MLK Community Service

Just getting around to posting this... Carter and Thomas participated in a service project with Thomas' work on MLK day. Check out this short video where they appear several times!

Mama Helen and Mimi Vist

Mama Helen and Mimi made a visit to us in January. They arrived just in time to help us deal with the aftermath of our robbery, so, in a sense, the timing was perfect. We were so happy to have the help and the distraction - and also, of course, to see them!

I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few:

Carter and Mimi were the big winners, as usual

On top of the building Thomas is working on

Valentine's Dance Party

Carter and I had a private Valentine's dance party. I took the video below of Carter doing his thing. You really want to watch the whole thing. You are welcome.



After arriving home from Boise (more on Thomas and Carter's ski trip another day) after midnight the night before, Thomas had a 6:40am flight to NYC on Valentines' day. It was just a day trip, so he made it home in time for our traditional (11 years running, as best we can figure) Valentine's dinner, but he missed the dancing.

Double artichokes this year. Double the healthy in our once-a-year otherwise-fried feast.

We were robbed!

Oh, how I wish I was referring to a figurative robbing. Alas, it was a literal house robbery, on Friday. Thankfully, it happened while we were at work and school.

There are, of course, lots of bad things about that, but here's a look on the bright side, at a bit of humor that the situation wrought.

ONE
As the cops were checking the house, young Officer One stepped into the kitchen and took a look around...

Officer One: (with urgency) Officer Two! Get in here! We've got blood! (gestures to John's booster seat)

Officer Two: (rolls eyes) I'm pretty sure that's ketchup.


TWO
As I explained to Carter what was happening inside our house...

Carter: Who do you think did it?

Me: I don't know. Who do you think?

Carter: Justin Bieber. He stole Maggie's mom's dance moves.


THREE
Later that night, as Thomas and I worked to clean up broken glass and put things back in drawers, my  mom and Mimi took Carter out to dinner (they arrived about an hour into the investigation - such lucky timing to have their help!). At dinner, the fates smiled upon Carter, and he won a stuffed animal from one of those claw machines. Here's a picture of his very colorful, and fashionable (?), stuffed elephant.

The next day, Mama Helen was pressuring him to decide on a name for his new friend.

Mama Helen: What have you decided to name him?

Carter: Fast Elephant.

Mama Helen: Why 'Fast Elephant'?

Carter: Because he had to be fast to catch that cheetah.

Cousin Cuteness

Check out this bit of cousin cuteness from last month.

John's first time at the table with the big kids

Space Pod

For Christmas, Kirstin and Patrick got Carter this amazing kit to help you build a cardboard fort (the kit was specifically for a space pod). Carter and I built his fort this weekend. He LOVED playing in it! Look how great it is!

So neat, right!? We can reuse the fasteners again and again (if he ever lets us disassemble this one!)

His control panel, inside the pod

John was only allowed in for a few short minutes

It's the perfect getaway for a 6.5 year old, complete with a pillow, blanket, bey blades, journal, iPod, snacks, stickers, and notes from mom and dad (delivered via a slot in the front of the pod). 

Big Fat Meneye

That's me. The big fat meneye (meanie). 

He said it. He wrote it. He posted it above my bed. 

I'm going to give him points for his use of multiple communication methods. 

He did it!

Carter and I set a goal on Friday that he'd be riding a bike by Monday. We agreed that he'd practice on Saturday and on Sunday, and, based on where he was last week, I thought he'd have it by then. Things did not start out well on Saturday, and previous lessons have been... frustrating. But - he got it! The look on his face when he realized that he was riding - and I was just running alongside not holding on - was priceless!

Kimbro Visit

It was SO great to have R, R, E & T in town for a New Year's visit. See below for a few photos that were not included in the NYE post. See their blog for more photos of our primary activity.

We continue to be so blessed by how well our children play together! I screwed up on the last night and didn't tell Carter that Eleanor and Thomas would be leaving before he woke up. When he awoke to find them gone, he was devastated! That's a mistake I won't make again.

New Year's Eve

In which no one has to go to the hospital.

After you watch this, I think you'll agree that was a pretty big feat.


If you notice Thomas missing from the festivities, it's because he was in NYC for the Times Square spectacle (for work). He promises to post about that. Perhaps you should nudge him.