Dear Grandma

Elaine has put in her request for more homemade jelly for Valentine's Day...

Three Days Today

Happiness is...

Three snow days in a row in Alabama.
Happiness for the children at least. This Northerner is a bit confused.

Exactly

During a recent lunch with the kids at school, one of their teachers asked Patric, "What's it like to parent a genius?"
He heard: "What's it like being married to a genius?"
Well heard Patric, well heard.

And Now In Song

Some Days I just Shake My Head

Alida

Alida. 

Content and happy still to be within or without of a crowd. 

I kind of like when you leave to go to your friend's house with Elaine, but then you return after a while alone--done with that and ready to hang out by yourself for awhile. You love school and your teacher, even though you are actually having the hardest year (not hard at all compared to some years past however).  You have no idea that your teacher is a little scattered.  I love this for you right now; you'll figure that out soon enough.  You write me books and letters.  Your smile is infectious, your laugh outright disarming.  

Ben, yes, you still have amazing blue eyes that you did not get from me.

Don't be fooled

We usually seem to have it together in our house.

Some days though, this is the scene at family dinner during the week.

Mommy Away

And as I randomly found the photos from the most recent mommy-away days on daddy's phone, I found our most recent random randomness.  

Halloween in January, wherein Alida has turned her sister into a dog.

Sure, why not.

When I grow up

During one of our many these days conversations about brushing our teeth, (many, as in constant and unceasing), we discussed our next trip to the dentist. Nicholas quickly pipped up. "Mommy! I know what I want to be when I grow up! I'm going to be a dentist! Then I won't have to go to the dentist!"

That Little Box

Elaine held off opening that little box until nearly the end, because I think she knew what was in it.

And when she pulled out the iPod, with her own music loaded, I saw visions of a future brooding teenager (or maybe that was a flashback to my own younger years my own parents might say).

But for the most part, we just get the little girl, rockin' out with a big smile for now.

And Then

And then we were home!
A little tired and wiped out, but home!

And we were able to get the Chritmas decorations put away, and the car unpacked, and the laundry done!
And school started again on Monday!

Then on Sunday afternoon, we both got the message on our phones from the school.

School is canceled for two days because it is too cold?!
We live in Alabama?!
And joy swept through the children's faces...

And Then We drove the 14 Hours Home

It was a bit quieter on the way back than it was on the way there. 2014 New Year's Roadtrip: First in eight years with no car sickness.

A Little New Year's Touring

Helping to unhangar the plane.

Buckling up.

Smiles all around.

And I just hold my breath.

Happy New Year!

New Year's in Lawrence with Grandma and Grandpa Airplane.

Climbing the tree that will hopefully one day be a the platform for a great treehouse.

Decorating the secret room with all things Christmas; little do they know they saved grandma the trouble of taking everything back downstairs when they scoured her entire house looking for items to add to their collection.

A little cleaning at the hangar.

Tinker Toys, of course.

And a Happy New Year was had by all!

14 Hours in the Car For Some Leftover Snow

Worth it.
Worth it, even if that last mustachioed snowman is supposed to be me...

Wondering Now

If this was the last year that this was fun beore we don't get to do this any more.
Whatever the case, I'm glad we had this year, and this Christmas Eve party, and this Santa to add these smiles to the kids' faces.

And We're Off Into 2014: Happy New Year!