Beating the Blues

I can't believe January has already come and gone. What surprises me more is it wasn't half bad. I always get a little mopy and blue around this time each winter, but this year is different. It's still bitter cold outside making going anywhere outside, even to the car, miserable. Scott still went on several long business trips last month leaving me with no relief at 5 o'clock each day. But this year I have a 3 1/2 year old and 1 1/2 year old that are busier than ever putting a smile on my face and keeping me on my toes. Here are some of the things that have been going on in our home that have been driving my winter blues away.

• Little Miss Independent discovered that she can reach a lot more things with the help of this stool, so she carries it all around the house to aide in her mischief making.
• Mason discovered Legos and spends hours building things along side his daddy.
• Brynn learned how to dress and undress herself and insists on doing it entirely by herself. Many mornings I wake to find a happy naked girl jumping in her crib and by the afternoon Brynn has dressed up in multiple layers of clothes, usually everyone elses....Mason's underwear and Mommy's bras tend to be favorites.
• Mason decided he needed to wear goggles to keep the sun out of his eyes when we went to Costco one day. He put a smile on more faces than mine that day.
• Brynn wears said googles around her neck as a necklace for the majority of every day.
• These partners in crime run around the house together.
• Brynn loves to jump, jump, jump on anything with spring to it. She climbs up on everything, big or small, and whether we are there to catch her or not she counts to 3 and jumps off. Seriously, how have we not had a broken bone?
• We have fun building forts, boats, helicopters, and anything else we need for a good adventure.
• Brynn spins in circles until she is so dizzy she can't stand up.
• Mason loves having playdates with his little buddies from preschool and sunbeams. Is my little boy really old enough to be calling his friends to see if they can play?
• Brynnie talks and talks and talks and we actually understand most of what she says now.
• Mason is learning how to read and amazes me with how well he is doing. He is already reading beginning books.
• Brynn walks around the house singing her version of Ring Around the Rosie "ashes, ashes, down down down!" ALL DAY LONG.
• We finally have an awesome non-family babysitter who I trust completely and my kids absolutely adore! Now we can go out on dates without having to feel guilty about mooching babysitting off our family.