GB squared

We had some fantastic visitors in February, and I really wish that time would have stopped so we could keep them here forever.

We pretty much just played together within the framework of our every day lives, and my parents were so flexible and go-with-the-flow that it was effortless to have them here. From the moment we picked them up at the airport, L-man had assigned seats in the car so that he would have sufficient time to talk both their ears' off and be able to tell them about every detail of our lives these days. It pretty much stayed that way for their whole trip.

We visited our city's aviation museum which is the permanent home to the "Miracle of the Hudson" airplane that crash landed on the Hudson River in NY. The plane was bound for Charlotte, full of people returning back home to NC. It was amazing how precise and exact the landing had to be to prevent any crash (and fatalities), and how fast it all happened (within minutes!). Very fascinating, and I knew my parents would love some kind of museum trip so this was perfect.

We celebrated Valentine's Day while they were here too - which was really fun for the kids.  The kids got little love bags of goodies, including glow sticks which were a big hit; and sadly, we wake up before dawn so they got to use them right away in the dark of the morning.

My mom and I went and picked out her flowers from my dad which I got to keep when they flew home - seriously a win-win situation there. :) We assembled valentines for the kids, cut out paper hearts for a heart-trail to follow from their room in the morning, and attended Lady-LE's preschool Vday party where we ate lunch and decorated cookies. 

{PLUS my parents and I did something super exciting for me this day, which I will devote an entire post to once I have the right words and pictures. Ooohh I'm so excited!!}

We took a walk around our neighborhood pond and I loved watching my mom play with these sweet kids. She is so fantastic at engaging them and giving them special attention. And what was best of all was watching my dad burst with pride as he humbly boasted of her talents and abilities when it comes to children. Seriously - how did I get SO lucky to have them for parents?! It makes my heart swell with gratitude. And this picture is my new all-time favorite.

Later that same night, R and I were busy in the kitchen trying to keep the smoke alarms from going off and waiting for the food to finish cooking which took much longer than expected; and the kids sat with my parents on the couch for probably an entire hour just loving on each other. My dad and his sudoku book that L-man was taking over, and my mom tickling and kissing Lady-LE in a game of sorts. It created this magic feeling of peace and love that seemed to hover over us all night long. Oh I loved it.

This will reveal an incredibly sappy and sentimental side of me, but I teared up the very moment I snapped this picture. Whenever I think of my dad's hands I think of security - in every physical and emotional sense of the word. I feel safe, strong, capable, and loved when those hands have been wrapped around me or placed on my head during a priesthood blessing. And it made my heart swell a little to see the focus of the lens shift to his hands next to my son's hands. Oh man this little boy of mine has some very fine examples of men in his life from his own dad, grandfathers, and Father in Heaven. I hope we are doing a good job of teaching him of his potential to become like them. 

The next day we puttered around the house and played at home, then celebrated the gorgeous outdoors by going on a family bike ride! 

We have some awesome friends here who helped us get all rigged up with a bike rack for our hitch and extra bikes for a family bike ride though a park. It started out hilarious with most of us needing to immediately stop after a few yards and re-adjust seats and settings because of the wrong fit. But eventually we got into a groove and enjoyed a casual bike ride through a gorgeous park near R's work and along a greenway the city has developed. So refreshing to be outside, and it was a perfect day for it!

Both kids haven't been in the bike trailer for a long time, and they had limited patience with the whole deal. Lady-LE was excited to get out! 

Afterwards we stopped at the park to feed the ducks, and then play at the playground. This might have been my favorite night while they were here - it was wonderful! And the kids loved it!

The next day the weather completely fooled our plans, and I am not good at back-up plans apparently because we ended up hanging out around the home all day long. But it turned out fine, and then we were surprised with snow! The flakes were huge, and super heavy and wet - just like the snow in WA where I grew up. My parents said that novelty of snow had worn off on them as they watched us from inside the warm house. :)

I was just giddy with excitement! The snow was sticking, and the kids immediately fell in love with it! They kept yelling over and over again "It's snowing!! It's snowing!" and they both instinctively knew to pick it up and throw it at one another. Lady-LE was especially proud of throwing snowballs at momma. And I completely encouraged it. 

We played outside for a little bit, then came inside to warm up. Lady-LE was very particular about sitting in the laundry basket covered in her lovies and blankets to get warm again. 

I had bought tickets to go see Straight No Chaser that night, and so my parents did the whole bedtime routine with the kids even with the power out for an hour or two - those V-day glow sticks came in handy again! It was awesome to have a date night with Ry (I think my smile was a mile wide!). Oh so fun and we both LOVED the concert! It was loud, fun, and completely entertaining.

The entire concert was fantastic - seriously love this kind of group/music. Then at the very end, they did this encore song without their mics. It made the sound so intimate, as if we were watching one of their backstage rehearsals. And we loved this song. Take a look if you'd like (we were super far in the back and didn't have a good recording of much, so I found another performance online).

 Sadly the next morning I drove my parents to the airport and said goodbye. It was such a fun time to have them here - we are definitely lucky!! 

Because we live in a town that rarely gets snow, church was cancelled so we got all day to ourselves to play and bundle up. By mid-afternoon half the snow was gone. But I snuck in a few pictures of the glistening beauty in the morning. I fell in love with our city of Charlotte all over again seeing the snow glow in the early morning hours. Beautiful!

These poor daffodils were shocked. I hope they still bloom!

 Simply gorgeous!!

 Thanks again for the flowers mom and dad! :) 

We love you and miss you already!!

january days

 Looking at the frost one morning through a magnifying glass. It was L-man's idea and now he's obsessed.

 Reading books with Daddy is a big highlight.

 Sunrises. Once again, L-man noticed it first and told me to take a picture. :)

Our weather these days has been light-jacket sunshine ...

... to an ice/sleet/rain storm. This wasn't anything compared to what we had in Ohio, but for down here in NC it was a big deal. 

 Grocery stores were packed, everyone stocking up for the winter weather alert. It was only a little funny. :)

It brought the closest thing next to snow that we've seen since moving here! 

 The working conditions were a little rough.

Ryan's schedule has been crazy this month, and he amazes me every day with his abilities to push through. I got sick last week which really threw me for a loop (and the house). But just this past Saturday we both were willing and able to go on a fun family outing to the Nature Museum.

 The butterfly room was my personal favorite. And if L-man weren't so excited to see what was always around the next corner I imagine we could have spent a long time here. 

The kids loved it, and I loved doing something with Ry. 

Compared to the previous couple of months, the month of January has been down-right slow and hard. But we have still found ways to connect, and have had lots of fun. It has been a great time to lay low, get sick, read lots of books, and cuddle a lot. 

I think we need a good couple of days with sunshine and I will feel the energy of life again. Right now we're taking it easy. :)

park days

I love having a park within walking distance to our home. This day in particular we tried out the new bikes the kids got for Christmas.

 L-man with his big wheel.

And Lady-LE with her trike. It took her a while to warm up to it. :) Once I pulled out the handle for the parent to push with in the back she was a happy camper and loves to ride it now.

 I love park trips where I am in the right mindset to engage them and wear us all out. I will be the first to admit that it's not always that way. But I love it when it is.

 It felt good to play in the sunshine.