Time.

We don't get enough time with our China relatives. So we have to smoosh memories together in short spurts. Today I'm watching all four kiddos (plus E and A). It's been fun! Annalee is not wanting to nap right now... so I had to turn on the TV to keep it somewhat quiet in here! Book reading, projects, and some painting! I'm glad I don't have six kids everyday, however!

Selfie time!

Love these kiddos!

-Auntie Heather

I Am Outside.

In Arizona, Eli walked out Monday afternoon and ran around screaming "I am outside!!!" And was so, so giddy. I can tell this boy just blossoms in warm weather (pun not intended). He drags his feet about going out in cold. Here he is just loving being outside every moment he can. 

Annalee had shorts on for the first time today (since summer) and kept touching her legs in amazement. So I'm especially grateful for this week at my parents. We all just need some sunshine and heat. I am thawing out nicely as well. Though we do miss Greg. Snowbirds. Totally get it. 

-Heather

Valentimes.

I worked full-time last week (thus no blogging). It went fine but I am glad I have this part-time gig and we can manage it this way right now. With little ones, it sure is nice to not have to rush out of the house every single morning. It was also great to have the China crew back in town and my sweet sister-in-law to cook for us a few nights!

Cousins!

Eli's first scenery photo he took with my phone...

Saturday we had Valentines for our sweethearts. And Eli has been playing with his Lego fireman ever since! My parents (and sister) always gave me something special on Valentines Day and I remember that feeling of being loved... so I'm going to keep that tradition going. Plus, you know, I really like buying gifts. 

Happy ValemtiMes Day (that's how Mr. Eli says it)!

-Heather

Six!

We are watching the China crew kids until tomorrow evening. Looking forward to fun! 

Greg has all the big ones outside sledding. And the littlest is napping in her old room (aka grandpa's storage clost!). 

And I'm resting in the recliner, preparing for the crazy to begin soon!

-Heather 

EJK.

I think it's time to look at this cute face:  

Love this growing boy. 

-Heather

Worth Orange Goo.

Very rarely I buy Cheetos. Why I like them, I'm not sure. Thankfully my husband will eat lots. But then... there's the end of the bag... and you just have to do this:

Keepin' it real. 

Our friends that were over tonight are on a whole foods diet. Super awesome. And perhaps something we should do, someday. 

-Heather

Of Mice and Men.

We have one week left of January. And we are surviving! Some of our happenings:

A hiccup... includes the realization that there are mice, a mouse, who knows... taking residence in my van. Hopefully they have left camp. And the garage all together. We shall see. Gus Gus, please leave!!

I used to tell Greg I'd choose a mouse over a cockroach. We had that conversation a handful of times living in South Carolina. Now I have to say I still get more eeeegee beegeees out of a cockroach, but at least they can't chew stuff. I don't know if our mice are chewing my van wires, but they could and that makes me mad. Gross. Pests. That's what we get for living with no other houses on that side of our house. All proof that I would have never made it as a homesteader. Pioneer woman I am not.

The weather was in the 40's this week. In January in North Dakota, it's unheard of. And spectacular. It rained today. Super odd. On Friday, Annalee was so happy to get to walk from daycare front door to the van, in her socks. She was laughing happy. And then screaming mad when I tried to pick her up and put her in the van. The girl got a taste of outside walking in nice weather and she did not want to let go. I hear you, sweetie.

The kids:
Her new words this week: down (dn) and please (eees). She's been saying "all done" for awhile and that's super cute. She laughs more these days, it's adorable. Eli and her will play chase around the kitchen laughing and it makes my mother heart soar. Mother heart doesn't beat so happily in the morning, however. They have both been waking up earlier than ever. I'm still not a morning person and they could say the cutest things first thing in the day and I'm still going to grunt and wish the light was off and I was sleeping.

Annalee will make it through a few pages of a book now. Then she's off. She also climbs often, loves to stack anything and everything, she lights up when Daddy comes home (or most of the time she sees him) and happily exclaims "Da Da!", she has mixed reactions about Eli but she loves to talk about "E I", and she is a crazy picky eater already. Boo.

Eli is growing up and it hasn't been easy to see his sweetness marred by life and sin and growing pains. He often says "but it's so hard" about choosing good, or discipline, or putting on his shirt. We will fight laziness in him. He needs his quality time and his behavior usually perks up. If you want to get on Eli's good side, give him a snack. His favorite superhero is Batman because we have one book of him and pajamas with a cape. I love that he's never seen the movie and just thinks he exists in that one book. He's going to be four in three months. Whoa!

Us:
I usually don't post what Greg and I are doing so here you go:

Our washer and dryer are hanging out in our living room while our builder's handyman fixes our laundry room flooring. He's been here often fixing things (that should have been fixed before we moved in (but we were too ready to move and didn't want to wait!)). All that "finally this is being fixed" is motivating me to work on decorating around here. It was a good week getting some decisions made and projects started. Here's to finishing them!

Greg's guitar pedal is being finicky. He is playing guitar at church tomorrow and his pedal is going wacky. I think that he is figuring out a solution but that is his main project this Saturday night. I find it great that I know what a guitar pedal is. FTW!

Happy Saturday night, ya'll.

-Heather

Nice Doggie, Be Nice.

So January. I have strong, not-nice feelings towards this month. It's not my favorite. Deep down I'm so nervous about being depressed and unmotivated and full of bad attitude selfishness about living where the air hurts my face. Seriously. Running errands or bringing kids out in freakishly cold is just plain not fun.

BUT thanks be to God (for global warming? um, not quite) this last week has been mild. Heck, even pleasant! I didn't spend as much time outside as I should have this week, but something about knowing it wasn't that insane cold, made my outlook brighter.

We did have some time out earlier today. It was still cold (I mean, it is January in ND) but not unbearable. Annalee was dressed in full winter gear (probably for the first time). And she looked adorable, bundled up waddling around. 

Happy!

Check out the Road Closed sign, that's the street in front of our house. Plus small patches of dirty snow and a whole lot of dirt.

Daddy and Eli played bat/ball and had a great time. Eli does whine "I don't want it to be winter" or "I want winter to be done" and other such sayings (which I swear he doesn't get from us? shoot, I hope not) so when he actually wants to be outside, that's a win for us!

Thankful for this break in super cold so we can thaw and feel a bit more normal!

-Heather