This Winter

I’m so glad Spring is on the way! This winter hasn’t been as bad as last in the sense that we didn’t get the amount of snow that we did last year, but the ice was a lot worse. We even lost power a few weeks ago, which was surprising and unexpected because our entire neighborhood has buried lines.  It was from 7pm until about 11 the next morning, which totally freaked out the kids!

We made a fire for Dan and I and made the best of it.  After lots of snuggles (especially Parker, who knew?) and songs, and also the help of light sticks, we got them to fall asleep.  Whatever light sticks that were left, we let them use in the tub for a cosmic tub time.  That was a big hit!

The very next week we had snow forecasted, conveniently the same night as my consignment sale, but fortunately I still sold quite a bit of stuff, but I think my sales weren’t as good as they could’ve been if the weather would’ve been better. The kids liked the snow, but It wasn’t quite enough snow for a snowman. We got enough for a few silly snow angels, though!

We’ve also been trying to make the best of our indoor playtime and we’ve been continuing to go to storytime, the gym and also Catch Air occasionally with friends. We joined our friends Kialer and Kinsey one Thursday and with inflatables, dance floor, and slides galore, the kids were able to have fun while the Mamas could catch up on conversation! We’ve really lucked out with our neighbors. We have some great ones! We also love having neighbor friends over for playing in the playroom when it’s cold out. Nothing can cure the chilly boring day blues like a little friends, dress up time, and kid music to dance to!

Another way we’ve been trying to stay warm this season is trying new winter comfort food recipes. Here are some yummy ones I’ve tried! Mostly thumbs up from the fam! I thought they were so good recipes that were easy for me to prepare for the kids. Also, I’m not a huge beef fan, so I usually tend to make a lot of chicken dishes.  These two are a great way for me to incorporate beef into my meals. I’ll certainly make these two again!

One thing I had on my inspiration board that I wanted to do more of, and we’re reminded of during the marriedlife seminar, is to date more often. So Dan and I have been enjoying more dates this year, one double date with our neighbors where we ate at Kona and went to Andretti’s. It was a lot of fun to have dinner and conversation with them without the kiddos, and to share laughs and connect as couples!

Another date we went on, was when I accompanied Dan to his favorite shooting range Sharp Shooters. We did some target practice, and I got to learn a few things about how to load a gun, etc. It was a lot of fun, but I have to admit that I was nervous the entire time!  I don’t know how to shake the nerves about others with guns around me. It’s not the guns that I’m shooting I get nervous about, it’s the random strangers around me with guns that I have a hard time with. I wanted to do it though because I know how much it means to Dan! We also discovered a new yummy pizza place called Crust in Alpharetta that was fabulous! We will definitely go back there. It was very good food and great service.

 

Parker started spring baseball practice, but due to the nasty weather it’s been cancelled all but three times, one of those times P has Strep Throat and couldn’t go, so he’s gone twice. The start of baseball as well as this burst of warmer weather here and there is makinging me super excited about the new season! The few days have been warmer  the past few weeks, we’ve jumped at the chance to get outside and enjoy it!  We had fun time celebrating our friend Kim’s pregnancy with baby Xavier, her first baby boy! We’ve also loved going to Sims Lake Park as a family, the greenway, and simply playing in the yard with the kite, little neighbor friends and our new sandbox!

 

Come on Spring and Summer, we miss you and we have BIG plans for you!

Bike Rides and Tball Hits!

We decided to sign Parker up for Tball this year.  We’re not exactly a sports family.  What I mean by that is that nobody watches sports or talks about sports, and neither Dan or I went to a college that played a specific sport. Neither one of us or grew up playing sports. Well, Dan played soccer, gymnastics and karate as a kid so I guess those count.  Dan went to Drexel U. a technology college and I went to an art school for college, so neither one of us jumped on the college football wagon or have an aligance to a particular team or sport. So sadly, Parker is at a disadvantage for any kind of sport in our house since he’s never even seen baseball on TV!

I knew Parker would love it though because he has such a positive attitude and an incredible drive and energy. He’s always so positive and loves to play and compete at anything.  Of course, since he’s never played he’s not that great at it.  He doesn’t let it get him down though.  He’s hit a few balls off the T, and last two games hit a piched ball!  He still needs to work on his throw and his outfield behavior (he was throwing his hat in the air and trying to catch it with his head last game), but overall we are proud of him. Who knew being a Mom of a little boy was so much fun?  We’re certainly having fun with this kid and I can’t wait to see how much he grows in this sport.  He’s already asked if he can play in the spring too!  The other day he got up from his nap and asked if he could watch baseball online, and see them drink Gatorade. Ha! He’s so funny!

On Parker’s birthday, I told him that he’s five now, and that I thought we should try riding his bike without training wheels. We’ve tried once before on his big bike, and he was just WAY too unstable. So this time, we decided to take off the training wheels on Mason’s bike since it is smaller and lower to the ground. I worked with him on Sunday a little bit while Dan had a friend over and they were watching a movie and the two youngest were napping. I was EXHUASTED. Parker kept leaning and putting all his weight on me, and I was hunched over trying to keep him upright. He kept wanting to try, even though he kept falling. We probably got a balance of one bike length without him falling, but that was the extent of it. I was a little annoyed because he wasn’t really taking the whole bike riding thing seriously. He would laugh and laugh, and smile and then laugh. In hindsight I guess it’s better than him crying and giving up, but I just kept asking him to BE SERIOUS which is totally NOT Parker’s personality.

I was talking to my neighbor Jenn about advice since she taught her son to ride his bike and the next day was a gorgeous afternoon, and the kids were all playing outside. Jenn and I took turns helping Parker start, and asked him to ride to the other person and JUST LIKE THAT. That was what he needed. A cheering person in front of AND behind him! He started going the longest distance that night, and two days later was riding down the street on his big bike! Such a proud Mama! Dan was impressed too, of course. My boy is growing up!