Lately,

Lately,we enjoyed the first Saturday of the month Home Depot Kid's Workshop project with Uncle Mike, Aunt Becca, and Morgan.  Love that Morgan, Henry, Sydney, and probably Charley are all distracted by something going on around them in this picture.  

This trip Morgan and Sydney gave us glimpses of the future friendship that they will share.  

Miss Morgan helped Miss Sydney apply the stickers to what was supposed to be a turkey napkin holder (but they ran out so we had to do snowmen napkin holders instead).

Lately, Henry and I find ourselves sitting across from each other mid afternoon in a heated game of mancala.  So. much. fun.  

Lately, Charley's word of the week challenge each week keeps us on our toes.  

Recently, he composed this poem for the word nocturnal.  He alternated between descriptions of the word nocturnal and examples of nocturnal creatures.

Lately, Sydney continues waking early.

It has been happening for awhile now...and the whole daylight savings thing didn't help. 

We are trying to embrace it.  And lucky for me Ed is an early riser lately. 

But the early mornings have made naps a wee bit more consistent.

This is a pic of Syd and I playing with magnet dolls in the cozy of her room.

My mom flew into town for a visit and then she returned a few days later with two of her friends for a spur of the moment adventure that involved meeting the Pioneer Woman.  

They were nice enough to get in line at 9am and let me pop into line just before it was time for Ree to appear.  They were in the front row...probably 15th in line!  The Pioneer Woman is one of the first blogs that I followed and she has taught me a lot about photography.  Henry loves watching her Saturday morning cooking show with me.  And her blog is a favorite.  I was excited to meet her.  

Sydney and I slowed down to smell the roses one day...or rather we slowed down to spy the deer grazing close to Henry's school.  Every animal has been a "puppy" to Sydney...but she is starting to name other animals in her own little way. 

Lately, I have had days where I haven't totally felt like myself.  

Maybe tired.

Maybe just transitioning into this normal gloomy gray weather. 

I do know that blogging helps my mood and I used to make more time for it, whether it be posting or commenting on other people's blogs.  

So I am really determined to find time more often to quietly think and blog and comment.  Lately, I fit it in while chaos runs around me and I get distracted and interrupted and throwing up some pictures is about all I can get done.  We'll see when and how I can make this more a priority.  

This week my goals:

Blog daily.

Slowing down and enjoying the simple gifts of being home with my littles (puzzles, a craft, a little baking, and wandering slowly to pick up Charley...even if our cheeks are rosy afterwards)

Hitting the gym at least 4 times and continuing to log my food.

Switching out our closet ...I have never done this for Ed and I and I think it would be good to box up our summer clothes to give our winter clothes room to breathe.