Spring Chicks

Auntie Lisa took the kids to see the chicks at the feed store.  Both Lisa and I have strong memories of  going to see the chicks at Furiman's store when we were  home in my growing up.  

Of course Mark's first question when they got home was if we could get some for our backyard.  We do not live in the country, we barely have a back yard.  Apparently the HOA rule here is that you can have 4 chickens as pets.  It is funny to me that you have to call them pets and not dinner.  Anyway, we will not be getting any.

Lisa took them to give me a few hours all to myself.  It was such a treat.  I took a long shower and then got dressed to go out.  But, before leaving I decided that there was no where nicer to be than at home in my silent house.  So I had some tea and did some knitting and generally listened to the silence.  Bliss.

Never ending quest

My never ending quest is to get a good photo of the kids together.  I think this may be an impossibility.  They were all dressed up to have a morning out with their Auntie Lisa and so I thought I would try to get a photo.  These are the BEST ones.  Lilly has decided that she likes skirts and tights- this is actually one of the two outfits she picked out for the day- the other being a pink tutu.  I love this little outfit and am sad that when I put it on her I decided this would be the last wearing of it as it is getting a little tight in the middle.   

 To cut or not to cut- Lilly's hair.   Her bangs are getting down to her eyes so I need to make the decision of weather I should trim them (which will be her first hair cut) or let them grow out.  I love the way her hair looks with bangs, just they way it has grown in.  But I am thinking that for these young years it will me much easier for her to not have bangs- so I am leaning toward just letting them keep growing and hope thats they won't need to be held out of her face for too long.

Another Park Trip

One of my friends once comment on how much she disliked parks, and how she spent so many hours a week at them.  I don't greatly dislike them but do get bored going to the same ones all the time, I am very happy there are so many many park options within a reasonable distance.   This was our first trip to what I think we will be calling "the elephant park".

"oh, I am much to shy to get my photo taken"

 As always- only one child will look up at a time.

holding hands

Just when you thought they couldn't get any cuter the kids have started holding hands when they walk places together.

cuties

Mark was sure he needed to dress up in his "tie shirt" for my birthday.  He was also sure he didn't need pants or a photo taken of him.

This is from the beginning of our trip to the zoo.  We have such a good time there I wish it was closer to our house.

Little Monkey Biz

We always have a great time when we go to Little Monkey Business.  Indoor playgrounds are a great idea- but we almost always get sick a few days after being there.  I am sure that this can't be all attributed to germs we pick up while we are there, but it seems to always work that way.  Usually after a few months I start to think it is all in my head and we go back.  Of course now that Mark is in preschool he has lots of opportunity to bring home germs- so maybe that is where this last set came from. 

 Mark is always in motion so it is hard to get a good photo of him.

 He spent over an hour playing with these cubes.  He was making them and having Lilly get inside then putting extra pieces around the outsides.  Lilly, of course, is strong enough to easily push the sides off.  And as you can see in this photo she could crawl out that side hole.  But she preferred to go out the top. When Lilly got tired of this game Mark found a girl about his age and they continued to play for a long time.

My little artists

Lilly had some serious painting to do :)

What's that plaque for???

Yes that plaque has orbits engraved on it.  In case you are not on of our friends from work and so you don't recognize the plaque that is for receiving a patent.  That's right- there is an orbit out there with Tim's name on it.  

This coming in and getting to work three shift at the ISS and space shuttle mission control on Houston made a pretty great work month for Tim.  

Some things I made recently

I made Tim this sweater.  It was his Christmas present.  I didn't understand that a beginning knitter should not take on a big, fitted project like this.  There are so many parts that I knit, tired on, took out, and knit again.  If I knew what I was doing I could have made three sweaters with all the stitches I knit.  Oh well, I have always been a "jump in with both feet" kinda person.  It was month late that I finished it, but it is done and looks good now.

One of my friends posted about the Ana White website- it is building stuff for beginners.  I have wanted an entry bench and a place to store our shoes for along time- and she had a pattern.  I built this cute bench and even sewed the cover for the cushion.  Together with a couple of purse hooks and the beautiful mirror my Uncle Jeff built for our wedding present we now have a nice entry area.  Uncle Jeff is a professional builder and his mirror makes my bench look a little shabby if you look close- but from this distance wood filler and dark paint cover a lot of sins :)

May not be recently but I built these cuties too :)

The kids and I made the door wreath for Valentines.  We had a good, messy, time painting and hot glueing all the pieces together.

Moooommm, Lilly is on the table

So frequently this is what I hear from Mark as I am trying to get something else done while they eat.  

some normal days around here

The kids are eating some applesauce.  I love Lilly's lounging pose.

When I downloaded this camera is was filled with a ton of photos Mark took- mostly of his feet and his toys and the couches, ect.  In the middle of those was this one photo he took of Fiona jumping on the couch.  It is a little out of focus- but it sure captures the glee in her face.

":

And here is one of Mark taken by Lilly or Fiona- what a snugly little guy!

February was cold- Lilly was adorable

Lilly really enjoys when Fiona's car set is in the house.

February

February did exist- even if I didn't put up any photos.  I have finally downloaded some so here they go.

(Mark would like me to write Hot Springs)

Mark and Lilly love their cousin.  Lilly is pretty sure she should be allowed to pick Josie up all by herself.

 We took Fiona for her first sledding trip.  We are lucky to live within walking distance to excellent kid sledding hills.  Fiona was pretty excited!

 Lilly was NOT excited.