February in the rear-view mirror

Addie & Heidi came home from school and made up these yummy fruit kebabs on February 1st. They were good, especially because they cleaned up their mess. In school, they have Healthy Eaters Club sponsored by the food pantry and Albertson's. They try new foods each week and discuss healthy habits. I don't know how the program is doing overall, but it's working great on my kids! They love trying new fruits and veggies, which works great with all the interesting things we get from Bountiful Baskets.
Niles can eat neatly through his whole meal, and then, in one crazy head shake, he can make a cereal mask and be reeeeeally messy.

See?

This was when Great-Grandma Lyn was feeding him on February 2nd.

On February 4th (Saturday), we drove to Billings to pick up a free piano. (We also took Grandma Lyn to HuHot, but she didn't love it as much as we do). The kids are more interested in practicing now that we have this piano and we are VERY grateful for it!

Here's Gram with her little buddy, Niles. She was so helpful, snuggling him and feeding him when Mama gets busy. We miss her so much!

Niles with Gram

On February 8th, we took off to Pocatello to take Gram to meet up with my mom & Mark. It had snowed the night before and Bozeman Hill was dusted so beautifully!

Addie came with me to help with Niles in the car. We drove 5 hours, ate lunch, then turned around and drove home. We miss Gram A LOT! Here we are saying goodbye at Five Guys Burgers & Fries in Poky.

Niles in his car seat at Five Guys.

Me, Gram, & Mom...3 generations of tired ;)

Me, Gram, Mom, and Addie...4 generations of first-born girls.

(1931, 1951, 1971, 2001! I broke the chain, but kept the right year)

Addie was THRILLED to see this hippy van outside of Five Guys, she took a picture to show her dad (a fellow VW freak).

A sticker on the van.

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As you can see from the photos, it was starting to snow, and we once again drove home from Idaho in a blizzard (I think this is my 5th time this winter). But we were home in bed by 8pm and Gram got "home" safe to Eagle Mountain.
I snapped this pic because I just love this view. It's just a few blocks southwest of my house (one of the few ways out of my neighborhood) and this hill is also part of my 3-4 mile walks. I love when there is snow on the big mountains and when there are cows in the field.
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The Friday after the Wednesday I drove to Idaho and back, I chaperoned an all-day field trip with Addie's class to the Museum of the Rockies and the Bozeman Symphony. I was so dang tired, but it was really fun.

4th graders at a 1930s gas station in the museum

Addie & Dakota exploring dino bones

Addie at the symphony. She went the next day, too, with Uncle Mike.

After the field trip, we hurried home for my first guitar lesson followed by Thai Food--what a great night!

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Saturday 2/11, we went to Bozeman. Rich, Niles and I went to Costco while Mike took the 3 other kids to the symphony matinee. These pix of Niles are while we were waiting for them to come out.

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The following Saturday, I took the girls to get their hair cut.

We sent the hair to Beautiful Lengths, which makes wigs for women with cancer at little or no cost to the patient. We chose them rather than Locks of Love this time because of minor controversy, although I think both are a good cause. I estimate I lost at least a third of my hair postpartum, and I don't recognize what's left as human hair, so I couldn't help wishing there were such a thing as hair transplants, especially between mothers and daughters. Cuz really, how fair is it that I lose what little hair I had because I gave these girls LIFE, and they get flowing manes of Barbie hair? Not very, I say! (kidding)

Also, earlier this same week we celebrated Valentines Day (see previous post) and Rich whisked me away on our anniversary temple trip to a NEW temple, in exotic Rexburg, Idaho (and we didn't take a single picture). We actually had a most relaxing, wonderful 2 days there 2/15-17, and now we've been married 11 years. Woohoo.

Niles loves to play the piano and Heidi is really good at making up songs.

Cuties!

Lastly, Niles.

Laura took this picture, which captures his deadpan face. Lately, he's taken it upon himself to be the straight man to the other three kids' comic antics. He is not amused, so stop trying. What a little character.

Yeah, Auntie Laura came to visit with Cousin Jared over Feb 24-25th. We had such a fun time--she even brought us matching jammies!--but we didn't take pictures together. Shucks. I love when she comes, and so do the kids. Now we just need to get our other punk sister to get her booty up here--Aunt Lisa, Niles said he won't smile again until you get here! Is school out yet? ;)