february 22

i was lucky enough to be able to pick jackson up from school today and bring him back to our house for lunch and playtime.  it was such a warm day, so we headed outdoors for some good old fun.  i taught jackson how to play bocce ball (and let him win :), and then we all threw the frisbee around.  i decided it would be fun to throw the frisbee and have jackson and gavin race for it.  and it was fun.  i loved watching jackson and gavin running as fast as they could and wrestling each other for the frisbee.  brooke got in on the action by throwing the frisbee a couple of times, but mostly she stood next to me and watched the crazy boys :)  after nap and quiet time, megan came over with chase and joey, and we all played together outside.  megan, jackson, joey, gavin and i played soccer while brooke pretended to be the "coach" and kept track of how many times we kicked the ball on her pink clip board.  if this was a movie, i'm pretty sure you could call this foreshadowing :)  the kids also had fun "exploring" and finding sticks and worms and pine cones around the yard.  after a runaway soccer ball almost landed in the little stream at the bottom of our hill, all the kids became very interested in what might be in the "pond."  it's hard to put into words how much i enjoy seeing brooke, jackson, joey and gavin together.  they are at such a great age for playing together, and they all love each other so much.  i really couldn't ask for anything more.

february 21

back to the normal swing of things today... after dropping brooke and gavin off at school, i headed to hyde park for some grocery shopping.  as i was driving in the rain, the sun came out, and i thought "maybe there will be a rainbow."  in the next instant i looked ahead and there it was!  as i drove under the rainbow it disappeared from view, but not before i quickly snapped this picture with my iphone :)  what a good way to start the day!

february 20

another nice day = another day at perfect north!  we were happy and relieved to pull in and find that the place was practically empty compared to saturday.  we had lots of time and lots of space to practice with the kids on the bunny hill.  brooke did such a great job and had a really great attitude today.  she has great control of her skis - going where she wants to go, controlling her speed, stopping when she needs to,  etc.  brooke feels so comfortable on her own skis that now she has taken to trying to help gavin :)  i love the way brooke acts as a little coach and cheerleader for gavin.  we had lots to cheer about today because gavin was awesome on his skis.  i can't get over how much natural ability he has.  gavin has great balance on his skis and makes turns like it's nothing.  which is a good thing because turning is the only way he can slow himself down (he refuses to learn how to snow plow/do the "pizza wedge").  after a great morning skiing, we had lunch and headed back over to the tubing hill for some fun, fast runs.  it felt so great to be outside enjoying the snow.  i told kevin that it kind of feels like we took a ski vacation this weekend without leaving home.  can't beat that!

february 19

we enjoyed a quiet day at home today.  brooke talked me into finishing our sewing project, so we sat down together to sew big bear (we completed little bear on christmas day).  while i did most of the sewing, brooke did help me with parts of it.  she was so afraid of messing up, but she did great.  and now she and her american girl doll have matching stuffed animals :)

tonight we ran to the mall and then met randall, antje, lexi and kenzie for dinner.  even though the food was pretty good, we're 0-2 on good, fast service.  thankfully, all of the kids were very well behaved through our very lengthy dinner.  i think next time we'll cook!

february 18

what to do on a beautiful weekend day?  head to perfect north!  we went skiing this morning along with everyone else in the tri-state!  i think i counted 7 buses that pulled in right ahead of us.  there were people everywhere!  it made it a little rough skiing with two little ones, and it honestly was not much fun.  there were so many beginner skiers out, and i saw several adults completely wipe out just getting on the magic carpet.  total craziness.  so, we headed for the lodge for a great lunch outdoors, and then we decided to try some tubing!  brooke did not want to go tubing, but kevin, gavin and i won that battle.  brooke was adamant that she did not want to try it, so i stayed at the bottom of the hill with her while kevin and gavin carried their tubes up the moving sidewalk to the top of the hill.  we met them at the bottom, and gavin was so excited that i think brooke decided she really should give it a try.  so up we all went!  kevin and i held the tubes together so we could all go down the hill together.  the look on brooke's face as we were flying down the hill was priceless!  i wasn't sure if she loved it or hated it, but thankfully we got to the bottom and she exclaimed, "that was so fun!  let's do it again!"  i was so happy that she tried it.  and liked it.  so, what started out as a bit of a rough day turned into something great after all.

february 17

what a fun, busy day!  this morning gavin and i had a play date with jennifer and jack mcghee.  it was quite funny because jack really had no interest in having a play date.  he hates to share :)  gavin handled it well though, and we had a nice time visiting with them.  gavin was particularly impressed that jack had a little baby (sister).  gavin loves babies :)

this afternoon i watched the boys for a couple of hours so megan could go for a run.  we played outside and enjoyed the nice weather.  it was quite a change worrying about a busy, on-the-go, could get into trouble any moment 1 year old :)  it seems like forever ago that gavin was at that stage.  how quickly we forget!

tonight we added family game night to our friday night pizza tradition.  we had fun playing chutes & ladders, zingo and doing a puzzle together.  i think this is something we'll do every week.  so simple, yet so much fun... as long as everyone was a winner :)

february 16

gavin "lost" his hippos yesterday in the midst of everything that was going on in our household.  megan and the boys happened to borrow a ride-on toy from us, and when they got home they found gavin's two hippos hidden in the seat of the ride-on train.  aunt megan was nice enough to bring gavin's hippos back to him this morning, and gavin didn't let them out of his sight.  he even cuddled with them on the couch, which is very out of character for gavin.  he also showered them with kisses and whispered to them that he missed them.  and i was left wondering... how can my sweet boy be the same little boy who yells and screams and hits when he doesn't want to do something (like take a nap)?  it's like another child has taken over my son's body this week.  and i think, my God, is this what the age of 3 is going to be like?  gavin's behavior this week has been a huge parenting challenge.  for the first time ever, he screamed/growled "you're a bad mommy!" at me when he didn't like my answer to one of his requests.  he's had many time-outs, and i've taken a significant amount of his toys away from him three out of the five days this week.  kevin and i are standing firm and trying to teach him that this is not acceptable behavior in this house.  i pray he gets the message sooner rather than later!

february 15

there was something about today that was special.  i can't quite put my finger on it, but i think it had to do with the mix of people in the house and the revolving nature of our door.  because i had an appointment this morning and this afternoon and because megan also had a couple of commitments today, we worked out a plan so that all of the kids would be at our house with my mom.  the day went something like this:  my mom arrived.  megan dropped chase and joey off in the morning and took brooke and jackson to school.  my mom made breakfast for the boys.  i went to have my car serviced and then returned home to mom and the boys playing outside. megan came by to try to put chase down for a nap.  kevin was in his office working from home.  i picked brooke and jackson up from school (and got a running, leaping, hug from my nephew :).  we came back home.  megan left for lunch with a friend.  mom and i had lunch with all the kids.  we played outside.  megan returned.  kevin and i left for an afternoon appointment.  megan put gavin down for a nap.  the kids played.  we returned home.  and that was our day.  sometimes it really does take a village...

february 14

i feel so lucky to have 3 wonderful valentines in my life, and today i wanted to make sure they knew it!  the kids awakened to a festive house and were very excited to open their gifts.  brooke has an uncanny ability to remember exactly what she has received on valentine's day for the past 2 years (when i can't even remember what i bought her last year).  brooke was thrilled with her new strawberry shortcake characters, and gavin exclaimed "just what i always wanted!" when he opened his rock climber man :)  the things that boy says crack me up!

i made heart-shaped pancakes and bacon for breakfast, which was a big treat since we always, always have a cold breakfast (cereal, fruit, juice) first thing in the morning.  occasionally we cook a late breakfast or brunch, particularly on the weekends, but it is incredibly rare for the kids to have pancakes before school.

it was fun to send both brooke and gavin off to school today with valentines for their classmates.  i think valentines day is such a fun holiday for kids.  i can still remember how excited i always was to pass out and receive special little valentines from my friends.  this year brooke gave valentines that we printed at home and attached a pencil to (no candy allowed at school :( and gavin chose a box of toy story valentines from target.  after school brooke and gavin spread their valentines out on our kitchen table as i prepared heart-shaped sandwiches for lunch.  i loved watching as they opened each of their valentines.

tonight kevin and the kids made me feel very special with thoughtful cards and gifts, and we all went out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants (el coyote).  what a lovely day!

february 13

it was a fun day full of preparations for valentine's day.  we made out valentines for school and baked cupcakes.  this evening we went to megan's for dinner and the big show the kids have been looking forward to - jake and the neverland pirates, the return of peter pan.  all the kids love jake so we thought it would be fun for them to watch the special episode together.  all the cousins cuddled on the couch together and chase cuddled in my lap :)  it bums me out that chase doesn't like to be in our family pictures - hopefully he'll grow up knowing that he was there, just not in the pictures!

tonight i stayed up preparing for a special valentine's morning.  i decorated the house and wrapped a few little presents and set the table and got things ready for breakfast.  now off to bed i go...

february 12

today we had the pleasure of celebrating bob's birthday.  we met at nectar for a wonderful brunch and then came back to our house for some birthday cake.  brooke and gavin were very happy to find that ba kaye made her famous pound cake.  gavin went running to the refrigerator for "cream" (whipped cream), just like bob bob taught him :)  brooke and gavin sat on bob's lap and helped him blow out the candles, and then we all enjoyed some delicious pound cake with plenty of whipped cream on top!  i think one of the things i enjoy most about being back in cincinnati is celebrating birthdays with family.  i appreciate the simple blessing of being able to say "happy birthday" in person and hopefully making our loved ones feel a little more loved on their special day.

february 11

there's some snow on the ground, and it's freezing outside!  naturally, gavin wanted to go outside and play :)  kevin, being the great daddy that he is, bundled himself and gavin up and headed outdoors.  gavin was thrilled to use his new sled that flew down the little hill on the side of our house even with very little snow on the ground.  it looked like fun to me and brooke as we watched from indoors :)  the next thing i know, kevin is making a fire outside and gavin is at the garage door asking for marshmallows.  too funny!  so there they sat, outside in 18 degree weather, roasting marshmallows.  and my wonderful husband even hand delivered some perfectly roasted marshmallows to his favorite ladies who were smart enough to stay inside :)

february 10

last night i found out that good friends of ours are leaving p&g and moving to canada.  it was a big surprise.  it left me feeling sad that in just a month angela, dave, owen and max will be a plane ride away instead of a short 5 minute drive.  so i called up angela, and as luck would have it, they had no plans on this given day.  so we had a great impromptu play date this afternoon followed by friday night pizza.

i loved our time together on so many different levels.

i loved to watch that special connection that brooke and owen still have, even to this day, after spending a year together as toddlers in p&g daycare.

i loved to see how brooke fit right in with all the boys.  she's had a lot of practice since we moved to cincinnati, and it shows.

i loved to watch gavin try to keep up with the "big boy" owen.  it came with some bumps and spills and a few tears, yet gavin still loved every second.

i loved catching a few quiet minutes with angela and dave and having a conversation without any interruptions.

i loved seeing our four adorable children cuddled up together on the floor under one big blanket with the lights out and the tv on.

and mostly, i love that we have the pleasure of knowing this great family with whom we share similar values and interests and hobbies and experiences and history.  i've learned that it's not something you find that often.  and i treasure it.  i treasure them.

february 9

today was craft day with gigi.  brooke and gavin both had some fun making valentines with all of gigi's fun paper and stamps.  gigi also brought some yummy blueberry muffins for the kids.  it's no wonder we love when gigi visits!

february 8

brooke ran into our room this morning yelling, "it snowed, it snowed!"  we're all a little anxious for a good snowfall, but we haven't had more than a dusting all winter long.  today was no exception.  gavin played in the snow for a few minutes this morning, but by the time we picked brooke up from school, all the snow had melted.  bummer.  my little boy really wanted to go sledding :)

february 7

brooke's class had pajama day at school today.  it was so much fun for brooke to wake up and wear her pjs to school.  all she had to do was brush her teeth and her hair, and she was ready to go!  when we arrived at school, brooke's classroom was filled with blankets and sleeping bags, and all of the kids were excitedly gathering on the blankets with their stuffed animals/pillow pets/loveys.  what a fun day!  gavin was super disappointed that he didn't get to wear his pjs to school :(

february 6

i just can't get over how nice the weather has been this winter - if you can even call it winter!  today brooke had a play date after school with lynn and sarah at lynn's house.  i promised gavin we would go to the park after we picked brooke up.  we've been so lucky to get to enjoy so much time outdoors lately.  it's so good for all of us to breathe some fresh air, soak up some vitamin D and have lots of fun in the process.

february 5

kevin and i had a rare, quiet day at home while the kids were with gram.  we crossed things off our "to do" lists, and kevin cooked while i cleaned.  it was not glamorous, but it was productive.  by the time the kids got home, kevin had a yummy rib dinner ready just in time for the super bowl.  the kids bounced off the walls with excitement and shared stories of the fun they had with gram.  we let them run around outside to burn off some of that energy, and then we settled in for a nice dinner and some football.  we watched part of the game with the kids, and then the rest of the game after the kids went to bed.  i think it's the first super bowl that i have actually sat down and watched since brooke was a newborn.  it was fun to watch the commercials, and the patriots and giants kept the game exciting!  i was rooting for tom brady and the patriots to win, but at least it was mario manningham who an incredible catch to help the giants win the game.

february 4

it was a quiet day at home today with the highlight being the breakfast of waffles, eggs and bacon that we made together.  the kids love making waffles (or pancakes) with their daddy.  today i had blueberry syrup on my waffles.  i told brooke and gavin that my grandma and grandpa ALWAYS had blueberry syrup (and usually blackberry syrup, too) in their house.  growing up, i think i had flavored syrup more than i had regular maple syrup.  i have no idea why i'd forgotten about the deliciousness of blueberry syrup.  it totally made the waffles.  brooke, gavin and kevin weren't so adventurous :)  they stuck with good old maple syrup.  i'll get them to come around one of these days...

tonight we dropped the kids off with gram vicki because they've been begging to spend the night with gram again.  gavin has been asking me every day for two weeks, "is today the day we go to gram vicki's?"  i'd say "no, honey, not today" and he would reply "but it's taking so while!!!  i can't wait that long!"  so cute.  well, today was finally the day.  the kids got a special night with gram, and kevin and i got a special night out.  they happen so rarely that it's always hard for us to choose what we're going to do.  tonight we opted for good food.  we've been wanting to try Local 127 so we drove by, and the bar was empty.  score!  we sat down and not 5 minutes later the bar was full.  good timing.  i love having dinner at the bar.  it's always felt so much more intimate than sitting across a table from someone.  not to mention that you have the bartender right there to give you great service and excellent recommendations.  that's just how tonight went.  the service was great; the food was amazing.  local, fresh ingredients in dishes with just the right combination of flavors and textures.  every single thing we ate (and drank) was phenomenal.  it was just what we had been looking for without even knowing it :)

february 3

as i brought to brooke's attention, this was her 4th play date this week.  what a lucky girl!  today i picked lynn and brooke up from school, and they spent the afternoon playing together.  they played with their lalaloopsy dolls and brooke's tea set and play food and stuffed animals and all kinds of things.  i was sitting downstairs on the computer when both the girls came running up behind me telling me to close my eyes.  when i was allowed to open them, i saw that they had done a magnificent job applying brooke's princess make-up to themselves!  i told them how beautiful they were, and then told them they should have asked first!  brooke has been obsessed with the make-up that she received during her princess make-over at disney.  it makes her feel so grown up to have her own make-up.  lord help me, she's only 5!  the girls were so delighted with themselves, and i humored them by letting them put make-up on me.  they made sure i looked just as beautiful as they did... and they wouldn't let me take it off :)

february 2

we've been keeping busy this week and having a lot of fun!  the weather has been so amazing!  it sure does make a difference in our activity level...  gavin and i had breakfast at first watch in hyde park this morning and hit the bookstore and whole foods before picking brooke up from school.  after gavin's nap we met megan and the boys at veteran's park and enjoyed a beautiful, crisp evening.  we brought buckets and shovels and all the kids (especially chase!) had so much fun mixing sand and water and getting really dirty in the process.  brooke, gavin and i took a nice walk around the path and through the trees and enjoyed the last bit of sunshine for the day.  i treated the kids to chick-fil-a since we were right around the corner, and i was planning to take brooke straight to ballet.  perhaps my favorite moment of the day was watching brooke and gavin share a milkshake - heads pressed together, drinking it down just as fast as they could.  adorable.

february 1

during our airplane ride to orlando, kevin showed brooke how to type letters into a word document, and she thought that was pretty cool.  so now she takes any chance she can get to create her own letters on paper on daddy's computer.  it's like magic to her :)  this morning kevin was able to take brooke to school, which totally made her day.  brooke's class even has an "office" in their pretend area at school this week, so brooke got to go "do some work" just like daddy :)

while brooke and jackson were at school, megan, joey and chase came over for some play time.  chase is really warming up to me now and even wanted to sit on my lap and read books!  after picking brooke up from school we headed over to heather's to spend the afternoon with her, danny and stella.  the kids had fun playing with stella's toys (especially her new batman geo-track) and visiting with aunt heather and uncle danny.  after gavin and stella's naps we were able to get all the kids outside for some fun on the motorized tractor and the swing set.  it was so nice out today!  danny grilled out burgers, and we had dinner with the windows open.  i swear the weather was trying to trick us into thinking that summer is right around the corner!  it felt SO good.

january 31

after a slight change of plans this morning, we ended up at beech acres after school with megan and the boys.  it was a warm day, and the kids were so happy to be outside running around the playground.  i love to watch brooke and jackson together because their relationship has changed and grown so much since we've been back in cincy.  brooke has been playing with the boys in her class a lot lately, and it really shows in how she plays with jackson these days.  they run and chase each other pretty much the entire time and brooke does a pretty good job keeping up with jackson.  she's not even afraid to get a little dirty/muddy/sandy, although she was the first one to ask how we were going to get their hands clean :)  after we got cleaned up, i treated the kids to smoothies and bagel sandwiches at big apple bagels, and we had a fun little lunch date.  this evening i finished up my blurb photo books (hooray!) and then headed out to meet my book club at wild ginger in hyde park.  it was a great night out with the girls, and the food was delicious!  it was a busy day, and it was great in every way.

january 30

this afternoon we got out and enjoyed the sunshine.  brooke wanted to push gavin in the little old car that was handed down to us by neighbors back when we lived on beverly hill drive and brooke was just a year old!  gavin barely fits in the thing, but they had fun nonetheless.  brooke ran as fast as she could while still pushing gavin along in the car.  they were both laughing and carrying on as we made the loop around our neighborhood.  brooke was having so much fun that she didn't even want to play with the girls who were outside.  on our way back to the house, we ran into the people who bought the new house that is under construction, which was very ironic because just this morning on the way to school brooke was talking about meeting the people who were going to live in that house!