looking forward to the weekend

Wow!  It's been a crazy, cold time around here lately.  

But we've survived - thanks to family and friends, of course.  :) 

Jake has been traveling quite a bit lately, and since I've started working part-time (back in December) it's been a little hectic around here.  Thank goodness for a nice visit from Grandma, an overnight with Grandpa & Mima, a day with Nanna, and good friends that have helped us out and kept us busy.  

 COLD & DRY - gotta love the hair!

This last week was so cold that Ben and I found ourselves trying to keep busy at home for most of our days.

These puzzles were in Ben's stocking at Christmas - he loves them and has really taken to putting puzzles together.  These are 12 piece ones, but Grandma already upgraded to a couple of 24 piece ones that he does quite well too.

A couple of weeks ago, I started getting them out and working with him to put them together.  Then I put four pieces together for him to work on while I started washing dishes.  I never expected him to stay focused and work them through himself, but I washed the dishes and went into the living room to find a completed puzzle.  It made me really happy and a proud mama - how he grows and learns just amazes me!

Another of his favorite activities is playing with his new art easel that Grandma purchased for him during her visit last week.  We have quite a few local consignment and thrift shops in our little town and this was a great bargain for $3!  Thanks Grandma.  :)  It came with all the alphabet and number magnets and Grandma furnished some new dry erase markers.  

Ben loves it!

 And we have also done a little bit of decorating.

 

 

I don't much care for our light fixture above our table, 

but it really works well for hanging things.

It's got the hearts now, but here's how it looked on Christmas Eve.

I decided to leave the snowflakes up for the rest of winter - they make me happy.

However, this doesn't...

One of my goals for this year to eliminate our home of all the remaining wallpaper and paint.  So you can imagine how excited I was to find that under our lovely plaid wallpaper in the kitchen/dining area, there are two more layers.  And they're not the easy pull away kind either.  Oh well... I'll appreciate the completed project more in the end.  :)  Right?

I love our little house, but it is truly "vintage".

Have a wonderful (warm) weekend!