What we're up to

Well hello there! And Happy New Year, since this is my first post this year.

This winter has been pretty incredible so far. Nothing hugely significant has happened but this weather. It's been warmer than usual and we are not complaining. I feel like we got an extra little gift of a shorter winter on top of the rest of our Christmas gifts. Even though it's now back to normal winter temps, It's already January (and half way through at that) and it just now feels like we're starting winter. It's great.

This really happened. It was even staged. But...they're heavy and apparently I'm weak so it didn't last long.

hot chocolate is a great motivator.

We've been on a slightly slower schedule, although the difference is slight. We are still getting out of the house often, heading to the gym, playdates, grocery shopping, the library, lunch dates, etc, but it just feels like less because our calendar isn't packed and filled up three weeks ahead of time like it seemed to be all year. I've learned that I do better when there are a few blank spots in the weekly calendar. Even if they get filled at the last minute, my mind knew we had the option of nothing so it still counted. Mental games, I know, but at least I'm figuring it out.

Date night! New trick: add lipstick. I am officially an adult, right? That's all it takes for me to feel "put together." Whatever works...

We celebrated Christmas with hubby's family and I took all of three pictures. Oops. It was fun, though! It was at our house (my favorite, gives me and excuse to clean and Millie can nap like normal).  I have a few pictures of the girls frosting cookies beforehand and another of hubby using his new coloring book while hanging out with the girls (fleeting but sweet moment!).

We celebrated New Years at home with just our little family, making appetizers for dinner (the girls legit helped - love this new stage) and putting the kids to bed at the same time as always so the adults could stay up to ... watch tv together. Thrilling, I know! But we loved it.

It says, "Happy New Year." I wrote it out using magnets, she copied it.

I finally painted the hallway and even hung everything back up. I just can't get a great angle of this long, skinny hallway, but hopefully you get the idea. It's homey and welcoming and catches my eye every time I walk by. Next up: bathroom (same color, so much cutting in...).

first bath together with minimal screaming from Millie. Also, probably the last bath picture that will be posted online as Josie is rapidly growing up and yada yada yada.

Our MOMS Club had a tour at one of the radio stations and it was a huge success. I was a little nervous that the girls would be too bored and therefore too rambunctious during it, but our tour guide was entertaining and understood how to keep the pace going and get the kids involved (local radio personality so I was excited to meet him and he obviously has a kid or two and is great with them so that helped a lot). We met a few more radio personalities (what are their actual titles?) and the kids got to talk into a mic while he messed around with their voices (making them higher or lower and of course they loved the chipmunk voices). Josie was brave and went first, but Audrey was too shy. Either way, they both talked about it for days afterwards and learned quite a bit.

I mean.... look at that face.

We took the girls skating along with Grammy and Papa. Hubby worked with Josie, expecting her to freak out because she was nervous (what she calls it when she's scared) but instead, she nervously giggled and tried long enough to slowly move about ten feet at a time. We only stayed out there for about a half hour which helped. She didn't leave frustrated. Amelia hung out in her stroller. She was warmer than the rest of us and didn't seem to mind watching her sisters fall over repeatedly. Audrey thought it was hilarious and just flopped around while Papa picked her up and held her arms. She may not be ready yet. ;)

We had breakfast with our friends to celebrate Evelyn turning five, and we learned that Josie and Evelyn, although extremely similar as strong stubborn firstborns, get along famously and can be quite silly (and frankly a little disobedient) when excited and giddy together. While it challenges her mom and me, it's also so rewarding to watch their friendship bloom. Now to get Audrey and Evelyn's sister, Alice, to be buddies... work in progress!

random sweet moment with these two, Audrey reading to Millie, Millie swatting at the book the whole time

I bought a new camera lens per a recommendation from a friend (50 mm lens) after I complained about how hard it is to get decent pictures indoors. Remember, I am completely clueless about all things photography, even though I enjoy it and have plenty of fun tools and gadgets to make me appear better than I am at it. This recommendation was perfect. Every single picture I've taken has been scores better than the factory lens that came with the camera. There is no option to zoom, which is a little strange at first, but overall it's been fun to play with it (for the last few days, since that's as long as I've had it). Millie's monthly pictures are due (she's 11 months old already. Eek!) so I guess I have another excuse to play around with it. Edited to add: that didn't work. with no zoom I also cannot zoom OUT so it was impossible to get her whole body in the shot. Back to the old lens for now...