bobcat.

To say that Lincoln loves cub scouts is pretty much the understatement of the year.  The boy LOVES boy scouts.  He wishes every night was pack meeting.  Seriously.  The blue and gold banquet was last weekend and each boy was asked to bring a cake that he made with his dad.  My boys had so much fun putting theirs together!

I cheered them on from the sidelines... helping them very little along the way.  They didn't want me to help with anything.  That was really hard for me!

It turned into a family affair... everyone came to watch them hard at work.

I enjoyed watching them work hard together.

Can you tell they are related?

The finished product!  I think they did a fantastic job! 

(Okay... I did write bobcat on it for them.... but only because Lincoln asked me to.)

sunshine.

We have a brother-in-law that is in the hospital battling leukemia for the second time.  We always feel so helpless living so far away.  We can't help baby-sit, bring them meals, or do much of anything, really.  My sister-in-law gave me this awesome idea to send them "Sunshine in a box". 

Basically I went to the store and wandered around finding all kinds of yellow things.  It was a lot of fun putting it all together.  Even though it's just stuff... I hope it brings a smile on their faces and a little sunshine to their day.  We love them so much!

principal nicklos.

Our kids principal is pretty awesome when it comes to helping raise funds for the school.  He was all about letting the kids throw pies in his face... which I thought was super fun.  The kids came home and asked me for $1 so they could tape the principal to the wall.  What's incredible is that he came up with the idea!  They each got a huge piece of tape for every dollar they brought in.  

After lunch each grade got a turn coming to tape him to the wall...

Graham thought it was the funniest thing in the world!

What a good sport!

lunch with daddy.

On Saturday Jeremy decided to take the kids to the park and out to lunch so that I could have some quiet time to get my young women's lesson finished up.  It was heavenly having the house almost all to myself (Peter was still with me).  They took a lot of pictures!   Jeremy's idea of a 'park' is going to a metropark.  They had a lot of fun despite the freezing temperatures. 

We have had a very mild winter as far as snow goes.  But it has still been bitter cold!  It's rather deceiving... the sun is shining, but it is freezing when you go outside.  Hopefully we'll either get our snow soon, or the sunshine will give us a little more heat.

black history celebration.

Our kids Elementary School takes Black History Month very seriously.  The fact that the school is about 98 percent African American kids probably makes a big difference.  Each year Gracie's teacher puts together a black history celebration.  It's usually just for the first graders, but this year they made it a family affair and had a big dinner.  We went and the kids showed us the posters their classes had made.  

Grace wants to be a singer when she grows up...

Graham's class poster...

Cutest little kindergartner you ever did see.

And Lincoln's poster...

Each of their best friends at school are African American.  This is Graham and Javier  (pronounced Jay-vier... not Ha-vier.)

Gracie and our favorite Brooklynn.  Grace was darling at dinner.  She leaned over to me and said, "If things were still the same as they were back then, I couldn't be friends with anyone in my school and Mrs. Miller couldn't be my teacher.  That would make me very sad.  I think I would break the rules and be friends anyway.... even if I got hurt."

They served loads of 'soul food'.  Fried chicken, mac and cheese, green beans, rolls and salad.  Lincoln was a big fan of the chicken.

I love that my kids are growing up learning that color doesn't matter.  I was a little disappointed in the entertainment at the dinner... they had a black and white video playing in the background the had scenes from the KKK times and interviews of women whose children had been lynched and drowned in the river.  Not something I want my children exposed to.  I wish we could celebrate all of the wonderful accomplishments that have happened since that time instead of focusing on all of the horrific things that went on back then.  We ended up leaving early because it was just too much for us.  

a request of sorts.

at the zoo.

For President's Day we decided to head to the zoo with our friends.  We almost didn't make it because someone threw the biggest tantrum of the century but she made amends just in time.  

We opted to go to the rainforest since it was just a little too chilly to be outside.  The kids really didn't mind.  They just wanted to be with their friends.

We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family to hang out with...

The girls were all decked out in pink.  Jayne refused to take her supergirl cape off... she's had it on ever since Little Lincoln's birthday party on Saturday (except for church).

Acting like cheetahs.... I guess Grace is the only one that is actually...

Peter wasn't feeling 100% well.... but he stayed happy the entire time we were there.  He was so adorable watching the monkeys.  He loves animals.

Checking our our favorite monkeys...

BFFs for life...

I think Graham ran off about 17 times while we were there.  One of them was actually pretty scary.  We really couldn't find him.  He turned up and acted like nothing had even happened.  That boy....

These kids are my favorite.  Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I think about how well our families get along.  It's really such a blessing.  They have become our family out here.  I hope they never leave us.

They're drowning!  Quick!  Get your last bit of air!

Isn't he the dreamiest monkey you ever did see?

Oh how I love that smile...

All of the boys decided to climb the tree outside before we left. 

 Saturday, March 3rd, is Perry the Platypus day at the zoo.  My boys are thrilled!

obsessed.

Okay, so part of the reason why I was so sad that Jeremy didn't take very many pictures was because the kids and I were having so much fun at home and I didn't have a camera to document any of it!  The highlight of my weekend was taking them to see this movie....

Jeremy took me to see it the first weekend it came out and I've been dying to take my kids to see it ever since.  I've literally been checking the dollar theater every single day (even though I know they only change movies on Fridays...)  I've had the soundtrack since it came out and so the kids are very familiar with the music.  They loved the movie!  As I sat there in the theater watching them enjoying my favorite characters in the whole world I actually cried... I was so happy.  I'm a big dork... I know. 

Ever since I can remember I've had a love affair with Kermit the Frog.  I love his voice, the way he waves his hands around when he gets excited... I love everything about him.  I always wanted my kids to love the Muppets more than Disney.  So far in life I have done a horrible job of making that happen.  It's not that I haven't tried... I've tried so hard.  I don't think they'll ever love them like I do... but at least now they are happy when they hear their music and actually want to watch the movies with me.  

I've asked for all things Muppets for my birthday next month.  And I've decided that our next baby is going to have a Muppet themed nursery.  I am hoping to get this book for my birthday so I can make a super awesome quilt for myself... I mean.... my future child.  (no announcement yet... I just know it will take me years to make a quilt like this!)

I want the picture with the enlarged faces in this picture in my home someday.  I adore it!  (can you tell I'm a little obsessed...)

I was so happy when the day after we went to the movie my kids asked if we could watch another Muppet movie together because they enjoyed it so much.  I think I've tried to watch this show with them at least a dozen times and they always get bored and leave to play.  This time every single one of them stayed until the end!  I was so happy! (it's one of my favorites...)

So there you have it.  If you didn't know before... now you do.  I am obsessed with the Muppets.  I love them with all of my heart.