caring.

kj is taking care of lj these days by picking out his outfit in the morning. lj is taking care of foxy, dressing him in a warm scarf. perhaps it is all just prep for taking care of the new baby?? :)

tradition.

per our usual tradition, mommy got chocolate cake for her birthday breakfast! lj was just as delighted. i think he got his sweet tooth from me!!

play.

we had so much fun with nanna & poppa, as always. we stayed out of the rain, cooked some eggs, read lots of books, and introduced them to kj's new friend, allie (made by auntie nw!!). we mostly just played, which is the very best sort of thing to do with grandparents.

outdoors.

i took a daytrip with some new friends to explore several outdoor classrooms down in the twin cities. we learned so much! and believe, more than ever, in the value of learning in the out-of-doors. we're hoping to provide an experience like this to our own ecfe program! minus the llamas, that is...

four.

we now have a four-year-old in the house! happy birthday, kj! upon request, we repeated the favorite party theme of last year - decorate your own cupcake! then play with friends. one year older, one more (at least) cupcake under her belt. :)

frigid.

even though it was colder than cold (frigid would be the word! 15 below, give or take!) on the day marked for cutting our christmas tree, we held fast to tradition & got the job done. mommy & lj stayed very close to the bonfire in the woods, grasping every degree of heat we could find, while daddy & kj bundled up, covered their faces & ran for a tree. needless to say, it was not exactly the crowning glory of the forest & needed a little doctoring-up once we brought it home... but it is now resides in our home as our beloved mark of this joyous season!

third.

and the word is out! we will be adding another babe to the family in early summer... hurray! the big sister & big brother are thrilled, and mommy is happy to be past the first trimester woes... alright, folks! here comes wild!!