What we have been up to...

Alex: Having a blast playing at the Adventure Challenge at the YMCA! That is her favorite thing to do right now. Learning to write letters...I came into her room and she had written "Aelx" on a piece of paper. She is a sponge right now and wants to practice letters all the time! And this is a great place to go for that kind of stuff! You can print out the entire alphabet (uppercase & lowercase) and also their name as long as it's in the list! Alex is starting preschool next fall (also at the YMCA) and is very excited to do so. She can't wait for spring and is anticipating helping me plant flowers & veggies. "Mom, do you know how to plant a flower? First you make a hole in the dirt (and she is demonstrating all this with her hands), then you put the flower in, then you cover it back up!" So, she has it all figured out.

Ryan: Has recently learned how to get on to the Ottoman and rocking chair and is forever trying to get on the couch. Which means I'm sure I'll come in the living room at some point and he'll be on the couch! He is definately a handful but such a love! Always hugging and kissing (open mouthed, mind you.) Last night while the kids were in the bath Ryan was loving on Alex, it was too cute! He has started doing the cheesiest, biggest smile in the last few weeks. Just adorable! As for words he says Mama, Dada, Tickle-Tickle-Tickle (both my kids have done this, we are a tickling family!), Na-Night and Na-Na-Na (Banana!). Nik also taught him how to say Brrrr. Ryan loves the outdoors, and loves the free room to run. He just walks around our backyard saying "ahhhhhhh!"

Nik: Nik is of course, working hard at both jobs. Hasn't been driving much but once vacation season/summer hits he will probably drive all the time which will be a welcome change! Just trying to get enough hours at both places to keep our lil' family afloat! God has been providing for us in that area and we owe Him all the Thanks. Nik is back to working out and very happy about that of course. He is such a selfless provider and rock for our family, I don't know how he does it working so much! He is enjoying watching basketball now that football is over!

Myself: We are nearing the end of our MOPS year, but I will serve again next year on a different position and have been praying and thinking about in what area I would like to serve in and finally last night as I was knitting I felt a definite answer about what I would like to do. The past 2 months I've just said God I do not know what I can do, or what I want to do and felt like I wasn't going to do good enough in any other area but my leader said "Sometimes it's about challenging yourself, not doing the thing you think you'd be best at." (Paraphrased.) Along with the rest of the family, I am running now up at the Y and enjoying it! I had not worked out for more than 3 years! Before I had the kids I was running (not a ton, but I really enjoy it!) It is a send the kids to Child Watch (which WOW I am so happy with and very much recommend they are awesome with the kids!) and zone out with my PodRunner Podcast. (Again, frickin sweet man! Check it out if you run.)

The kids are all healthy right now, except Alex has a little drainage that I think is from allergies, as mine are in full swing so I think we might try something with her! Both kids went on 2 weeks of Augmentin to kill the "Moraxella catarrhalis" bug they had and things have been good since then. I am so glad spring and summer are around the corner! This week we got blasted with COLD and SNOW and it was not fun. But Nik just told me the forecast is now 74 for tomorrow, can you say PARK???? :)

Aimee