Things to Do - February, Oh, February

It seems almost criminal to complain about February after such a mild winter, but still the month exhausts me. Dan has been working nonstop, which isn't necessarily unusual, but his absence feels extra large lately, the kids constantly asking "is daddy coming home tonight? will i see him today?" Me realizing that sometimes three or four days have passed before I've had a chance to tell him something.

As for me, i started a new workout routine in the mornings, crossfit, which necessitates waking an hour and a half earlier than I'm used to (thank you tyler and the meanest momma for motivating me to start). I'm the slowest one in the class, but still it is the most incredible workout routine I've ever attempted, addictive really. I'm constantly amazed by what my body can do when pushed. We probably all are. Plus, I love leaving the sleeping house before daylight hits, as I've finally found a "time" that's all mine, a time that I don't have to share or divide or steal.

So our days seem to meander along - walks to the library, playgrounds after school, a kitchen table full of "art" of various sorts - while milestones continue to fill up the background - a whole year since my dad died, selling our first house after six wonderful years there (though we only moved across the street), a few more wrinkles when i look in the mirror. and plans for spring, so so many plans for spring.

How is your February going??

Happy Monday everyone!!

MONDAY LINKS:

*I loved this shuttersisters post on the newsworthiness of your own life. I've drafted (but never published) about 20 post on why I blog but never managed to find the right words, then I read this and I almost shouted thank you at the top of my lungs. "I don’t remember much before I was six years old and the years after are a little fuzzy. When I watch my boys play, laugh, argue, and wrestle I am sad they won’t remember each detail as clearly as I do. For the past three years, I’ve approached my life as magazine pictorial. Until recently, I didn’t realize that I’ve been using my college degree to tell a story with my photography. But now I fully embrace it. I’ve become the photojournalist of my life because I’m responsible for the story my children will remember. Good or bad, they will see it in our family albums. The trips to visit family with cousins scattered around the living room. Birthday wishes. Conquering the potty while waving Good-bye to diapers. But life isn’t full of unicorns and rainbows, the bad stuff has to be documented. Tantrums. Doctor visits. Tears because independence wasn’t quite fully realized. The full plates of food pushed away at the dinner table. I’m careful not over-sensationalize these less than happy moments, but albums void of them would not be truthful. Years from now, if my boys struggle with their own parenting I hope they can look through our family albums and relate. And I hope the photos will help them remember it was a good life: one worthy of documenting."

*Josh Ritter continues to amaze me. This song is beautiful and the video (stopped motion animation using 12,000 sheets of construction paper) is truly stunning.

*This home, wow, this home. So creative. So beautiful.

*Have you seen The Composites? The blog's creator uses literary descriptions and law enforcement composite sketch software to visualize what famous literary characters looked like - so far he's created sketches of Aomame (from 1Q84), Daisy (from the Great Gatsby), Ignatius Reilly (from Confederacy of Dunces) and many others.

*I just discovered this great kids' craft blog - full of great, simple, ideas.



I nicknamed P Tigger because of her bounciness.



Cousin sleepover. The cousins brought their old train set and gave it to T, we can't stop building.



P made a dinosaur hat at preschool, which may be my favorite kids' school project ever.