Huh, it's February already?

The last month seems like sort of a blur, and I really just want to go back under the covers and hibernate until spring. It doesn't help that the boys and I are a little sick this weekend, but I've just been tired in general. Here's what we've been up to:

The boys love to fingerpaint and watercolor paint. Gabe is always quite a bit neater than Zach, and that's the way he likes it. He would rather use the brush than his fingers, whereas Zach is a crazy man with the paint...it's gone in about a minute.


We went to Ikea. The boys were thrilled :) We came home with exactly what we went for: a small bookcase, toy bin, and light fixture for the living room, a table top for my sewing area, and a bench/shoe etc. bin for the entryway.


The wall tracks went back up--yay! I finally fit all three sets together. And we have no shortage of cars, thanks to Kevin's and Barb's Christmas gifts.


Zach loves jam sandwiches. He's not ready to add peanut butter yet; I've asked. He's also getting excited to start pre-k in the fall. He had his physical last week and was having a great time with Monkey and the doctor until she started talking about shots!


We got another couple of inches of snow yesterday, but it was so cold and windy that we did not stay out for more than about three minutes.


And last, but very certainly not least, we had friends over last weekend. It was great fun, and Jen wrote about it on her blog HERE :)

January faves

Here are some of my favorite things from the past month :)

Best new TV show: Once Upon A Time. I decided in the fall that I could let this one go. We just don't have time to get addicted to any more shows, blah, blah, blah. But I kept reading about it and seeing commercials, and I gave in. They replayed all the episodes on New Year's Day, and I have to say I love the characters (and the hair/makeup/costumes)...I've been hooked ever since.


Funniest thing we should have seen coming, but didn't: Gabe fits through the cat door in the baby gate. Though, if you read the instructions (like we did for the first time just recently), the gate is not intended for children. Oops. Lesson learned. We just lock the cat door when he starts to mess with it.


Favorite new grocery item: ciabatta rolls. Perfect for fondue and bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches.


Favorite new family outing: the public library.


Favorite spot in the house: by the fireplace. For me, Frank, and apparently Marmalade.

Yay today

Their furniture arrived.

Videos of goofy Gabe

Routines

With almost everything unpacked and the celebrating of holidays behind us, lately we've been working on establishing routines. Cleaning routines, shopping routines, haircut routines, and doctor appointment routines. Kinda boring stuff, but kinda necessary.
Here are some highlights of the last two weeks:

This is the furniture that will be coming for the boys in another 4-6 weeks. Two beds and that dresser and mirror.


This picture pretty much sums up our visit with Barb and Ron. We ate good food, the boys made us crack up from time to time, we enjoyed having Frank home, and we talked about smart phones (Ron just recently got his). As it is said, "A good time was had by all."


Before and after haircuts:


Happy to have the guest room(s) ready for anyone who wants to visit...


Fondue on New Year's Eve.


Continuing the tradition of a family photo on New Year's Day. I wonder how many years until everyone sits on their own?


The boys, so excited about the little bit of snow we got last week.


All of us were excited that it got back up into the 60's last weekend.

What the 4-year-old says today

him: More chocolate milk!

me (filling his cup a few minutes later): Zach, go put your pants on. They're over by the tv; those ones are still dry. Zach? (He's staring off into space--or the refrigerator, I'm not sure.) Zach! Earth to Zach...

him: I'm NOT from outer space, mommy!!

Could have fooled me.

To 2011

To 2011,
Good riddance to the year that kicked our butts in so many ways, and yet, thanks for the opportunity for us to spend so much time with family and friends. I guess I can forgive you.

To 2012,
Bring it on.