Spring, is that you?

This past week has given us a much needed break from the winter weather. With milder temperatures and warm sunshine, it has been a glimpse of the spring season to come. Today we went to the Science Center. I snapped these two photos of our very photogenic family :) 

After naptime, we got back outside for a walk around the neighborhood and chalk in the driveway. Eli was outside a lot this week with Grammy and Grandpa, and judging by the holes in Emmy's pants and the dirt under her fingernails, I believe she was outside at school, too. February can be a finicky month, and I'm sure there will be some colder temperatures still to come in March. We have tried to enjoy the nice weather while it is here.

Eli continues to love anything with wheels. He often has a car or tractor in his hand. In fact, it's usually the only way we can coax him into his carseat, by sticking a car in his hand. Boomer has introduced him to NASCAR which is on most Sundays now. 

I captured a rare photo of both kids in the bath this week. We've developed a routine where Boomer will bathe the kids one at a time while I am cleaning up the kitchen after dinner. Emmy will request to go first so that she can watch a show when Eli is getting bathed. On this night, they overlapped in the tub for a few minutes. Shortly after this picture, Emmy came out, while Eli stayed in. Then it's pajamas, teeth, and bedtime. I am still nursing Eli only at night. Sadly he no longer falls asleep in my arms; he usually waits for Boomer to come in for the final cuddles of the night. Lights out for Eli is around 7:45PM, and Emmy just after that at 8PM. The time outside and the fresh air has helped us all sleep well! We can't wait until Spring is here to stay. 

"Noooo, Eliiiiiiii"

Now that Eli is getting around upright, we have to keep a careful eye on him. He loves climbing up the stairs, and he especially likes playing with whatever his sister is playing with. We hear a lot of "Nooo, Eliiiiiiii!" when the two kids are together. We often try to redirect his interest with a car or other shiny object. Needless to say, there are a lot of teachable moments on sharing and showing kindness! Eli continues to say a few words like "Mama" "Dada" and "book." He also says "uh huh" whenever he is asked a question. We get a kick out of asking him silly questions just to get this response. Eli had his 15-month appointment on Friday, and he weighed in at 21 lbs, 11.5 ounces, and he measured 29.5 inches long. While we waited for Dr. Albright to see us, we passed a yellow ball back and forth, and Eli loved trapping it to his chest. He didn't love the two shots he had at the end of the appointment :(

February has continued with its winter weather, and we had an unexpected day with all four of us at home on Thursday. The freezing rain and low temperatures led to a lot of ice accumulation. My district cancelled school for the day. Boomer, although at home, had an all-day virtual conference from 9AM - 4PM. The kids and I did our best to give him space in the dining room, but because we had to stay indoors, we passed the time as best as we could with making muffins and all. the. stickers. Dr. Kennedy still had a few visitors in his "office" from time to time. 

This weekend, we ventured to downtown Elkin to try out a few places from the Our State magazine. We loved having Grammy and Grandpa go along with us. We first had lunch at a restaurant called Southern on Main. Boomer and my mom got the shrimp and grits; my dad got the grilled salmon, and I got a fried green tomato BLT. We then walked nearby to the Barking Coyote Kitchen, known for its baked goods and other homemade breakfast items. We picked out a few scones and pieces of coffee cake to take with us back to Kernersville. They made for a nice treat later when we had room in our stomachs again!

We went to church this morning, and at the end of the service, we officially joined Triad Baptist. We are nearing the end of the First Steps membership class, and all new members were introduced to the congregation today. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the four of us dressed up, but it certainly felt momentous to be back in church on a Sunday morning after watching the services online for almost a year. Eli was a little uncertain about the nursery. However, Emmy was not shy one bit since now the building and classrooms are so familiar to her. She was a little confused as to why we were going to her school on a Sunday. There are things that we have liked about watching church in our pajamas, and we were a bit rusty getting out the door this morning, but I think we are ready to worship again in the building. With this step in becoming members, we are hoping to serve and grow in the church and continue to introduce Emmy and Eli to the Word. 

An Unlikely Valentine's Day

We have had an eventful Valentine's weekend! It started and ended on high notes, so I will begin with that. On Friday after work, Boomer surprised me with the most beautiful two dozen red roses! The flowers had actually been delivered earlier in the day and were still sitting outside on our front porch when he pulled up at home. Unfortunately I did not even know that they were there, and he came in holding the box. Ever year, Boomer gets me flowers for Valentine's Day, and every year, I am surprised. It was certainly true again this year! I quickly got the roses into water, and then we headed out to pick up the kids. Emmy was so excited to see both Mommy and Daddy at school, and she had quite a haul of candy and goodies from the day's festivities. We went to dinner at Big Burger Spot, and while we waited for our food, she emptied her bag of treats and inspected each one. For our little Valentine, it had pretty much been the best day ever!

To end the weekend, Boomer and I got a little date tonight after our First Steps class at church. We chose the ever romantic, super fancy....Taco Bell! 

And so now for the middle part of the weekend...The weather has been pretty crummy with freezing rain for almost 48 hours straight. The ice on the trees caused a lot of damage, and in the middle of the night on Friday, we lost power. The kids' video monitor made a beeping noise which woke me up, and I had trouble sleeping well after that. I kept thinking about having no heat, our food spoiling, and our cell phones dying! Needless to say, I wasn't very rested when I heard the kids moving around at their usual 6:30AM. Luckily the power came back on shortly after 7AM, and I headed off to meet Megan for our Saturday run. In preparation for our own half-marathon at the end of March, we were scheduled to run our first 10-miler of 2021. Megan and I were not to be deterred by the freezing rain, and we laced up anyway. After knocking out our miles and getting quite drenched in the process, we were looking forward to heading home to a hot shower....until Megan's car wouldn't start. Dad and Mom came quickly to the rescue, and Dad was able to jump it off so that Megan could drive it to the dealership. She is driving a loaner for a few days while hopefully they figure out the problem. Shortly after I got home, we were eating lunch when again, our power went out. And this time, it stayed off for quite awhile. To pass the time, we took naps and then headed to Arby's for dinner. We then went over to my parents' house to hang out for a bit. When it became apparent that our power may not be coming back on any time soon, our visit turned into a sleepover! Emmy thought it was so fun to stay at Grammy and Grandpa's, and she especially loved having her own room with a big twin bed. After the kids went to sleep, we watched an episode of Dateline, and then this morning, we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and it reminded me so much of trips home to Morganton when my parents were still living there. This was the first time staying in their house in Kernersville, and they spoiled us just like when Boomer and I came home to Bel Aire Drive. Our power was restored around 10PM Saturday night, so after breakfast, the four Kennedys headed home. Mom and Dad saved both of their girls on Saturday - how blessed we are to have them close now! Here are a few pictures from our run and from scenes at Grammy and Grandpa's.

Valentine's Day wouldn't be complete without Emmy's photos for Daddy. It is hard to believe that it is the same sign that was practically her size four years ago. I pray that she always looks at her Daddy like he hung the moon. Happy Valentine's Day!

Waiting on Valentine's Day

I have a little girl that is very excited about Valentine's Day! I don't know if it is the hearts, all of the red and pink, or the promise of candy, but Emmy is counting down until February 14th. Grammy made a calendar for her to check off the days, and I've been adding hearts to the kids' doors each night with special messages from her. Grammy also brought all the supplies for cupcakes and made a handprint craft with Emmy and Eli. Emmy and I have already addressed her Valentines for her classmates, so now we are just waiting for the big day to arrive. 

Boomer and Eli have matched on two different occasions this past week: first with matching camo pajamas, and then today in their Carolina Panthers gear. We went over to my parents' house earlier this evening to watch Super Bowl LV, the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since we have no strong ties to either team, Boomer and Eli decided to show support for the home team. Getting a picture of the two of them proves to be tricky!