Our 365-ish Project: Snapshots from January

I mentioned this little project a couple of posts ago. D and I are going to try to take one picture a day for 2013 and then put them all together into a “year in review” come next January. A bunch of snapshots of real, daily life in our family. I think glimpses of our daily routine and moments that may seem ordinary now, and might be boring to other people, but that one day they will be priceless to us. As our children grow up and our family grows bigger, I hope this will be a fun way to remember this time of our lives. And maybe fun for our children one day, too. Don’t you think it would be cool to be able to think back to some year in your childhood and in just a few minutes be able to see a picture from every day that year? Set to music from around that year? I would love that!

We were already a few days into 2013 when we got the idea to do this, and there have already been a couple of days since where the project has completely slipped our minds, so our 365 project won’t quite contain 365 shots—but hopefully we’ll come close. I’m going to use the blog to help organize my photos, keep me accountable, and provide captions for some of the pictures so we can remember the significance of various shots or what we were doing when a picture was taken.

I’m planning to do a separate post for each month of the year, starting with this one, for January:

1. Miss A bouncing on the pogo stick we got the girls for Christmas. Right after this picture was taken, I asked for a turn. I thought I was going to show off my skillz (I happen to have held the title of Colgate Avenue pogo stick champion back in second grade). But I was humbled to discover that I’ve lost my pogo mojo. The stick isn’t as bouncy when you’re so heavy you take the footrests all the way to the ground. I guess my glory days are over and it’s time to pass the baton, er, pogo stick, to the next generation.

3. Last night, M and I cuddled up on my bed and watched the video of Stacey Westfall’s 2006 championship ride. She is so talented! If you’ve never watched it, click HERE.

The girls spent today at the ranch. Miss M was inspired to ride Pistol bareback today and practice her horsemanship skills.

4. Helping Mamatoo at the barn after school!

5. We celebrated Ethiopian Christmas (Genna) and then spent the rest of the day and evening at the Magic Kingdom. I wrote more about it HERE.

6. D, K and M watching the Broncos game on TV. The Broncs played strong but lost to the Ravens in double overtime! Ray Lewis is a Lakelander, so lots of folks in our neck of the woods are rooting for the Ravens.

7. Me dancing with K in the kitchen after dinner.

8. Mamatoo took the girls to the ranch after school today.

9. Miss A at afternoon car line wearing a crown she made in school.

10. K spent the day with Mamatoo and Ken. Here she is with Paco, one of Mamatoo’s donkeys. He’s so cute, and as affectionate as a puppy!!

11. Another barn day! Miss A feeding the chickens!

12. D took the girls skateboarding/bike riding around the neighborhood and to the park after dinner.

13. Violin recital! Miss A played Allegreto and Miss M played Gavotte from Mignon.

After the recital, we went to the pet store and bought the girls the aquarium they’ve been eyeing! The light has a black-light effect and once the water is properly treated, they want to add some glow-fish. AND the big girls say if they have an aquarium with glowing fish in their bedroom, they’ll definitely want to sleep in there every night. We’ll see about this!

14. K practicing her "biolin".

15. D took A to play tennis while I K tagged along with me to M’s voice lesson.

16. Fish in the tank!

And the big girls have been sleeping in their own beds. I’m back in my bed again. No, it’s not just the two of us. K is cozy in the middle between Mama and Daddy—and we LOVE it!

17. Miss A in a puppy dog towel after her bath.

18. No pictures today! But we had a great date night tonight. Gift card shopping spree at Loft (they were having a great sale, too!) and gift card dinner at the Olive Garden. The girls had their weekly grandparent sleepover and spent the night at Pa’s.

19. Family movie night! We ordered Chinese take-out and cuddled up in the living room to watch Alladin. The girls wanted to get cozy in sleeping bags for the movie. 

Cute story about the sleeping bags. Miss A was exploring in D’s closet with her new flashlight and yelled out “I found the booty!” I was in the next room and peeked around the corner to see what in the world she was talking about. “Pardon me?” She clarified that she wasn’t referring to someone’s bottom but was speaking “Pirate” because she’d discovered a hidden treasure—sleeping bags! Come to think of it, it is Gasparilla week! Aye!

20. Beautiful afternoon to play at the neighborhood park and go out for fro-yo.

The big girls are still sleeping in their big girl beds in their big girl room with their glowing fish tank serving as a night light. We’ve enjoyed listening to them over the monitor as they giggle and talk to each other after we pray with them and tuck them in. Reminds me of sharing a room with my sister and how those early years have helped shape the bond we have today. 

This morning,  I heard them wake up about the same time I did. I got up to walk to their room and tell them good morning. When I got to the hallway, I realized they’d gone into the bathroom together. I overheard this conversation through the bathroom door: 

Miss M: If you ever have to go to the bathroom in the night, don’t think you have to wait until morning. I’m free. Just wake me up and ask me to go with you. 

Miss A: Good to know.

21. A chilly, rainy day. Perfect for a chili and cornbread dinner! Miss A helped set the table, disappeared for a few minutes, and showed up to eat dressed in a wedding gown. She requested orange juice to drink and asked if I could put it in a fancy “cheers!” glass.

22. Damion snapped this picture of the big girls walking into school this morning. You can't tell, but they were holding hands. Love that they're so close and affectionate with each other.

23. D got the girls flashlights so they can read in the car. They’ve been having so much fun with them! A used hers to illuminate M’s paper while M drew a picture as we were driving from church to Chick-Fil-A tonight.

24. Miss A's “fancy” trend continues. . . Miss A before school this morning.

25. She ain’t too cute to scoop! Miss M loves doing barn chores!

26. Pigfest! More pix HERE.

27. Forgot pictures today! GREAT service at church. Stopped by FedEx/Kinkos to get the big girls pictures taken for their passport renewals. Lunch at Wendy’s, violin lessons, froyo and a “night walk” around the neighborhood with flashlights.

28. Girls wanted to sit three across in the way-back on the way to school this morning. This is how it will be when the boys get home.

We took dinner to our friends the (other) B family this evening. They recently brought home a sweet daughter from China. We are so happy she's finally home!  She's so precious!  Another family in our local adoption circle just got matched with sibling girls in Nicaragua!  So excited for the growing G family--can hardly wait until they get home too!   

29. Miss A having fun being stuck in a bucket!  She's such a hoot!

30. Today, there was a Jawa sighting out at the ranch!  This picture was not staged--just K bundled up in one of Ken's sweatshirts out playing in the pasture.

31. First and second grade program at the girls’ school. Spend a While on the Nile. Too cute!