Survivors

 This post is dedicated to the two women closest to me, both of whom happen to be breast cancer survivors. My mother and mother-in law are both strong, loving, wonderful women and I am so glad that God saw fit to leave them with us for a while longer. My mother was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer last year and finished her last radiation treatment not long before these pictures were taken at Christmas. She is now cancer free. My mother-in-law was diagnosed and fought her battle a few years ago and has been cancer free ever since. Love you, Mom and Pat.

SNOW!!

I know all my northern friends and family are probably sick of seeing the stuff, but we don't get a lot of it down here. In fact, let's compare:

Michigan Snow

December 23, 2013

Texas Snow

February 12, 2014

So far this year, Grand Rapids, MI, my home town, has gotten 92 inches of snow! Longview, TX, the place we currently live, has gotten 1/10th of an inch. Pretty crazy! This weekend, it is supposed to be 75 degrees here. The warm weather should continue through Nana's visit next weekend and should keep rising through the spring and summer. Michigan is seeing a warm front, too, with 40 degree highs coming, which might touch some of those mounds- but I have a feeling the dirt covered ones in parking lots and along streets which are piled so high my MIL is afraid of pulling out anywhere but at a light, will take a long time to melt. They might still be there when I go back at the end of March.

I have to laugh every year on February 2 when the ground hog sees his shadow. Being from MI and having also lived in IL, MN, and WA, I have almost never seen a winter not last until April- which is well beyond the 6 weeks that Punxsutawney Phil predicts. Six more weeks of winter from Feb 2 would be an early spring, for sure! But, now I live in TX, which doesn't really have winter. It has varying degrees of autumn/spring with a very long, hot summer for most of the year. I know which I prefer. Can you guess?

I'm Sick....

...so here are some pics of my kids.

"I can totally pull these off!"

"Yes, I can lift my head this high."

Smiling and drooling are a baby's bread and butter.

Planning strategy with Daddy.

"Who you callin' 'Minion'?"

"That bird is looking at me funny. If he doesn't watch it, he's gonna get hit!"