The Joys of a Mild Winter

Pickles is a stinker.  Plain and simple.  We all sleep with our doors shut.  He's a frisky little thing, but he sure has stolen hearts around here.

 

Pickles is pictured here seeking refuge from Spoon Man. 

We are so thankful for the beautiful field by our house.  We love all the wildlife and the pretty sunsets we get to enjoy.  There is tree between our yard and the field tucked away in a cut out area behind a few other trees.  Evangeline has made a little "home" out there.  She worked all last Saturday on it.  She made a kitchen with a stove and oven, a pantry, a cupboard, table and bench, etc., all around this tree.  I was so happy to see her have so much fun playing independently outside like that.  She usually likes to have someone with her.  On Sunday morning she came into my bedroom before I had even gotten out of bed.  She was all ready for church complete with brushed teeth and hair asking me if she could go out to her tree.  As Kyle and I were drinking our coffee Kyle noticed 2 deer run out onto the field right by the place where Evangeline was.  Then there were a few more following those two.  I decided to go out to check on her to make sure she wasn't scared.  She told me that there had been 5 deer right beside her.  They saw her and ran off.  They were so close to her.  I'm sure they weren't expecting a little girl sitting there under that tree at the crack of dawn. 

Here she is eating her "corn and beans" (dried corn cob and twigs) from her pantry.  The imagination of a child is priceless.  I'm so honored to be a witness.

 

Evangeline had her friend Alex Wernz over to play last Sunday.  The girls had such fun playing outside.  (The two girls are pictured with one of the treasures they found in the backyard behind the playhouse.  They were so excited.)  Evangeline also enjoyed playing in the yard with our neighbor, Kaiden, yesterday afternoon.  It's so fun to have a neighbor her age.  Especially one that's so sweet.  Our new home is such a joy.

My Forever Valentines

Valentine's Day:

Feels like happiness in the heart, kisses on the check and hugs around the neck.

Tastes like heart shaped pancakes on a weekend morning.

Smells like chocolate ganache rolled into balls with my mom and Evangeline.

Sounds like excitement and giggles from a little girl over parties, cards and chocolate.

Looks like beautiful flowers from my husband, daughter and son.

 

We woke up to Valentines galore.  Evangeline made one for each of us, including Pickles.  Evangeline came home with a bag full of Valentine's which were so fun to look through.  That night we went to Monocle's for a heart shaped pizza.  Evangeline cried when the day was over.

Little Loves

Evangeline has been hard at work making her school Valentines.  She is so excited for Valentine's Day.  The little hearts hanging behind her in the window is a little Valentine count down I made for her to make things even more exciting.  I overheard her explaining it to her Dad on February 1st (the first day we started it).  She explained it to him just like I told her..."I get to flip a heart over each day until Valentine's Day and written on the back is just one of the million reasons why you and Mommy love me."

 

Jed and Evangeline received a surprise Valentine from Papa and Karen....a cute Teddy bear and M&M's with their names on them.  It was almost too excited when Evangeline discovered their names on the candy pieces! 

 

Evangeline and Jed shared snuggle time with the new bear.  Finally Evangeline got the idea to give Jed one of her old bears so she could claim the new one.  Evangeline said she made sure to give him one of her best ones. 

 

I just can not get enough of their little faces.  

 

Evangeline's class put on a play and all of there parents were invited.  The play was Tacky the Penguin.  Evangeline was one of the penguins.  It was adorable.  Even though the play was in the middle of the day Kyle was also able to attend, so that was special.

We just love our after school custodian, Rick.  He's a farmer, circuit preacher and Vietnam vet.  One day this week Evangeline surprised him with a Valentine she had made for him.  He was so touched.  It says, "You are the best!  Thank you for the room cleaning.  The teachers really appreciate that."  He got the biggest chuckle out of the way Evangeline spelled appreciate "preishyeight".  He said it took him a minute to figure that one out.  I noticed a few days later that he had taped Evangeline's Valentine (and other cards she's made him) on the inside of his supply closet.

 

Mrs. Setzer, the librarian was another recipient of affection from Evangeline (a.k.a. Love Bug).  Here is a picture Evangeline drew after school one day just looking off her library book, "Too Many Valentines".  She amazes me!  This picture looked just like the cover of the book.  This is no tracing, just looking.  This girl!  I could never replicate a picture like that.  Mrs. Setzer loved it.  She told me that she was going to laminate it.  (the highest form of flattery from a school teacher :)

 

 

We have had more geese and deer in the field next to out house.  Just tons of geese and the day I took this picture Kyle counted 18 deer. 

A Boy and His Errr...Spoon

Jed loves the book Go Away Big Green Monster.  On each page we tell the monster to go away and make a little pushing hand gesture.  Jed loves to tell the monster to "da a-da". 

 

Jed's learning new words each day.  He now says "hat" and "yes" (though the yes is not quite in context). 

 

He's getting good at climbing up on the couch in the sunroom, which is a bit nerve wracking.  He's not exactly careful about anything he does.  He's always falling.  He's a bull in a China shop.

 

Jed loves to carry around his beloved wooden spoon.  The second we walk in the house he walks over to the kitchen counter and points up at the crock where I keep the wooden spoons and grunts until someone gives him one.  Then he proceeds to just walk around the house with it.  Sometimes he gets out a bowl and stirs, other times he whacks his ball around the room, every so often he gives his sister a whack.  Then he looses his spoon privileges and this makes him very mad.

 

 

 

 

Here's a picture Evangeline drew of Jed and his spoon...right before she got whacked and Jed lost his spoon privileges for the morning....

The mouse slippers are back in action.  Evangeline wore these things for years.  I'm so happy I get to see them again on Jed.  He loves them and they keep him from slipping on the hardwood.  It's also a sweet reminder of Aunt Jeanne.  They make me happy.

 

"Where's Jed?".... It's one of his favorite games.

 

"There he is!"

 

 

 

This picture of Pickles was an, "awww, mom, get your camera" moment.....