I love you be cus

We've had a relatively quiet month, what little winter weather we got has quickly disappated and made way for Spring.  I think most Wisconsinites can agree that this winter was anything but normal for us; however, the mildness of it doesn't hurt my feelings at all.  For Valentine's Day Laura came up with the idea to take a piece of paper for each family member and write down what we love about that person.  Then take the notes out at a later date and review them together.  Whether it's for a Hallmark holiday, or for no reason at all; I suggest that every family take the time to do so periodically.  It's a great excuse to stop and appreciate those around you, and to take the time to physically acknowledge each other.  Life is so busy, days come and go, and often times we don't take the time to let other's know that they are indeed loved, and why that person is so important in our lives.

Alex wrapped up his first organized basketball experience, and the overall consensus is that he really enjoyed it.  My pride didn't come in the form of a win, but in seeing progress in him with every single game and to see him actually put some of our practice at open gyms and team practices to fruition.  I cheered when he missed the shot simply because I was so excited that he did the move we practiced time and time again.  His Valentine's card to me was:  You take me to open gyms, and I like that alot. Having a common thread with my ten year old son is going to become far and few between in the next years, so I'm going to revel in the swelling of my heart when I see him enjoying some of the same things I did as a kid.  Now he patiently waits for baseball season to roll around and see what that looks like on this side of the state.  Good attitude, easy going, and hardworking were among his Valentine's.

At the moment Laura is laying low and recovering from oral surgery.  She had a frenectomy on both the top and bottom of her mouth, and a soft tissue skin graft on her front lower teeth.  Literally, a mouthful.  She is participating in a basketball camp that the high school is hosting for the 2nd and 3rd graders, and she too is finding that she's really enjoying the game.  Creative was the common theme in Laura's Valentine's from many of us, there isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't come up with some innovative idea like a dress made out of recycled plastic bags.  The other fun thing about doing the Valentine's activity is forcing kid's to think of nice things to say about someone they don't necessarily like. . . this would be Alex and Laura.  Alex swallowed his pride and said "I like that you can sometimes be funny." When Laura read that, you would have thought she won the lottery, pretty funny how a small thing can lift someone's day.

Ainslee continues to progress in her reading and has become quite the overachiever, every month she gets a homework packet and often times she will work at it at a much faster pace than expected (she will typically finish the entire months worth within two weeks).  Here she is with one of her classmates, her first school playdate with someone from here.  Reading her Valentine's were probably the best part of the whole activity, she's to the point where she likes to do things on her own, and she has some pretty mean Kindergarten spelling skills-she's so straight from the heart.  For instance, she loves Alex "becus you play with me".  She loves me because I "cep her clen" (keep her clean).  "Dad I love you be cus you sled with me".

Alex was again blessed to have a wonderful cheering crowd at any given tournament. Grandparents, an aunt, and cousins alike made the trip to watch him.  I can't thank these people enough who take time out of their schedule and make the drive over, the thoughtfulness doesn't go un-noticed from Alex or us. With this mild weather Jason has been a doing a lot of shed hunting, here is a photo from one of the first trips out with my nephew, Alex, and Ava.