JanNEWary

We did it!  We finally got out of the house!  It was a beautiful morning and after I took down the outside Christmas decorations, I said to Matt, "What about going to the P-A-R-K?"  He said he was about to suggest the same thing.  Great minds.  So, we surprised the kiddos and headed down to play. It was windy, but being in the sunshine and outside did wonders for our souls.  Smiles, running, jumping, chasing, yelling, skipping, watching the barges.  All part of the morning.  I captured some of their smiles and Matt captured some as well.  This was our visit with God this morning, that is for sure.  

 Afterward we went to eat Mexican, because it is one of the "meals" Jack will eat.  Today, after playing and running, he ate an entire cheese quesadilla.  The queso at the beginning of the meal had more heat to it than usual, so Jack sucked down most of my Diet Coke.  Bless his heart!

Beating the Blues

Not the best photo skills shown, but Kate loves her new dance leotard and skirt!  And footless tights.  What a big girl!  

 Jack was sitting on the heater strumming along.  I tried to sneak in to get a photo right as he fell off the heater.  Kept on playing though.

 And now Jack likes bunny mac and cheese!  Like three helpings worth.  Things are looking up!

Honestly, Doc, I don't know why he is sick.

Documenting a visit to the doc...

I think Jack has strep.  

His throat isn't red.

He is coughing and just not right. Can you just test him?

Sure. It will take about five minutes.

 While we wait...he sucks on the flavored stick until he drops it on the floor.  Then he proceeds to cry when I throw it in the trash.  I have to bury it below a used table cover so he can't get it.

 While I am doing that, Jack is exploring under the table.  Nothing there, but fun to go in and out and slam the doors.

 We have a new stick because he tested positive and got a new stick because Jack gets an antibiotic shot and we have to wait 20 minutes to see if there is a reaction.  (There wasn't).

 Time to run the Matchbox car around the chair, floor, etc. while we wait.  And wait.

Really...where does he pick up the virus?  Ha!

And then the sickness and cold came

Kate also received nail paint for Christmas and we have been working on the designs.  I let her pick the color she wants underneath, because it isn't a big deal.  What I mean is that being six with blue nails is far better than being 21, ya know?  SO, I let it flow.  And if they are purple next week?  I will be ok with that, too.  

 Jack has become Kate's buddy over the last couple of weeks.  Partially because they have both been sick and wanted someone with them; partially because they just get each other.  He thinks she is pretty fun, and he follows her around, even if she isn't saying, "come on, Jack."  She is so patient with him and she lets him do just about anything she does.  She has been going to mom's house every few days for a little R&R since she doesn't get much of that here (unless he is napping).

 Strep and an Upper Respiratory Infection took Kate down again.

 The roving musician does just that.  The guitar travels throughout the house...a couple of strums here, a couple there.

 And my window washers appeared out of nowhere.

 Even Ezra spent his days and nights inside during this cold burst.  Wowzers, it has been cold!

 These warm the heart though, that is for sure!

Babycakes!

Kate asked Santa for a Cakepop maker this year, and she must have been good because she had one with all of the accessories under the tree.  And a cookbook!  This Cakepop maker can do donut holes and different pastries.  We will be trying a lot of desserts, I think.  The fun part is they take two minutes on each side and they are done.  Kate and I made sour cream donut holes first, because we had those ingredients on hand.  They were pretty tasty for first-time bakers.  And they aren't fried, so it is healthy living, right? 

 My assistant dunked the donut holes in the glaze for me, making the process much quicker.  And quicker for what?  To eat, of course!

 Happy little helper, this one!

 We then moved on later in break to cake pops.  Vanilla cake pops with vanilla coating.  This was the first time I have made vanilla cake from scratch.  Thank goodness for recipes (and small recipes where we only have 24 cake pops laying around). Kate came in, again, for the final work and she decorated these with sugars.  I didn't put the full spread out, because I didn't want the mess, but she would have been gung-ho!

 Not bad.  And they taste pretty good (if you can get over the it's-not-really-frosting part).

And the Party finally happened

Jump for Joy!  My girl got to have her 6th birthday party with her friends!  

 She wore her new outfit from Aunt Fran (though she did have a wardrobe change mid-party because she couldn't do cartwheels very well in her skirt.

 Walker came to play.

 As did miss Reed.

 And Eliza Beth.

 And Hampton, who calls Kate "Katie."  Her mom is named Cate.

 And Jack gave Kate lots of hugs and loving at her party.

 Ta-Da!  Doing the balance beam.

 Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'.

 Gift time:  journals galore...with LOCKS! And bling-y craft projects!

 Everyone loves seeing the gifts and telling who got what.  Such fun to watch these little ones.

 And some cake celebration!

 Happy Birthday, Bugs!  You are loved.