February keeping us busy

Helloooo! Has it been so long? Since I last wrote 2 weeks ago, we have been to the St. Paul Model Railroad Museum, Children's Museum, several parties, played lots of soccer (me) and hockey (Dave - in below zero wind chill, brr), Riley's gymnastics, story time at the Humane Society and library, visited the St. Paul Cathedral with long lost family, went to a re-upholstery class at church (prepare to see projects soon), and enjoyed a lovely Valentines day weekend, a mushy post from which you were spared this year because I. Was. Beat. That and we've been devoting our evenings to watching Lost on Netflix. Darn you, Netflix, I have things to do!

Anyways, the last two weeks in picture, here we go:

Model Train Museum - the kids went nuts for this place! Highly recommend.

Beautiful St. Paul Cathedral

Impromtu visit with Uncle Doug, Andrew and Shawnee. Reminded me how great it would be to live near family!

Joe helping on laundry day. Just because you needed a laugh :)

If it's above 10 degrees we can go to the playground. Oh summer where art thou?

 Humane Society story time:

 We also did a craft and took a tour.

The puppies asked us to take them home and my heart broke a little.

 The Children's Museum was hoppin' - I think there were a gazillion school groups there. But we still had a great time. Joe was on fire at the "shipping and packing" station, helping this kindergarten class load bricks onto conveyor belts. Then this precocious little girl gave him a note and he was well pleased! I didn't burst his bubble and tell him she just wanted him to stop taking their bricks. Haha!

He might have gotten the message though because then he got some pencils instead and his own conveyor belt and meticulously sent those up several times.

You know that little boy has started to call me by my first name? Just when he wants to get my attention. But it's weird to hear my little boy say, "Hi-wee! Sit next to me, Hi-wee!"

Valentine's Day we had a raucous party with nine little people. They were astonishingly well-behaved though, here you see how they all came and sat around the tables. Tip: if you use a cookie-cutter on pb&j's, they will eat their body weight in sandwiches. We went through two loaves of bread! Oh, and Dave got them silly straws so there was also serious water drinking going on. 

They also made valentine's and chocolate strawberries, watched Charlie Brown Valentine's Day, tore the balloons off the ceiling and beat each other with them, and exchanged valentines.

Riley and Gracie had their traditional (every play date, these girls) sleepover and there was much giggling.

It was a blast, and of course it makes your day when you make a blissful day for your child. When Dave started hanging up the streamers and balloons, Riley and Joe started bouncing off the walls they were so stoked! And Dave and I have fun teaming up for these sorts of things together - we should probably start a toddler party planning business or something.

Furthermore:

• This sweet video of real-life, seasoned, love, sweet love.
• Made these sugar cookies this week for an RS activity - loved the almond/vanilla flavor.
• Me, blogging elsewhere, and a darn good place to live if you go to University of Minnesota.
• To read: recommended from 3 different sources before I finally read it, The Razorland Trilogy is a good one to curl up with on these winter nights.

The end.