I give in

I wanted to hold out until I got those 5 comments I requested but I couldn't do it. Kelle Hampton can single-handedly raise over $75,000 and I can't get 5 comments. I know I can't compare myself to her. She is truly amazing and if you haven't taken a look over there, do it, and donate if you can. Some very good friends of ours are going to be meeting Kelle and the whole family soon and I am so excited for them!

Enjoying the Small Things

Thank you Carrie and Stephanie for your comments. I know that more people than that read and I forgive you for not commenting :)

We have been up to the usual winter events...some snow, some kids with colds, and trying to fill our days with warm, indoor activities...

Playing with the neighbors

Remember this from exactly 2 years ago??

MLK day 2009

Mall playgrounds


Mallory is at the perfect age for these places. She LOVES it and just runs around squealing and climbing and playing like a big kid. I said to Mark today that she might have a future as a track star. She is FAST!

Baking



Nope, they aren't cake balls, they are oreo balls and my new obsession


And a Tu B'Shevat Seder


What is a Tu B'Shevat Seder? We didn't know either until a few days ago when we went to one of Max's friend's houses for one. It was a celebration of all fruits and nuts and other things we get from trees. It was really fun and sweet of them to have us.

We are definitely in the dead of winter and feeling it. I know its winter when my hands are bleeding in several spots without ever being cut by anything. I even treated myself to a manicure for that very reason.

What else is going on...work has been stressful, even for a part time gal. Just too much to do in too little time, but I've learned from experience that it all gets done. One exciting thing is that I am getting an SLP grad student intern, which I'm pretty excited about. How am I old enough to do this already? I feel like I was just the intern and my mentor was a "woman" with 2 kids who had been working in the schools for years. Now that's me!!

Alot of my friends and people I talk to seem to be going through tougher times with their children. Maybe Max just went through this time earlier than normal, but I cannot believe that I am at a point where I can talk about that time from the other side. Max is the most wonderful, sweetest, smartest, funniest boy now and I can't believe that I ever complained about him. Most of the time, he is just a pleasure to be around. Obviously he has his moments, every day. But they just aren't that bad and the good far outweighs the bad now. I lay in bed with him every night and have a real conversation where we laugh and talk and tell stories. When did this happen? Mallory is starting to throw herself on the floor and throw a tantrum when I so much as take the toothpaste away from her. I know better than to get upset over these things now but I just look forward to what she is going to be like in 2 years. Not that I don't love the stage she is at now, because I really do. But now that I have an "older" child too, I see how much their personalities develop and how much fun they are when they are real kids and I look forward to that too.

Happy weekend!