New Beginnings

2018 started out really tough for us, as January 3rd was one year since my Dad died.  It was a really hard day, but the girls and Marcus made me a sweet card and gave me flowers.  So many friends and family reached out and shared kind words with me.   The girls were suppose to start school again on 1/3, but school was cancelled because of snow. Sonoma and Cora wanted to play their ukuleles in honor of Pa.  It was really sweet.

January has been a busy month so here are some pictures of life lately:

Sonoma took over the chalk wall one night

I took Cora to her Girl Scout Cookie Kick Off Event to learn all about how to sell cookies!

Who wants to buy cookies?  You can by up until Friday, 1/19.

Cora can officially read!  It's so amazing - my favorite milestone! She is really good at sounding out words and putting it together.  I am so proud of her and she wants to read all the time!

Our friends Brian and Kelsey came to visit us from Chicago.  We had a cozy, fun night in.

I visited Wilbur! And, Mom and Krista and I all went out to a nice lunch together in Bloomington

My gym partner!  Every day I pick her up from the Kids Zone at the gym we sit on this bench, use hand sanitizer, have some water and put our coats on.

I truly enjoy my time alone during the day with Blakesley. I think Blakesley reminds me so much of Sonoma, because my time alone with her is in ways similar to the time alone I had with Sonoma. However, when I was a new Mom, I was so desperate to meet other Mom friends, join play groups, activities and sports. Then, my time with Cora at this age is a blur because she and Sonoma are so close in age! Now, I am perfectly content just going to the gym and grocery store every day with Blakesley. I love our quiet time together & I haven’t been in any rush to sign her up for anything. She’s my sidekick and I love learning everything all over again with her and stopping to notice all the small stuff when we are out. This time is short and next year she won’t be home with me every day so I’m trying to take it all in & slow down a bit.

Sonoma was excited to get her good luck bag before her gymnastics meet in Kentucky!

Another snow day!

Sonoma , Cora and I made perfume together.  Cora's perfume smelled the best!

I could do without all the snow, ice, and negative temps, but so far, we are trying our best to make January and 2018 a good one!