Noah didn't even fall once.  Anna fell once and did not get up.  Just layed there weeping until I picked her bony little body up off the floor. Then it was all ok and she ended up skating longer than anyone. Noah enjoyed the jams they played overhead.  Boogie happened.

We had our buddies the Williams and the Jeffs there, too, so Double Win of an outing!  Anna is begging to try ice skating soon, so after Lasa goes home one day, that will be high on our to-do list.

About Daddy

The Josh version of the kids' answers (ages 7 and 9) ... Anna's answers first./ Then Noah's. :)

1. What is something he always says to you? 'Goodnight' because he says it to me every night./ Let's go outside.
2. What makes him happy? Watching Phineas and Ferb./ Watching AFV.
3. What makes him sad? I just don't know./ When we disobey.
4. How does he make you laugh? By giving me raspberries on my belly./ By tooting.
5. What was he like as a child?Ummm, like us./ A kid that got sick a lot.
6. How old is he? He is 36./ 41.
7. How tall is he?I am just gonna guess 3 feet./50 inches.
8. What is his favorite thing to do? Spend time with family./ Play Legos with me and work in his shed.
9. What does he do when you're not around? Take care of Lasa or take a nap./ Sort my Legos.
10. What is he really good at? Fixing screens./ Ooooh, Wii.
11. What is something he's not good at? Dressing up pretty./ Basketball.
12. What does he do for a job? He fixes computers at schools./ He goes to work. Oh! He helps teachers.
13. What is his favorite food? Pizza./ Mostly all of it.
14. What do you enjoy doing with him? Spending time with him./ Playing Wii and Minecraft.

About Mommy

I saw this little survey on Facebook that you give to the kids about yourself.  Cute!  I squinted my eyes and hoped for honest-yet-not-too-brutal answers from my two (ages 7 and 9).   Anna's answer is listed first./Then Noah's. :)

1. What is something I always say to you?  Hurry up, it's time to go./ I love you.
2. What makes me happy? Having a nice school day and having time with us./ When we give you love and when we say funny things.
3. What makes me sad? I don't know; you don't usually get sad./ When we trouble make.
4. How do I make you laugh? By tickling me mercilessly./ By tooting.
5. What was I like as a child? Just like me probably./ I don't know, how am I supposed to know? I saw a picture once and you were wearing an old-time dress.
6. How old am I? 37./ Uh, I think 36.
7. How tall am I? Gets out tape measure and calls it 67 inches/Guesses 43 inches.
8. What is my favorite thing to do? Take a nap./Helping Lasa, School, Getting stuff done really fast.
9. What do I do when you're not around? Go on your computer./Take a nap, get ready for school the next day, help Lasa, take a nap.
10. What am I really good at? You're really good at hugs and kisses./You are very good at badminton.
11. What is something I'm not good at? You are not good at wrestling./Well, I don't want to hurt your feelings... You are good at school, but everything else, no.  Like, you are not good at playing video games.
12. What do I do for a job? Teach us and take care of Lasa./Teach us.
13. What is my favorite food? Chicken 'Poppaseed' Casserole. Oh wait, chili./The food you say, "mmmmm" to.
14. What do you enjoy doing with me? I enjoy hugging you./ Playing board games.

Gazebo by Cindy

My friend Cindy compiled these pretty pics of the gazebo in our neighborhood park in all four seasons.  I adore the set!!  We spend many hours chilling here with friends .... or sweating it out here with friends ... or basking in glorious spring and fall air with friends.  The point is, we share this space with friends in all seasons and I love having Cindy's photo set to remember it by.  

I am in the process of hunting down pics of our house in all four seasons like this to make a similar collage.  Cindy's had one of her house for years and I always admire it.  I wish I had done it long ago!

Happy 6 Months, Lasa!

Lasa Love is half a year old, can you believe that?! 

Here at 6 months, Lasa girl weighs in at 17 pounds of perfectly sweet, soft, snuggly goodness!

Over the last month, Lasa has become a big bib chewer, which is convenient for me because when it falls out of her mouth, it doesn't fall far and she can retrieve it herself. :}  She is squawking and babbling like nobody's business (especially when we are speaking or reading aloud) and she has starting making actual sounds; they are unintelligible sounds, but they are actual distinct sounds.  I swear she is trying to talk.  I bet she picks a favorite sound and makes a word out of it by 7 months.  In this, her sixth month, Lasa has been to her first art museum, 

sprouted two precious teeth, 

and met her first snow.  

As well, she has begun rolling over and over and over and over.  It's why we now have to actually strap her into her swing and bouncy seat.  Sometimes she sleeps completely through the night, but usually she still wakes close to 4 for a quick feeding and then slips back off to sleep after babbling in the crib awhile.  She can sit up now, though it's wise that someone/some pillow be near to soften her inevitable fall. She feels like a rock star when she is sitting up.

She has outgrown the baby bathtub, but we are putting off moving her to the actual tub, just because the baby bath is easier to manage right now.  She has endured two more colds since last month, has weaned off sensitive formula, and is steadily consuming 6 oz of milk per feeding as well as a jar of baby food a day.  She loves her Noah and he loves her, though he cries out for hot water to sanitize after she goos him with her drool, which she produces all day long.

Lasa's other interests include Josh's beard, my phone, mirrors,

everything on her Exersaucer, and lying in wide open floor spaces for the aforementioned rolling she is perfecting.  As luck would have it, Lasa got to see her momma at an appt. on this 6 month milestone.  And if she is lucky, will have a projected date for moving in with her momma after court this week.  We shall see! Hope so.  It is right and it is time for baby to begin sharing all these fun months and milestones with her momma if it can deemed safe.  

Happy 6 Months, Lasa!

We love you!

Snowy Still Life Shots

I love these snowy views around the house from 2016's first snowfall.  Just wish we were well enough to venture out further to get other beautiful shots I saw friends posting all over town.  Something about the blanket of white is just so artistic and lovely and pure!

Oh, the Snow!

Oh, y'all!  The snow! 

All 5 delightful inches of it! 

Once we all stopped throwing the heck up from that crazy germ we were attacked by last week,

it was suit up and game on!

Still a bit weak, my loves powered through much play because who knows when we will see this much snow again?!

I insist that we remember this week by the beautiful snow and all its festivities and not the germ we entertained along the way!  So glad for it and would be so glad for more snow again before spring gets here.  :)