COLEVILLE TRIP!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! If you're one of the very few family members or friends who read this blog, know that I am SO grateful for you. I LOVE YOU. I wish I could build each of you your own individual layer cake...SOMEDAY I WILL MASTER THE ART OF LAYER CAKE-ING.

Soooo this started before Marli even knew I was watching... BABIES KNOW, YOU GUYS!!!!

True to form...Marli has been LOVING anything strawberry flavored. Especially these yogurt drinks!

Hillary drove us all the way to the nearest Costa Vida for lunch, and then we went to Hobby Lobby...PRETTY SURE BOTH of those places fall into my love language somewhere. And time with this girl.

And then we left to Coleville, WA to visit the Pickering clan! Trying to make the most of our time closer to family before we're on the other side of the country...

Every morning started with ALL FIVE of these kiddos crawling into bed with us. Our Marli, Aubri (almost 7), Gavin (9), Xander (4), and Melody (almost 2). Oh, and their two kitties that Xander LOVES.

Love these two babies and the love they have for each other.

My Valentine's.

Work break to love on us girls! Evan helped put up a storage wall in Bridgette and Jake's upstairs bonus room while we were there.

Pretty much a constant...haha

Most gorgeous view...

Gavin's basketball game!

Between all the little ones, we were able to watch a little bit of Gavin playing! 

Celebrated Chinese New Year with some of Bridgette and Jake's friends, and discovered that Marli LOVES pot stickers. Like, I started considering changing her birthday theme from strawberries to Chinese food. She DEVOURED them. Oh, and kiwis, too!

First ever ponytail!

This little guy gave me all his heart-shaped marshmallows from his Lucky Charms cereal. Don't you just love the way that little kids love?! I wish we were all more like them!

Xander was also quick to remind me of when we made cinnamon rolls together over Thanksgiving. Once they were done, he didn't even want the cinnamon rolls, just "seven scoops of fwaaasting." Me too, buddy. Me too.

The temperatures were WAY too frigid to bring these littles outdoors, so we brought the outdoors, IN!

Explored a magical little antique shop in Coleville...

These two. After their kids were in bed, and Evan was working on school work, and I was reading, they decided they'd better work on the online dance course they're doing. Jake brought home roses and everything for the tango! It was SO AWESOME! hahaha!

Early morning back rubs...

Homemade pizza munching! Bridgette gave me a SUPER recipe for easy pizza crust and sauce, and I'm pretty sure we'll be making that 4 times a week once we're in med school.

SO MUCH SNOW. SO GORGEOUS.

Bridgette and Jake treated us to their favorite BBQ place - Backyard BBQ - and it was SO SO GOOD.

Look at those TEETH!!!! Sharing granola bars on the way back home makes the journey more tolerable...

Stopped for a Dairy Queen sanity break for ALL OF US. Driving home from seeing family always seems to take 183756830247593 times longer.

FINALLY HOME! SUCH a fun and FULL week. Now to celebrate Valentine's Day and get ready for Marli's FIRST BIRTHDAY! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!!

LOVE TO YOU ALL!!!!

Weekly Update - Feeding Fun, Ladybug Luck, Faithful Friends

Been MASTERING the straw lately.

One huge perk of Grammy's house (besides, you know, GRAMMY) is that there are SO MANY PROPS I can use in my VIPKID classes!

Still finding bits of windshield and gravel from my car accident (FIVE YEARS AGO) inside some of my old books...

Presenting familiar foods in different forms, like grated apples...

The "3 spoon method" has been a HUGE HIT over here. We just have to keep on top of washing all the spoons! Ha!

Grandpa shared the last bite of his ice cream bar and Marli's LIFE WAS MADE.

Different utensils and cookie cutters make mealtime so much fun! We're still working on keeping unwanted food on our plate...but OH MY GOSH overall I have LOVED learning about the feeding roles between parent and child. It has helped me to feel so much more confident and empowered in the feeding process.

Working hard on that pincer grasp over here...

Anyone watch the "sentimental" episode on the Marie Condo series? I haven't...not sure I will...I treasure my letters. I wish I could take these into the eternities...

Marli has FINALLY been cutting her front two teeth, and it has been a LONG process for both of us. Got outside for some fresh, chilly air...

Ladybugs have been a special omen for me for a long time. When I was very young, my mom, Melissa, and Polly all went to Chuck-E-Cheese for someones birthday party. I remember hitting the jackpot with one of the games, and getting SO MANY TICKETS. I started dreaming about the big stuffed animals that I might be able to afford...and my mom quietly encouraged me to share my tickets with my younger sibling. Although I obliged, I did it begrudgingly. The only thing I ended up being able to "afford" was a 3-pack of sidewalk chalk. I remember feeling bummed when I got in the big purple van afterwards. I opened the package of chalk once I buckled in and there, on the top of one of the pieces, was a LIVE ladybug! I LOVED ladybugs! I spent the rest of the day with that little guy, and built it a habitat in a jar with some saran wrap. I still have no idea how that ladybug got into that chalk container, but every time I find a ladybug now, I feel like it's one of the way's God is winking at me...saying..."hey sweet daughter...I love you!" 

Sooooo when my mom showed me this little guy after a particularly long day, it brightened my evening...

Speaking of that rough day...I had tried (IN VAIN!) to be productive with projects, but the day ended with a MUCH bigger mess than what I started with. I spent the majority of the day sitting cross-legged on the floor, with MOUNDS of STUFF encircling me, and my shirt up, and Marli nursing. She's about to cut her second front tooth, and ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS NURSE. Evan was gone in the evening, and in an attempt to wind down for the evening, I hoped in a hot shower with a fudge covered ice cream bar, and YOU GUYS. THIS IS A GAME CHANGER!!! I AM SO DOING THIS AGAIN!!!! AND SOON!!!! My great grandpa, Oompah, used to eat piles of ice cream in the bathtub, so HE was the brilliant one first, I suppose....but if you have not done this...DO IT!!!!

So grateful I can look forward to the arrival of this goofy man at the end of each long day. Here he's trying to pass a card to Charley by only sucking on it...

LOVE THESE TWO!

PRO TIP: If you follow long days with trips to IKEA with a best friend, it somehow all balances out...

Grammy says we're saving the planet...don't tell Marie Condo...

Since becoming a mom, I now understand the therapeutic forces within the isles of Target... I hardly every even buy anything...I just like looking at everything! Like this ADORABLE HAT! Anyone want to start a Target Mom Group?! haha!

Grandpa teaching her early...she'll likely have height on her side!

AAAAAAAAAAND Saturday! Went to get nails done with Mica for her birthday...and left our two littles at home with Evan. Feels so weird to be out and about without Marli...I almost zonked out in the salon chair a couple times...

Yeah. I love her.

And her. See her front teeth a'peekin?!

CAN YOU BELIEVE I'll HAVE A ONE YEAR OLD NEXT WEEK?!!

Weekly Update - Starting to Stand, WHAT A HAM, Front Toofers

Marli's FINALLY discovering the deliciousness behind ketchup...not just it's smear-ability... (Also...why do ACTUAL shirts make babies look 7 years old?!)

Highlight of my week - my dear friend Mica took me out for a late birthday lunch. She's the real deal, folks. She's one of those friends that are like...legitimately in the cheering section of your life, you know? I love and look up to you, lady.

Pure pride and joy.

ANYONE ELSE?! November and December were like a week...

Convinced that Killer Burger is one of Evan's love languages... maybe Marli's, too?!

Happiness is...a bowl of avocado.

After taking some clothes to be donated (#thanksMarieKondo), Grammy took us to lunch! Thai food and a drink with magic ball things. So fun and delish. I'm going to miss being able to just, you know, casually stop for lunch with my mom once we're in NORTH CAROLINA. Thanks for the treat, mom!

We missed story time this week, so we tried to make up for it by going later and tasting the toys and pulling books off the shelves.

Grandpa was so nice to share his strawberry yogurt drink...strawberries and strawberry flavored things are definitely a favorite for this munchkin.

Tried Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi this week, and it PASSED!

Jack's basketball game and time with cousins...Jack has definitely passed me up in height now. Evan's thinking he might pass HIM up in a few years...

WHAT A CHARACTER! Also. She loves ham, just like her daddy. I seriously wonder if there will EVER be a day when Evan stops requesting a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch...

No explanation needed. I will never get sick of this sound. Can you see her two front teeth starting to poke through!?

NOT PICTURED:

• Dinner at Country Club with Dad, Mom, Charley. SO fancy and SO delicious! Tried crab meat FROM AN ACTUAL CRAB LEG for the first time ever.
• Watched a wee baby for a day as a trial run to see if I can handle watching her AND Marli as a nanny job...any thoughts or advice is welcome!
• Just a friendly PSA...