February Fun (or lack thereof)

This winter has seemed so long and brutal! Luckily at the beginning of the month, there were 2 days one week that there was sunshine and the temperatures were in the upper 30's, so naturally we spend the afternoon outside at the zoo. 

We've been baking, playing with lots of Playdough, painting, doing puzzles, etc. I just keep telling myself it won't last forever and we'll be spending our days outside again soon. Hopefully really soon :) We NEED the park and walks in our lives again. 

It helped a lot with our cold weather blues to have my mom come and stay last weekend. Plus I ended up with either the flu or some food poisoning, and I made it through the worst of it when she was here taking good care of us (phew!). Andrew and I got out before I got sick and the kids had fun with her entertaining them. 

Andrew took Jake outside to play in the snow and my mom read to McKenna forever. Seriously. That girl wants read to for hours and hours every day. I remember wishing Jake would sit for just 1 book at this age and thinking how perfect it would be if he wanted me to read to him a ton. I got what I wished for plus some :)

This is her "read to me another hour because 3 hasn't been enough" face. 

I hope her love of reading continues, because although I'm beyond sick of the handful of books she's interested in, I'm so glad she enjoys it!

Another favorite past-time has been colored baths. Somehow it's so much more exciting when the water isn't just clear. It's the simple things in life, right?

Family Weekend

A couple of weeks ago, my parents came for a weekend, and Kim and Darrell joined us too! 

I stayed home with a sleeping McKenna, but the rest of the gang went to celebrate Ohio State being the national campions at the Shoe. I hear it was fun, but cold:)

Andrew and I got to spend time with Kim and Darrell going to the temple and taking a trip to Buckeye Donuts, which is just off of OSU's campus. Mmm! And the kids were thrilled to spend some grandparents time playing to their hearts content. And boy did we eat like kings! Every single meal!

We are so lucky to have such an awesome family ❤️

Snowed-In

The kids and I had a fantastic weekend with my parents. And it was especially exciting because it was unexpected! We headed up for a baby shower, but due to a rough night with the kids the night before, I was too tired to drive back Saturday night. And then the snow came. Lots and lots of snow! So we stayed Sunday and half the day Monday!

I knew leaving Columbus for the shower that the bad weather was coming and that I was pretty exhausted, so I threw some clothes and diapers into a suitcase just in case, and it ended up being a fun weekend with lots of quality time with grandma and grandpa! They spoiled us rotten and took great care of us, as usual. I don't really love snow, but I'm glad it came!!

Jake went sledding for the first time at a huge hill in Wadsworth, but we only let him go down a small section of it, on my dad's back. But he was in heaven! Then on Sunday my dad built him a little sledding hill and carried the sled, with Jake on it, to the top over and over and over again!

We also built the kids' first snowman! Aren't grandparents the best??

Winter is SO long

I saw on the news a day or 2 ago that winter is 'already' half over. Seriously? I'm usually pretty optimistic, but all I heard was that half the winter is still left! We are bored and stir crazy with being stuck inside so much, but here are some pics of the adventures we've been working to create.

Playing dolls. 

Getting dressed-sometimes- even when we're home all day (you'll notice most pics are in his favorite red pajamas-thanks grandma!)

Frozen yogurt and walking laps around the mall. 

Jake likes to take all his clothes off. Luckily he leaves his diaper on!

Books. Lots and lots of books!

Colored baths

Playdough and coloring

Balloons

And puzzles

It's been fun, but is it spring yet!?!

Luckily it warmed up enough to take a trip to the zoo a couple of weeks ago and to puddle jump a few days ago. I'm really looking forward to more outside fun in the next few months:)

Jake's birthday party, Sugar Bowl

It's been more than a month since, but Jake had a fun 3rd birthday party. We celebrated it at my parents house with my immediate family and grandparents. And my brother, who was home for Christmas break, celebrated his 23rd birthday too. 

Jake was super spoiled by his grandparents, great-grandparents, and my siblings. He's quite the lucky and blessed 3-year-old!

Andrew made him an underwater themed cake, as he's really into that right now. What an impressive daddy, huh?

We stayed for a couple of days in Wadsworth, playing lots of games and watching some great football! Darrell's team lost, but we were really impressed that he had enough FSU shirts to outfit my entire family!

And a HUGE highlight, even as a non- football fan, was watching Ohio state win the sugar bowl and advance to the national championship! It was a fun year to be a buckeye, that's for sure!