February...fly-by style

Here are the 3 reasons I didn't get to much blogging in Feb...my FAVORITES...

So once again, another month is here and gone. I wish that I had the time to sit and write really creative and cutsie posts...which most of you would probably skim and roll to the next picture, but I do love to write, I just never seem to find the moment. And honestly people, at the moment I have only 1 small boy, 1 small dog, and a guy I like to refer to as Ryski...all of who need lots of attention, snuggling, and meals throughout the day(what will I do if the numbers ever increase??). I guess writing and posting pics on your blog don't seem to be of upmost importance to someone with a soggy diaper and a serious need for some teddy grahams. So I will steamroll through this month for you (and promise you that my little man is tucked safely into bed with a dry diaper and a tummy full of t. grahams!)...I would skip this kind of post, but I think I would have some very cranky far away relatives if I tried to do that:)!

I like to think of February as my favorite month. Even before Ryan it was my birthday month and it is the month of love...honestly, I know Valentines Day may have been created so that Hallmark and Walmart can sell more chocolates and cards, but if you know me, you know that I think this holiday was created by sheer geniuses who completely understand the very core of me. Then I married a V-day baby and it was confirmed...Valentines Day is just the cutest holiday there is. If you feel differently, just don't mention it to me. I am serious about cards, and chalky conversation hearts, and red glittery XOXO signs, and chocolate...and hearts filled with chocolate, could there be anything better??!!

So now that the month of love is almost over, I am now taking down the hearts, sparkly red decor, and trying to eat all the left over V-day candy(we have to make room for the marshmallow eggs:)!) so that we can open the door to Spring, who any day I am sure will be knocking. G & I had a taste of it in early Feb when we went walking with our friends, on one of those day spring is teasing us.... Erin & Charlie, our favorite buddies to hang out with during the day.

G's little buddy Charlie! They see each other weekly at our bible study nursery and last week when I dropped off Griffy he saw Charlie and ran over to give him a hug...it was adorable!

Happy boys after play time in the park!

We celebrated Valentines Day and our birthdays in mid Feb and enjoyed some me & Ry time, celebrating with both sets of parents, and friends too! Ryan's parents came on my birthday for the weekend and they got to have lots of uninterrupted play time with Griffin, which I know was huge for them.

Griffin and Grandma Lori having some water

In February I also felt that I was officially initiated into motherhood with my first trip to the ER. The trip included lots of stress, tears, and trauma and that was just me. Poor Griffin fell while we were out running errands and bit into his bottom lip and hit his top front teeth. Needless to say there was a lot of blood(from Griff) and tears(from us both) but I am happy to report that he is up and cruising again, with virtually no sign of trauma left. I can't believe how hard it was to see my baby in so much pain, and I thought I had a good low key perspective on things. I fell apart...but I think I will do better if and when it happens next (the ER nurse assured us we will be back 3 or 4 times before kindergarten, and if you have met my little monkey, you would probably agree)!

Excuse me, could you point me in the direction of the snack bar please??

To wrap up February Griffin and I packed up our suits and sunscreen and headed to Arizona to visit my G & G Sapp! My Aunt Cindy and cousin Max, and mom and sister joined us and we all escaped a week of lingering winter in exchange for some sunshine and sheer delight in no coats or long sleeves. The weather was blissful, the pool was warm, and the only reason we didn't exit the plane when the pilot announced that there were flurries in Chicago and this was our last chance to change our mind and get off is that we missed daddy so much!

2 car seats+ 2 grandparents+ 3 moms + 1 Al = 1 packed mini van!

4 generations having dinner together....

Pool time with Grandpa and the boys!

This is either prom 2009...or just Al & I posing pretty cosy!

Out acting like RASCALLS!

So, here we are...imagine all 5 of us in a sedan on a little road trip...the topics discussed were broad, music was played from every genre, and deciding on the place to eat wasn't easy, but we had a great time. For Christmas Al got us all tickets to the Rascall Flatts concert in Champagne, IL...a "do something together" gift and so off we went! We had lots of great bonding time and once again affirmed to me that having siblings is one of the biggest blessings life has. Who knows you better than your sibs...and loves you anyways, takes your good...bad...cranky...or otherwise and chalks it up to one of those days...and does get annoyed with you but would come to your defense at any moment...your siblings. The faces that you have and will endure all the joys and hard things about life with. I am so blessed to have not only siblings of my own but sibling in laws on both sides who I love and adore! Thanks Al, "Here's to you!"

Aren't they cute??!!

The concert stated with a small firecracker blast that scared Ali so much she jumped out of her seat!

Part 2 of the night...out on the town, pretending we fit in with all the college kids!

...and here's to more sibling adventures!