February Out -- March In

I know February's the shortest month of the year, or maybe it's just that I'm just getting old, but this month went by much quicker and mercifully much better than February's of olde. I feel like we dodged a big bullet and lived to tell about it.

We survived two "bumps" of earthquake centred right here in Walnut Grove-who knew, and snowflurries that turned into an unexpected snowstorm.

But best of all, so many family visits with our kids equals rich times for us. Our newlyweds have been very busy working on their house and finally moved into a part of it. Amy's dad helped Tyler while Amy and I packed up their household ready for the big move. We even managed lunch out between hefting wheelbarrels of dirt on the men's side and packing boxes loaded with items on the womenfolk's side.

While Abby's momma was living it up Vegas style, we had a wonderful visit with Abby and her daddy at our house. I had promised April that I would take lots of pictures and kept telling Abby, "look at the camera Abby, this one's for mommy!" She grew rather bored of that notion pretty quickly, but I did get off a few sweet shots. And while Nick played soccer and Pappa went out to support them (Uncle Lucas scored a goal-yay, Uncle Lucas) I had Abby all to myself and it was wonderful.

Abby's food of choice-Corn on the Cob!

Playing with her Mommy's Monsheshee's. Vintage all the way!

Looking for clues

Doing her best to ignore me, can't say that I blame her!

Yup Momma, I'm still up and it's after 10:00 PM! Can we do this again?

And February wouldn't be February without a few visits with the 6-Cs and their parental units. We cheered Cathy and her fellow runners on a couple of weeks back. I think they were doing 26Ks that day, but looking at them past the mid-way run you'd never have guessed it. I picked this photo because she was looking right at her daddy as she ran past us. Love the look on her face.

Go Cathy, Go Cathy!

Our happy, little Birthday Girl getting ready to go out with her Mommy and Daddy

Our Jr. Colt-in-waiting-reminds me of her momma!

Our Lounger~dreaming of a visit to toysrus for Pokeyman playing cards!

Carly's whole face is a smile-she can't help herself-I love that!

That's trust isn't it!

"Take My Picture Nanny!"

Pappa and four of his eight pets out walking

Come on baby light my fire -- ooops wrong concert!

Make a Wish Darling Girl!

May your every wish come true Clairey.

And from yesterday~we took the kids to church along with our dear friend Silvana, the children's other wonderful grandparent, Nonna, and came back to our place for lunch and silliness.

In between visits, my beloved and I managed to get in a few long, beautiful walks. And as any walker knows, finding things along the way is commonplace. I have found CD's (would you believe, even one cut especially for Abby's Aunty Jolene and Uncle Dave's wedding), a blackberry (returned to rightful and grateful owner) and keys, keys, and more keys. Just days before Valentine's Day I found yet another set and I placed an ad in the local newpaper asking the owner to please identify. He did, and on his way over to our house to claim them, he stopped off and brought me these two little rose bushes. I was touched by his kindness.

I know Spring is on the way. The walking jackets have been removed, more than three times, and the sleeves pushed up when we walk. A beautiful bunch of forsythia adorned the Altar at church yesterday, the crocuses and snowdrops are blossoming, the huge piles of snow are melting and leaving behind little piles of sand in their place, and a frog was croaking away looking for a mate. And even though February left us pretty well unscathed, I am glad March has come, even if it roared in like a lion rather than a lamb!