I think life has gotten the best of us lately – we feel like we’ve been so underwater! Combined with the inevitable holiday recovery that takes place in January, Portman started a new job and for the first time in over 2 years is working in an office in DC full time. It has been a big adjustment for all of us, but the kids and I are doing great. I think we were ready for it! On top of that, we decided to go ahead and start our basement renovation. I can’t complain because it really is going to be awesome when it’s done, but dealing with the constant noise and construction mess is not my cup of tea. As Portman would say, “First World Problem.” Anyway, here are some of the things from “around the house” in January:
We got one, pitiful snow. It was clear when it started that it wouldn’t last through the next day, so I let the kids go out in the dark and play in it before bedtime. This made for some pretty terrible photos, but I had to document it since it might be our only snow this year (if we’re lucky!) They were so excited because the “big kids” in the neighborhood convened in our yard, since apparently we had the “best snow.” We are in kind of a flood plain, so maybe it all drifted our direction? Who knows.
I’m taking a photography class with a friend on Sunday afternoons. We’re learning how to actually use our cameras, rather that just put it on “auto” all the time! This is one of the better pictures I’ve taken since learning some of the settings. My beautiful baby girl:
Santa brought Harper a fish tank, and after we got back from our holiday extravaganza, Daddy took the big kids to pick out fish – our first pets! Harper picked out an orange goldfish which she named “Cheddar,” and Roman picked out a black goldfish named “Underpants.” We’re just thankful he didn’t name him “Poop,” because that was one name he was tossing around! Portman did a ton of research before we brought the fish home, and so far so good. We are testing the water a few times a week, we have live plants in the tank, and water conditioners in case of emergency. We have had a few water emergencies, but so far Cheddar and Underpants are alive and well:
Basement – we spent Martin Luther King Day weekend (all three days of it) hauling loads of stuff out of the basement. Aunt Cammie came over at one point and said “remind me never to buy anything, ever, because this is what happens!” We had an embarrassing amount of useless stuff down there, but we were diligent about donating it and only keeping the essentials. Some of the more fun things we tossed: approximately 1,200 software CDs dating back to the late 90′s. Encarta 98 anyone? We are adding a large bedroom/office, a finished laundry room with hook-ups for two washers and two dryers, and we are adding a little extension onto the playroom. Photos from during the cleanup and the framing:
Since the basement is out of commission for at least a month, we brought a few toys upstairs. We also brought all of the trains down from Roman’s room, where they have just been collecting dust. It turns out playing trains on the floor is much more fun than the train table – they have been having a blast making some huge tracks through the family room! Roman built a “house” for Harper out of magna tiles:
Finally, we have been blessed with the mildest winter ever, and I am in heaven! The kids and I have had some really good days lately, and I have to think it’s because we’ve been outside so much. Harper whined the other day “when am I EVER going to build a snowman?” My response was: you’re riding your bike outside in January without a coat on. Don’t complain! The kids obviously don’t appreciate it, but I sure do.
Harper loves to pose for the camera. She reminds me so much of Cammie at that age! Roman yells at me when I try to take his picture.
