Hearts

"Mom! Look at how high I can reach!" says Owen

Jordan had a whirlwind interviewing trip at the beginning of the month - to NYC for back to back interview days with two companies, then to California for more... after a long week, we were super excited to welcome him back home. While he was gone, we worked on a Valentines surprise for him - whenever someone did something really great or helpful we'd write it down on a heart and tape it up on the wall (our entire kitchen wall is still covered with these sweet reminders :)

(Really, this was much more for me than for Jordan. He was grateful to see how much the kids had worked to be good for me, but much more than that, this helped me remember to  focus on all of the great things - no matter how small - that were happening, even when things were feeling hard. )

Ellie especially worked super hard to be a cheerful helper to Mom to earn those hearts, with her magic words of the week in answer to my requests, "Of course!"

Funny Babies

'funny babies'

Ellie and Owen love to play funny babies -- I  haven't yet figured out quite how the rules of the game go, but it usually involves laying down on the floor next to Porter and lots of giggles. (Ellie warned Owen just before her birthday that when she turned 5, she wouldn't be able to play any more and he'd have to just play with Porter... fortunately for him, sometimes she forgets :)

We had a long week with Jordan traveling for interviews. But sweet days too. Hard and good and happy and lonely and precious and man, my body is tired from shoveling snow and from holding little Porter days.

Oh, these little ones are so full of life and energy and laughter and noise and feelings... I love them so.

Home Offices

Jordan has been working from home for almost 6 years now... I thought it would be fun to document some of his home offices with a little Animoto. He is loving his new 'office shed' and the days full of sunshine, even in January and February!

Just a few fun pics

'Let's go fly a kite!' Ellie made this kite and asked me to hang it for her (her homemade kite spent a few days flying inside, but left Ellie wishing for Spring and real kite flying :)

These boys do a great job taking care of our family!

Tonight as we were finishing dinner, Landon was racing in and out (soon with Ellie and Owen joining in) making himself 'rootbeer floats!' (cups full of snow to eat with a spoon :)

A fun 'preschool time' activity - the kids rolled the dice and whatever number they rolled, they got to add that many m&ms to that chocolate chip cookie. So fun.

Happy bubble blowers and an amazingly beautiful January day

And just look at that smile! :)

we live in a beautiful place/our snow loving boy

view out our window a few weeks ago

It seems crazy to say, but we've really had a lovely winter.  It snowed so little in January that we could actually see the grass - and all over the place! (Crazy, I know - in Logan!) And we had tons of blue sky days too which kept me feeling happy.  I think what helped us the most was that Porter has us sticking close to home so we really weren't trying to go out and adventure - that meant that the inversion didn't bother us much and our house was plenty warm, so we hardly noticed the temperature outside! :)

February has brought lots of snow though (making up for lost time!) and happily so. It started snowing early yesterday morning and I don't think it has stopped since.  I asked Landon for some help with shoveling before school today and he headed straight outside (and yes, we had a conversation starting something like "Don't you think you might want some warm pants... or a jacket...?

An amazing helper

Also, something that always makes me smile -- Landon's school is awesome at having all of the sidewalks and walkways neatly cleared before the kids get dropped off in the morning. But no matter where I drop him off, Landon always makes his way to the front door through the snow. Even if it's a straight shot on the front walk, he'll go out of his way to walk through the snow instead of on the shoveled ground -  This funny snow loving boy!

something to share

an Ellie ipod pic in my favorite post run/walk stretching spot (just before Porter was born)

Just before Porter was born, I came across a few of the sweetest and truest blogs written about new babies and new mommas and being grateful for the evidence of motherhood that our bodies carry after our little ones join the world.  I've felt again and again what a gift it was to find these words and to have this reminder over the past few months, so I wanted to share.

            I've been wondering for weeks now why I feel a little bit sad every time someone compliments me and I think the reason is wrapped up in the common comment, "You don't even look like you had a baby!"  I want to respond, "But I have had a baby!"  I carried her in this meadow of a body for nine months.  She stretched me and rested her sweet head against my ribs.  We listened to each other late at night and tried to learn what the world would offer the two of us.  She moved her little legs when I lay still and in the end she came wailing into the world through the same c-section incision her brother did, and it was sacred.  I am not eager to erase the evidence of that for the sake of looking awesome.

(Go read the rest here)

        I will probably never look or feel quite the same again and that's exactly as it should be. I'm not the same. Bearing children has brought me a wealth of insight and experience I wouldn't trade for the skinniest pair of jeans.

(and read all of this article here )

Buddies

At a roundabout picnic this summer

These two are sure great buddies. They're having quiet time together downstairs today and playing dress up (I've been hearing this conversation for the last few minutes while I work on taxes upstairs)

Ellie: Do you want to be Firestar?
Owen: No!
Ellie: Do you want to be a fairy princess?
Owen: Noooooooo!!!