The warm has gone, the cold has come

This week was the first truly cold week we've had since we lived here.  It's the kind of week where I make certain I bought everything I need at the store so I don't have to go again.  The kind of week where I start thinking of hot chocolate before I'm even off the elevator to go outside.  The kind of week where fleece blankets make it all better.

In honor of the warmer days, let's take a look at some pictures from just a few days ago!

While Emma and Samantha are at local school in the mornings, Abby asks every day if we can "play school".  Sometimes this is reviewing her letters, sometimes we do crafts or other games, read books...and sometimes we go downstairs to play because I can't think of anything better to do.  

Don't let this picture fool you - she is full of all sorts of rowdy!

She loves playing on the Dora bike that my parents brought us many years ago, and can barely be pried away from the rockin rainboots they sent a few weeks ago.

 She's learned how to play with Silas a little better, though there are often issues revolving property law.  Many solutions end by determining who is screaming the loudest.  Parents of multiple children, please, PLEASE tell me that your house is as loud and chaotic as mine.

Please...?

In the "Code For Being a Little Sister", there surely must be an entry that states that it is her duty to accompany the big girls to and from school.  She loves dropping them off and dissolves in tears when I rush out the door without her.  (This usually only happens when I'm running late to get them and she doesn't have time to change out of her poor clothing choices.)

It is such a blessing that the girls school is just outside of our back gate; it's a 5 minute, door-to-door round trip walking time!  That means that even on weeks where Josh is gone and I have to wrangle everyone out the door, it can usually be done pretty quickly.  I loved this picture of all of them walking back to our house - it wasn't even staged!

And these girls are so blessed to have each other.  They really stick together and help each other out at local school, and even homeschool.  

Thankful for these kiddos, and even the noise they make.  Thankful for the long warm weather we did have.  And thankful that when cold weather rolls around, hot chocolate is available.

Brrrrrrr!