Bits and Pieces of January 2018- Quicktakes

January sure did come and go quickly.  I simply cannot grasp how rapidly time seems to fly by as they kids are growing up.  I wish I could push the pause button sometimes and just sit in these moments, but I suppose that is why I blog.  To create a little space where I can still "pause" in these moments and remember and relive them in my mind and heart even when they pass by all too quickly in real time.  

My little helper, emptying the dishwasher and stacking our multicolored cups to put away.  Proof that my children do, at times, do their chores cheerfully and without complaint.  

We completed a few more state food studies during this month.  

Georgia called for a lovely peach pie, that was a huge hit (no surprise in our pie loving household). 

Chris made Kalua pork (smoked in banana leaves and all) and I added a Hawaiian Macaroni salad and some good ol' rice for our Hawaiian fare.  

 

Our Illinois food study was a delcious Chicago style pizza (also made by Chris).  This quickly became the favorite of the state foods.  

Indiana grub was some delicious pork loin sandwiches and our Iowa meal food sampling was a breakfast pizza.  It sounded weirder than it tasted, much to everyone's relief.  Chris made both those treats too (boy, did I marry a winner). 

It wouldn't be our blog without a bit of dress-up every so often.  

These three goobers came up the stairs one day while I was snagging a few minutes to myself reading on the couch dressed like this.  

 

Now you see why I just have pause some of these moments.  

So silly, so cute, so ridiculous. So them.  

Eventually around Epiphany we took our beloved tree and all the Christmas decor down.  It was a bit somber looking at the tree the last night we lit it for this Christmas season, knowing we have another year to wait to see the twinkling lights of that season again.  Chris could barely get our enormous tree on the top of his car to bring it to the Christmas tree drop off place.  lol.  

 

We have resumed our normal homeschool schedule and are finally getting our rhythm back after all the craziness of the holiday season.  My three big girls are jumping back into their studies and Sophie and Kolbe are building, reading, playing, and more often than not causing a bit of mischief while I try to teach the other three.

        

 

 

 

Caught in some of his mischief.  

Kolbe got a hold of a cereal box that his sisters left within his (ever expanding) reach.  Of course he spilled himself a nice helping of them and promptly laid down to enjoy his snack.  

When he's not making messes, he likes to find pencils in mysterious locations (left by his sometimes scatterbrained sisters) and try his hand at this whole schoolwork thing.  His pencil grip is highly impressive (he holds the pencil in both hands, so he's currently ambidextrous, I suppose).  

Sophie loves to convince Mommy or Daddy (even Kayla sometimes) to play games with her.  She's at such a cute little age where she doesn't really understand the full concept and has that sweet little voice.  Games with Sophie are always hilarious.  

Sequence (for kids)

             

Her faces kill me.  What a personality. 

              

               

Sophie had a nasty couple days when her brief cold turned into a double ear infection.  Poor kid was a mess, and we lost a lot of sleep in those couple nights, but those sick kid snuggles are a great consolation prize.  

My wonderful friend dropped off some sickness help.  Thanks, Megan!

Drinking her probiotics and getting rest.  

For awhile she was experiencing a clicking in her ears that sounded like crickets and scared the you know what out of her.  It was awful, but seems to have subsided, and she is sleeping fitfully again.  

Colorado skies.  

Lovliness like this happens every month many times, but I like to stop and pause these beautiful creative gifts from God in nature too and take them in just a little more.  

Happy January and may your February be filled with blessings!