Lately

Just cute.

Too cute.

We haven't been to the zoo in a long time. In fact, Carter couldn't even remember going to our zoo and Hazy had never been. We had such a good time. The kids loved the animals and the fresh air. I loved watching them have a good time.

These little people bring me inexplicable joy!

Coloring.

Lego. Carter has been doing an awful lot of building lately. He's a really creative builder. Our train table has turned into a Lego table.

Lily has been sewing. I'm pleased to see her develop her skills and talents.

Hazy is a little girl with initiative. She pinpoints what she wants, and finds a way to make it happen. I came downstairs the other day and found the back door wide open. I went outside and found Hazel jumping with noodles! She had pulled a chair into the pantry, climbed up to get a box of noodles, taken it outside and dumped it on the trampoline. She was chewing on raw noodles and jumping away!

She thought it was great fun!

Cousin and Valentines!

Our cute cousin Hannah came to visit us this month. Aunt Kristen came too, and had to work during the day. But Hannah got to do some serious playing with us! My kids had so much fun with her.

Cousin relationships are cool. There is a strong family bond that unites them and makes them a part of each other, similar to sibling relationships. But cousins don't live in each others' space so they don't bicker like siblings tend to. I loved watching and listening to them interact and play over the week.


Meet Christina, Johhna, and Mirena (and Hazy in the back)...the spies who frequented our house that week. There was a lot of fun and excitement all week long.

Valentines from Grandma and Grandpa Ford. Thanks!

Our lovey dovey Valentine dinner. We celebrated a day early because Aaron was out of town on Valentine's day. (I know, lame!!) The kids thought it was so great to get their own box of chocolates along with their gift and Valentine.

On Valentine night the kids and I went with the young women I serve to heart attack some friends' houses. We put love notes and heart cookies on their doors and ran. Lily thought that was especially cool.

While I missed being with my sweetheart on Valentine's day, it gave us an opportunity to appreciate the time we do have together. We reminisced about the two and a half years we spent living on different continents during our courtship. Man, that was hard. I'm so glad we aren't having to do that now. It was immensely difficult then. Sometimes I wondered if I would even survive our time apart...as if I would spontaneously implode from missing him too much. :) Luckily, I survived and I'm so grateful we have each other.