Weekly Updates in 10 Pictures or Less

As another week winds down to a close, I breathe a sigh of relief.  Not only for the things that were successfully marked off my "to-do" list, but also because we are one week closer to warmer weather.  Oh how I long to go outdoors and play!!  To say that we are feeling a bit stir-crazy in these parts might be a slight understatement as we stay indoors to avoid the bitterly cold temperatures.  BUT, we do still keep ourselves busy in one way or another.  Here is a glimpse into our week in 10 pictures or less:

1.  We had another snow day last week due to frigid temps and then one early this week because of an overnight ice storm.  I finally let them break out the paints for a while to help give them something new to do.  Despite the fact that Nolan kept trying to jump in and "help" them out, Marissa and Melayna both had a great time painting together and our living room is now nicely decorated with a few masterpieces!

2.  I watched a young boy last week while the girls were at school.  We turned our living room into a large fort using the couch and the sofa and almost all of our bar stools.  While the girls enjoyed having this monstrosity in our living room for two days, it wasn't very practical since we couldn't eat at the counter or sit on the couches all together.  

3.  Since the fort looked so cozy to the girls, they asked if they could sleep inside the fort with all of their sleeping bags and pillows.  It wasn't near as comfortable as it looked at first and believe it or not, all three girls squeezed onto the landing at the bottom of our basement stairs and slept overnight there!!  Seriously, how do kids sleep like that??

4.  After two days of the living room monstrosity, I had the kids use another snow day to re-locate the fort to a semi-permanent location downstairs in the basement.  They opened an "office" down there using the cardboard box Nolan played in all last week and then they asked if they could sleep overnight in that fort.  All of the sleeping bags and pillows and stuffed animals actually fit in there and they slept wonderfully over the weekend!

5.  Nolan has also been able to spend some time inside the fort with me while the girls are at school.  His favorite accessory are the bean bags - and the fact that he can jump off of other things onto those bean bags!

I don't have any pictures of our continued Friday morning Bible studies, or open swimming as a family on Monday nights, or the Saturday morning swimming lessons at the Y that Marissa continues to take.  (And now Morgan has also joined in).  The girls are all taking part in their school's "After School Adventure Program" once again this year and that will keep them busy a few nights a week for the next month.  Morgan is taking "Fun with Glass"; Marissa joined the running club; and Melayna is taking "Beginning Ballet".  And Noel stays busy teaching, tutoring, and now track season is in full swing with their first indoor meet tomorrow.

Wow!!  As always, our weeks - and hearts - are full!!