The month of January....

We have been enjoying this beautiful weather but know that the cold front is back on its way in. Last week I enjoyed running outdoors and it gave me a lil taste of what I have been missing on the treadmill. I love to run! It is relaxing and calming and a time when I can think and collect my thoughts. However, it is not nearly as refreshing when done indoors and not outside. I am not trying to rush things but I loved the 70 degree temps last week and am anxious for spring to get here. I am starting to think Bree has the same love for running. Every day she wants to see how fast and how long she can run. She runs up and down the living room, going full throttle the whole time. It is cute seeing her try so hard. I hope she grows up loving to run like I do. As a child I use to go out in the pasture with my Dad and we would have races through the woods and all over his land. We would see who could run the longest before they had to stop. Chasing each other all over, up and down hills and thru the creek. We went everywhere. It was always lots of fun and is a very good memory I have of time spent with my Dad. He always encouraged me and kinda planted a seed in me that has really flourished. As an adult I have participated in numerous charity events, marathones and half marathones, all sorts of runs and running organizations and hope to continue this well through my adulthood. I hope that I can do this with Bree someday(I can invision us chasing each other all over our land) and it is my dream to run mother-daughter events with her when she is big enough. I sure hope she loves it like I do. Her health is very important to me and I want her to enjoy exercising. I want it to be something we can do together. We have spent a lot of the month of January trying to slow down and spend more time enjoying each other, our home and allowing Bree to play with her toys and things. We have stayed in a lot of days and cooked our meals and eaten at the table together as a family instead of going out as we were so accustomed to before. We still enjoy a good meal out too dont get me wrong. It has just been fun planning our meals more and grocery shopping as a family has become one of our favorite things to do. We all enjoy cooking together and love how much more connected we feel after spending our time at home together. Our lives were so chaotic during the holiday season that this time of rest and relaxation was very needed. Plus I am constantly reminded of how fast Aubree is growing up and don't like looking back and wondering where the time went. Its inevitable I know but at least I can say that I am spending as much time as possible enjoying everyday with her and nurishing her mind and soul. One of our favorite family games that we have been enjoying is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse bingo. Bree got this as one of her gifts from Nona and we all enjoy playing it. Plus it is teaching her shapes and colors. Colors she has known for a while but there are a few shapes which she is really learning for the first time. Bree is really a lucky bingo player too. I have always enjoyed playing bingo on the cruise ships we go on and have been pretty lucky there too sometimes. I am sad to admit this but Bree usually beats Kerry and I most of the time. However, it's a fun time for us all. Bree has become quite the pajama girl. As soon as she comes home for the day she ask if she can put her jammies on. Normally it is fine and she spends the rest of the day comfy in her jammies and house shoes. And much to her delight she will enjoy "pajama day" at Parent's Day Out this Thursday. She is overflowing with personality. Always making us laugh. The other day she was very clear on informing Bebe that she wants to be called Aubree instead of Bree. I am not sure if she is sincere or if that was only for the time being but I have gotten in the habit of calling her Bree. I sure hope it doesn't last too long. Hopefully it is just a phase. She enjoyed a slumber party last week with her 1st cousin Kate at Gramps' and Bebe's house. I heard they had a lot of fun and while doing so I got to enjoy a date night with Kerry. So it was a win-win situation for us all. Well maybe not for Bebe. The girls kept her up most of the night and I sure bet she must have been exhausted. We spent last Saturday celebrating Bree's other cousin Lilly's 2nd birthday. It was a fun Elmo party and Lilly loved it. The party was great and we enjoyed spending that time with Clay, Tori and Lilly. Last night we were out to dinner with Gramps, Bebe and Papaw and when the waitress brought us Kerry's to go order Bree said to us, " I don't want Daddy to go to school." Made my heart melt. I knew it must be hard on her cuz she doesn't see her Daddy as much when he is in class but this was the first she had every said about it. She loves her Daddy so much and he is so amazing with her. He is a great Daddy and it makes me sad that she misses him so. I reminded her that he loves her and going back to school is a sacrifice he is making for all of us. So that one day he can be home more, enjoy his career and provide more for us. I am not sure if she understood but seemed to be comforted by what I said. God love her soul!! Precious little darling! Makes me even more ready for the relaxing weekend we have coming up. I cant wait to spend some time home together as a family enjoying each other's company. Every one should try it. It is great to slow down and plan on spending more time as a family, bonding and relaxing together. XOXO