Respite...

We had the opportunity recently to be helpful and also benefit ourselves from the experience.  H's Great Grandpa recently came home from a bout with some serious health issues, now newly equipped with some medical apparatus that we here are more familiar with than most...  We happened to be free at a time when they needed help getting used to the new normal, so we made a trek up north to help out for a week or so.  I think we probably got as much out of it as they did, a rare chance to speak outside of the busy large get togethers and connect between generations despite our living so far away.  It was great to get some feeling for the folks who helped make my daughter, and at 89 and 93, I can only hope she inherits some of their longevity and perseverance as well.  Here are some highlights of the last couple weeks...

 Chuck E. Cheese with R & Co., a few days before we left...

 H's first hair trim from aunt C...

 Reading the funnies with Great Grandma...

Riding the wave with cousins...

Swinging...

H enjoying playing with a new calf, one of several out of season surprises from an amorous and determined bull getting out of his pen...

Snow angels...

 Sled rides powered by Grandpa...

A snowman complete with carrot nose...

A strange sight I encountered several times whenever Grandpa was around...

Big smiles from Great Grandpa...  :)

Let's Build a Word!

Other ways to use crayons and colored pencils when we don't feel like practicing our letters the traditional way...

Valentine's Hearts...

We made these last week to decorate for V-day.  It was an interesting exercise putting aside fear and allowing a not quite 4 to use a clothes iron on medium heat, but the outcome was quite pretty.  They will need to have some paper borders glued on to cover the edges I think if they are to be kept for next year and re-used, would keep them flatter and keep the edges from breaking open.

http://www.marthastewart.com/272535/crayon-hearts

Clemyjontri and Spring Flowers...

It was approaching 70 degrees here today, on the 1st of February, so we made the trek to one of the best parks around to get some air and sun.  Even opened up the windows upon returning home while doing some "spring cleaning"...

 Not nearly as busy as I would have thought for the weather, no wait for rides...

 Still plenty of kids to play with though, which is key for H....

 Picking flowers while pretending to be Madeline...

Surveying the early blooming flowers in the back yard...