Abby (7.75 years old)

This little girl is growing up.

And I just can't believe what a great kid she is. I've really enjoyed the time I've spent with her lately. Last week I decided I'd start running a few times a week, and Abby asked if she could come along. So, I said yes... and it's been so fun! Not only is she a great runner, but she's great company too. I enjoy listening to her tell me all about her day, all about her friends, the things she likes and doesn't like, what she wants to be and do, and on and on and on.

Tonight, we had a laid back night at home (she was home sick today) and we spent time in the kitchen cooking together. She made chicken strips and a honey mustard dip all by herself. She loves cooking. And art. And she now wants to be an EMT when she grows up so she can help people. And she wants a Mustang convertible... with it's own Starbucks and that's full of pillow pets. Yep, that's right. She's a dreamer. She's passionate. And kind. She still loves babies. And her friends. And having her back "tickled". So many things that have become distinctly her, and still, she's so full of surprises. It's so amazing getting to watch her as she grows up, and I can't wait to see what great things God has in store for her!

Faces

Carson has always been the king of facial expressions. He has a lot of them. Tonight he walked in excited and said, "Mom, do you wanna see me make a frowny face with a straight line across and two lines straight down? Like in a cartoon?! I just learned it looking in the mirror in the bathroom!" Of course, I did want to see, and he made this face.

This picture was actually a re-do in which he was trying not to laugh, so the original was even better. I could not stop laughing. Perhaps you had to be there. But anyway... I love this kid. He's funny and sweet... and his substitute teacher told me today that he is "an excellent child". I, of course, knew this. But it's always nice to know other people see it too. I'm one proud mama!

Geocaching

Today we had a new experience. The kids were out of school today, so we decided to do something different. We'd been hearing a lot about "geocaching", so we did a little research and then spent the day exploring and discovering hidden "treasures". It was a lot of fun!

We found our first only about a mile from our house. You'd be amazed how many geocaches are hidden all around you, no matter where you are!

When you find one, you open it out, fill out the log, and if you want, take a trinket from the cache and leave one for others to find.

It's amazing all the places you'll go looking...

and the places you'll find them.

For some you even have to solve puzzles for your next coordinates. This Lego one was fun!

It was a fun day that the whole family enjoyed. Some geocaches were really easy and some took us a while to find. We're hoping that this is something we can continue doing as a family, even on vacation. Anyone else ever given this a try?

Sweetness

I walked into to Abby's room last night after small group was done to find this...

Valentine's Day 2012

Valentine's Day was (like every year) fairly low-key for our family. But we always try and do a few little things to make the day special!

This year, there was...

Making our own Valentines for friends this year for the first time. (Thanks, Pinterest, for the inspiration!)

Valentines for the kids from Daddy! (They always get so excited about this.)

No pictures, but we also had a yummy V-Day dinner and then went out to have ice cream at Marble Slab as a special treat!

My favorite moments were seeing how my kids responded to the day. At dinner, they were so grateful that I cooked, and then afterwards, they (on their own) went and found their own treats to give to Aaron, I, and to each other. They were both so generous, sweet, and so happy to be giving. It's cool to see what amazing kids they've become! I've said it before, and I'll say it a million times more -- I am SO thankful for my family!

Worn Out Jeans

The average life span of a new, high quality pair of jeans when worn by my son is about 4-6 weeks. These are the jeans Carson has gone through since November. (I think I've thrown another pair or two away.)

This photo pretty well sums up Carson's childhood to this point. He plays hard and enjoys being a boy. While it drives me crazy, I love that about him. I also love how sincere his apologies are and his promises to quit falling, crawling, and jumping on his knees. He means well, but he just can't quit!

All in all, it's not so bad. I'm just looking forward to shorts season!

Rest

Today it's been nice to just relax. After taking the kids to school, I climbed back in bed and slept until Aaron woke me up at 10:00. It felt amaaaazing. Lunch at Sam's with Aaron. Sitting on the couch all snuggled under the blankets watching the Ellen Degeneres Show. Reading time sitting on the bed with Carson. Abby is playing with a neighbor friend outside. I'm getting ready to make Poppy's famous Tortilla Soup. Monday's are such a blessing in my life. They feel like my Sabbath--my day of quiet and rest--and I'm so thankful.