Happy birthday Auntie Meg!

Ok, so if it's Auntie Meg's birthday that must mean it's someone else's birthday too...oh yeah, my friend Allison's birthday! Ok, FINE it's mine too:) Happy Birthday Auntie Meg! (I don't think Allison reads this!) I've already gotten a call from my in-laws in Arizona to wish me a happy day and we're off to my parents house to celebrate with mom's chicken noodle soup for lunch!!!! Tonight, Riley still has skating so that's the plan for the day! I got to sleep in though cuz Josh has MLK day off...Thanks Martin Luther King Jr.! Josh even promised to put my socks on for me;) It's the little things sometimes...Sounds like a great day!

TIGF

I am grateful for the weekends when Josh drinks a pot of coffee, lets me sleep in and cleans the downstairs. Sleep is a hot comodity in this house before this baby comes.

I would also be remiss this weekend if I didn't thank my parents for creating me as Monday marks 33 years since my mom suffered through "real" labor, with Meg and I (by that, I mean no epidural, she's tougher than I am!). Of course we were perfect children as payback ;) Thanks, Mom, for my belly button:)

Toy Story with Friends

Since Riley asked for "lightyear and woody" for Christmas, I decided on one very cold day last week to let her watch Toy Story. She watched the whole thing like this!

Christmas with the Kantors

Yesterday we celebrated Christmas one last time with my good friend, Katherine (really she's Katie, but since my sister is Katie, she's always been Katherine to me!) whom I've known since preschool, and who's youngest daughter, Abby-girl, is my first Godchild.

The kids had a little dress-up tea party with Nana Debbie (Katherine's mom and my girl scout leader when I was little). Then Katherine, her hubby Jason, and daughters Kenzie and Abby and Josh, Roo and I went to open skate and then dinner at Applebee's. I asked Riley what the best part of the night was after dinner. She said "Skating...Applebee's...and Skating!" She also really loves her puppy that she got from the girls. I think she named him something like "snoodaley?" That's my goofy girl!

Thanks Kantor's and Lhotka's for a fun afternoon! Riley barely made it through bedtime stories before she fell asleep.

Hmmm, side note: Why is it that I only take pictures of the kids? I didn't get any of Katherine and I...and the only reason I got Jason and Josh was cuz they were with the kids. Yes, I'm a dork!

Oh, and the picture of the mittens hanging over the side of the boards is Kenzie. She and Abby posed for the picture and then Kenzie decided to hide...or maybe she slipped? But I'm pretty sure she was just hiding:) Abby loves to smile for the camera! I would have taken more pics, but every time they smiled for the camera, they would lose their balance and fall...seemed mean to keep taking pictures!

TIGF

This week has been a very strong reminder about why I love my hubby and why I'm thankful to be married to someone I love, trust, and admire. He takes care of me, puts up with my whining and even cooks and cleans. Yes, he has his faults, but EVERY human being does and really he is as close to perfect for me as he could possibly be. And then of course there's the fact that he's a great daddy (even if he does tell monster stories at bedtime). I don't mean to gush, but it has been an interesting week and one that has made me appreciate everything our marriage has been for almost 10 years!

Don't Crash!

Snow Plow Sam - Level 2

I will try not to bore you with more pictures of Riley's skating class (same clothes, different day, etc.) but I will probably post Day 1 of her class and the last day just to show any progress she makes (video to come in the next post). Last night's class they started with skating backwards! Riley has been trying this move with Josh for a few weeks so she was excited to do it in class. And there's a lot less using the walker thing too. Big progress from Level 1!

Also, we thought she might get a new teacher for Level 2, but she got Miss Megan again so she's pretty happy about that! She had a few other helpers with last night's class, not sure if they will be regular helpers or just for the first night. Another change: She is in with a whole different group of kids this time. Not sure where everyone went from her first session, but I think she might be the youngest in this group so we'll see how it goes!