A Review of the February Challenge

Two things came out of the February Challenge, and I'm not surprised by either one.

First, I re-developed the habit of blogging, which was the primary goal.  I am very glad that we have a record of pretty much everything we did this month.  That's exciting!

Secondly, I spent way too much time online.  I knew this would happen, but I was hoping I would be a little more self-disciplined.  I would sit down at my computer to blog and end up on Facebook or Pinterest.  Uh-oh!  There were times where I scheduled a post to appear and didn't sit down at my computer for the whole day, but that wasn't often.

So, as we go into March I plan to write fewer but meatier posts.  Does that make sense?  I'll be sitting down at my computer fewer times but when I do, I'll write something with more substance.  Also, I might do a form of a photo thankful journal that I saw somewhere.  I hope this is a fruitful endeavor!

Chatter

These days Riley is often heard saying:

• "My bad!"
• "Actually..."
• "Oh, that's right."
• "Comes..." (which she uses in place of "because")
• "I have a sapwise (surprise) for you!  It's in my purse."
• "Oh you look cute!"
• "We went to Chick-fi-Wa and there was a giant cow."  (Yes, this was a traumatizing experience.)
• "We went on Uncle Austin's boat and there were no whales in the water."  (Who knew the whole time we were on Lake Travis Riley was looking out for whales?!)
• "I ate all my dinner with a happy heart.  I get dessert!"
• "That's OK.  Daddy will fix it."
• "That's a bummer."
• "I'm a cowboy girl!"
• And one funny line she said a few months ago:  When a friend asked her if what she was drinking was delicious (as she had a big smile on her face), she said, "No, it's not delicious!  It's lemonade!"

Jack is often heard saying:

• "Dada"
• "Mama"
• "Mmmm..." (which is "Gig'em" and refers to all footballs)
• "Hewo!"  (Hello!)
• "Dank-u"  (Thank you)
• "Duck!" and "Quack, quack!"  (Any kind of bird is a duck in Jack's world.)
• "Dere dey are!"  ("There they are" - referring to the planets that show up on his ceiling when I turn the lights out, which is super cool!)
• "Yeah."
• "No."
• "Rara"  (Aunt Lala)
• "Vroom!"  (doesn't really sound like that but it's the sound of cars & trucks)
• "Baaaaa"  (the sound a sheep makes)
• "Wuv, wuv, wuv"  ("Love, love, love" - this is part of a song from Seeds Family Worship)
• Some of his favorite signs:  banana, firefighter, helicopter, more please, I love you, cookie, all done, diaper, cold, bug, bear, deer, backpack, cereal

Austin Adventures

We had so much fun in Austin this past weekend!  The best part was getting to connect with old friends.

My old drill team from high school was performing at a competition in Austin and my sweet friend Missy was awesome enough to organize a little reunion to go watch them.  I am so blessed to have these girls in my life.  They have been such solid sisters in Christ for many years!  I don't think words can express how much they encourage me.  Here they are watching the competition:

Missy, Riley, and Leslie

Carly and Missy

It's official.  I have gorgeous friends.

Baby Jude.

This little guy was such a stud!  He was so laid-back among the sea of girls all day long.  He gave us a few good laughs too ;)

Missy and Jude

And here's my totally stalkerish photo of the current Highsteppers watching one of their soloists:

I can't believe it's been ten years since we were Highsteppers!  For any ex-highsteppers who might be reading this, we were really excited to see that the team has truly raised the bar.  When we were on the team, we danced with a ball in our feet.  This past weekend they danced with a ball in their feet, while on a ladder.  This dancing included kicks and a headstand.  And no one fell or dropped the ball.  Simply amazing.  Really wish I had filmed it!!!

While we were at the competition, the men (minus Derek who we really wished we could have seen!) were having a fun-filled day exploring Austin.  Angus's dad was visiting from England so they had to show him all the neat spots.  Funny thing was they found an Irish pub to watch a rugby game!!!  Then they went to the Capitol, where Josh got this picture with Jack and the cannon:

After a little disc golfing in the gorgeous weather, the guys surprised us by showing up at the competition and they got to watch the last Highstepper dance with us!  Definitely something I never expected in my life - watching the Highsteppers with my husband.  Isn't he just amazing?

For lunch, we (the girls) ate at Missy's sister's new bistro (called Roots Bistro) in Georgetown and it was absolutely delicious!!!  Plus, the atmosphere was awesome.  I will definitely be going back as soon as I can.  I've been craving it ever since we left.  I got the Southwest Fajita Panini and then we ate an Oatmeal Cake for dessert.  I highly recommend both.  For dinner on Friday night we ate at Rudy's and for dinner on Saturday night we ate at Kerbey Lane.  Oh Austin, your food is to die for.  Really, your city is to die for.  Oh how I miss you!

*Queso, you were sorely missed!!!  We love you.  And you better make it to the next mini-reunion (whenever that is)!

Back Home

We just got home from a wonderful weekend excursion!  It was seriously so fun.  I'll tell you more about it tomorrow.  Coming home today was an adventure in itself.  The car started smoking and shaking.  Josh quickly found an AutoZone, bought the parts we needed, fixed the car (thanks to our friend Aaron for teaching him about car repairs!!!), and three hours later we were back on the road!  It sounds kinda crazy but there were so many blessings during the whole thing - great weather, happy kids, etc.  Got home around 6ish, gave the kids oatmeal for dinner, gave them baths, and they were sound asleep by seven.  Now Josh and I are going outside to work on the deck some more... it's gettin' there!

Home Tour, Part 4

In case you can't tell, this is Jack's Manly Explorer Room!

Pretty much everything in this room has some sort of sentimental value.  The maps hanging on the wall in the first picture are elevation maps of the Grand Tetons, which Josh hiked with his best friend from high school.  It was sort of his "coming of age" trip I guess.  There's a picture of Josh on the hike above his little shelving unit.  Next to that is a a framed owl that my mom made, full of verses about Godly wisdom.

The crib is about to be traded in for his new toddler bed, which my mom is giving him for his 2nd birthday!  We'll be tackling that transition over Josh's Spring Break.

And of course, you can see some of his toys in that first picture.  This kid has some FUN toys!  That "car slide" as we call it seems to be a big hit with everyone, even the adults!

In the second picture you can see Josh's grandfather's old Boy Scouts backpack hanging on the wall.  And an oar above his closet doors.  The changing table was the same one we used in Riley's room; we just painted it to match Jack's room.

Not pictured is Jack's little table and an arrow Josh received in Boy Scouts, which is hanging above Jack's window.

Home Tour, Part 3

Here's Riley's Girly Garden Room!

Fun fact:  The stuffed animal that she chooses to display on her pillow changes on a daily basis.  Today the animal of choice was a little white lamb.

In the second picture, you can see the little pink baby doll crib that used to be mine when I was a little girl.  And you can see just some of her book collection.  Books are still some of her very favorite things!  Above her bookshelf is a framed heart that my mom made and filled it with Bible verses about our hearts!  You can see her bows hanging above that.

Not pictured is her kitchen, which is along a wall with some "projects in progress:"  an art gallery I'm making for her to hang up her crafts and a little garden I'm painting on her wall.

Movie Night

After a day of playing hard outside, we washed up and had a movie night on Mommy & Daddy's bed!  Josh has a track meet tonight, so he won't be home until very late.  He left at 5:30 this morning.  Thursdays are crazy long for him.  I miss him a ton, but I couldn't be more proud of how hard he works!

The Sun'll Come Out...

Today!

Riley learned that song recently and has been singing it a lot lately.  And boy has the sun come out.  And the heat to go with it.

That's life in south Texas.

So the past couple days we have practically lived outside.

Bubbles.  Dirt.  Giggles.  Sweat.  Spider webs.  Allergies.  Rocks.  Sticks.  Ice slushies.  Music.  Chalk.

Life's an adventure right in our own front yard.

Praying Today

Some days are just for praying.  Not blogging.

Today is one of those days for me.

While I love ALL of my "people I actually know" and would encourage you to read ALL of their blogs, I invite you today to look at two blogs in particular:  The Paul Family and The Stagg Family.  They are wonderful couples who are truly seeking Christ in the midst of unbelievable hardship.  Please pray for miracles for both of their babies and pray that God is glorified in their lives!

Thank y'all.

Home Tour, Part 2

Here's the Kitchen/Dining Area.

I so do not deserve that kitchen.  It's amazing.  And I'm anything but an amazing cook.

But it has definitely made my (mis)adventures in the kitchen way more fun!  The kitchen table is where we usually eat breakfast & lunch.  It's also where we do preschool stuff.

We usually eat dinner in the Dining Room.  I decided awhile back to work hard to preserve dinner time - to try to make it "sacred."  To me, this means sitting down with the whole family every evening and having a civil meal.  That might sound silly but it's crazy how easily that stuff goes out the window when you have two little ones.  And I've noticed that when dinner time goes awry, everything else goes downhill pretty fast.  But when we're good about preserving dinner time, the rest of the day seems to go better (in terms of obedience from the kids and joy in my heart).  

Something about making that family connection over a meal.  Reminds me of a Ronald Reagan quote:  "All great change in America begins at the dinner table."  Welp, that's all I've got for today.  But we'd love for you join us for dinner some time (or breakfast or lunch)!  I promise I'll try not to mess up the meal :)

Home Tour, Part 1

This is the entry-way/living room.  The front door is in the back left-hand corner of this picture.

This is probably my very favorite part of our home.  Our family verse is hanging above the windows.  Josh painted it on some old fence boards that our neighbors didn't need.

And those chairs.  I don't care that they show stains (they're white - it happens).  I just love the memories that they already hold.  Most nights, after the kids are in their PJs, we all cuddle up in those chairs for Bible time and prayer time right before the kids go to bed.  I never want to forget those moments.  These chairs are staying with us no. matter. what.  (Got that Josh?  Even if we're called overseas one day, you're taking these chairs apart and cramming them into our suitcases, ok?  Good.)

Can you see our entertainment center on the left wall?  Do you notice anything special?  Yup, it's a giant flat screen.  It was a "hand-me-down" from one of Josh's co-workers.  Amazing.  (This home tour is actually a ploy to get you guys to come hang out!  We've got a Wii too.  Just sayin'.)  We put our two black bookcases on either side of the TV and it kinda looks like an actual entertainment center.  Works for us!

Not pictured is the fireplace, which is right where I was standing when I took the photo.

Sunday Funday

Sundays are for spontaneous jam sessions slash dance parties.  Enjoy!

1 Year Anniversary

That's right.  One year ago today we moved into our very first home!

I can't tell you how much we love our home.  I thank God for it every day.  Coming from a tiny 2 bed/1 bath duplex, it feels like a mansion to us.

There it is, folks.  This picture was taken last Spring.  We've done just a little bit of landscaping since then.  But since it was raining all day, this picture will have to do.  And if this is the first time you're seeing it, then come visit people!!!  We love having guests - we even have a guestroom!

We prayed for this house and God not only gave us the house, but over the past year He has given us all the furniture to fill it up.  It's amazing how our Father loves to bless us!

When we moved in, we had almost nothing.  And we didn't care one bit.  Riley slept on the floor, Jack got upgraded to her old crib (he spent the first year of his life in a pack-n-play and still loves to sleep in one), and Josh and I slept on two twin size mattresses pushed together.  (If you haven't heard that story, it's a good one!  I won't share it on here, but you should ask.)  Believe it or not, we now have every room filled and every need met.

Patience totally paid off.  Because I don't think we spent more than maybe $100 on the entire interior.  We even ended up with an extra kitchen table, which we're using in our garage right now!

So in honor of our one year anniversary, I'll be giving you a "virtual home tour" over the next couple days.  Most of the (very limited) decorating is thanks to Pinterest and my mom, the amazing interior designer!  (My sisters and I have been trying to get my mom to do a show on HGTV for years!  She's that good.)

Of course, the main reason we love this home is not because it's big and it meets our needs.  To quote one of my favorite Pinterest printables, "What I love most about my home is who I share it with."  And that my friends, is indeed the greatest thing about our home!

Raindrops Keep Fallin'

On my head!  They keep fallin'!

For real.  We are getting so much rain.  It's crazy to watch God heal this dry and thirsty land.  Such a beautiful picture of what He does to our souls.

So, how did we spend yet another rainy day?

Well, this happened:

You can see Daddy concentrating really hard in the mirror.

It was a semi-traumatic experience for both me and Jack.  I hate to see my little man growing up so fast.  But Josh did a great job and Jack looks really handsome with his new cut.

After all that we needed some comfort food:

Potato Soup!  

(This was taken before I added the cream cheese.  I promise it was way more appetizing than it looks here.)

By the end of the day we had some major cabin fever goin' on, so we drove around our neighborhood for "deer spotting."

We saw 20+ deer!  One of the many joys of living in a forest.  

Now the kids are in bed and because I totally whiffed blogging yesterday, I'm going to make it up to you by writing one more post!  Stay tuned...

Celebrity Appearance

Our kids have a new favorite book.

Can you tell why they like it so much?  

No?  Take a look at this page:  (I don't understand copyright laws, so this picture only shows the illustration just to be on the safe side.)

It's our family, y'all!  I've always wanted to be a cartoon.  Never thought it would actually happen.

This is my favorite page:

Daddy's got quite the dance moves ;)

Daddy's Hidden Talent

Check out this girl's hair.

Daddy did that!  I couldn't believe it.  I've tried and tried to get a headband to work in Riley's hair and then Daddy got it to work the first time.  He had to teach me!

Yikes.  I guess I'll learn these things one way or another - even if it humbles me in the process!

Little Cadet in Training

He looks like an army commander, does he not?

In reality though, he's telling me about the puppy next door.

It's pretty exciting stuff.

Ball of Energy

That's how I'd describe Jack these days.  He's so energetic (probably like most boys)!  Many of his pictures are blurry - a good reminder that these days will fly right by if I don't savor every minute.  In this picture he's walking around in Daddy's shoes and he thinks it's absolutely hilarious!  He's also got a ball in his hand, of course.  He has quite an arm.  It's actually fun to play with him b/c I can catch all of his throws.  It amazes me!  Ok, back to chasing around my ball of energy!

Happy Heart Day!

This week we're learning all about how God is love!  He shows His love in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  And NOTHING can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I love getting to celebrate this holiday!  Even more, I love getting to celebrate it all year long.  May the love of God live in you today and all year long!

Riley's Words

Riley's constant chatter makes us laugh all day. When Daddy comes home, she recounts every part of the day. It's so funny to hear the random details she recalls. While she does indeed make us laugh, more than anything, her sweet sweet voice speaks truth and encouragement into my life. Daily I'm amazed at how God is using her to teach me new things and spur me on.

Like the other day I started to get angry and raise my voice at the kids. Riley said, "Oh Mommy! You're not speaking gently. It's ok. I forgive you!" Amazing accountability, huh?!

Or the time when I made rice & beans for dinner & she said, "Thank you for making us dinner. I really appreciate it, Mommy!" Rice & beans, y'all! I wasn't even happy about making it. So I said with a convicted spirit, "Oh sweet girl, thank you for thanking me. It really touches my heart." And she smiled up at me and said, "My pleasure, Mommy!"

Or I'll never forget the time last Spring (she was 2.5 yrs old) when I went to deposit Josh's check. Because he had started his job in January, he would get half of the teacher's salary but it would be spread out over two additional months (June & July). Sounds simple enough but in reality, it was really complicated to figure out & we had miscalculated his take-home income for the Spring. So as I was headed to the bank I just kept thinking there was no way we could make it on this check and I was majorly complaining in my head. When we pulled into the bank, Riley said, "Oh Mommy! We need to tank God fo' pwoviding (thank God for providing)!" Wow, I was moved to tears at that point. So we all prayed together in the car & sure enough, God provided for all of our needs and there was nothing to worry about!

Yes, I fully realize that Riley is simply regurgitating what she's seen/heard me say/do, but she always "regurgitates" it when I've completely forgotten it and I need the reminder!

It is such a dear thing to have a daughter who speaks so sweetly and so truthfully. I really don't think I could describe what a precious gift it is. I thank God for her words every day!

Our Sunday

The kids and I just got home from church. They're eating lunch right now. Then they'll go down for naps. When Josh gets home, he'll get back to work on the deck! Tonight I get to go babysit some sweet kids!

I'm so grateful to belong to a church that enables me to meet with God & be washed by Truth every Sunday. It is so rejuvenating - life-giving, as it should be. We're going through the book of John right now. So good. Last time I studied through this book verse by verse was when I got to be a part of The Austin Stone church plant. It's truly so neat to go through it again as I get to be a part of another awesome church plant.

This morning as we were taking Communion, I was awestruck by the thought that though all of us have such different struggles & different life experiences, we will all one day together (if we are children of God) worship Jesus to His face. Wow.

Every week it seems that different songs touch my soul and today it was Hillsong's Forever Reign. Here are some of the words. Hope they bless you today too!

You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
You are love, You are love
On display for all to see

You are light, You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hope, You are hope
You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, You are true
Ever in my wandering

You are joy, You are joy
You're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life
In You death has lost its sting

Oh, I'm running to Your arms
I'm running to You arms
The riches of Your love will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

Our Saturday

Josh is plugging away at the deck! Our kind neighbors are letting us borrow their equipment. Kids are playing outside. They come running in whenever Josh uses the loud saw. Because it's actually cold out (yay!!!!), we're getting to take hot cocoa breaks & we have a real fire going in the fireplace! I'm about to prepare lunch. Then when the kids go down for naps, I'll head off to a friend's baby shower. Hope y'all are enjoying your Saturday!

*And FYI, the picture in the previous post is from about a month or two ago. But it was taken in our backyard!

Never Too Young...

to put'em to work! Gotta make'em earn their keep, right? Just kidding. Kinda.

For real though, one of the first words that comes to my mind when I think of Jack is "helpful." He tries so hard to help with everything. I love this about him! Of course, he gets easily frustrated when he can't do something on his own, but overall, I love that he's eager to help. I remember the first time last fall when he helped carry in bags from the grocery store. All by himself he reached up into the car & carried bags with all his strength into the kitchen. It was the sweetest thing. And he was so so proud of himself!

Another time a few weeks ago, the kids wanted to eat lunch at their little kid table. It only has two chairs, so I just squatted at the table to eat with them. Riley said, "Oh no Mommy! You don't have a chair." As I was saying, "It's ok. I don't mind," Jack got out of his chair, pushed it over to me and proudly gave it to me to sit in. Heart. Melter. He ate lunch standing up while I sat in his chair.

I praise God for these precious moments. They always seem to come at just the right moment - I'll be praying, begging God to show me some fruit from my labor and wow, does He deliver!

I know there are more examples of these precious moments but I can't think of them right now. That's why I wanted to start blogging again - I really don't want to forget all these stories!

Review of Today

So, it turns out that the oranges for snack time tasted bad. We had goldfish instead. Didn't change the kids out of their PJs until AFTER naptime. Didn't even get the pictures hung, much less start any of the other projects. But we DID read lots of books in the fort. And even went on a walk when the rain cleared up. And that was totally worth it!!! Just keepin' it real, folks. Just keepin' it real.

Now about to start dinner & get the house cleaned up. Ready for a great evening w/ the hubster!

Rainy Day

It's a rainy day here. I can't get our Netflix to work this morning (which is pretty much our only form of TV/Movie viewing), so I think we'll continue working on the valentine cards we started yesterday. Perfect for today!

Right now the kids are playing in their rooms. Still in their PJs. Funny thing about that - every time I go to dress Riley for the day she asks, "Where are we going?" If I say, "Nowhere," she asks, "Who's coming over?" Hmmmm... guess I let them hang out in their PJs a little much.

A load of laundry is going. My "cross-centered" playlist is going right now. B/c I need those constant reminders of Jesus! I have a few pictures I need to hang to complete our "photo wall." Might try to tackle a few other projects, like organizing the craft closet or creating a "hospitality basket" for the guest room. Or I might just play with the kids. A living room fort will definitely be in the works today. No good rainy day is complete without it, right?

I plan to dig into Esther chapter 3 during naptime today for a women's Bible study I get to be a part of at our church. Both kids have runny noses & they woke up a couple times last night so I hope they can nap well today.

About to give the kids oranges for a morning snack. I'm making Taco Salad for dinner tonight. Always a favorite, but today I only have spinach instead of lettuce. Might have to forgo the "salad" part. Ha!

When Josh gets home tonight (no Track practice today so he gets home an hr earlier than usual), we're going to Home Depot to buy the supplies to begin working on the deck & outdoor play area tomorrow. He's done an awesome job planning all of it. We're both so excited! And it's supposed to be sunny tomorrow!

I think that about covers the day. Just a little snippet into my life as a SAHM. Nothing glamorous, but it's a joy to learn to see Jesus in all the little things.

Brushing Teeth!

In another attempt to find joy in the mundane, we sang the song from Tangled but changed it to, "And then I brush & brush & brush & brush my TEETH!" Sometimes it's so easy to put smiles on little ones :)

Laundry - Loads of Fun

One of the greatest things I'm learning on this journey called motherhood is to enjoy the little, mundane things (like laundry). I am constantly teaching the kids to "rejoice always," but am I living that out? Do I really believe that Christ's grace is sufficient for me (& for my joy) & do my actions show that I believe that?

Indeed, laundry is a sanctifying thing for me & I rarely do it with the right heart. But recently I saw a sign that says, "Laundry - Loads of Fun" and I decided I wanted to start living that out. Thus, the kids are playing in the laundry basket. I want them to see His light shining in all that I do - even laundry can be a blessing when you have Christ!

Valentine's Decorations!

I've had the MOST fun decorating our fireplace for all the holidays, so naturally, it's decorated for Valentine's Day right now. Praise God for Pinterest, right!? Tons of inspiration for free or almost free decor!

Ok, off to bed now. Sorry if this post is kinda lame, but we just got home from our small group & I'm t-i-r-e-d. So thankful for our small group though - what a joy to be meeting new people & sharing all of life's ups & downs! Ok, for real now - goodnight!

Arts & Crafts

Riley is loving arts & crafts right now. She works really hard on all of her projects, and I'm proud of the effort and concentration she puts forth. I've found several mess-free craft projects, such as the "paint-with-water" picture above.

In the photo below, she's working on a do-a-dot picture. If you're like me and you enjoy arts & crafts but aren't quite ready for all the mess that's involved, I highly recommend these products. We also have Color Wonder markers & an Aquadoodle mat! A huge thanks to my friends & family members who introduced us to these much-used items.

My Supermen

My boys put on their matching superman shirts right before heading off to the Superbowl party, so of course I made them do a quick photo shoot. We had a great time being with friends at the party; but surprisingly for being a coach's family, we are pretty indifferent toward the NFL. Either way, my boys sure look super ;)

Toy Explosion

I took this picture the other day at around 9am. I just wanted to capture a moment of normalcy at the Owen house - Jack running around in his diaper & toys strewn on the living room floor.

Although this is definitely normal, we do try to follow the "one big toy or one basket of little toys at a time" rule. I discovered a long time ago that if all the toys are always accessible, none of them actually get played with. They simply get destroyed & the kids complain of being bored. What?! This doesn't happen as often when I pull out just a few at a time.

We also do a "quick clean" before naptime, before bedtime, and before we leave the house if we have somewhere to go. Now if only I worked on the dishes & the laundry that much, I'd be getting somewhere...

Blog Update

Hey Friends,

I'm going to work on updating my blogroll this month (& maybe even the layout if I'm really ambitious). It is way outdated. So if you have a blog and it's not on my blogroll, please let me know. I'd love to add you!

Thanks,
Kel

Picnic Dinner

This picture is proof of how easy it is to please my family. Last Friday I packed PB&Js, picked Josh up from work (he carpools with a neighbor), went to the park to play disc golf, & had a picnic dinner. And Josh said it was literally one of his favorite nights ever!

Then of course, we went home, gave the kids baths & put them to bed, and sat down for a few episodes of Friday Night Lights on Netflix. We are soooo into that show right now! We're on season 3 - don't tell me what happens. Remember back when everyone had regular TV and you had to wait a whole week to find out what happened in the next episode of whatever who you were into? Yeah, I'm glad we're past that. Netflix is amazing.

*My apologies for Riley's open mouth while eating. Oops!

Tricycle

Here's Jack playing with the tricycle that belonged to Josh when he was a kid! Like I said yesterday, we're having very warm weather so we're getting plenty of outdoor playtime right now. We mostly play in the front yard, which is great for getting to know neighbors! But we're about to start working on our backyard - we have plans to put in a deck (which Josh will probably do during spring break, if not before then) and make the yard a great play space for the kids. I am so excited to be at this point; I'll soon be able to send the kids to the backyard while I make dinner! Just the thought is mind-boggling. Ahhhhh, the possibilities...

The Tutu

Yes, that is Riley playing outside in a tutu in January. This picture was taken on Monday. It's been an incredibly warm January & Riley has really been into playing princess & ballerina so that's how we roll these days. The really cute part of it all is that that dress was mine when I was around her age. I wore it in a dance recital when I was four I think. I love that Riley's getting to enjoy it now too!

And just to brag on my husband, he literally hand-washed it last night! I don't mean to be annoying, but Josh is seriously an amazing daddy. That's all.

A February Challenge

If anyone is still reading this thing, I'm giving myself "A February Challenge" - a challenge to post at least one picture and one little blurb every day in February. I don't plan on it being anything special, but I really want to get back into the hang of documenting our lives. So here goes nothin'!