So, um, oops? I meant to post this last Friday, as usual, but it just didn’t happen. The times I was sans kid-crawling-all-over-me were few, and I just couldn’t spend them this way. Though I doubt I ruined anyone’s Friday, I think there may be a couple people out there who noticed the absence, and I do apologize for my tardiness!

1. Cassie and I took our respective girls to see Disney on Ice: Princesses and Heroes on Saturday (you know, the Saturday before this was supposed to be posted). Cass and I got more out of the show than the girls, I think, since we grew up on the movies, and the girls are too young to have had much interaction with the characters. They were still entranced, though. Claire danced her way through portions of the show, and Aria sat completely still, trying to soak it all in. I think her favorite parts were Mickey and Minnie, Flounder (she was devastated when he left the rink), and the huge colorful dragon in the Sleeping Beauty sequence…which she thought was a giraffe. We all had a wonderful time. It was a joy to spend hours concentrating on Aria. I was so excited to be able to give her my undivided attention I think I was actually smothering her.
2. We went to a birthday party for our niece. The party was at a bowling alley, and Aria enjoyed participating a bit in the bowling. She and Emma (her 5-year-old cousin) walked around holding hands a large portion of the time we were there. From there we went to a game night my parents were hosting for our church family. We had a great time there, as well, though I played zero games. I enjoyed floating around, joining conversations here and there, and learning that we have some serious Lord of the Rings nerds in our midst. (This is not a surprise, as we are a church largely comprised of homeschoolers.)
3. I went to my first MOPs+ meeting of the year (finally!). It’s a gift to be able to spend time with other moms, sharing struggles and insights. This particular meeting focused on marriage, which is something I appreciate right now, because we are in a phase with our kids where it is difficult for us to find time to devote to one another. I appreciated the encouragement to put Andy before myself and the kids. He deserves it.
4. I got my first Quarterly shipment from Book Riot! I am SO excited about it! Check it out:
   

   Even the packaging is a treat to the senses.

   

   ALL THE GOODIES.
   Two books; “Yay! Books!” magnet; Banned Books mug; “Read Everywhere” poster; Short Stories Thursdays USB drive (loaded with short stories); book darts (in the little tin)

5. Noah turned eight months old on the 9th. He’s an adventurer, my friends. It’s getting harder to get a decent picture of him, because he doesn’t believe in sitting still. He counteracts his constant activity by continuing to be a mama’s boy, which is simultaneously adorable and insanity-making. Here are some more pictures of the kids being generally adorable. Everyone loves more pictures of my kids, right? (Don’t answer that.)
   

   Aria accessorized Noah in that first picture. He’s letting you know what he thinks of it. He is all boy, that one.

6. Work has been keeping me busy, busy, busy, in a way I love. I am grateful to still be so happy in my job. That I love the work. That I love my coworkers (truly). That I can work from home, with just the right amount of face-to-face time with other adults. Now, if only I made a bit more money, so I could hire out the pesky housecleaning, which is work I do not enjoy, and thus have trouble motivating myself to do.
7. The Veronica Mars movie was released Friday, so naturally I watched it on Friday. It wasn’t perfect, but it was charming and my only major problem with it was that it didn’t keep going infinitely. When are they going to make another one? Huh? Huh?