~This moment~

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

This Moment ~ Spring Sunset~

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. via SouleMama

Thank you God for the spectacular painting of the night sky.

February Thaw

It hasn't felt much like winter around here since of the last of the Christmas decorations were tucked back into the attic.  Snow has been very rare - snow showers, yes, but sadly no accumulation.  We have skirted cold days hovering in the teens, and mild weather seems to abound; which equates to daffodils blooming in February and to us frolicking barefoot at the beach.  And the only thing that reminds me that it's still winter are the passage of the holidays - MLK, Valentines, St. Pats, and eventually Easter.

The girl is getting so big.  She's sprouting into a long lean silhouette of a 4 year old; gone are the days of the abundant toddler belly.  Her face is lean, her hair is long, and wow, suddenly she's become a master conversationalist.  Last winter, my favorite Alex word was "yesternight" and currently, I love hearing her iterate the word "bratend".  Everything is a big game of pretending to be someone, conversing with her stuffed animals, or reiterating stories for the hundredth time.

I love watching Alex master new tasks.  We can spend an evening cutting paper into tiny pieces.  At some point she starts making up a story about cutting Rapunzel's hair and then she gleefully snips off piece after piece. 
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Work has been crazy thanks to the lovely seasonal crush, so Valentine's crafts were limited to gifts for school and for Lesa's.  These preprinted valentines were my favorite and so easy.  And when you have to satiate 27 three year olds, giving a collectable little animal lasts much longer than your average sucker. :)

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My dear, lovely, endlessly talented friend Jana came to visit. 

The weather delivered, El Toro delivered (extra margs on the house!), and even the beach gave us an encore.  The day was intensely long - the equivalent of condensing an entire weekend into less than 12 hours - but it was truly amazing. And Alex and Luci connected for the first time.  

The girls played like children should - unbridled, joyful, boundless.  They were burying themselves in the sand, twirling, spinning, and hunting for treasure. 

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I wrapped up the month by visiting our family in Pennsylvania.  Aunt Missy hosted a princess tea for the cousins.  And every little detail was infused with love: flower-shaped tea sandwiches, pink-tinted white hot chocolate, and fresh marshmallows.  You could see the love, but all the kids could see was fun.

The cousins had nothing less than a great time, and  days later, Alex randomly moans about missing Maddie and Jude.  She loves them so.  It's all good.
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And as we headed out of town, we stopped at Longwood Gardens with Christina, Grey, and Gunnar. I forgot how much I miss Longwood since moving to Annapolis.  It's heaven and eye candy wrapped up in one beautifully groomed location.

May I introduce orchids. Floating, cascading, and standing alone.  

And now paired those blooms with a bit of spring.

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Intertwined within the blossoms and the sweetened air was the children's section.  

To state that it's wonderful, is simply an understatement. 

The display allowed the children to explore, run, and get soaked to the core.  Longwood provided paint brushes for the children to paint the walls, the floors, and the steps with water. Alex was unforgiving with the brush.

Oh my did I love this handrail.  Rrrrr!

If you plan to ever visit, bring an extra set of dry clothing; Alex was soaked and frozen to the core. And if you need to ask, Longwood provides towels as you exit the display. 


Christina's friend Lonny commented that it will be wonderful to see our children grow up together.  And Christina and I just smiled at each other, feeling like we've shared that secret now for years.

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Happy Spring.  Embrace it.