Life Lately in January

It is February!  We have made it past the dreaded January.   We've had too many snow days, I mean the whole city was shut down for a week.  

The month of love has begun and we've been hard at work making Valentine crafts.  Amy especially likes the heart stickers and Leo loves to paint.  They've been happily showing off their creations. 

 

Well, I've spent the past couple of weeks being sick, classic January, right.  I was really sick last week and actually went in to the doctor and had several tests run.  I was just starting to feel better and was hit with a sinus infection.  It's funny though, I'm usually sick in January (because it's January) and it really brings me down but I don't feel that sad about it this year.  Must be that Vitamin D I've been taking.  The kids have all been sick too, colds, and then Amy caught pink eye. The joys of January.  We are all healthy and well now. 

My glass studio is finished!  I moved most everything down last night and I am so excited.  I'll post more pictures when things are a little more put away.  I never dreamed I'd have a space in my house that I could do glass.  I can just picture all the beautiful things I am going to create there.  Heber spent a lot of hours framing, sheetrocking, putting lights in, painting.  It really is so nice.  You ought to come over to see it sometime. 

In the last month, Heber and I have been out on two dates.  I can't even believe it. We even arranged for a baby sitter to come.  Pretty momentus.  We went to Star Wars for the first. The second we had a throwback date to our old days.  We went to Red Lobster for dinner (channeling the old Sizzler in Logan) and then went bowling.  When we lived in Logan, there weren't many things to do on all those winter nights, you know, all 8 months of them.  Bowling was one thing we could do. 

Back in January, we took the kids to the National Zoo.  Amy is a real animal lover and we wanted to a special activity around her birthday.  She was beyond excited to be there.  Leo was cold.  I mean, it was cold for Virginia standards. 

I have been singing quite a bit lately.  Over the last month, I've sung three times.  It feels good to be back to singing.  And I got another calling and have begun to teach the Relief Society sisters every month.  It's a fun change. 

The kids have decided to sleep.  This month, we've have these things called evenings and full nights of sleep that we don't quite recognize but could really get used to. 

We made it through yet another January and I think it was, dare I say it, actually a good one.  It must be all that sleep I've been getting lately.   Whatever it is, I'll take it!  On to February!

This and That

 Fall has finally come and after the summer that we had, I'm happy to see fall come.  As I was writing the monthly blog about Amy (on our other blog), I was reading through my journal and it was filled with frustration and exhaustion.  It's been a long month but I pulled out all the fall decorations and have decided that I'm going to embrace the new season.

Leo started preschool at a traditional program.  I've been nervous about whether or not we picked the right class but he has been so happy there.  We have a new confident, independent guy.

I've been working on the torch a bit lately.  There have been some big breakthroughs this summer in my work and I am finally beginning to see my voice come out in glass.  I've made some of my finest work this summer and feel like I have really progressed.  I feel like I'm finally ready to open up an Etsy shop and have been taking the steps to get it together.  It will probably be a few months to get things ready but I'm excited. 

 

 

Last Saturday, I spent the morning at the Workhouse participating in an event for Beads of Courage, a program that helps children with serious illnesses to cope.  I felt a comradery with my fellow artists as we created kid friendly beads.  I made sheep.   

Heber finally finished up his big project at work that had him working all the evenings and weekends.  It's been nice to have him home earlier.  Like I said, it's been a long month. 

I listened to a great talk this week about living intentionally.  You can find it here.  Here is one quote that I thought was exceptionally good.  I want to know the why and to become who I want to be. 

"Living with real intent means understanding the “why” and being aware of the motives behind your actions. Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Ponder how you spend your time, and ask yourself regularly, “Why?” This will help you develop the ability to see beyond the moment. It’s far better to look ahead and ask yourself, “Why would I do that?” than to look back and say, “Why, oh, why did I do that?”"

 The whole last week I have been sick.  I thought that the sick season wasn't supposed to start for a few more weeks but I caught a bad cold.  I just hate being sick, I like having plans and getting out and doing things but I had to hold back and rest all week.  To celebrate me finally getting better, we went out to the Colonial Market at Mount Vernon.  It was fun to see the period costumes and wares.  I enjoyed chatting with the people who were selling at the market.  I wonder what life would be like to travel all over and set up shop for a day or two.  My favorite part was the live music.  There were several wandering musicians.  I even heard a tune from my Irish dancing days that made me want to break out leaping, but I held back. 

We passed a booth that was cutting silhouettes.  I've always wanted to get one done and had Amy sit right up and have her profile cut.  It was a neat little memory that I will hang up in her room.  It reminded me of when my family and I sat for one in Disney World. 

In the silhouette booth

Amy and Leo liked wandering around.  I swear that Amy would be content with a pile of rocks.  She collects them in her hands and pockets everywhere we go.  Leo talked Heber into buying two wood pistols and has been "pteew, ptewing" all day.

What life really looks like, Leo not wanting to have a picture taken.

Leo took this one. 

So, that's some of the latest around here.  I hope there's still some readers out there.  I've been few and far between in posts.  The thing about it though, I like to blog, it helps me think and to remember our life. 

Life Lately in December

So here's what's been happening lately, in no particular order or sequence.

I was out shopping on Saturday for Christmas.  I did most of my shopping online this year, there's something so nice about having the gifts delivered right to your front door.  So it's the Saturday before Christmas and there is a frantic energy in the air.  I can totally feel it.  Must buy.  Must find gift.  I got stressed just being out there.

We've been listening to quite a bit of Christmas music around here. There are, of course, some local stations playing holiday music.  It took until this week for me to realize that they don't play any of the religious songs, not that I really expected it but there really aren't that many secular Christmas songs.  I've heard "Baby It's Cold Outside," about 10 times too many.  I guess I'll be shifting over to the Christian Christmas station (sounds so redundant, but not really).

We drove over to Bull Run to see their light display.  It was neat and I enjoyed it.  I would not, however, go over there on the weekend.  My friend said the wait was long and there were SO many cars there.  I'm not really one for crowds.  I have enjoyed seeing the lights around town too.  Our neighbors across the street have lit up their entire front yard.  I guess Heb and I will have to step up our game next year.

We did our traditional gingerbread house decorating last weekend.  I invited some friends to join us.  Our house, while not very pretty, was fun to build. 

 

 Amy has discovered the stairs and shoots up them every time I turn around.  We got the gate put up but there is nothing she loves more than climbing those stairs.  She has also started walking with help.  She is going to take off here any minute.  Where did this year go?  Seriously.

This is old news but I taught our preschool coop recently about the sense of hearing.  I got the cutest picture of the kids in our craft.  I was dying.

The weather has had a few good days here and there.  Leo loves to be outside.  So much.  We have big trees which means lots of leaves.  I can't complain though. 

So that's the latest.  I'm not quite ready for Christmas yet, still working on some new family traditions but we are just days away.  Merry Christmas all!

Life Lately in Fall

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Oh Anne, you are so right.  It's been a lovely October thus far.   As a side, some of the Anne books are my all time favorite reads.  There is so much wisdom in their words.  

Our life has been much more settled this month.  It's been busy but not strung out kind of busy, you know what I mean.

Most nights, since the weather has been so nice, you can find us eating dinner out on the deck.  It is my favorite part of the house and reminds me so much of being in Ophir (the canyon where my grandparents owned a cabin).  I have been watching the "forest" of trees in our backyard as they are slowly changing for fall.  Right now there are spots of yellow and a bit of red creeping in. 

Amy is crawling all around!  She is exploring and grabbing and getting into everything.  It is so fun to see her crawling over to me.  We have been baby proofing everything.  She is really pleased with this new milestone and I guess we are too.  I remember that when Leo started crawling, I wanted to pull my hair out but now, it's not such a big deal.  Mostly it's fun to watch her enjoy herself.

It's the season of pumpkin patches.  I am officially drawing the line at 3 and will not go to any more, even though we've been invited to two more.  I am going to be a party pooper and not go.  Pumpkin patches are a big deal out here.  The farms go all out and have slides, games, bounce houses, rides.  We went to one down in Fredricksburg called Belvedere Plantation.  We were there all day and still didn't do everything. 

Look at his face.  He just loved it and had a great time being one of the kids.

The blog has been a bit quiet, I think I am still processing all of the changes that have happened.  I'm trying to figure out me in this new situation and how to make our life here.  It's the same adjustment that happens with every move.

My sister had a new baby this last week and I am longing to be there and meet the new little guy.  I miss them all and most likely always will while we live here, but that is life.  I have talked to them all several times so I don't feel too far away.

I was in charge of our preschool co op this week and I taught about pumpkins.  We made pumpkins shakers, sang songs, and read a cute pumpkins story "It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse!"  It's all about emotions and the kids liked it. 

I have been serving with the Activity Day girls at church.  We have six 8 and 9 year old girls and I am enjoying it. I really liked to be that age when I was growing up so I find lots of things to talk to the girls about. 

Heber is liking his job.  He's still in the adjustment period but is really positive about the environment and the work that he gets to do.  He's been working on all sorts of little projects around the house.  This week it has been new blinds to replace the mini blinds (I swore I would never live in a house with mini blinds again). 

Leo loves trains and cars still.  He talks about his birthday all the time, I better get planning a great party.  I am potty training him this week, oh boy.

So, that's the latest.  Well, most of it, this post is already long enough!

Life Lately in June

It's our last month in Logan and we've been taking full advantage of all the fun things to do.  

I had been waiting for ages to go to the Logan Gardeners Market.  I have so many good memories from our grad school days of us going to the market.  On most Saturdays, you'll find us there buying up some salsa and a fresh lemonade.  We've had company for some of the weeks, my folks and Heb's too.  If you make it down there, be sure to try the Crumb Brother's booth.

This guy loves riding his bike around.

 

We've been down to Grantsville to visit with my extended family.  I love to visit with my cousins, aunts and uncles and grandma.  There is so much love there.

We have been taking trips up the canyon to have fires.  This is one of the things I missed most while living in Virginia.  Our latest fire was with the Hendrick's, friends from our pre-kids days.  We got together soon after we moved back in November and it was like we had never left.  And the best part is that we like their little boy and Leo does too. 

 Every chance we get we are up in the mountains and on a trail.  Even for a short walk, we love being in these mountains.

 

We've made some major decisions lately and I feel so much less stressed.  Even though those plans include a big move in the very near future, I feel very calm about the whole situation.  I think knowing what we are doing and not living in limbo anymore makes me feel so much better about the world.  And, of course, it's at this moment that our life really settles in her and I feel like I have friends and a routine, just in time to change it all!

And we have these darling little ones.  We just love them.  Even in all the craziness.

Leo had a very fussy week last week.  This is his "it's mine!" face.  We discovered 2 molars on Saturday and it all made sense!

So that's the latest.  So much good happening.  Ah Logan, you really make it hard to leave with your great summers!

Life Lately in May

It's been crazy the past few weeks.  I am running around like crazy and still don't get everything done.  Hopefully no one will remember that there always seemed to be a sink full of dirty dishes and laundry yet to be folded. 

We have been doing some really fun things lately.  I signed Leo up for a music class and he and Amy have really enjoyed it.  Amy will quietly watch the whole hour.  Leo thinks we are going to music class every time we leave the house.  He likes it and calls it "moo-sic class."  Last week, I was driving over to my dance class to meet Heber and trade the kids.  Leo thought we were going to music class and was distraught when he couldn't go in.  They came in to watch my dance class for a few minutes to calm him down.  He kept pointing and saying, "that's my mom!"  I will hear him singing the songs all week.  

It was my dance recital a month ago.  It went well, with my class performing the best they had ever done.  Heber, who had spent the whole week in DC, wasn't able to make it so Amy got to hang out with me that evening.  My best friend Tami (and her family!!) made it out.  I was so surprised to have her walk up afterward.  She is a good friend.

We officially have a little red haired baby and it makes me happy.  She is so fun right now.  She is batting at toys and exploring.  She likes to chew on everything.  She's been sleeping through the night. 

 Our activity of choice lately has been going on walks.  We've especially liked going out to the River Trail.  Logan doesn't really have a lot of trees but this trail does.  It reminds me of one of our Virginia trails with tall trees and water.   

Heb has been hard at work in the shop, building out molding on our windows. Anything we can do to fancy the place up a bit.  I haven't been out in the glass studio much but I did make these new drawer pulls and am so happy with them.