Spaghetti

Our girls have a new found love of spaghetti. Mead is a wonderful eater, but for some reason she didn't like pasta. Maybe it was the texture. But today she was willing to try the ditalini pasta I mixed in with spaghetti sauce - a perfect bite-size for her! She loved it, and once Mead was enjoying it Laine decided to jump on board too. Funny how the girls imitate each other in so many things.

More snow!

We got a few more inches of snow this week, so it was time to break out the sled again. This time Mead joined in on the fun too.

First Laine and I played in the back yard while Mead was napping. We attempted to build a snowman but were unsuccessful. If anyone has any snowman tips I'd love them! Instead we improvised and made a "bucket snowman." Laine loves it! Every morning since we made the snowman she runs to the window to see if he's still standing.

Next Laine ran around the backyard, swung on the swings, went down the slide, and generally pretended it was the middle of summer and time to play outside. After that she settled into eating snow for a few minutes - always a favorite snow activity!

A little cold on the lips!

By that time Mead had woken up, and I got her bundled. I didn't have a baby bunting for the snow, so I made something up. Ziplock bags on the feet covered by socks, a running suit over footed pajamas, scarf around the face... you get the picture. She was warm and dry when we finished playing, so I guess the layers worked well enough for this year.

Anyway, Laine, Mead, and I went sledding down the big hill at the church three times before Mead called it quits. She was smiling the whole way down and seemed to have fun. Laine and I continued sledding for a while before we all came inside for lunch. What a fun morning!

Powder Valley

We've recently discovered a great new (free) play place. Some friends told us about Powder Valley Conservation Center, and we've visited a couple times now. They have a wonderful indoor nature center with a lot of kid-friendly and hands-on things to see.

We haven't been able to try the outdoor trails yet, but they have several paths of varying lengths through the woods that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Some of the paths are paved, and some are covered in wood chips. We'll be attempting those once it warms up a little and Mead starts walking!

Despite Mead's stoic face, she really liked the fish. Talking and pointing are our best indications of her excitement!


There are larger-than-life frogs, a tree-house with lots of animals to see, and many other things play with. St. Louis locals, check it out if you haven't been before!

Happy Valentine's Day

My sweet husband has been in a cooking mood lately, so this year for Valentine's Day he decided to cook a fancy meal for the girls and me. It was a surprise - I bought the ingredients, but he didn't tell me what he was making.

Well, turns out he made coq au vin, a French meal consisting of a whole fryer chicken, carrots, mushrooms, and a wine sauce. It was delicious! He topped it off with a nice bouquet of flowers.


What a nice evening! Thank you, Penny, for all the ways you love me and our family. You're so good to me - I love you!

Sweet Escape

It snowed again last night. I think growing up in Florida has caused me to crave the snow that I "missed" when I was little. I love it! The cool, crisp air, the beautiful white landscape, and today, the clear blue sky - what's not to like?

Laine is still deciding if she likes it as much as I do. When I asked if she wanted to go sledding or build a snowman she said, "No, it's too winter outside." How cute!

So after I put the girls down for a nap I bundled up and took myself outside to snap a few shots around the house. Okay, I actually went sledding and made snow angels too! Like I said, I'm making up for lost time. It was fun to be a kid again for a few minutes.

Headbands

Mead doesn't have much hair yet... but she loves Laine's headbands. Whenever she finds one she hands it to me with a look like, "Can you please put this on my head? I want to look cute like my big sister." So sweet! You'll have hair one day, Mead!

Red

We got the paints out again yesterday. It had been a while since we last painted, and I'm always curious to see if Laine's "style" has changed much. Her art is always abstract, but today it was even more so. She decided to forego using the multiple colors she picked out and stuck with only one... red.

She was thoroughly pleased with her work upon completion and even gave me a goofy smile to prove it. I look forward to many more creations to come!