My Funny Valentine

Sleeping in was a little hard on Jack's hair (I have no explanation for the face) on Valentines morning. We had a great morning though. Jess made us waffles with fresh fruit and I made homemade whipped cream to top them off.
It was a "snow day" the day before Valentines Day...so one of my classes was canceled, Jack's daycare closed early, etc. all on account of a couple inches of snow and a lot of sunshine. I don't make the rules, I just follow them.

Since we did have some snow from the snow the day before we got bundled up an took advantage of the hill in our back yard.

Notice that we actually have a sled now. No more diaper boxes for us!

Jack really enjoyed sledding until he dumped off the side on a turn-around.


We had a great day inside watching movies and playing. At one point, Jack fell asleep downstairs on the couch. I was flipping channels and turned past one with a concert scene Jack opened his eyes clapped his hands and immediately fell back to sleep once the applause ended on the tv. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen!

That evening we had a wonderful dinner, followed by dancing, and...

chocolate fondue.Disclaimer - we did not keep the fondue pot on Jack's highchair the entire time...just for the picture.

Finaly I have a couple pictures from Jack's new daycare. He still doesn't like painting.

I mean he REALLY doesn't like painting!

Snow What Fun!

We had lots of fun playing in the snow in January. We don't have a sled, but we do have a great little hill in our back yard, so we used a diaper box for a sled...I'll spare you the "Jack-in-the-box" puns. Jack was thoroughly entertained sliding down the hill in his box and being scooted back up by his dad.

Jack made his first snow angel, and pretended to be the little brother in A Christmas Story.

Watch this video to the end, Jack really gets going.

That Saturday, we headed to Red Oak. I dropped Jess and Jack off in Red Oak and hurried to Corning to watch Natalie play basketball. She is such a great team player and really awesome on defense. If I had been that good I would have played through high school! After the game, we headed back to Red Oak to play. We played a TON of Wii. Jack even got into the action (turning off the tv, pushing buttons when we didn't want him to, etc.) He also tried to copy our motions; that was really cute.

Sunday morning, Caitie was sick so we stayed home from church, but I'm really glad we did because we had lots of time to try out the ice rink. Yes, Bill built a huge ice rink in their back yard!!!

Once the "zamboni" was finished clearing the ice, we had a blast. Jack really enjoyed scooting a chair around the ice and we even let him ride the chair a bit.
We finally decided to get a sled out so Jack could sled, Natalie thought she'd help him. So Jess pulled the two of them around the ice. Jack was so cozy with Natalie that he almost fell asleep. After our skating extravaganza and some more Wii, we headed to Omaha. Jess and I both had the day off Monday, so we stayed overnight. We met Jessi for dinner and then she and her friend Brandon came and hung out at the hotel.

I thought Jack looked extra cute in his swim diaper so I took a couple pictures of it. I'm not sure the pictures completely convey how cute he was, but they come close.

He had fun, but when morning rolled around, he was ready to check out and go shopping!
The following weekend we went to Holdrege for a baby shower for Nicki. Cori was at Grammy and Papa's because Steph had a wedding to go to, so Jack and Cori had lots of fun together.

They really enjoyed greeting anyone who came in through the garage, especially Papa!

School kinda swamped me for a couple weeks, but they promise that things are letting up...HA!

Last week we went to the Husker Women's basketball game. We don't particularly care for basketball, but we got in for $1 and they had cheap Pepsi's too. We went last year and had fun, and this year was fun too. Jack could really move this year, so Jess and I took turns chasing him up the bleachers. Jack got a good workout though and really liked it when the band played. Jimi, Nicki, and James went to the game with us. Jack tought Jimi how to "high five".

That Sunday we met Rod, Phyllis, and Casey in York for Chances-R brunch. It was soooo delicious...as usual.

After stuffing ourselves we went to Walmart. It is just not very crowded in York so we take advantage of that and go when we are there. Jack took advantage of Grandpa and ended up with a fun Elmo doll. They are talking about Elmo at school, so Jack was really interested in the toy while we were at the store.

It has been so nice the past couple weeks that we have been able to spend a lot of time outside. Jack and Jess enjoyed playing bubbles one afternoon.

We have been for a few bike rides. We have been testing out the route to Haymarket park because baseball starts in less than two weeks. Woo Hoo!
There is a park that is less than a mile from our house and on our bike route, so we have been stopping there to play. It is a great park because Jack is able to use a lot of the equipment becaues it is designed for young children.

Slide, ride, and outside are his big words this week, especially outside. He stands at the back door and wants out to play constantly. He also stands at the garage door and asks for a ride because he knows that is where the bikes are.

We also tried sidewalk chalk. Jack decided that it looked delicious, but did not taste that way. Blackie still thinks it is delicious! I always loved to play chalk with Bill's girls, so I am really excited that we have a huge chalk board in our back yard. We may eventually use it as a patio again, but for now, it is our canvas.


Jack has really been changing a lot this last month. He finally learned how to kiss with his lips closed! His vocabulary is expanding every day and he's really figuring out how things work. I am really glad that he is with older kids at school because he is learning so fast, but it makes me sad that he is growing up so fast and he won't be my tiny baby forever, he's becoming a big, big boy. He thinks my computer is called Papa because I have a picture of Jack and Papa on it right now, and he fake sneezes sometimes. And last but not least.....

He learned to pick his nose.

25 Random Things

I have a facebook account that I mostly use for stalking purposes, and I'd really consider getting rid of it if it weren't for the pictures posted by the daycare girls. I really prefer e-mail to public messaging forums...they just seem even more impersonal than e-mail. I'd write more handwritten notes to people if I could find my stamps but they always seem lost.

So, lately on facebook there has been a post circulating where you write 25 random facts about yourself. In an attempt to increase blogger readership I am posting them here.

1. My favorite post in my blog is "and the rest of it".
2. I never knew that having a child would make me so aware of how much other people love me. (I mean this in a really good way)
3. I only hate lawschool about half the time
4. ...but I am so greatful for the experience and the brief moments where I actually feel better about myself because I am surviving something so challenging.
5. Despite the fact that I wasn't a planned child, I've never felt like a mistake.
6. I wish my best friends all lived next door still; It was so much easier to spend time with the old ones, and I wish I knew my new best friends like I knew my old ones.
7. I wonder why someone even coined the term best friend...how ambiguous! Who can choose a best one, each of my friends is the best at something!
8. I can't believe that I cried when I had to leave Belle (Marley) at home to go to college. It's not that I don't love her, it is just that she's a dog!
9. I am afraid of dying young, dying on a bridge, or dying by being eaten alive. see e.g. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090204/ap_on_sc/sci_monster_snake_6
10. I hope I get a few new blog readers because of posting this here and not on facebook.
11. My first CD was Sandi Patty and the Friendship Company, I can't even remember the last time I bought a CD for myself though. (Like maybe 3 years ago).
12. I wish "Mad Men" was back on...why can't it be like "Jon and Kate plus 8" and tape year round?
13. I love to watch Jack (and Jess too) dance to the song "Surfin' Bird".
14. I love to have people come and stay in Lincoln with us.
15. I wish the cabin was closer to Lincoln.
16. I wish I could work on weekends and spend the week at the cabin. I love to be at the lake when no one is there.
17. I won't let Jack eat french fries until he is 5 because I wish I didn't like them.
18. I don't know why anyone uses the term "hubby" I think it is just gross...don't say it around me or I'll think bad things about you.
19. I love the Golden Girls, but there are about five episodes I just don't care to watch...there are about fifteen that I consider my favorite.
20. I'm terrible at choosing a favorite... except that Paul McCartney is my favorite recording artist. The list of exclusive favorites ends there. food, movie, song, day, color, friend, etc. I can't pick just one!
21. I really miss reading for fun!
22. I wish there would be a new Christopher Guest movie...but not another one like "For Your Consideration", one like "A Mighty Wind."
23. I should be studying right now!!!
24. I think the best day of any week is the one when class is canceled.
25. If we win the lottery, I'm having Blackie cloned, going back to work at Kearney Floral, and writting a book about the Golden Girls while I sit on a beach.

I'll get back to good posts but thought this might be a nice distraction from the monotony of studying. Enjoy!