Fun Times Outside

Flyin' high w/ Daddy

Bike rides are easier so far this season with Ani. She carries her helmet around and says "bike".

Good-bye, Bridgestone (one of them). Monte's last ride before selling this one.

I took a final spin too

Gadgets

Some recent gadgets at our house - if you don't know, Monte likes to tinker with stuff, whether it's old or new. Here's an old tinker item (the Singer sewing machine that our antique-dealer neighbor threw out in his trash) and a new tinker item, which we've actually had for a few weeks now - the coffee siphon.

This Time

The Electric Fetus receipt from today says:

"This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

KC

4 states within a 6-1/2 hour time frame.... twice in 48 hours. That was our weekend. Long drive, but well worth the trip! The Big 12 tournament was in Kansas City and a bunch of ISU friends met up on Saturday at the Seiler house. Fun times. Monte had said that Steve was a huge cook and he was not kidding - lots of really good food! It was so nice to see our fellow bloggers (Beth and Jolyn) and also to see Joe & Angie and meet their little Finn, although mostly he was sleeping when we were there! Thanks for inviting us, Beth! And a HUGE thank you to Mr. Joe Kennedy, who did not realize exactly HOW FAR OUT in Olathe my brother and sis-in-law live until he was already driving my husband home. We toasted to you via BBQ sauce at the Hick the next day. :)

Matt & Kristi are such great hosts - we literally didn't leave their house (except for the party) the entire weekend. They made us food and we just hung out, watched movies, played Wii bowling and golf, and played with the kids. It was neat to see Ani interact w/ her two cousins who are closest in age to her - Ava is 5 and Luke is 10 months. On Saturday after the party, we put all three of the kids in the big master tub. They loved it!

Pan

Ani learned how to say the Spanish word for bread today - pan. She takes after Monte in her love of the bread! She has had a tough time in the mornings saying good-bye to me, but it's slowly getting better as she gets familiar with the school and teachers. When I picked her up today, she was dressed up as a chef complete with a white coat and hat.

I am fully immersed in the Twilight saga. Even went to see New Moon while it was still in the theaters by myself a couple weeks ago! The 3rd movie comes out in June. I just started the 4th and final book, Breaking Dawn. 700+ pages of vampire love. It's entertaining, what can I say?

Snow, snow - melt away! We've been spending some time outside lately, weather pending, which has been a nice change. Ani loves being outside, playing in the snow and (now that it's melting - thankfully!) splashing in the puddles.

ABC's

Ani's 1st version of the ABC's.

Hello, Goodbye

Hello..... new carpet in basement! What a difference this makes. Just like our dining room light fixture that we recently updated - why didn't we do this years ago? The basement is now a nice play area for Ani. She's good at going up and down the stairs too.

Goodbye.... beautiful, shiny Guerciotti! Probably Monte's most attractive, but least ridden bicycle. I think he was sad to let this one go but does feel good with the money he got for his investment.

Hello..... new family-owned, bilingual day care for Ani! She starts March 1. It's closer to our home, less expensive than our current day care, and a very environmentally- and organic-friendly operation. They do cloth diapers and offer locally-grown food that's prepared on-site.

Goodbye.... 4-day weekends for me. Switching day cares also means a change in my work week from T,W,Th to M,W,Th in order to adhere to the school's policy of having a Mon or Fri in your schedule if your child only attends part-time.