Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkes

Kevin Henkes authored these adorable books about a group of mice friends. Each has its own personality that almost any kid can identify with. Lauryn's favorite is Lilly. She oozes drama and I think Lauryn likes her because she's brave enough to do all the things she wishes she could do. However, seeing what her poor mother goes through, I'm grateful for my Lulu!

Winter Wonderland

We had the best day with our friends, Matt & Christy, enjoying the wintery outdoors. We drove about an hour east and found the perfect spot. (Thanks, Matt!) I couldn't believe how brave the kids were. Both Ben and Lauryn are my nervous Nellies, so I was pretty amazed they took to it so quickly. They literally sledded a good hour and a half, taking only the necessary snack/hot chocolate breaks here and there. And when the adults were too tired/sore/cold, they found new paths on the other side of our hill. Even after several nasty spills, they kept on going. It really was a perfect day. Feel free to visit our family website for more pics and some video!

What better way to spend a Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday! Actually, I felt a tad guilty that we hadn't made mention of the purpose for the holiday (though they're very thorough at school), so on the trip home, I mentioned how grateful I was to have spent the day with my family and how blessed we are to be free - thanks to so many before us who had to fight to pave the way so that everyone could enjoy freedom. Reveling in my eloquence, I was interupted by Lauryn's insightful comment, "Yeah, we already talked about that." Thanks, Mom!

Ellie the Ogre

Ellie was an "Ogre" playing in the mud. I didn't have the heart to get mad at her, but it was sure a lovely mess.