Winter 2017

Now that it's officially spring, let's look back on winter!

It was a very mild winter, but in early January we did get one snow day out of it!  Lissie's school cancelled after I attempted the snowy drive in, but luckily I turned right around before making it onto the highway because it was a massive mess.  I was afraid that I wouldn't make it back up the hill to go home, and I had only traveled about a mile and a half!  The snow was quick in coming, and it was great snow for sledding in - we started off using makeshift sleds and transitioned to real ones when our neighbor came over to play.  Of course we had hot cocoa and cookies to warm us up in between bouts of outside playtime.  But the best part was that it melted quickly and didn't put too much of a damper on life!

A round of Scrabble, Jr. between playing in the snow

Winter was also the season for road trips, starting with a visit to Chattanooga over MLK weekend.  It was a halfway meeting spot from Lissie's godmother who now lives in Atlanta, and we also met up with another mutual friend from Nashville.  We had fun eating good eats, visiting the Aquarium, and seeing Rock City.  And I discovered my new favorite hotel chain: Staybridge Suites.

I also went on a silent retreat in Alabama with a close friend in early February.  It was probably the best thing I have done for myself in a while.  It was actually quite invigorating and eye-opening to be silently contemplative for a weekend, and I would definitely do it again in a heartbeat.

Then over President's Day weekend, we trekked up to Cincinnati so that Justin could get over his snowboarding itch, and I could visit another Staybridge Suites (haha).  The weather was milder than he would've liked, so he only got one day on the slopes in but got to hang out with us - and our Cincinnati (and Nashville) friends for the rest of the trip.  We took Rupert this time, and he was actually a decent traveller!  We checked out the Cincinnati Children's Museum, Loveland Castle, a few parks, IKEA, and hung out at the hotel pool.

This past winter we also hosted a few Meatball nights and family playdates, which are always fun ways to pass time with friends.

Lissie also had her Three Piggy Opera and her birthday.

The cutest little straw peddler

And a post-show Sweet Cece's treat for a job well done!

And, just like that, the season has ended and another one has begun.  Time sure does fly when you're having fun!