Reasons to Smile in February

 It's been the coldest winter for many a year (thought not the snowiest around here, mind!) but we've found many reasons to smile as we make our way through February!

For one thing, there are thaws, and some of those thaws are sunny.

The kids got to soak up some crucial Vitamin D last week.

Miles took this. 

  I love this hand-holding sequence. It mirrors the shot at the end of this post from April 2013. Compare the kids' stature to 10 months ago, same place, same pose.

 Their pace is quicker these days. They have places to go!

Like, the playground!

 ...Or up a tree!

 He was so pleased with himself.

 Between my own viruses and those of my kids (which cost us sleep!), I've become good at taking strategic 2-3 sick hour units for sleep & self care, to avoid mid-week collapse.

One such morning, I took a 10:30 bus to campus after a refreshing nap and noticed the outdoors seemed as bleary as my brain still felt:

This is what the dramatic shifts in temperature do around here: intense fog. I mean, this is how it looked at 10:30!

 My sometimes bus-stop. 

The fog made the VT research horses look so dreamy. 

This last weekend, we made our second visit to Blacksburg New School's fundraiser event, The Chocolate Party. We had such fond memories of the event from last year! So this year, there was no children's yoga (sadly), but on the other hand, we could walk from our new place, and they could participate a lot more fully in the carnival games! 

Also, they'd lost their fear of face-painting: 

 Of all the imaginable things to have painted on her face, Adele most desired a sheep. She chose this dog as her carnival game prize. She now has five stuffed dogs. But: it was what she wanted.

Miles, on the other hand, chose a rainbow cheek to go with his balloon hat.

 And for his prize: Princess Purse!

 Of all the carnival prizes, which had everything from stickers to socks to magic tricks, this one appealed the most. It was what he wanted. *shrugs*

Finally, a scene which has been becoming a Grunert household staple: Jon on his new ukulele.

Yes, it would kill him to smile. Just ask him.

 This was one of our birthday presents for our dear Pater Familius. Among the songs he's learned to strum are: The More We Get Together, Hey Ya, Blowin in the Wind, and Drunk in Love. It's been a source of sunshine in a cramped apartment that sometimes seems to be shrinking around us.

We expect another snowstorm on Wednesday. Allons-y!