Snow & Ice February 2015

I'm not certain why, but when it snows or ices around here, I get this huge need to play photographer. I say "play" because it's not like I actually know what I'm doing, but I attempt The Perfect Shot, play around with editing after the fact, etc. It's like the frozen precipitation comes and I'm consumed with thoughts of angles and lighting! And I'm not saying any of these shots are very good or even that I took them all! (I have Seth to thank for most of the actual photography, but it was all me on the editing.)

There's just something extra special in seeing your home or your kids surrounded with white when it's such a rare occurrence. Personally, I would love a week of snow for the boys to play in every year, but then it can melt and be gone. Oh, I'd love to be snowed in, with Seth at home too, eating chili and watching movies and having a grand time being snowed in. Like a mini staycation in the house. And then spring can come.

Here are our best ones from the latest rounds of winter storms to hit DFW.

our home, February 2015

Graham

Austin

Snow Angels weren't a big hit with them.

sweetness

Gotta use the roller coaster, even though it's snowed on!

Sweet Brothers

I wanted to make sure they did "all the winter things" so they made snow angels, threw snowballs, attempted a snowman, we drank hot chocolate and watched Frozen. Here are some of the boys throwing snowballs at the backdoors. I was inside and cozy the whole time, while working on capturing action shots.

I love the smile and the motion.

The Tongue of Concentration

We had little white spots all over the back doors and kitchen windows.

And then Seth fired up the chiminea. The boys sat forever just watching the fire crackle. 

Sounds like we need to take these boys camping!

One last artsy shot. Thanks babe!

UPDATE: We had snow AGAIN this winter and Seth got me some great shots of it!!

Does snowy weather bring out your inner photographer?

Valentine's Day; 2015

We're in a place lately that doesn't allow for very much forethought (particularly on my part, and since I'm usually the one doing the fore-thinking, we're running about a day or two out as opposed to a week or even a month like we used to do!), so come the day before Valentine's Day, I decided it was probably time for me to think about what I wanted us to do. I had gotten Seth a gift, but nothing for the boys. We don't make a huge deal out of the day here, but Seth and I do use it to exchange a small something. It seemed weird that we would be opening gifts potentially in front of the boys without them having a gift, so after consulting some friends, we decided to do one small gift, a candy something, and then also open their goodie bags from school. I already had these Superman shirts in the gift bin, so I just pulled them out and wrapped them in pink paper. Seth stopped at the store and got some Pez dispensers for them which I taped to the top like a bow. Very fancy! lol We opened gifts, ate dinner, the boys had a bath and then we sat down to watch Cinderella as a family (even GA!). Very low-key, but a good time.

The shirts are slightly different, but still both Superman.

I didn't get any of them opening their goodie bags from school, mostly because I was too busy hiding stuff I didn't want them to actually have. When Seth took them into the bathroom for baths, I tossed half of it away! The other half is stuff we've been slowly going through ever since and we still have some left!

It's not the best shot of their crazy-bath hair,
but I love Graham's face too much not to share it!

She isn't normally allowed on the couch,
but she made her way up this time and it was nice to all be snuggled up together!

In case you're wondering, Seth gave me a book of all 2014 blog posts and I gave him a Home Depot gift card and a Southern Living plants book. Both of us encouraging each other's hobbies! :-)

Cute Pic Post -- January 2015

January was quite the month. We had days of super cold, days of gorgeous we-are-staying-at-the-park-forever-weather, and everything in between! Austin had his "assessment" for the preschool we applied to for next year and we were lucky enough to be able to hang with some friends while we waited (the process was running over two hours behind!). The boys had a good time with all their new toys from Christmas, but towards the end of the month we had to do another small purge. I'm committed to not living our lives overrun with plastic!

I hit the point in pregnancy where dr appts start happening every other week, and that alone made things so much fuller around here that our ability to plan-ahead was shot. I also started experiencing some fairly major back and hip pain which NOTHING has been able to fix for very long. (Also: Braxton Hicks like I've never had before.) As soon as the effects of a treatment wear off, the pain comes right back. (The boys are so used to hearing me say that now that Graham will say "your back hurt?" when I tell him I can't help with some thing or another. That breaks my heart, but I know I've done due diligence in trying to make it better and am still suffering, so I'm trying my best not to beat myself up over it. I'd love prayers about the pain and about my feelings surrounding my inability to parent like I like.)

I love his little crossed feet!
He's "reading" the personalized Monster's University book Aunt AM gave him.

Bros Reading Books. LOVE.

I dress them "alike" so often without realizing it.
I do not understand how it happens. It's mind-boggling.

All the cold weather made our couch a super-static-zone. 

He's the epitome of "Where there's a will, there's a way."

Caps for Sale!
Shortly before Christmas, Austin started "playing" Caps for Sale.
I had already planned on giving him that book for Christmas,
so it was funny he'd learned it at school first. Ms. Carol beat me!

In all the world, is there a sweeter picture!?

Not sure if they take this from me,
but they both love a pillow on their lap while watching tv.

My Tuesday Errand Running buddy.
I'll miss these days of just the two of us.

Sweet little foot poking out...

It was nice enough to send them outside, so we did. Gotta fill those lungs with some fresh air after being cooped up most of the last couple months!

"looking for clouds" I was told... SO SWEET!

Then a few days later it was really nice so we went to Mallon Park after school!
It's my favorite. Not too big that I can't see them,
and they're perfectly content on the equipment it has.
(I have a feeling some day this picture might be black mail material.)

I asked if I could take a picture of him in this new shirt.
He posed like that sans prompting. HA!

I love how he's holding up the tractor so he's in the picture too.

This happens when you skip a nap. Passed. Out!

Austin got sick.
Just a cold with some asthma issues,
but I want to be the best spoiling-them mom when they're sick.
I was proud of my set-up here, hence the picture. ;-)

Graham did that tower all by himself.
He was SO Proud. Love it!

Sweet, matching boys... navy shirts, light gray pants.

Someone found my sunglasses! lol

Neither get a nap on Thursdays and this is often how we spend the afternoon.

So thankful to have spent that 2 hour delay with friends who loved on my son like he was their own.
Those wooden seats were not meant for pregnant women suffering with back and hip pain. Ow!