New Guitar...

Nathan started taking guitar lessons a few weeks ago, the lessons were actually part of his birthday gift from September, we just had to wait for the new semester to start in January. He loves it and is convinced this is the instrument he was meant to play, we did some piano lessons last year and he enjoyed it but didn't love it like he does the guitar. He has been learning on a $ 3 yard sale clunker that has been fine for a beginner, but now that he is getting serious about this he started saving his money for a new guitar. We noticed some on clearance at Target last week and him and Dave stopped in after this weeks lesson to see if they had been marked down any further, he scored this Fender Guitar... regularly $ 200 for $ 50!! He has just enough to buy and it is very excited!! I'm so proud of him for saving, working hard, and finding a great deal!!

love is in the air...

Emily gets so excited about Valentine's Day...she seems to think it should be a national holiday. All week she has been saying "4 more days until Valentine's Day, 3 more days, 2 more days..." At breakfast the other morning she said "Can we pleeeeease take off school for Valentine's Day?" (before she realized it was on a Saturday this year) She almost fell off the chair when I said "Sure, we can take off for Valentine's Day!" Nathan always asks her why she makes such a big deal out of this day...he says "It's just a day for lovin' and we love each other every day!"

Making sugar cookies and candy to take to homeschool co-op...

I hung up my trusty white sheet to take some new pictures, it has been a while since we have taken any...

For our weekly Friday night tradition of Pizza/Movie/Game night we made a heart shaped pizza, and tomorrow's plans include a trip to the $ 1.50 movies and a candlelight dinner at home! Have a great day with the ones you love!!

Updates...

Someone just reminded me it has been over 2 weeks since I last posted anything..honestly, we have just been wrapped up in the day-to-day routine of life. We have been working very hard and diligently in school... up to our eyeballs in freezing bugs, discovering fossils, polygons, fractions, Abraham Lincoln and Buffalo Bill. We know that once "the call" comes and our baby is here that we will need a few weeks off to bond and adjust with our sweet little one!

No official baby news yet...we heard some snippets of good things a few weeks ago, but nothing official yet. I must admit the journey is getting hard and some days it is very discouraging that we are still waiting, but we know that God is behind the scenes working everything out to His perfect plan. I've been nesting like a crazy pregnant woman cleaning out every closet, drawer and cabinet in this house and officially have nothing left to do. I made a joke the other day that if we don't hear something soon, I'll have to start nesting at strangers houses!!

The weather has been glorious for the past few days and we have been spending lots of time outside. It's refreshing to have the windows open and the heat turned off! We spent all day Saturday outside cleaning out out planters, trimming bushes, spreading 2 yards of mulch, and cleaning out the sandbox. It feels like spring will be here before we know it!

I'll leave you with a picture from this week's art class...

Art Class... "Bob Ross Style"

The kids are getting a "real" art lesson from Dave once a week. We bought a Bob Ross (remember the big-haired, "happy trees" painter from the 60's??) Learn to Paint Kit with a 50% coupon at AC Moore.

Here are their finished Masterpieces... Dave's is on the left, Nathan's in the middle, and Em's on the right. They are AMAZING!! I'm going to need more wall space for this art gallery they are going to create.

SNOW DAY!!

It only took living here nearly 4 years to get our first official SNOW DAY!! Not a dusting or and inch or so...a real snow!!!

That's almost 6 inches...and it's still coming down!

Proncess LOVES it!! She ran around like a wild woman in it (see her ears flapping in the wind and her face full of snow!)

It heard it tastes good too!

Everyone must make a snow angel!!!

Of course a few snowball fights are mandatory!!

"Look it's up to my waist!!"

It's beautiful and fun for a few days..but we are looking forward to a 60 degree weekend!

"Pajama Day"

The weather has turned COLD this week, and keeps getting colder! We woke up this morning and declared today "Pajama Day", where everyone stays in their PJ's all day and we have fun hanging out as a family! I highly recommend "Pajama Day" for every family!

We even did our schoolwork down in the Living Room in our pajamas. Dave let the kids cook hot dogs in the fireplace for lunch...

We played ALOT of games!!!

I made a big pot of chili and cornbread for dinner, perfect for a cold day!!

The day ended with dessert fondue...dipping strawberries, bananas, pineapple, and pretzels in chocolate! (Note to self...add extra time onto tomorrow's walk to make up for a day of sitting around in pajamas and eating things dipped in chocolate!!)

Em declared that we should start a new tradition and every January 15 should be "Pajama Day!" We were joking around that it could last for years and all the kids and grandkids could come home for it every year! Wouldn't that be something?!?!

New Year...

It's hard to believe another New Year is here...even harder to believe Christmas break is over! The decorations are down and packed away, we are back to school (although we face it with renewed refreshment since our year is halfway over), and the days of staying up late and staying our pj's way too long are over.

Nathan's beloved Baltimore Ravens won their first playoff game on Sunday, he even had Princess running around is his old jersey!