a sweetie turns seven

 It was a great party.  Jay's parents were there with our niece, a nice surprise.

 My sister and brother in law were there too, and our niece and her fiance, who I am pleased to say I like a whole lot.

 This looks like a serious conversation, though it may not be either.

 Oh, cheese, Darling.

 Gifts and more gifts. They love each other's gifts.

 And this yummy little one:

 Here they're making Wild Kratts outfits. Notice the little child in purple hanging on her mom's legs.  Dan and I dragged her away multiple times and she sprinted right straight back.

Aaagh.

 That one with the double sprout pony tails woke up late into the party, but she liked it once she got awake.

 Cake time! Dannell created this insane masterpiece.

 Here they're amusing the kids with couch toss.

Here he is, our sweetie, the guy turning seven!

Seven years of you!

Friendly, charming, smart as heck, funny, tricky, full of energy and schemes--we love you.

The little brother with the long, curly eyelashes and the big ideas, leading your cousins on a wild charge?

We are so lucky having you, and we know it.

Happy Birthday, Buddy.

The whole family is better because you're in it.

Love forever, Grandma and Grandpa and Everybody

winter sky

My friend Renee' takes a lot of beautiful pictures, but this one took my breath away.

You're amazing.

I love you, Val

winter weekend

 We had a sleepover Friday night.   They wanted curls so we put the sponge rollers in the little girl, and the bigger girl did lots of small braids.

Then they went to the fluffy rug in the family room to work on cartwheels.  Well, James had not seen p.j. do cartwheels before, and especially with her hair up in curlers and holding a stuffed monkey, it was a pretty hilarious scene.  He laughed so hard he was wiping his eyes.

Saturday night we went to the Mardi Gras carnival at church.  This is the church we've been going to lately.  It's close to home, very sweet people.  We're still members at our other church in the city, and this hasn't been easy being half at two churches.  It's a practical decision, but we're in this weird spot.

Anyway, the carnival was fun.

And today we went to a Super Bowl party at Heidi and Joe's and that was a pretty easy-going time, lots of good food and cute kids all around.

 The new curtains:

 I'm cautious with color, for the most part.  Heidi is not, and I love that.

This little girl was getting tired by half time.

 The kids braved the blasting wind for a 15 minute trip outside before dark.

 And now it's the end of a fine Sunday night, and someone's picking away at a guitar upstairs and someone else is in the shower.  I can hear somebody else packing a lunch for tomorrow.

 One more load of laundry tonight, and that's it.

 Tomorrow's problem:

Onward to Monday!

Good night.

love, Val

february is here

Snow arrived on schedule today at lunchtime, blowing and drifting, not all that cold, but slippery roads.

Inside the house, as usual, 72 balmy degrees.

 This is a picture from yesterday of two cousins playing.  She's the leader, full of ideas.  He's the willing follower.  She has elaborate story lines mapped out, which he seems to enjoy. He follows along and they don't fight.

At one point they were working from home, had an office going, papers, fake computers together at a desk.

Later they were doing laundry, pretending to wash doll clothes and hang them on the clothesline with my grandma's clothes pins.

Laundry and office??

Could there BE any more boring things to play?

I sure didn't ask any questions.

 Toys and mess were strewn end for end.

Worth it.

 And tonight, as the snow continues to fall.

This morning I wanted to find out the results of the Iowa caucus situation, so I had on the news early, rather than Wild Kratts. I do not care about their creature powers, miniaturizing and the like.

She put up with the news for a while, then complained and switched it to Nature Cat.  But then I noticed she wasn't even watching the show.  I howled, "Why'd you make me watch Nature Cat and you're not even watching it? When I want to watch the news?"

We went back and forth a little and then I realized:  I am arguing with a four year old about Nature Cat.  Go get dressed.

 And during errands, the kids wanted cocoa from Starbuck's but then argued the whole way there about whether they wanted McDonald's or not, would cocoa from McDonald's suffice or did it have to be Starbuck's cocoa and lunch at home. Or both. Or neither.  Their contentious conversation went on and on until I yelled, "You want privileges or you want to argue?"  Sometimes I'm such a cross old bag.

At least argue away from my ears.  We got cocoa.  Tim made some lovely sandwiches on toast at home. (I am NOT going to both McDonald's and Starbucks. Non.)

Welcome, February.

I certainly hope you plan to be shaping up after this unamusing mess.

love, Val