Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts
Sunday, March 4, 2012
100 Days
Big sis had her 100 Days of School celebration recently. She had to create a "100 Days" project. We bought several materials for her to choose from (knowing left unselected would be added to the craft closet). Big sis chose to hot glue 100 petals to a hat. It was SO CUTE! She did a great job with deciding what patterns to create for each row. I had to help some with the gluing process - but not as much as I thought I would. At Hobby Lobby they have a "cool" glue gun for about $6. It was SO worth it because it allowed big sis to be much more independent. And no one in the room yelled or melted into tears . . . success! Here is the story she wrote about her project and the hat:
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Fat Tuesday
Happy Mardi Gras! It has become somewhat of a tradition (2 years in a row) for us to travel down to Shreveport with catlady and her family to enjoy one of their many Mardi Gras parades. This past weekend we braved the pouring rain to catch beads and footballs and cups from parade members. It was drenching but GREAT! The rain actually held off until the parade got to us so we only stood outside in wet conditions for about 30 mins. Otherwise we enjoyed family, friends, and fun outdoor activities with the wonderful addition of a private port-a-potty (a must for any crowd with kiddos!).
We ended up with SO many beads and cups that we took some to big sis' school for her Mardi Gras day. She won the Mardi Gras Kindness Queen award at their "non-party" and enjoyed telling everyone about her weekend of adventures.
Disco took this picture of all the beads that made it back to our house. We have a ton of beads that the kids collected if anyone needs to borrow some.... Laissez les bons temps rouler!
We ended up with SO many beads and cups that we took some to big sis' school for her Mardi Gras day. She won the Mardi Gras Kindness Queen award at their "non-party" and enjoyed telling everyone about her weekend of adventures.
Disco took this picture of all the beads that made it back to our house. We have a ton of beads that the kids collected if anyone needs to borrow some.... Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
LOVE
Big sis had a parent/teacher conference last week. We have been impressed and happy with her progress this year - she is right on track for Kindergarten. She is also really good at math - and LIKES it. Her teacher had her demonstrate a couple of her cool math skills. What was great about the session was the emphasis on emotional maturity and compassion. At home, we all know how to push each other's buttons and stir up some frustration over small things. So it is nice to hear that outsiders view big sis as a sweet and compassionate child. I don't know why I find that comforting but I do.
Anyway, after the conference we had pizza for dinner. Big sis enjoys setting the table for pizza night because she can reach all of the plates and cups and food we need for dinner. She created the following special place settings for everyone. Oh she is the sweetest kiddo! Happy Valentine's Day!
Anyway, after the conference we had pizza for dinner. Big sis enjoys setting the table for pizza night because she can reach all of the plates and cups and food we need for dinner. She created the following special place settings for everyone. Oh she is the sweetest kiddo! Happy Valentine's Day!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Disco!
We went to a Disco Party recently. It was fun dressing up and having an adult night out! Disco and I made sure to capture ourselves with the camera . . . it isn't often we hit the dance floor and boogie! :)
Here are some pics from the party:
Here are some pics we took when we got home:
Here are some pics from the party:
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| My mom actually wore this dress in the 70's |
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| Disco! |
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| Catlady went all out with hair and make-up too - looking 70's Fab! |
Here are some pics we took when we got home:
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Hiking
It rained and rained and rained a couple of weeks ago. So we packed ourselves up in the car last Saturday, February 4th and headed out to see a waterfall. Disco took some great pics of the kids and they had a BLAST exploring caves and crevices and nature in general. We saw the waterfall from afar but the focus ended up being exploring the area. Little man would have lived in those woods and caves if he could. Big sis liked it all but there were moments when she was just ready to pack up and go home. Overall, though, I think she really enjoyed exploring.
I actually took the first shot of little man. Every once in a while I take a picture I'm really proud of - this is one of them. :)
I actually took the first shot of little man. Every once in a while I take a picture I'm really proud of - this is one of them. :)
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Bunny Ears
Big sis is just growing by leaps and bounds! I can't keep up . . .
She is really enjoying basketball practice. During the games her attention often drifts and she isn't quite sure what to do. But she loves participating with her friends. It is fun for us too because we sit back and watch her learn new skills - something we miss as she attends school while we work. Also, I personally enjoy all the family who come out to cheer her on - Bondo and Gaga, Grandmother and Granddad, Aunt K, and our favorite Auntie Lee.
Big sis has also learned how to tie her shoes. It all started with a challenge from her teacher - everyone in the class who learn to tie their shoes this year get a pizza party. That was plenty of motivation for big sis! At first I tried to teach her my way of tying shoes without much success. Then some co-workers reminded me of the "bunny ears" method. It only took her two days to catch on to that one! We took turns and I tied one shoe and she tied the other. Now she has mastered it so that she ties both shoes all by herself!
We are working on two other milestones: sleeping alone and losing the first top middle tooth. Both are slow processes. So far I've made it to the end of her bed and hallway at bedtime. Many different circumstances have led to her dependence on someone in the room as she falls asleep. And we haven't pushed the issue until now. It will likely take a while to break this habit. She is so excited about losing a "big" tooth and plays with it CONSTANTLY. Once it is gone I'll have to post pics. :)
Here are some of her shoe tying adventures:
She is really enjoying basketball practice. During the games her attention often drifts and she isn't quite sure what to do. But she loves participating with her friends. It is fun for us too because we sit back and watch her learn new skills - something we miss as she attends school while we work. Also, I personally enjoy all the family who come out to cheer her on - Bondo and Gaga, Grandmother and Granddad, Aunt K, and our favorite Auntie Lee.
Big sis has also learned how to tie her shoes. It all started with a challenge from her teacher - everyone in the class who learn to tie their shoes this year get a pizza party. That was plenty of motivation for big sis! At first I tried to teach her my way of tying shoes without much success. Then some co-workers reminded me of the "bunny ears" method. It only took her two days to catch on to that one! We took turns and I tied one shoe and she tied the other. Now she has mastered it so that she ties both shoes all by herself!
We are working on two other milestones: sleeping alone and losing the first top middle tooth. Both are slow processes. So far I've made it to the end of her bed and hallway at bedtime. Many different circumstances have led to her dependence on someone in the room as she falls asleep. And we haven't pushed the issue until now. It will likely take a while to break this habit. She is so excited about losing a "big" tooth and plays with it CONSTANTLY. Once it is gone I'll have to post pics. :)
Here are some of her shoe tying adventures:
Monday, February 6, 2012
New Job
When I made a New Year's Resolution to leap into new directions I didn't anticipate a literal "leap" at work. I've spent the past year exploring additional opportunities for collaborations on campus. But my intention was always to stay put and keep some of my effort devoted to a project I was allowed to initiate with great support from primary investigators in 2007/2008. I've discovered, though, that once you start turning over rocks you never know what you will find . . .
I received a call from a different company at the end of December. I was a bit taken aback and seriously considered whether it was a good idea to submit an application or not. After thinking it over, I decided I hadn't had a job interview in 14 years so maybe it was time to test the waters and see what there is beyond academics.
The whole thing just kind of took off. . . there wasn't any snow outside in January but I felt like I was caught in an avalanche. The phone call forced me start addressing my current job situation. I had to have some painful and awkward conversations with a quite a bit of disappointment over the fact that academics was not going to work out for me right now. There were a lot of supportive discussions as well - there are some wonderful folks on campus I adore! But I literally curled up in bed during an entire weekend, frustrated about my job options. The next week I got the job offer which made my decisions easier. It was a solid job offer, stable position, and included a pay increase. I took the offer.
I'm a strong believer in signs. There were quite a few signs that indicated this was the right direction right now, even though I couldn't see it at first. There are two signs that stood out over the rest. I was sitting in a lecture on campus thinking "I feel like a square peg being shoved into a round hole! Is this really for me?" And that was the moment I got the call about the job offer. The second sign came when we agreed on my start date. I had asked for March 1st but February 29th worked better for my new employer. The date that inspired my New Year's Resolution this year...
Ultimately - whether good or bad - I am ready for a change. I am looking forward to some new and challenging job activities. And I really liked my new supervisor, boss, and coworkers. It won't be an easy transition and I am prepared for some bumps in the road. But for now I am going to focus on the positive and look forward to the new direction! :)
I received a call from a different company at the end of December. I was a bit taken aback and seriously considered whether it was a good idea to submit an application or not. After thinking it over, I decided I hadn't had a job interview in 14 years so maybe it was time to test the waters and see what there is beyond academics.
The whole thing just kind of took off. . . there wasn't any snow outside in January but I felt like I was caught in an avalanche. The phone call forced me start addressing my current job situation. I had to have some painful and awkward conversations with a quite a bit of disappointment over the fact that academics was not going to work out for me right now. There were a lot of supportive discussions as well - there are some wonderful folks on campus I adore! But I literally curled up in bed during an entire weekend, frustrated about my job options. The next week I got the job offer which made my decisions easier. It was a solid job offer, stable position, and included a pay increase. I took the offer.
I'm a strong believer in signs. There were quite a few signs that indicated this was the right direction right now, even though I couldn't see it at first. There are two signs that stood out over the rest. I was sitting in a lecture on campus thinking "I feel like a square peg being shoved into a round hole! Is this really for me?" And that was the moment I got the call about the job offer. The second sign came when we agreed on my start date. I had asked for March 1st but February 29th worked better for my new employer. The date that inspired my New Year's Resolution this year...
Ultimately - whether good or bad - I am ready for a change. I am looking forward to some new and challenging job activities. And I really liked my new supervisor, boss, and coworkers. It won't be an easy transition and I am prepared for some bumps in the road. But for now I am going to focus on the positive and look forward to the new direction! :)
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Holiday Weekend
This weekend was a FUN and RELAXING one. We got up Saturday and watched big sis play basketball. Then loaded everyone up for a quick trip to Dallas to visit with friends. The theme of the visit was "veg-out." Both kiddos and adults took it easy all weekend and just enjoyed each other's company (for the kids that really meant watching TV and videos but hey, it was their vacation too and that is what they wanted to do). Our kiddos got SOOOOOO excited about the visit to IKEA. Favorite activity was riding up and down the elevator with two doors. Big sis just thought it was so cool to go in one side of the elevator but leave the other side. I stocked up on bday gifts for all the parties we will attend this spring and big sis got a new craft and little man picked up a carrier for his puppy dog. Disco's only purchase was a cheese grater we could use for making laundry detergent. And I didn't get anything for myself . . . huh, I just realized that. Guess we will have to make another visit soon! :)
On the MLK holiday we decided to show our love and give to others by picking up trash around the neighborhood. We got home too late from Dallas to do any of the planned community service events around town. I kinda liked making up our own this time. The kiddos really got into being the first to find a piece of trash and then there was a lot of discussion about who's bag got each piece of trash. Who knew they would be competitive about trash??? We walked along the road and also through the woods near the creek. A pleasant outing for sure - and we snagged 3 bags of trash. Not too bad.
Favorite part? The fact that the kiddos "dressed up" to be volunteer trash collectors. I'm sure we looked like trick or treaters combing the neighborhood . . .
On the MLK holiday we decided to show our love and give to others by picking up trash around the neighborhood. We got home too late from Dallas to do any of the planned community service events around town. I kinda liked making up our own this time. The kiddos really got into being the first to find a piece of trash and then there was a lot of discussion about who's bag got each piece of trash. Who knew they would be competitive about trash??? We walked along the road and also through the woods near the creek. A pleasant outing for sure - and we snagged 3 bags of trash. Not too bad.
Favorite part? The fact that the kiddos "dressed up" to be volunteer trash collectors. I'm sure we looked like trick or treaters combing the neighborhood . . .
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Paula Deen's Fluffy Sweet Potato Biscuits
I don't cook often. Early in our marriage, Disco and I struck a deal that he would cook and I would clean. We had completely different styles and were always running over each other or making "suggestions" the other ignored. I'm also not a very exact cook, "close counts" as far as I am concerned. Disco is a perfectionist with his recipes. So the divide and conquer philosophy has worked out well for many years.
But ever since we have had kiddos running our household a few changes have occurred. I now take care of "making lunches" which really means I throw leftovers and single serving meals in a lunch box for big sis. I do make the effort to create special lunches from time to time - her favorites are the ones she gets to help me prepare. I also spend some time baking with the kiddos. Mostly we bake cookies.
Last Saturday Disco made gumbo and I decided that I should try out my new cookbook - Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible. I have to admit the recipe we found was FULL of butter. But who could expect anything less from Paula . . .
We tried the Fluffy Sweet Potato Biscuits. I highly recommend this recipe!!!!! The ingredients were simple and all items we would have on hand regularly. Really, the sweet potato was the only odd ball ingredient and we have been keeping those stocked up around our house anyway.
Disco microwaved a large sweet potato for me and the rest was just measuring and mixing. I have to admit I have been skimping and using cake and brownie mixes with the kids (after years of making homemade cookie dough pre-kiddos). I have now realized I was wrong to think mixes were the way to go. Making biscuit dough is FUN! No one was interested in helping with the measuring/dumping part. However, I initially used knives and then my hands to cut in the butter. So when I got my hands into the dough to finish mixing in the butter all hands were on deck to jump in to help. I think part of my issues with cooking is that I don't want to go from touching utensils to getting my hands dirty with handling ingredients back to touching utensils. The biscuit dough didn't really stick to my fingers and once you started working with your hands there wasn't much else to touch until it was time to put the biscuits in the oven. And OMG those hot sweet potato biscuits were GOOD!!!
After it was all said and done I ended up making two batches of biscuits over the weekend. The kiddos have no idea that they were eating sweet potatoes. Not that it matters because the exorbitant amount of butter in the biscuits negates any possible health advantage. Disco offered to get me a pastry blender for cutting in the butter, but I really liked digging in with my hands and letting the kiddos run amok in a dough they could actually taste if they wanted (no eggs).
Final note - I didn't need to add extra milk to the recipe as suggested was a possibility. I guess our sweet potatoes were moist. Also, our oven either runs hot or the cook time is not quite right. Either way I had to pull the biscuits out 1-2 mins earlier than the lowest suggested cooking time for both batches.
I hope to try more recipes this year from Paula's cookbook. Be prepared to hear me make a 2013 New Year's Resolution to lower my cholesterol after all the butter, heavy cream, and real mayonnaise we will consume! :)
But ever since we have had kiddos running our household a few changes have occurred. I now take care of "making lunches" which really means I throw leftovers and single serving meals in a lunch box for big sis. I do make the effort to create special lunches from time to time - her favorites are the ones she gets to help me prepare. I also spend some time baking with the kiddos. Mostly we bake cookies.
Last Saturday Disco made gumbo and I decided that I should try out my new cookbook - Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible. I have to admit the recipe we found was FULL of butter. But who could expect anything less from Paula . . .
We tried the Fluffy Sweet Potato Biscuits. I highly recommend this recipe!!!!! The ingredients were simple and all items we would have on hand regularly. Really, the sweet potato was the only odd ball ingredient and we have been keeping those stocked up around our house anyway.
Disco microwaved a large sweet potato for me and the rest was just measuring and mixing. I have to admit I have been skimping and using cake and brownie mixes with the kids (after years of making homemade cookie dough pre-kiddos). I have now realized I was wrong to think mixes were the way to go. Making biscuit dough is FUN! No one was interested in helping with the measuring/dumping part. However, I initially used knives and then my hands to cut in the butter. So when I got my hands into the dough to finish mixing in the butter all hands were on deck to jump in to help. I think part of my issues with cooking is that I don't want to go from touching utensils to getting my hands dirty with handling ingredients back to touching utensils. The biscuit dough didn't really stick to my fingers and once you started working with your hands there wasn't much else to touch until it was time to put the biscuits in the oven. And OMG those hot sweet potato biscuits were GOOD!!!
After it was all said and done I ended up making two batches of biscuits over the weekend. The kiddos have no idea that they were eating sweet potatoes. Not that it matters because the exorbitant amount of butter in the biscuits negates any possible health advantage. Disco offered to get me a pastry blender for cutting in the butter, but I really liked digging in with my hands and letting the kiddos run amok in a dough they could actually taste if they wanted (no eggs).
Final note - I didn't need to add extra milk to the recipe as suggested was a possibility. I guess our sweet potatoes were moist. Also, our oven either runs hot or the cook time is not quite right. Either way I had to pull the biscuits out 1-2 mins earlier than the lowest suggested cooking time for both batches.
I hope to try more recipes this year from Paula's cookbook. Be prepared to hear me make a 2013 New Year's Resolution to lower my cholesterol after all the butter, heavy cream, and real mayonnaise we will consume! :)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Basketball
With my school schedule this past fall we weren't able to let big sis try any new activities. This was a point of contention since she was very aware that some of her friends were trying out some cool things like cheerleading, cooking club, and art classes. So we had the opportunity to let big sis try out cheerleading or basketball this Jan/Feb. I asked her what she wanted to do and to our surprise she stated that she would rather try basketball instead cheerleading. We suspect it had to do with being on a team with one of her best buddies from school . . .
Anyway, we were unprepared for the first game. As we were getting ready for breakfast that morning we realized big sis had outgrown her tennis shoes. So after a quick trip to Target we finally arrived in the gym. Big sis had the best time being part of the basketball team! She listened intently to the coaches and tried everything she was asked to do with a smile on her face. Her team practiced for 30 minutes. Before the game started they gathered for an "intro" that involved peppy music, announcing the names of all team members, and then the kids running through fake fog onto the court. What kindergartner wouldn't love that intro?? I was afraid that since several of the kids showed some basketball skills already that she might be intimidated to jump into everything. But she dove right into the game - she was a good defender and light on her feet (ballerina on the court, y'all). We were really impressed with the program, coaches, and teammates. Little man even got to sit on the "bench" with all the big kids. (FYI - he gets to try out soccer this spring :)
After it was all over big sis was mesmerized by the cheerleaders. She turned to me and said "I want to be a cheerleader next time." No surprise there :)
Anyway, we were unprepared for the first game. As we were getting ready for breakfast that morning we realized big sis had outgrown her tennis shoes. So after a quick trip to Target we finally arrived in the gym. Big sis had the best time being part of the basketball team! She listened intently to the coaches and tried everything she was asked to do with a smile on her face. Her team practiced for 30 minutes. Before the game started they gathered for an "intro" that involved peppy music, announcing the names of all team members, and then the kids running through fake fog onto the court. What kindergartner wouldn't love that intro?? I was afraid that since several of the kids showed some basketball skills already that she might be intimidated to jump into everything. But she dove right into the game - she was a good defender and light on her feet (ballerina on the court, y'all). We were really impressed with the program, coaches, and teammates. Little man even got to sit on the "bench" with all the big kids. (FYI - he gets to try out soccer this spring :)
After it was all over big sis was mesmerized by the cheerleaders. She turned to me and said "I want to be a cheerleader next time." No surprise there :)
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New Year's Hike
Our dog Maggie was incredibly sick New Year's Eve. Because the holiday fell on a weekend and some of her symptoms were familiar to us, we decided to wait until we could take her to our vet on Monday Jan 2nd. She is doing better - but continues to suffer from a common inner ear issue that occurs in "senior" dogs. Basically she experiences a horrible case of vertigo. Our wonderful vet loaded her up with medicine and gave us the run down of what to expect. Recovery will be slow but she is making progress.
We planned to start off New Year's Day with a hiking trip but we didn't feel comfortable leaving the house while Maggie was so sick. After being loaded up with meds from the vet she seemed to be resting more comfortably. So we ventured out to a hiking trail not too far from home the day after New Year's.
One of the family activities I hope to "leap" into this year is exploring the outdoors more often. Disco has a new book for family friendly trails and we are ready to do some hiking! :)
We planned to start off New Year's Day with a hiking trip but we didn't feel comfortable leaving the house while Maggie was so sick. After being loaded up with meds from the vet she seemed to be resting more comfortably. So we ventured out to a hiking trail not too far from home the day after New Year's.
One of the family activities I hope to "leap" into this year is exploring the outdoors more often. Disco has a new book for family friendly trails and we are ready to do some hiking! :)
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Close Ups
Every once in a while Disco takes some cool shots of the kiddos. The following close-ups came from the park and my parents house during the holiday break. I had to include one goofy one that just cracks me up - they can be so funny!
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| My favorite pic |
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| Another sweet one |
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| Little man has been known to completely ignore the warnings on this sign. But doesn't he look so innocent in this shot?? |
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| He LOVES to swing! |
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| They are SO goofy! |
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Christmas 2011
Christmas was a whirlwind of activities this year. I spent a lot of my time finishing school and then catching up on a semester's worth of activities/cleaning. It was a lot of FUN but exhausting all the same. I am happy to start out 2012 feeling caught up, though. And that includes catching up on sleep and relaxation.
The kiddos enjoyed big sis' Christmas pageant, driving around to see Christmas lights, making a gingerbread house, holiday parties at school, visiting Santa, picking out a Christmas tree and decorating it, candy, candy, and more candy, holiday music, presents, and lots of extra time with mom and dad and other family members. I'm definitely NOT ready to go back to work after 2 weeks of fun with the family!
The kiddos enjoyed big sis' Christmas pageant, driving around to see Christmas lights, making a gingerbread house, holiday parties at school, visiting Santa, picking out a Christmas tree and decorating it, candy, candy, and more candy, holiday music, presents, and lots of extra time with mom and dad and other family members. I'm definitely NOT ready to go back to work after 2 weeks of fun with the family!
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| Building, I mean eating, a gingerbread house |
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| One of the few times we actually saw them decorating instead of eating :) |
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| Cow train at the tree farm |
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| Cow train at the tree farm |
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| Picking the perfect tree = easy. Taking a picture where everyone is smiling = not so much |
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| Pig races at the tree farm |
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| Checking out the Christmas lights with Aunt K |
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| This is the yard where Christmas threw up |
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| Just SO MUCH to see |
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| Uncle Scott and Aunt K were amazed by this house |
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| No other house is decorated on the block like this one. I wonder if you can see it from space . . . |
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| Santa came! |
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| Presents from gaga and bondo |
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| Presents from gaga and bondo |
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| Opening presents at grandmother and granddad's house |
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| Opening presents at grandmother and granddad's house |
Monday, February 28, 2011
Mini-Reunion
My best friend from college came to visit recently. It was a WONDERFUL mini-reunion! I really miss having her nearby. The last few years we have been unable to connect very often - busy schedules and family commitments as well as limited time/budget for traveling. Oddly enough, the ability to text each other and skype has facilitated keeping up a little bit better lately. Technology can be a quite useful! ;).
Both Disco and I adore my best friend - and now we have had the chance to get to know her new hubby (whom we also adore). The kiddos, well, some word that exaggerates the term adore would be the best way to describe their reaction to our friends. The excitement and chaos from the kiddos during our skyping sessions is a treat as well. Most of our time is spent laughing at silly children!
It feels like the weekend visit was so long ago already - which it isn't b/c it was just last weekend (February 19-20). But between little man's health issues and trying to keep up with a few deadlines at work it has been a busy time since then. Here are some pics of our mini-reunion adventures at the river - can't wait to see our friends again soon! BTW - I love that my wonderful hubby included jpgs of pictures with silly facial expressions. Comedian.
Both Disco and I adore my best friend - and now we have had the chance to get to know her new hubby (whom we also adore). The kiddos, well, some word that exaggerates the term adore would be the best way to describe their reaction to our friends. The excitement and chaos from the kiddos during our skyping sessions is a treat as well. Most of our time is spent laughing at silly children!
It feels like the weekend visit was so long ago already - which it isn't b/c it was just last weekend (February 19-20). But between little man's health issues and trying to keep up with a few deadlines at work it has been a busy time since then. Here are some pics of our mini-reunion adventures at the river - can't wait to see our friends again soon! BTW - I love that my wonderful hubby included jpgs of pictures with silly facial expressions. Comedian.
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| Love this pic! |
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