SSSSNNNNNOOOOOOOWWWW!

We drove back from visiting our VA family in a little bit of snowy weather.  It was on and off but we did see a flipped truck and some accidents from loss of traction.  That is my absolute least favorite weather to drive in...especially in an area that doesn't get tons of snow and isn't able to prepare.  We made it home, though, and I had Jonathan take a picture of our house in the snow the next morning...it was cold enough that they cancelled our first two services (of three) at church because of the icy weather!  I figured this may possibly be the most snow we see at our house.

It was really nice to have Jonathan home for a while on a Sunday morning and it was much less rushed.  We got back to the "norm"...see?  Annalee trying to climb the stairs but not going anywhere, and our Otto was back home!  He had been on vacation with our friend Dan since Christmas.

Plenty of time for Sunday morning picture taking in some warm cute clothes!

Thanks for my sweet bow, Aliana!  Love the "A's"

Checking out her awesome flowers.  Thanks for the beautiful dress, Sarah Rae!

"AiraCUSE, AiraCUSE!" (Connor's Syracuse cheer). ALL the boys!  Love 'em!

Our First Niece!

Our very first niece, Gracelyn, was born on Superbowl Sunday - right on her due date!  We were so excited to get up to VA and see her and it was such a great time (too short, as always!).

The big brothers.

These cooking cousins already love to hang out, even if Connor is still learning about not taking things from kiddos littler than him (oh, and sharing)!

Oh yes!  Holding my niece!  Isn't she sweet?  Look at all that hair!

Sweet.  She loves her Uncle Jay and Aunt Sarahann!  Annalee wasn't sure what was happening for a while, but then she jumped right in to play with the boys.  It will be so fun to have a (girl) cousin her age, too!

Connor checking out "baby Gracelyn".  Loved that he knew her name because we prayed for her every night while Kelly was pregnant...although hopefully someday he will drop the "baby" part. :)

Sweet, alert girl!

I think someone has a pic of Jonathan and Gracelyn on their phone...Matthew??  We miss you all, see you again soon!

A Sunny February Day

Connor got a haircut a few weeks ago (badly needed!) and I promised him a trip to the park afterward because Mrs. Jeannie's salon is close to a newly renovated playground.  They built a splash pad that we are looking forward to this summer, but it was just warm enough for us to enjoy a walk and some play time!  Oh yes, Levi came to play with us too!

The favorite spot: "A plane!  A plane!"

"Isn't it morning nap time?"

Ha!  Annalee really hung in there!

Yeah...this slide was a little quicker than we thought.  Not going to lie...I was taking this picture and in the next millisecond Connor was flying off and landing flat on his back.  Ah well...he got up and did it again!

Building sandcastles...good work on sharing...!

Annalee is trying SO hard to pull up.  She gets to her knees and gets mad mad mad that she can't get all the way up where her brother is.

...but it only lasts a moment.   Then she's just happy to be moving all around!

Pretty flowers that Jonathan brought me one day.  Not for Valentine's Day.  Just because.  Looooove! :)

Superbowlin' It

Whoops.  Guess I hadn't posted this after I started working on it...

Mmmmm....GIANT SUPERBOWL COOKIE CAKE!

Connor helped...thankfully the frosting was dairy-free.  I also made him a couple chip-less cookies with the dough. :)

Our Sunday School class began 3 years ago on Superbowl Sunday, so we like to celebrate that too!

The next morning, Connor fixed our doorbell... :)  He told me it was "broken" so I showed him where it was told him it was where there was a little screw in the door and he worked very hard on it!

focused

Annalee had a roooough night after the Superbowl...I figured she had just stayed up too late and was thrown off her normal routine.  Uh...turns out she had cut her first tooth...2/4/13 10.5 months old!  I had been checking her gums since about 4 months and then kind of gave up, figuring she wasn't getting any til after a year old like Connor.  WHAM...there it was.  She cut the one next to it (bottom middle teeth) about a 5 days later.  Stillllll smiling!

...and stillllll hammering. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

We've been celebrating "love" all February here at our house!

Loving sharing, building, and fuzzy pink coats.

Loving crawling, getting into things, and super cute bottoms.

Loving the fireplace and a cozy chair to enjoy it - and loving lots of red!

LOVING getting mail that has amazing bows made by friends...

Loving Elmo, being silly, and matching for church.

Loving an awesome handmade bow on the headband...

and loving just enough hair for no headband at all!

Loving baby 'tude for the camera.

Loving sweet time with Momma and coordinating.

LOVING taking his very own picture.

Loving fake pouting after being told to "put your hands in your lap".

Loving to play the piano, always.

Loving a silly Daddy who needs a bow in his life, too!

Loving matching red pants and being "just like Dad".

Loving sweet hand-me-down dresses even when it's a little too chilly to wear them out of the house!

Loving too-much-chocolate-hazelnut-cookie-batter-for-my-mixing-bowl.

Loving making "fancy" cookies.  Seriously, I think this is my love language...

Loving making valentines with my sweet little toddler boy.

Loving making a sweet surprise for our newest niece (surprise, can't wait to see you guys!) and loving practicing writing out her name...

Loving that I heard the ice cream truck go down our street as I wrote this post?  Oh no wait...it's FEBRUARY!  But it did...away with you creepy ice cream truck van man at least until Spring!!!

Loving giving away cookies to awesome childcare teachers that I work with and sweet women at bible study this morning (plus a few extras, I wanted to give a little love to EVERYONE today...too bad I didn't see so many of my loves!).

Loving coming home from bible study to that same sweet toddler, asking if I had given the "ladies" their special cookies!

Loving that I have more cookie pictures than I do comments.

LOVING that my hubby (1) spent the morning with the kids, (2) took time with Connor to make some hanging hearts and a V-Day card for me, and (3)....

...made me heart-shaped breakfast for lunch.  Isn't he the best??

Loving heart cookies on a fun colorful plate!  Loving that one friend bit into one this morning and said "You should sell these!"  Hmmmm... :)

LOVING. THIS.

Happy Valentine's Day!

If you LOVED Connor's bow tie and Annalee's bow as much as I do, please visit this Etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/kindercompanie

My dear friend Christiane and her sisters are talented in multiple ways...and have created these adorable fabric bows and bow ties.  St. Patty's Day bows, anyone?  Easter?  Church?  I think I need about 20! :)