Silver White Winters

You can always tell when something is up with us, can’t you? I disappear from the blogging world for a few months and it’s kind-of obvious. Well, something is “up” with us, and it is very exciting news. We have moved to Virginia! My homeland. Where my heart never left. We arrived on New Year’s Eve. Jacob started his new job (as a children’s librarian) on January 15^th. We moved into our new apartment (literally new…not just to us, it’s a NEW, never-before-lived-in apartment) that weekend, and we’ve been adjusting ever since. But adjusting in a very, very good way. Actually, I am quite astonished. Anyone that knows anything about us knows that we have moved about a million times in the last eight years. It is exhausting. But this has been, by far, the easiest adjustment. We’ve only been here two months, but it feels like home. We love it.

I'm saving this picture in case Abigail has twins someday. She's been practicing.

Arctic beauty

First time sledding!

Wahooooooooo!!!!!!

I worried about Jacob a little. I was obviously delighted to be coming back to Virginia. But Jacob? He was enthusiastic, and I was skeptical. Hopeful, but skeptical. It turns out that was unfounded. He loves it here, too. Life is very, very good.

What is this?

First ponytail! 

Abigail's never-ending-obsession with wearing Daddy's shoes

Cinder-Baby

 And what about the little one? She’s doing great, too. I feel like we got here just in time because she’s in this wonderful stage where she’s so active and curious and [wanting to be] independent, and there are SO MANY things for her to do here. In Missouri that was just not true. It was boring. It was fine while she was a baby. But in Virginia we are very active. There are library storytimes to attend! There are playgrounds to explore! There are wide open fields that someone must race across – and guess who is volunteering?!?! There are lots and lots of other little ones for her to meet and play with. It is wonderful to see her so happy, and so tired at the end of the day. We run her wild. I love it.

Playdough! 

We wanted to go sledding but didn't have a sled. Laundry basket with a jumprope worked just fine!

We built a marble-drop 

The genius idea of making your own fingerpaint  - Abby gets to help!

Finished product. She's a natural.

 I am more energized, too, and I’m much happier about the quality of life that I am providing for Abby. I try to have a lot of projects for her. We mold playdough! We experiment with fingerpaint! We bake muffins! We have dance parties! And we read. Boy, ever, do we read. No exaggeration, the other day I read aloud to her for FOUR HOURS. Four hours in one day! She isn’t even two yet! It was kind-of crazy. But she is definitely my daughter, and I love nurturing that passion.

Lately Abby's been really into going through our dirty laundry and finding things to wear. I just know one of these days she's going to walk out wearing my dirty underwear when we have company over.

Pasta night is our favorite!

At it again, the little goober.

She's always willing to help out...

...until she figures out that the dustpan is great for scooting on.

The sad truth about Abigail is that she would never take a pacifier when she was a baby, but she LOVES them now that she's a toddler. I swear I have hidden them from her in a dozen different places, and she always finds them. Look at those eyes. She's laughing at me.

Guess who helped load the dishwasher?

I bought some underwear for Abby just to have on hand when the time came. She found it and immediately knew just what  to do with it. It's a hat!

Playing in the puddles...

Need to get closer...

Ack! Too close!

 I have a lot more to talk about – why exactly we moved here, some of our crazy recent antics, plus a catch-up post about Missouri that is about two years overdue – but I’m going to leave it here for today. I am behind on so many things. I just wanted to drop a line to say that we’re okay! Life is good! And I’ll be back soon. I hope.

No caption needed.